Meet Jessie Zhu

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jessie Zhu. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jessie below.

Hi Jessie, so happy you were able to devote some time to sharing your thoughts and wisdom with our community. So, we’ve always admired how you have seemingly never let nay-sayers or haters keep you down. Can you talk to us about how to persist despite the negative energy that so often is thrown at folks trying to do something special with their lives?

We may sometimes feel unlucky when our plans are met with obstacles. There are always people who hold negative or critical attitudes—whether they are family members, friends, or even competitors. Whether these criticisms come from good intentions or bad, they can affect us, causing our plans to stall or even fail. And even when we succeed, some people may still have something negative to say, motivated by jealousy or hostility. They simply don’t want to see you succeed. These experiences have been present throughout my life, from childhood until now. No matter what culture or environment you’re in, this is something that’s inescapable. It’s a point we all need to recognize: we can’t avoid these people; we must face their words head-on.

The key thing to remember is that we make our own choices. I remind myself to stay committed to my ideas and be fully prepared to execute my plans. The worst thing would be to regret not trying. After all, no one else is going to bear the consequences of my success or failure—only I will. As my own story, When I first made the decision to start my own company, even my closest family members weren’t sure I could pull it off. They had seen me succeed before, but that didn’t stop them from questioning me. They kept raising doubts and cited examples of failure to discourage me, trying to show me how risky it was. I knew they meant well—they were only trying to protect me from getting hurt. But deep down, I also knew that if I didn’t give it a shot, I’d never know whether I could succeed. Just because others have failed doesn’t mean I will fail, and just because others have succeeded doesn’t guarantee I will succeed either. What matters most to me is not achieving a result that others can validate, but the learning and growth I gain through the process.

Another true story about me, when I first started university, a few classmates tried to get close to me, but their intentions weren’t genuine. They wanted to copy my homework and cheat on exams using my answers. I refused to go along with it, and that decision quickly turned them against me. Suddenly, I found myself the target of gossip and lies. They spread rumors, twisting the story to make it seem like I was the one cheating, and that I was unfriendly to others. For a while, even people who didn’t know me were fooled. They believed the worst about me without seeking the truth.

It was tough. There were moments when I felt isolated, and it seemed like I was fighting this battle alone. But I held on to what I knew was right. I stayed true to my principles, even when it wasn’t easy. I knew that if I continued down the right path, things would eventually change.

And they did. Slowly, my teachers and classmates began to see the truth. They got to know the real me, and the lies that had been spread started to fall apart. In the end, I earned the respect and recognition that I deserved—not through shortcuts or by pleasing others, but by standing firm in what I believed was right.

In the end, it’s about ignoring some of these external negative factors, believing in yourself, and creating a well-thought-out plan with risk assessments. Staying committed to do what you believe is truly moral and never going against your conscience—over time, this will earn you respect and recognition. With perseverance, you’ll eventually reach your goals. As the saying goes: “Stay true to your path, and let others talk.”

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I’ve loved everything related to art since I was a child, but because my parents always prioritized academic education, I didn’t have the opportunity to study art when I was young. Throughout my journey, I have lived in various cities and explored different careers, yet the experience I cherish the most is the period when I worked as a training instructor at a national resource center for individuals with disabilities. In addition to this, I found fulfillment in volunteering at schools, libraries, and nursing homes. Despite these diverse experiences, I have consistently maintained my passion for the arts. I have recorded audiobooks, created artwork, written books, engaged in photography, and immersed myself in music. At present, I am dedicated to the production of some new audio books and write some books, I would like to invite everyone to follow ICE ZEN, with further projects to be released in the future.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

Looking back on my journey, I would say that the three most impactful qualities were a passion for continuous learning, resilience, and staying true to myself without following the crowd.

1. A passion for continuous learning: I have always been curious about a wide range of subjects and have continuously sought knowledge through various means, including formal education, mentorship, as well as self-directed learning and experimentation. Every individual is unique and has something valuable that others can learn from. It’s important to respect others, recognize their strengths, and learn from them. For those just starting out, my advice is to never stop being a student. Seek various opportunities to learn—whether through online courses, hands-on experience, or conversations with people who have walked a similar path. The more you learn, the better equipped you’ll be to innovate and solve problems from fresh perspectives.

2. Resilience: In any creative or professional field, setbacks and failures are inevitable. Things often didn’t go as I planned, and giving up sometimes seemed like the easier option. However, resilience—the ability to bounce back after challenges—has been key to my success. Resilience isn’t just about pushing through; it’s also about understanding your strengths and weaknesses, knowing how to handle pressure, and learning when to release it. Do your best, but don’t force results. For those just beginning, I would advise expecting difficulties, but don’t let them define you. View them as opportunities to learn and grow, not as roadblocks. Over time, you will become stronger and more capable of moving forward, even in the face of adversity.

3. Staying true to myself without following the crowd: Throughout my career, I’ve stayed committed to doing what I believe is right rather than blindly following trends. Even though society or others may have different opinions, maintaining my individuality, trusting in my virtues, and upholding them has always been a driving force. For those starting out, my advice is not to let external voices dictate your path. Stay firm in your beliefs and uniqueness, trust in your own value, and have the courage to carve your own distinct path.

In short, continuous learning, resilience (including understanding yourself, handling and releasing pressure), and staying true to yourself are crucial. Develop these qualities early, and don’t be afraid of failure—learn from it and keep trying. The journey of growth and learning is just as important, if not more so, than the final outcome.

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

When I feel overwhelmed, I try to remind myself of how I approached challenges when I was younger. As a child, I was always full of curiosity, excited about the future, and unafraid of making choices. I knew that if I failed, there would be family, teachers, and friends to help share the burden and guide me. But as I grew older, things changed. I became more fearful of making decisions and more anxious about the consequences. When I felt confused or lost, I would often withdraw into myself, hesitant to open up or seek help from others. This only made me feel more troubled and stuck.

My advice to anyone facing this kind of overwhelm is to first take a step back and calm yourself. Reflect on whether the problem is something you can handle alone. If not, identify people you trust and who may have the experience to help you navigate the issue. It’s important to recognize that you don’t have to go through it alone, and sometimes just talking to someone—even if they can’t provide a solution—can lighten the emotional load. A good listener can often help you see your problems from a different perspective, leading to unexpected solutions.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s essential to:

Pause and reflect: Take a moment to step back from the situation and assess whether it’s something you can manage on your own. Sometimes, just distancing yourself from the immediate emotion allows you to think more clearly.

Identify trusted people: If the problem seems too big to handle alone, think about who in your life has the knowledge, experience, or wisdom to guide you. This could be a mentor, a friend, or someone who has faced similar challenges.

Don’t hesitate to share: Even if you don’t have all the answers, sharing your feelings with someone you trust can be incredibly helpful. Sometimes, simply voicing your concerns helps you understand them better, and a good listener might offer insight you hadn’t considered.

Seek emotional support: When solutions seem elusive, emotional support can provide clarity. Whether it’s a trusted friend or a professional, talking through your feelings can relieve some of the pressure and help you see the bigger picture.

In the end, finding strategies to cope with feeling overwhelmed is about learning to balance self-reliance with the wisdom to seek help when needed. It’s okay to lean on others and to admit when you need guidance or emotional support. Often, being open leads to new chances to learn and grow.

Contact Info:

• Facebook: jessie0587
• Linkedin: [email protected]

Image Credits

Kyle Lam, Jessie Zhu, Aimee Lam