Planning is good as it decides in details how we do what we want to do it. However, a plan bears no fruit without being actual carried out. My experience in the English speech contest last month was a case in point. A month before the event, I spent hours work out a schedule with my goals and practical steps. After that, I set out read widely for an inspired topic , wrote a speech, and practised my pronunciation with good public speech skills. I finally stood out as a first prize winner. I know why I achieved my success. It came from good planning but better practice.

   How do you stay true to yourself when you’re surrounded by friends and families that have an opinion on everything you do? It’s not easy! 【小题1】 Here are four tips which can help you live a dynamic（充满活力的）life.

【小题2】

Stay true to yourself by listening to the only opinions that really matter-your own and those from people who believe in and encourage you. Deep down you know yourself better than anybody else.

Don’t fear.

【小题3】 The reason why most people don’t take risks, or live on the edge is the fear of what others might think of them. If you want to live the life you truly deserve, you must give up the need to be liked by everybody.

Value yourself and your choices.

When you do, others will too. Own the choices you make in your life. 【小题4】 When you believe in yourself, others will believe in you too. Show confidence in your choices, and what you stand for whether others agree or not.

Focus on appreciation.

No matter what the circumstances（环境）are, there is always something to be grateful for. All successful people ask, “What am I grateful for? How can I improve my situation and use these tough times to inspire others?” 【小题5】

These steps, if applied, will help you transform（使改变）your peace of mind, lifestyle, and productivity.

   A hobby is an investment of time. It also can be an investment of money and commitment. Many people choose to develop more than one type of hobby. It can be necessary to select the hobby that is right for you. 【小题1】

Hobbies are usually an activity of some sort that brings out a certain skill that you have. When you have a talent like painting or woodworking，it can be easy to determine which hobby suits your skill. 【小题2】 Skills can be developed and challenged as you go along. It is not a necessary requirement. A hobby is fitting because you love it，not because you're a professional at it.

Some people particularly enjoy taking part in hobbies that they can do in a group with others. It can be a lot more fun to become a member of a hobby group than to sit alone in your basement. 【小题3】 It's important to share interests and networks with other hobby enthusiasts that do what you do.

Hobbies are generally an activity that you undertake（着手做）because of the joy it brings you. Of course many people have discovered the joy that also comes with a hobby that earns you a living. 【小题4】 Just make sure you make the choice that fits your lifestyle and personal preference.

【小题5】 But most of the skilled hobbies like art，building or writing have a series of lessons or tutorials that you can take to further your skills. In some cases it's really a good idea to take lessons，especially if you are clueless as to where or how to begin. Step by step books for most hobbies can often be found in bookstores as well.

   Here are four principles (行为准则) I live by. Whenever I follow these guidelines, I am at my very best, feeling productive and happy.

Devote time.

No matter how talented we may be, it’s wrong to think we can do it all. 【小题1】 The value of our achievements is greatly decided by what we spend our time on. We need to realize that every day we should devote the time to what matters and have the courage to let the unimportant things go.

Focus your attention.

Very often it seems that we just can’t focus our attention, even though we know what we should be doing, right? Resistance (阻力) makes us get disturbed by distractions.【小题2】 Developing a plan for overcoming resistance is important for maximum productivity.

【小题3】

We need to make a balance between work and play, between creation and pleasure.【小题4】 Even if we feel energetic to work long hours, the most effective long-term way is to hold ourselves back when we feel crazy and follow a proper pace instead.

Keep moving on.

More important than setting big goals is to just keep going. I know this goes against most of the “ set great goals for yourself” advice, but it’s what works for me.【小题5】 And it always made me more worried than it helped. Now, what does work for me is to think about how to improve my life and take small steps to make it happen.