Editor's note: President Xi Jinping has shared his thinking about the country and life on many occasions. Here're some extracts we collected for you to inspire you.

Honing the skills

The youth must refine their professional skills. Study is the ladder of progress and practice is the way to improve capability. Quality and capability of the youth is directly linked to the course of realizing the Chinese Dream.

--Xi remarks at a discussion with a group of outstanding young people from all walks of life

May 4, 2013

It's all about foundation

Living one's life is like buttoning up one's jacket. If the first button is not fastened correctly, the rest will never find their rightful place. The buttons of life should be fastened well from the very beginning.

--Xi Jinping talks with students and faculty at Peking University.

May 4, 2014

Midnight oil burns out quickly

I was so eager to do my job well but fell ill quite often. The reason? I always burnt the midnight oil. Later I came to realize that I couldn't work like this anymore. One has to be fully aware that one cannot finish all the work at a time, however enthusiastic one may be about the job.

--Xi speaks with participants of the first seminar for county-level Party chiefs at the Party School of the CPC Central Committee in Beijing

Jan 12, 2015

Nothing is free, not even happiness

The future is encouraging and inspiring. But happiness does not fall from the sky. We shall establish a spirit to prevail and continue to immerse ourselves in hard work.

--Xi delivers his New Year speech via state broadcasters in Beijing

Dec 31, 2015

Encourage honesty, discourage vices

The whole society should vigorously promote the spirit of hard work, encouraging people to realize their dreams and change their fate through honest work, while opposing negative thoughts such as profiting from other people's work, opportunism and indulging in pleasure and comfort.

-- Xi speaks at a meeting with a group of scientists and researchers, model workers and young representatives in Hefei

April 26, 2016

Single purpose, common cause keys to success

As one saying goes, "success comes to those who share in one purpose". As long as our 1.3 billion-plus people are pulled together for a common cause, as long as the Party stands together with the people and we roll up our sleeves to work harder, we will surely succeed in a Long March of our generation.

--Xi Jinping extends New Year greetings to all Chinese compatriots and people around the world in his New Year speech in Beijing

Dec 31, 2016

Don't slack, don't lose faith

During one's growth and endeavor, the young may gain success and joy, but may also face difficulties and pressure. One should treat the success and failure at the moment with a correct attitude, not slack in prosperity and not lose faith in adversity. One should consider both the success and failure as wealth in life instead of burdens.

-- President Xi Jinping talks with senior professors while inspecting China University of Political Science and Law

May 3, 2017