Chapter 2 Preface (2)

But when I was tossing and turning, what I recalled more was not the moments of success in the journey of life, but those unforgettable failures or setbacks, and even the details of them came one by one: The end of 2005 to the beginning of 2006 was the most difficult time for me in Shanda and even in my career.At that time, Shanda was in a rather sluggish state, employees began to have doubts about the future, and the media also commented that Shanda had gone downhill.Shanda's stock price fell to $12, and my option price was $11, which was basically worthless.The media questioned why I didn't leave Shanda, and whether I had nowhere to go.My parents in the United States called me and said: Come back to the United States. You are not the boss, and you are not short of money. Is it necessary to suffer so much? I can’t help but ask myself again and again: What am I? Not suffering? What am I suffering for?

In August 2003, without any warning, Microsoft headquarters suddenly transferred personnel to the Greater China region, and Chen Yongzheng, the former president of Motorola China, parachuted into Microsoft.He then reset the management structure of Microsoft China, bringing the biggest "cake" such as market and finance under his direct management.The media began to become extremely lively, and I became the focus of what I would never want to be.My profession requires me to keep silent to ensure that the company's image and interests are not damaged.I can only keep silent about the future of the company, Chen Yongzheng and myself.While under tremendous psychological pressure, I thought hard: How can I change the status quo and regain my passion?

At the end of 1994, I resolutely gave up the three small companies I founded in Los Angeles and joined Microsoft as an ordinary programmer.When I went to the Microsoft headquarters in Seattle for an interview, I imagined the scene where I had a good conversation with Bill Gates after entering Microsoft. When I told the hiring manager of Microsoft’s HR department that I wanted to meet Gates after the interview, he seemed to be looking at an alien looked at me the same way and told me it was impossible.The first time I saw Gates in person since then was at an annual employee meeting in a huge stadium, where I was sitting among tens of thousands of colleagues and saw him from a few hundred meters away.It was the hardest transition period at the beginning of my career, and as a newcomer, I couldn't do anything better than my colleagues at work.Every weekend, I read Windows technical books in the office, and at the same time, I thought almost desperately: Will I never have my day in Microsoft, where excellent talents gather together?

In 1984, in my senior year, I resolutely changed my major for the postgraduate entrance examination in order to obtain the qualification for studying abroad on a government sponsorship. After nearly a year of hard work, I got the first place in the school's postgraduate entrance examination.Just when I thought there would be no problem with the number of places to go abroad, I couldn't find my name in the bulletin announcing the list of students going abroad.When I came to the postgraduate office, the teacher there told me that because I hadn’t received one of the three good students during college, I couldn’t go abroad according to the regulations.This is all because of my arrogance, indifference, no sense of teamwork, and lack of communication skills in the first three years of college, so I was not recognized by teachers and classmates at all.After negotiating with the school was completely ineffective, I was heartbroken and regretted. Could it be that my future was ruined in my own hands?

... Why, on the eve of this important turning point in my career, do I remember the difficult times more than I savor the glorious moments? Maybe it’s because I am a very ordinary and simple person, and I have never experienced any adventures in my life any shortcuts.In my opinion, success is gratifying, but failures and setbacks are more memorable. The truly successful people are those who can overcome failures and setbacks. It was during this sleepless night that I first seriously conceived the idea of ​​writing a book.I hope that in this book, through my own life experience and my thinking about these experiences, I will share my experience of overcoming failures and setbacks with readers.

After graduating from university, I studied abroad in Japan and the United States successively. I stayed in school for a long time, so I have a strong campus complex.After becoming a professional manager, one of the things I do most in my spare time is to give speeches to college students.Students and friends often come to me and ask me, I don't know where my future is, and the direction of life is at a loss.When I returned to China to lead Shanghai Microsoft, many of my employees were young people who had just entered the workplace. They regarded me as a father, eager to get help from me, and even hoped that I could guide their life path.In fact, the 15-year-old me, the 25-year-old me, and even the 35-year-old me are also confused, hesitant and lost. Therefore, the readers of this book are those who have longed for success like me, but can’t find the way to success friend.

I am a person who is born with passion and especially advocates passion.A successful life does require passion, but it also requires the skills to control and maintain passion.If life is a long-distance race, passion is like a kindling. We need to use a good-quality torch to go through wind and rain, experience frost and snow, and protect the kindling to the end.I hope my book can help more friends find their own torch. Many people ask me: what is the secret of your success? I can give a concise answer: simple + hard work.Be simple and work hard.This is the core ingredient of my torch. Why do I say that my success can be replicated? That is because the operation of everything in the world, ranging from the universe to a flower and a fruit, actually follow some very simple rules.As long as you master these rules, you can continue to replicate them, just like the kaleidoscope we played in childhood, creating colorful life content.

If I can make it, why can't you?