IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldpracticeperseverancemoreoften,andnevergiveupathingbecauseitwasorinconvenient.Ifwewantlight,wemustconquerdarkness.Perseverancecansometimesequalgeniusinitsresults.“Thereareonlytwocreatures,”syasaproverb,“whocansurmountthepyramids—theeagleandthesnail.”IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldschoolmyselfintoahabitofattention;Iwouldletnothingcomebetweenmeandthesubjectinhand.Iwouldrememberthatagoodskaternevertriestoskateintwodirectionsatonce.Thehabitofattentionbecomespartofourlife,ifwebegainearlyenough.Ioftenheargrownuppeoplesay“Icouldnotfixmyattentiononthesermonorbook,althoughIwishedtodoso”,andthereasonis,thehabitwasnotformedinyouth.IfIweretolivemylifeoveragain,Iwouldpaymoreattentiontothecultivationofthememory.Iwouldstrengthenthatfacultybyeverypossiblemeans,andoneverypossibleoccasion.Ittakesalittlehardworkatfirsttorememberthingsaccurately;butmemorysoonhelpsitself,andgivesverylittletrouble.Itonlyneedsearlycultivationtobecomeapower.

　　IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldcultivatecourage.“Nothingissomildandgentleascourage,nothingsocruelandpitilessascowardice,”syasawiseauthor.Wetoooftenborrowtrouble,andanticipatethatmayneverappear.”Thefearofillexceedstheillwefear.”Dangerswillariseinanycareer,butpresenceofmindwilloftenconquertheworstofthem.Bepreparedforanyfate,andthereisnoharmtobefreared.IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldlookonthecheerfulside.Lifeisverymuchlikeamirror:ifyousmileuponit,Ismilesbackuponyou;butifyoufrownandlookdoubtfulonit,youwillgetasimilarlookinreturn.Innersunshinewarmsnotonlytheheartoftheowner,butofallthatcomeincontactwithit.“whoshutsloveout,inturnshallbeshutoutfromlove.”IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldschoolmyselftosaynomoreoften.Imightwritepagesontheimportanceoflearningveryearlyinlifetogainthatpointwhereayoungboycanstanderect,anddeclinedoinganunworthyactbecauseitisunworthy.IfIwereaboyagain,Iwoulddemandofmyselfmorecourtesytowardsmycompanionsandfriends,andindeedtowardsstrangersaswell.Thesmallestcourtesiesalongtheroughroadsoflifearelikethelittlebirdsthatsingtousallwinterlong,andmakethatseasonoficeandsnowmoreendurable.Finally,insteadoftryinghardtobehappy,asifthatwerethesolepurposeoflife,Iwould,ifIwereaboyagain,Iwouldstilltryhardertomakeothershappy.