Own Your Choices

 

然而，生活中也有一些艰难的选择，这些可以被视为十字路口. The decisions you make at these crossroads can shape you as a person. As humans we are defined by our actions and our choices. 人们会根据你在这些十字路口所做的决定来判断或赞美你. But you may be wondering what to do when you encounter them? 在回答这个问题之前，让我告诉你一些我做艰难选择的经历.


最近，我似乎比平时做了更多这种改变人生的选择. 我必须做出的这些选择感觉像是我人生中第一次真正的成人选择. Choosing what to do with my hockey career? Deciding where to go to university? Choosing what kind of life I want after university? 这些都是我在过去几个月里不得不处理的问题. And let me tell you it's not easy.

 

I've had many, many sleepless nights reflecting on these questions. I've had multiple discussions with family, 朋友, 我的良师益友和我的女朋友，我现在想要走什么方向. Without realizing it at first, I had these discussions because I was scared to make the wrong choice, so I kind of wanted them to choose for me.

 

直到和教母谈过之后，我才意识到这一切都不重要. The only voice I should listen to is my own. The only person who knows what I want in life is me.

 

I can now proudly say that these decisions are all on me. And if it doesn’t work out, so be it. 当我照镜子的时候，我不会后悔自己至少在当时做出了最好的选择.

在我们这个年纪，我们常常认为我们所做的选择将伴随我们的余生. We make it seem bigger than it is. 害怕做出错误的选择有时会阻碍我们做出正确的选择. But all these choices are not set in stone. 例如, 我们在17岁选择大学专业时所做的职业选择似乎会永远持续下去, but in reality, you're allowed to fail, 犯错误，尝试不同的事情，直到你找到你的激情和让你快乐的事情.

为了回答之前的问题，当你遇到这些十字路口时，你应该怎么做? 我能告诉你的就是相信你的勇气，接受你的选择，无论好坏. One of Britain's special operations regiments, commonly known as the Special Air Service or SAS, has a slogan that resonates with this message: “Who Dares Wins.当我面临十字路口时，这句话被我父亲多次提醒. To me this slogan means taking risks when faced with difficult choices, 为了最终超越你的极限，学会如何在不舒服的环境中生活. Surpassing these limits will allow you to become your best self. It is only through risk taking that you will reach your true potential.

今天，让我给你们几句鼓舞人心的话:敢于追随你的梦想. Dare to challenge yourself. Dare to be different. 敢于失败. Dare to make difficult choices.