I didn't study well back then, so I repeated a year for the college entrance examination and started learning to draw. At that time, many classmates chose to pursue art majors and signed up for various art studios.
When I was young, I didn't like doing homework and would rather play during summer vacation. My parents were afraid that I would waste all my time, so they wanted to send me to extra classes to learn something else. Piano, chess, calligraphy, painting - choose one. Since kids love watching cartoons, I chose painting because it seemed similar and it was still a form of play.
Just because I had some experience with drawing, I thought I knew how to draw. So when it came to the college entrance examination, I chose to study drawing again, and I dared to make that choice. However, my parents were unsure. Based on my dad's personality and his identity as a teacher, I guess he didn't think highly of drawing. My mom didn't have any objections and went to ask the teacher who used to teach me drawing if it was a good path for me. Without hesitation, the teacher said, "Come on, it's never too late."
When I returned to the art studio, I was already a participant with at least a five-year gap in my training. I became a participant, but there was still a gap, which wasn't fun. Because the goal became the exam, it wasn't as pure as playing. The teacher was willing to accept me, but it was actually because I was lucky. He thought I had potential and could make a living from it, and he happened to have the energy to guide students in their final year of high school.
While studying, there was an aunt who probably heard from my mom that I was doing well in my studies and that the teacher was teaching me well. She asked my mom if she could let her child follow the same path. The child came and painted with me for a few days, but the teacher sent him back. The aunt was told to quickly find another path for him because he wasn't cut out for this. Looking back now, I really admire this teacher for being so decisive and straightforward. A red light is also a guiding light, indicating a dead end. A dead end is still a path, just not the right one. I could tell that the child was quite affected by this rejection, but I also knew that his luck was just as good as mine.
Later on, when I started working, I accidentally ended up in some institutions and companies where I trained and taught some students. I taught them the basics of animation techniques and encountered many students who weren't cut out for it. However, it wasn't up to me to decide whether to keep them in the institution. What should a teacher do when they come across a student who isn't cut out for it? Of course, many teachers may not be able to tell whether a student is cut out for it or not. In more serious cases, they can't even tell if they themselves are cut out for it, let alone judge their students. If a student isn't doing well, the teacher will tell them what's wrong and how to improve. I can point out a bunch of specific and detailed issues in their work. They might say, "Yes, that makes sense," and do as I say. But in the end, they still can't succeed. Maybe they can pass this time, but they won't be able to make a living from it.
If you are Guo Degang, you can't imitate Tony Leung. They are not the same type. Tony Leung can't imitate Guo Degang either. The correct details in the operation may contain bigger mistakes, macroscopic errors, and errors in the path. If Guo Degang really tried to learn from Tony Leung, the director would definitely point out where he doesn't resemble Tony Leung, listing one, two, three, four, five. In fact, what should be pointed out first is that he shouldn't try to imitate anyone at all. A qualified teacher should be the first to tell the student this. They should immediately tell them that they can't make a living from this, that this path is not viable, and that even spending money won't help. If they only point out specific mistakes right from the start, the student will still hold onto the illusion that they are cut out for it, and they will be misled.
Is it worth it to spend money on a class, take an online course, or learn a skill, only to discover that you're not suited for it? Many people think it's not worth it. I've spent money and time, and not only did I not learn well, but I also had a bucket of cold water poured on me by the teacher. The teacher showed a red light, and he thought that this was a terrible teacher.
The student should also ask themselves first if they are cut out for it. Those who have thought about this question probably wouldn't even come to take this class. Even if they did, after a couple of sessions, they would realize that they are not suited for it and wouldn't continue. Of course, most teachers still hope that they will continue.
Students who haven't thought about this question often continue until they end up battered and bruised, still thinking that maybe they missed the right timing, maybe they didn't work hard enough, or maybe the teacher isn't skilled enough. They only acknowledge external reasons and refuse to accept the internal reason that they are simply not cut out for it. The ancestors won't reward them with this meal.
Therefore, when a person doesn't have the luck to encounter a mentor's guidance, what's valuable is self-awareness. When one hasn't seen the truth, gaining this self-awareness through their own efforts comes at a great cost. But with this bit of self-awareness, they can avoid paying an even greater price.