There was a little boy whose parents divorced when he was young, and he lived with his mother. Due to financial hardship, five family members squeezed into a drafty wooden shack, sleeping on bunk beds, and considered soy sauce mixed with rice as the finest delicacy in the world. From a young age, he was plain-looking, quiet, and introverted. His peers thought he was dirty and unattractive, and refused to play with him. After starting school, he faced even more ridicule and humiliation from classmates, being called a "fatherless wild child." At one time, he believed himself to be the most unfortunate person in the world.
During his school years, he was extremely mischievous, restless, and playful, and his academic performance was consistently poor. As a result, his mother was inevitably summoned to every parent-teacher meeting.
He was passionately interested in boxing and martial arts, never missing a single match. From childhood, he practiced Wing Chun and Iron Palm most frequently. Later, he secretly trained in Muay Thai and was particularly fond of Bruce Lee's self-created "Jeet Kune Do." He diligently practiced martial arts almost every day and even fought with other children to test his skills, for which he was often scolded by his mother. He once dreamed of becoming a martial arts master like Bruce Lee, but due to his weak constitution, he ultimately failed to be selected by a sports school.
His first job was as an assistant at a company, but for various reasons, he couldn't continue working there.
He worked as a waiter in a teahouse and as a worker in an electronics factory, but neither job lasted long.
In 1983, he graduated and became an artist at Hong Kong's TVB. That same year, he was assigned to host the children's program "430 Space Shuttle," a role he held for four years. At the time, a journalist wrote an article claiming he was only suitable for hosting children's programs. He pasted this article in the most prominent spot on his bedside, constantly reminding and motivating himself: clench your fists and definitely achieve a remarkable career so that people will look at you with new respect!
From then on, he fully tapped into his potential and became deeply passionate about the entertainment industry. Starting from minor roles, he gradually stepped into the film and television industry. However, in the glittering Hong Kong film and television scene, he could only play insignificant supporting roles, barely making a living. In the face of failure, he never chose to give up, nor did he compare himself with others. He wrote in his diary: "One step at a time, work hard to be the best version of yourself!"
Here is a true personal experience: on a film set, he once played a corpse set on fire. Despite excruciating pain, he endured it without moving until the director called "cut." This nearly brutal display of perseverance gradually earned him a reputation in the industry. Subsequently, he carved his own unique path, infusing his roles with a humorous and playful style. It was precisely this seemingly absurd "nonsense" acting style, along with the contradictory blend of a commoner's pettiness and a strong sense of justice, that pioneered a new era in comedy performance.
Although he ultimately did not become a martial arts master like Bruce Lee, he became the most famous comedic actor through another form of art beloved by audiences—his name is Stephen Chow. Twenty years ago, he was the easily summoned "Sing Tze," but twenty years later, he is known as "Master Sing." The global box office revenue of just one of his films, "Kung Fu," exceeded 600 million Hong Kong dollars, creating a box office legend in Hong Kong cinema.
The definition of success is sometimes this simple. Like Stephen Chow, no matter what position you are in, don't care about others' opinions, and there's no need to compare yourself with others. Success cannot be replicated. The key is how to play your extraordinary role well in an ordinary position. Often, success is simply about being the best version of yourself.