{"id":506,"date":"2013-03-03T13:18:46","date_gmt":"2013-03-03T05:18:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mylast365days.com\/?p=506"},"modified":"2014-01-11T03:29:45","modified_gmt":"2014-01-11T03:29:45","slug":"life-advice-from-ang-lee-there-will-be-doubt-but-never-give-up-on-your-dreams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/life-advice-from-ang-lee-there-will-be-doubt-but-never-give-up-on-your-dreams\/","title":{"rendered":"Life Advice from Ang Lee: There Will Be Doubt but Never Give Up on Your Dreams"},"content":{"rendered":"

Below is a beautifully written article by Ang Lee<\/strong> which has resurfaced on recent news of his Oscar<\/strong> win for Best Director<\/strong> on Life of Pi<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\"Ang<\/a><\/p>\n

In 1978, as I applied to study film at the University of Illinois, my father vehemently objected. He quoted me a statistic: \u2018Every year, 50,000 performers compete for 200 available roles on Broadway.\u2019 Against his advice, I boarded a flight to the U.S. This strained our relationship. In the two decades following, we exchanged less than a hundred phrases in conversation.<\/em><\/p>\n

Some years later, when I graduated film school, I came to comprehend my father\u2019s concern. It was nearly unheard of for a Chinese newcomer to make it in the American film industry. Beginning in 1983, I struggled through six years of agonizing, hopeless uncertainty. Much of the time, I was helping film crews with their equipment or working as editor\u2019s assistant, among other miscellaneous duties. My most painful experience involved shopping a screenplay at more than thirty different production companies, and being met with harsh rejection each time.<\/em><\/p>\n

That year, I turned 30. There\u2019s an old Chinese saying: \u2018At 30, one stands firm.\u2019 Yet, I couldn\u2019t even support myself. What could I do? Keep waiting, or give up my movie-making dream? My wife gave me invaluable support.<\/em><\/p>\n

My wife was my college classmate. She was a biology major, and after graduation, went to work for a small pharmaceutical research lab. Her income was terribly modest. At the time, we already had our elder son, Haan, to raise. To appease my own feelings of guilt, I took on all housework \u2013 cooking, cleaning, taking care of our son \u2013 in addition to reading, reviewing films and writing scripts. Every evening after preparing dinner, I would sit on the front steps with Haan, telling him stories as we waited for his mother \u2013 the heroic huntress \u2013 to come home with our sustenance (income).<\/em><\/p>\n

This kind of life felt rather undignified for a man. At one point, my in-laws gave their daughter (my wife) a sum of money, intended as start-up capital for me to open a Chinese restaurant \u2013 hoping that a business would help support my family. But my wife refused the money. When I found out about this exchange, I stayed up several nights and finally decided: This dream of mine is not meant to be. I must face reality.<\/em><\/p>\n

Afterward (and with a heavy heart), I enrolled in a computer course at a nearby community college. At a time when employment trumped all other considerations, it seemed that only a knowledge of computers could quickly make me employable. For the days that followed, I descended into malaise. My wife, noticing my unusual demeanor, discovered a schedule of classes tucked in my bag. She made no comment that night.<\/em><\/p>\n

The next morning, right before she got in her car to head off to work, my wife turned back and \u2013 standing there on our front steps \u2013 said, \u2018Ang, don\u2019t forget your dream.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

And that dream of mine \u2013 drowned by demands of reality \u2013 came back to life. As my wife drove off, I took the class schedule out of my bag and slowly, deliberately tore it to pieces. And tossed it in the trash.<\/em><\/p>\n

Sometime after, I obtained funding for my screenplay, and began to shoot my own films. And after that, a few of my films started to win international awards. Recalling earlier times, my wife confessed, \u2018I\u2019ve always believed that you only need one gift. Your gift is making films. There are so many people studying computers already, they don\u2019t need an Ang Lee to do that. If you want that golden statue, you have to commit to the dream.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\n

And today, I\u2019ve finally won that golden statue. I think my own perseverance and my wife\u2019s immeasurable sacrifice have finally met their reward. And I am now more assured than ever before: I must continue making films.<\/em><\/p>\n

