The First Steps

I met Yuan on the Inner Mongolia Million Tree Program trip.

Our group photo on the Million Tree Program trip

He was the first one who stepped forward and spoke among everyone sitting down there. There was nothing rehearsed about it.

His story, like many young professionals today, is not defined by a single breakthrough but by a series of practical choices, adjustments, and persistence.

While many people from Jiangsu prefer to identify with specific cities or even counties, emphasizing local identity, he takes a broader view.

“I just say I’m from Jiangsu,” he explains.

Growing up near Shandong, his daily habits were influenced by neighboring cultures, but he does not treat identity as something fixed or limiting. This flexible mindset shapes much of how he approaches life.

He is currently working in Shanghai. For him, Shanghai represents more than an economic opportunity. It offers a kind of social environment that smaller cities do not create. In his words, it is “inclusive” and “tolerant,” a place where people are less concerned with judging others. 

In contrast, smaller hometowns often come with expectations—family involvement in career decisions, or social pressure to follow a stable path. Choosing Shanghai was, for him, a deliberate step away from that structure.

“Every single step forward builds who you are.”

Majoring in English, he faced repeated rejections while job hunting. Eventually, through a family connection, he applied to his current company and was accepted after a single interview. The role placed him in an unfamiliar environment: manufacturing, engineering processes, and production systems.

Rather than viewing this as a mismatch, he treated it as an opportunity to expand his skill set. Over the past four years, he has adapted to work that requires coordination across departments, communication with suppliers and clients, and an understanding of technical operations. He emphasizes that the job is demanding, requiring both responsibility and the ability to handle pressure.

One of his most significant professional experiences was participating in the launch of a new production line at a factory. The process involved aligning multiple resources, managing budgets, and ensuring smooth cooperation between teams. When the project was completed and successfully delivered to the client, it marked a clear moment of achievement.

Another notable challenge came during an engineering change project after the Spring Festival. With no established process to follow, he and his colleagues worked overtime to organize workflows and meet delivery requirements. The project was completed successfully and received positive feedback from the client.

Over time, his personality has also shifted. He once considered himself highly structured and planned, but now describes himself as more flexible and spontaneous. A recent solo trip to Quzhou, chosen on impulse, reflects this change. Although the experience was not entirely smooth, he still found it worthwhile.

His story does not follow a dramatic narrative of transformation. Instead, it highlights a quieter process: adapting to circumstances, learning through experience, and continuing forward without overthinking uncertainty. His conclusion is simple and practical. Rather than assuming negative outcomes, he focuses on taking the next step and allowing results to develop over time.