Comfort Zone

Stella李丹200110723

Tom was a conscientious student. By virtue of his unusual enthusiasm for learning, he had been among the best students since childhood, recognized by all his friends, teachers, and even the parents of his classmates.

As a well-rounded student, he firmly believed that in terms of achieving a goal, diligence takes precedence over other factors, until the third semester of senior high school, when he was admitted into the only key class, which was full of talented students.

At first, he still studied very hard without feeling inferior to the other gifted classmates. In the morning, he was the earliest to say hello to the classroom. In class, he concentrated on what the teachers said, took notes carefully, actively participated in class discussions, and always took the initiative to express his unique opinions. After class, he did lots of exercises attentively to consolidate relevant knowledge. When it was time for dinner, he ran as fast as possible to save more time.

Meanwhile, he enjoyed such a learning experience. He enjoyed the sunshine and breeze in the morning. He enjoyed the quiet campus in the evening. He enjoyed immersing himself in the sea of knowledge, which offered him a sense of achievement and rendered him fulfilled and satisfied.

However, to his disappointment, for several times in a row, he fell behind in the rankings. After analysis, he found that despite ranking first in Chinese, English, Chemistry, and Biology, his grades in Physics were hovering just over the pass mark. Therefore, he spent more time on it and hoped that his diligence could narrow the gap. But one exam result after another confirmed again the futility of his efforts.

Gradually, the joy of studying Physics eluded him, and a sense of helplessness and hopelessness enveloped him. Walking into the classroom, he was no longer infused with excitement. Doing exercises, he felt afflicted by the difficult questions which had stimulated his curiosity before. He felt that he was not swimming in the ocean of knowledge but sinking with feeble limbs.

Almost without notice, the time came to choose between the science and liberal arts tracts. His headteacher talked to him and he said, "Your efforts are obvious to all, but I think liberal arts are a better choice for you." At last, upset but also hopeful, he chose the liberal arts and studied in another class. He still believed in the power of diligence; he remained enthusiastic about his study. But different from the past, and with his old coincidence with his hard work, his grades came out on top.

In a nutshell, as important as persistent efforts are, when they don’t pay off, changing of your direction may help make a difference. Admittedly, while sometimes getting out of your comfort zone to contributes to exploring your potential and promoting your overall development is essential, if things in this area don’t match your interest and abilities, it can also expend your enthusiasm, vitality, and energy. Sometimes we need to find something we're good at and something we love. That is what provides us with the main impetus for becoming outstanding in one field.