You see, I have this never-ending dream.<\/em><\/p>\n

–Ang Lee after winning his first Oscar in 2006<\/p>\n

Ang Lee’s words move me. When the success you’d hoped for still seems so uncertain and you don’t know where it is within your reach, it can be easy to waiver in your belief. His life story shows that he had been at it for at least 6 years with no real hint of success before things just started to turn around. His story tells us to pursue what we love and what we are meant to do, and not just what we think will pay the bills.\u00a0I’m sure most who follow the artist route will at some point or another ask themselves “maybe it’s time to take up responsibility and get a steady job”, but I believe as long as you want it bad enough and as long as your heart tells you this is your calling, you should remain steadfast and follow your dreams.<\/p>\n

\u00a0“Behind every successful man, there is a woman.”<\/strong>\u00a0Ang Lee also beautifully highlights the importance of having a good wife. I was moved when I first read the Chinese version. I could just picture his wife about to get in her car on her way to work– turning her head and looking back at Ang as he stands by the doorway– her emotions surge as she thinks about all the years she has supported him and from the bottom of her heart believed in him– she thinks about how the man she cares about is about to throw those dreams away because after 6-7 years of failure, his faith in himself waivers… then she says “Ang, don\u2019t forget your dream<\/em>.” Then of course we know how the story goes. He goes on to win 2 oscars. The story is powerful though and emphasizes the importance of having someone who believes in you even when you don’t believe in yourself.<\/p>\n

——————————–<\/p>\n

Below is the Original Text in Chinese by Ang Lee<\/p>\n

\"Ang<\/a><\/p>\n

\u6587 \/ \u674e\u5b89<\/p>\n

1978\u5e74\uff0c\u7576\u6211\u6e96\u5099\u5831\u8003\u7f8e\u570b\u4f0a\u5229\u8afe\u5927\u5b78\u7684\u6232\u5287\u96fb\u5f71\u7cfb\u6642\uff0c\u7236\u89aa\u5341\u5206\u53cd\u611f\uff0c\u4ed6\u7d66\u6211\u5217\u4e86\u4e00\u500b\u8cc7\u6599\uff1a\u5728\u7f8e\u570b\u767e\u8001\u532f\uff0c\u6bcf\u5e74\u53ea\u6709\u5169\u767e\u500b\u89d2\u8272\uff0c\u4f46\u537b\u6709\u4e94\u842c\u4eba\u8981\u4e00\u8d77\u722d\u596a\u9019\u5c11\u5f97\u53ef\u6190\u7684\u89d2\u8272\u3002\u7576\u6642\u6211\u4e00\u610f\u5b64\u884c\uff0c\u6c7a\u610f\u767b\u4e0a\u4e86\u53bb\u7f8e\u570b\u7684\u73ed\u6a5f\uff0c\u7236\u89aa\u548c\u6211\u7684\u95dc\u4fc2\u5f9e\u6b64\u60e1\u5316\uff0c\u8fd1\u4e8c\u5341\u5e74\u9593\u548c\u6211\u8aaa\u7684\u8a71\u4e0d\u8d85\u904e\u4e00\u767e\u53e5\uff01<\/p>\n

