精选
最近一年进步非常快。所谓进步，不能用发表文章的数量或者档次来衡量，而是应该采取人本主义观点来分析：做的事情对个人的发展（身体上的、精神上的、知识上的发展）有什么用？就科研实验来说，大多数人，包括我自己，也是每天做机械的东西，投入了劳动固然能出很多文章，但是也因该想一想：有什么用？学到了什么东西？
我要说的第一件鼓舞我的事情是：我用一年时间和“病魔”作斗争，取得了好的效果，这使我感到无论做什么事情，只要方法对头，持之以恒，就能达到目的。到了美国以后，发现自己有严重的鼻子过敏反应，每过两分钟就要吸鼻子或者干咳。一开始以为是感冒或者哮喘，结果无论吃什么药都治不好。认识到这是过敏反应后，去超市买了非处方药，结果当然是治表不治本，连续吃了一个星期以上就没有什么效果了，还有副作用。这个情况使我很苦恼。一年前，听人说了两点信息：（1）还有一些高级的处方药效果更好；（2）可以去医院测试过敏反应，并打针，有针对性地治疗特定的过敏反应。于是我到医院里去做测试，果然发现对有些植物花粉和灰尘有过敏反应。我坚持吃处方药和每周去医院打针。打针的原理是这样的：如果一个人能背着沙袋跑步还很快，脱掉沙袋就更快了。医生把小剂量过敏源注入我体内，每周加大用量，最后保持最大用量。渐渐地，无论我吃药或者不吃药，鼻子都不大难受了。
第二件鼓舞我的事情是：我达到了一种奇妙的境界，我发现了照亮我的一盏明灯。很久以前，我只要有实验做有饭吃，我就习惯于陷入“安稳区”里，不想买手机，不想学开车。两年前，我只要有实验做有文章发，我可以不去管未来的生存和发展，心想反正将来的事情将来做也可以。改变发生在一年半前申请绿卡的时候。那时候花了很多时间准备了很多申请材料。我感到，很多事情只要去用心做，总能做得好，而做好了以后，会有一种做第二次易如反掌，甚至也可以指导别人做的感觉。改变自己的第二阶段是申请美国大学教授。一开始不知道很多战术战法，连信的格式也没有写对。后来看了很多书和资料，懂得了其中的奥妙。有一个电话面试、一个正式的学校面试（三取一），但是由于准备还不充分，对手也太强大了（已经是其它学校的博导，跳槽应聘），最后没有一举拿下。但是我毫不气馁，革命的火种在我心中已经熊熊燃烧。即使在“失败”以后，我仍然坚持不懈地看了大量书籍，感到豁然开朗。从周五晚上到周日晚上是我看书的黄金时间，平时每天回到家也看书，坐在沙发上大声朗读英语。这里面，有介绍如何管理时间、管理人、管理项目、如何和别人沟通协商的管理学书籍；有介绍美国成语、听力、速读方法、写作方法的英文书籍；有介绍科学哲学、科研伦理道德、科研方法、实验室注意事项的书。我感到，世界上有很多东西是快餐文学（如《读者》杂志），看的时候感到很有启发，但是这些文章很短，一期杂志里面的文章多，写来写去就几个套路，为赋新词强说愁，所以看了以后大多数都忘记了。但是有些书（比如The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People）就不是这样，这样的书是“武器”，能使自己的思想更加深刻，效率更加高，更加明确前进的方向。看了这些书，真想说要是我读大学的时候早点看到就好了！
看书的过程如科学实验探索：一开始到书店去买了一些书（如介绍本科生生活的书）感到有少许收获，后来读到了实验室管理学的书，感到收获更大。再后来，把范围扩大到管理学和成功学的书，虽然这些书和科学实验没有直接关系，但是我感到收获更大，因为它们使我站在更高的地方看科学研究、看人性、看做人。而英语书可以帮助自己飞速提高英语水平。感到虽然自己是化学博士，但也只是某一个专业的小专家，并非什么都是博士。其实现在的情况都是这样：从本科到博士，专业越来越专，对知识的认识和掌握并不同步。而一旦打破文理之间的壁垒后，感到我能做好化学实验看懂化学书，我也能够循序渐进看懂其它学科的书。
进步其实是非线性的，是需要积累的。我相信达到一定程度，“改革”的效果就能显现出来。事实上，现在我就感受到了“改革”的力量。以后无论能否当上教授，读这些书，修炼自己，进行所谓professional development是很有用的！
以下推荐成功学大师安东尼博士50 Ideas That Can Change Your Life一书里面的一篇小文章：Who is holding you back?人们常对所谓牛人顶礼膜拜，其实你也能做到！人只是用了10%的潜能，还有90%的潜能没有开发出来。正如以下文章所说，凯撒大帝白天带兵打仗，网上士兵都睡着了，他还秉烛写作；很多音乐家谱写不朽篇章的时候耳朵听不见了；有的著名诗人写出不朽史诗的时候眼睛看不见了；莎士比亚在写出不朽篇章以前也是文盲，但是他通过自学，终于成为一代文豪。感想是很多事情都可以做到，聚沙可以成塔。人的最大的敌人不是别人，正是自己。
Who Is Holding You Back?
出自Dr. Robert Anthony的50 Ideas That Can Change Your Life一书
When you were younger did you have great dreams, great ambitions to write or to paint, to start a business, or to do some other creative work? Most of us did. In fact, if we are completely honest with ourselves, most of us still cherish these ambitions this very day, but we excuse ourselves on the basis of other commitments. I have my job to do. I would love to write a novel, but I have to do my work. I would love to paint, but I have a defect in one of my eyes or some other completely fatuous excuse we develop for not fulfilling our desires.
Think for a moment about Caesar. Did you know that Caesar wrote his commentaries in his tent at night while all the rest of the Roman army was asleep and then got up the next day and went to battle? Did you know that Handel wrote his best music after his doctors told him he was going to die; that Beethoven wrote music after he was totally deaf? Have you ever thought that three of the great epic poets or our world Homer, Milton, Dante, were all, blind.
Think of Hannibal and Lord Nelson; great generals that they were, each had one eye. Francis Joseph Campbell, a blind man, became a distinguished mathematician and musician. Do you find yourself bound around in some way and feel, “Oh no, not with my limitations. I’ll never be able to do what I want to do.” Think again about the author of Robinson Crusoe, Daniel DeFoe; he wrote that novel while he was in prison. John Bunyon wrote Pilgrims’ Progress while he was in jail. Luther translated the bible while he was in jail. Luther translated the Bible while he was in the castle of Wartburg. Dante worked for twenty years while he was under exile and under the sentence of death. Don Quixote was written by Cervantes while he was in the Madrid jail. And then perhaps you say, “This is fine, but I have my job to do.”
Well, my friend, I have news for you!
Have you ever looked at the thickness of the book Gone With The Wind? Margaret Mitchell wrote Gone With The Wind while she was working full time at a newspaper. Do you think of yourself as physically handicapped? Did you know that Lord Cavanaugh, who was a member of Parliament, had neither arms nor legs, yet managed to put himself into Parliament by his own endeavors.
Just think of Shakespeare, who learned little more than reading and writing at school, but by self-teaching, made himself the master among literary men.
Think again about the treasured ambitions locked up in your soul. Look again at the excuse, which you have used to prevent yourself from fulfilling your dreams. See if for the false thing that it really is. Cast it aside and resolve to express your creative desire through your own creative activity. Remember, you are the only person who can hold you back.
