Professional

"Alas - then what is yours?" I pressed on.

"My consideration is simple," L explained, "Take the medical profession as an example. Even though one may be working in a field that he is interested in, it is rather unlikely that he would love each and every aspect of the field."

"What do you mean?"

"Say, if you are inspired by the renowned professor of that green medical school and become a gastroenterologist and love the subject very much, it remains most probable that you may not like the entire subject. People who like lumenal disease often find metabolic liver disease boring. People who prefer to read up nucleoside analogs probably do not enjoy handling endoscopy. A brilliant clinician may be mad when being called in the middle of the night to treat a patient with massive hematemesis..."

"I see what you mean: An amateur can focus on the aspect that he feels interest in and forget about the rest. As a genuine gastroenterologist, however, one must perform up to the standard even in aspects that he finds repugnant."

Change

(My discussion with L continued.)

"My friend, there is a weakness in your argument." L said.

"And that is...?"

"It is obviously true that we often cannot choose our occupation, but, can't we alter what we love? If the circumstances make you a nephrologist rather than some position that you love - say, a neurosurgeon - wouldn't it be possible that you gradually change your mind, find the new subject interesting, and fall in love with it?"

"You may be right," I paused for a moment, "But, after reading Carol Dweck recently, I could say with confidence that not everyone could change their mind that easily. In fact, I suspect the ability to change one's own mind is inborn and fixed per se. A good many people are stuck with the unfortunate cul-de-sac that they have to endure an unbearable job."

My friend smile, "Absolutely. But that's not my point..."

Amateur

After a moment of silence, L suddenly decided to change the topic, "My friend, do you love your job?"

"What a question!" I laughed, "It's my job - that's all. True, there are gratifying moments, but I have enough hard times to compensate my reward. Why do you ask that?"

"Alas, I am just inspired recently by the head of a green medical school. He loves his job so much!"

"I must say that's a blessing. Many a time we cannot really choose our occupation - and, in general, we cannot alter what we love. Therefore, it is really a happy coincidence to have the two matched."

"You may be right, and, for those who try their very best for a job that they don't really like, a famous saying just flashes through my mind."

"Which?"

"An amateur performs well on what he likes; a professional also performs well on what he doesn't like."

"Should I thank you for the compliment?" I could not stop smiling.

PS. The original quote should be: An amateur learns what he likes; a professional also learns what he doesn't like.

蔡瀾

我當然曉得。正因為「這個菜很好吃」和「這個菜是很好吃的」一類的毫厘差異，我很喜歡看蔡瀾從前在《壹週刊》寫的《未能食素》。

平心而論，蔡先生的口味殊不從眾，對菜式的評論也間或偏頗。但他的文章卻極具娛樂性，遇上不頰意的食肆 ，除了秉筆直書外，嘻笑怒駡有之，明褒暗貶有之，更甚是有時或怯於對方由有勢力人士撑腰，便不得已欲言又止，於留白處陽秋。一般人看了不知就裡，以為按圖索驥，便不免大失所望。然而心思複雜者，細嚼良久，豁然有悟，自當忍俊不禁。

或如蔡先生所言，魚鮮味者必多刺。文章佳妙者亦每多微言伏筆，啖之，俱是有骨落地也。

中文

歸家路上遇到L，他說：「中文真是一種垂死的文字。」
我說：「這話不錯。前些時我偶然用了幾個較冷僻的四字成語，一群大學生中竟無一個懂得。」
「是哪些成語？」他問。
「含枚疾走、鶴籌添算、明夷待訪、懷璧其罪……」
「啊呀！這些蝌蚪文唯一的作用便是酸秀才拿來拋書包……」
「那麼你認為怎樣才算懂得中文？」
「如果一個人曉得『這菜很好吃』和『這菜是很好吃的』的分別，便可說是粗通中文了。」

Mindset

Recently read: Carol Dweck 《Mindset》

Another book that tries to explain everything by a simple idea.

馮婦

愛因斯坦說：「閱讀太多，應用太少，就會懶於思考。」

所以，訓練獨立思考的最好方法是寫作，而不（只）是閱讀。

See: http://www.managertoday.com.tw/columns/view/52205