\u4f46\u662f\uff0c\u7b49\u6211\u5e7e\u5e74\u5f8c\u5f9e\u96fb\u5f71\u5b78\u9662\u7562\u696d\uff0c\u6211\u7d42\u65bc\u660e\u767d\u4e86\u7236\u89aa\u7684\u82e6\u5fc3\u6240\u5728\u3002\u5728\u7f8e\u570b\u96fb\u5f71\u754c\uff0c\u4e00\u500b\u6c92\u6709\u4efb\u4f55\u80cc\u666f\u7684\u83ef\u4eba\u8981\u60f3\u6df7\u51fa\u540d\u5802\u4f86\uff0c\u8ac7\u4f55\u5bb9\u6613\u3002\u5f9e1983\u5e74\u8d77\uff0c\u6211\u7d93\u904e\u4e86\u516d\u5e74\u7684\u6f2b\u9577\u800c\u7121\u671b\u7684\u7b49\u5f85\uff0c\u5927\u591a\u6578\u6642\u5019\u90fd\u662f\u5e6b\u5287\u7d44\u770b\u770b\u5668\u6750\u3001\u505a\u9ede\u526a\u8f2f\u52a9\u7406\u3001\u5287\u52d9\u4e4b\u985e\u7684\u96dc\u4e8b\u3002\u6700\u75db\u82e6\u7684\u7d93\u6b77\u662f\uff0c\u66fe\u7d93\u62ff\u8457\u4e00\u500b\u5287\u672c\uff0c\u5169\u500b\u661f\u671f\u8dd1\u4e86\u4e09\u5341\u591a\u5bb6\u516c\u53f8\uff0c\u4e00\u6b21\u6b21\u9762\u5c0d\u5225\u4eba\u7684\u767d\u773c\u548c\u62d2\u7d55\u3002<\/p>\n

\u90a3\u6642\u5019\uff0c\u6211\u5df2\u7d93\u5c07\u8fd1\u4e09\u5341\u6b72\u4e86\u3002\u53e4\u4eba\u8aaa\uff1a\u4e09\u5341\u800c\u7acb\u3002\u800c\u6211\u9023\u81ea\u5df1\u7684\u751f\u6d3b\u90fd\u9084\u6c92\u6cd5\u81ea\u7acb\uff0c\u600e\u9ebc\u8fa6\uff1f\u7e7c\u7e8c\u7b49\u5f85\uff0c\u9084\u662f\u5c31\u6b64\u653e\u68c4\u5fc3\u4e2d\u7684\u96fb\u5f71\u5922\uff1f\u5e78\u597d\u3002\u6211\u7684\u59bb\u5b50\u7d66\u4e86\u6211\u6700\u53ca\u6642\u7684\u9f13\u52f5\u3002<\/p>\n

\u59bb\u5b50\u662f\u6211\u7684\u5927\u5b78\u540c\u5b78\uff0c\u4f46\u5979\u662f\u5b78\u751f\u7269\u5b78\u7684\uff0c\u7562\u2026\u2026\u696d\u5f8c\u5728\u7576\u5730\u4e00\u5bb6\u5c0f\u7814\u7a76\u5ba4\u505a\u85e5\u7269\u7814\u7a76\u54e1\uff0c\u85aa\u6c34\u5c11\u5f97\u53ef\u6190\u3002\u90a3\u6642\u5019\u6211\u5011\u5df2\u7d93\u6709\u4e86\u5927\u5152\u5b50\u674e\u6db5\uff0c\u70ba\u4e86\u7de9\u89e3\u5167\u5fc3\u7684\u6127\u759a\uff0c\u6211\u6bcf\u5929\u9664\u4e86\u5728\u5bb6\u88e1\u8b80\u66f8\u3001\u770b\u96fb\u5f71\u3001\u5beb\u5287\u672c\u5916\uff0c\u9084\u5305\u652c\u4e86\u6240\u6709\u5bb6\u52d9\uff0c\u8ca0\u8cac\u8cb7\u83dc\u505a\u98ef\u5e36\u5b69\u5b50\uff0c\u5c07\u5bb6\u88e1\u6536\u62fe\u5f97\u4e7e\u4e7e\u6de8\u6de8\u3002\u9084\u8a18\u5f97\u90a3\u6642\u5019\uff0c\u6bcf\u5929\u508d\u665a\u505a\u5b8c\u665a\u98ef\u5f8c\uff0c\u6211\u5c31\u548c\u5152\u5b50\u5750\u5728\u9580\u53e3\uff0c\u4e00\u908a\u8b1b\u6545\u4e8b\u7d66\u4ed6\u807d\uff0c\u4e00\u908a\u7b49\u5f85”\u82f1\u52c7\u7684\u7375\u4eba\u5abd\u5abd\u5e36\u8457\u7375\u7269\uff08\u751f\u6d3b\u8cbb\uff09\u56de\u5bb6”\u3002<\/p>\n

\u9019\u6a23\u7684\u751f\u6d3b\u5c0d\u4e00\u500b\u7537\u4eba\u4f86\u8aaa\uff0c\u662f\u5f88\u50b7\u81ea\u5c0a\u5fc3\u7684\u3002\u6709\u6bb5\u6642\u9593\uff0c\u5cb3\u7236\u6bcd\u8b93\u59bb\u5b50\u7d66\u6211\u4e00\u7b46\u9322\uff0c\u8b93\u6211\u62ff\u53bb\u958b\u500b\u4e2d\u9910\u9928\uff0c\u4e5f\u597d\u990a\u5bb6\u7cca\u53e3\uff0c\u4f46\u597d\u5f37\u7684\u59bb\u5b50\u62d2\u7d55\u4e86\uff0c\u628a\u9322\u9084\u7d66\u4e86\u8001\u4eba\u5bb6\u3002\u6211\u77e5\u9053\u4e86\u9019\u4ef6\u4e8b\u5f8c\uff0c\u8f3e\u8f49\u53cd\u5074\u60f3\u4e86\u597d\u5e7e\u500b\u665a\u4e0a\uff0c\u7d42\u65bc\u4e0b\u5b9a\u6c7a\u5fc3\uff1a\u4e5f\u8a31\u9019\u8f29\u5b50\u96fb\u5f71\u5922\u90fd\u96e2\u6211\u592a\u9060\u4e86\uff0c\u9084\u662f\u9762\u5c0d\u73fe\u5be6\u5427\u3002<\/p>\n

\u5f8c\u4f86\uff0c\u6211\u53bb\u4e86\u793e\u5340\u5927\u5b78\uff0c\u770b\u4e86\u534a\u5929\uff0c\u6700\u5f8c\u5fc3\u9178\u5730\u5831\u4e86\u4e00\u9580\u96fb\u8166\u8ab2\u3002\u5728\u90a3\u500b\u751f\u6d3b\u58d3\u5012\u4e00\u5207\u7684\u5e74\u4ee3\u88e1\uff0c\u4f3c\u4e4e\u53ea\u6709\u96fb\u8166\u53ef\u4ee5\u5728\u6700\u77ed\u6642\u9593\u5167\u8b93\u6211\u6709\u4e00\u6280\u4e4b\u9577\u4e86\u3002\u90a3\u5e7e\u5929\u6211\u4e00\u76f4\u840e\u9761\u4e0d\u632f\uff0c\u59bb\u5b50\u5f88\u5feb\u5c31\u767c\u73fe\u4e86\u6211\u7684\u53cd\u5e38\uff0c\u7d30\u5fc3\u7684\u5979\u767c\u73fe\u4e86\u6211\u5305\u88e1\u7684\u8ab2\u7a0b\u8868\u3002\u90a3\u665a\uff0c\u5979\u4e00\u5bbf\u6c92\u548c\u6211\u8aaa\u8a71\u3002<\/p>\n

\u7b2c\u4e8c\u5929\uff0c\u53bb\u4e0a\u73ed\u4e4b\u524d\uff0c\u5979\u5feb\u4e0a\u8eca\u4e86\uff0c\u7a81\u7136\uff0c\u5979\u7ad9\u5728\u81fa\u968e\u4e0b\u8f49\u904e\u8eab\u4f86\uff0c\u4e00\u5b57\u4e00\u53e5\u5730\u544a\u8a34\u6211\uff1a”\u5b89\uff0c\u8981\u8a18\u5f97\u4f60\u5fc3\u88e1\u7684\u5922\u60f3\uff01”<\/p>\n

\u90a3\u4e00\u523b\uff0c\u6211\u5fc3\u88e1\u50cf\u7a81\u7136\u8d77\u4e86\u4e00\u9663\u98a8\uff0c\u90a3\u4e9b\u5feb\u8981\u6df9\u6c92\u5728\u5eb8\u788c\u751f\u6d3b\u88e1\u7684\u5922\u60f3\uff0c\u50cf\u90a3\u500b\u65e9\u4e0a\u7684\u967d\u5149\uff0c\u4e00\u76f4\u5c04\u9032\u5fc3\u5e95\u3002\u59bb\u5b50\u4e0a\u8eca\u8d70\u4e86\uff0c\u6211\u62ff\u51fa\u5305\u88e1\u7684\u8ab2\u7a0b\u8868\uff0c\u6162\u6162\u5730\u6495\u6210\u788e\u7247\uff0c\u4e1f\u9032\u4e86\u9580\u53e3\u7684\u5783\u573e\u6876\u3002<\/p>\n

\u5f8c\u4f86\uff0c\u6211\u7684\u5287\u672c\u5f97\u5230\u57fa\u91d1\u6703\u7684\u8d0a\u52a9\uff0c\u6211\u958b\u59cb\u81ea\u5df1\u62ff\u8d77\u4e86\u651d\u50cf\u6a5f\uff0c\u518d\u5230\u5f8c\u4f86\uff0c\u4e00\u4e9b\u96fb\u5f71\u958b\u59cb\u5728\u570b\u969b\u4e0a\u7372\u734e\u3002\u9019\u500b\u6642\u5019\uff0c\u59bb\u5b50\u91cd\u63d0\u820a\u4e8b\uff0c\u5979\u624d\u544a\u8a34\u6211\uff1a”\u6211\u4e00\u76f4\u5c31\u76f8\u4fe1\uff0c\u4eba\u53ea\u8981\u6709\u4e00\u9805\u9577\u8655\u5c31\u8db3\u5920\u4e86\uff0c\u4f60\u7684\u9577\u8655\u5c31\u662f\u62cd\u96fb\u5f71\u3002\u5b78\u96fb\u8166\u7684\u4eba\u90a3\u9ebc\u591a\uff0c\u53c8\u4e0d\u5dee\u4f60\u674e\u5b89\u4e00\u500b\uff0c\u4f60\u8981\u60f3\u62ff\u5230\u5967\u65af\u5361\u7684\u5c0f\u91d1\u4eba\uff0c\u5c31\u4e00\u5b9a\u8981\u4fdd\u8b49\u5fc3\u88e1\u6709\u5922\u60f3\u3002”<\/p>\n

\u5982\u4eca\uff0c\u6211\u7d42\u65bc\u62ff\u5230\u4e86\u5c0f\u91d1\u4eba\u3002\u6211\u89ba\u5f97\u81ea\u5df1\u7684\u5fcd\u8010\u3001\u59bb\u5b50\u7684\u4ed8\u51fa\u7d42\u65bc\u5f97\u5230\u4e86\u56de\u5831\uff0c\u540c\u6642\u4e5f\u8b93\u6211\u66f4\u52a0\u5805\u5b9a\uff0c\u4e00\u5b9a\u8981\u5728\u96fb\u5f71\u9019\u689d\u8def\u4e0a\u4e00\u76f4\u8d70\u4e0b\u53bb\u3002<\/p>\n

\u56e0\u70ba\uff0c\u6211\u5fc3\u88e1\u6c38\u9060\u6709\u4e00\u500b\u95dc\u65bc\u96fb\u5f71\u7684\u5922<\/p>\n

(English Translation from: WhatShihSaid.com<\/a>)<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Below is a beautifully written article by Ang Lee which has resurfaced on recent news of his Oscar win for Best Director on Life of Pi. In 1978, as I applied to study film at the University of Illinois, my father vehemently objected. He quoted me a statistic: \u2018Every year, …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":507,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_s2mail":"yes","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,20],"tags":[44,73,93,106,120,263,309,392,489,498,499],"class_list":["post-506","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","category-life-advice","tag-academy-awards","tag-ang-lee","tag-best-director","tag-brokeback-mountain","tag-china","tag-life-of-pi","tag-oscars","tag-taiwan","tag-489","tag-498","tag-499","column","twocol","has-thumbnail"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/03\/Ang-Lee-BW.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p4eMwQ-8a","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=506"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1096,"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/506\/revisions\/1096"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/507"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=506"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=506"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alfredrocks.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=506"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}