Recently I’ve found myself using translation tools more often when I read. At first it felt like I was going backward. A few years ago, I still managed to stick to the idea that all input should be in English—so how come I’m backsliding now?

But if I think it through carefully, this isn’t a problem. I don’t need to insist on using English for everything now. My Chinese reading speed is my weapon, so I might as well use it.

In terms of the amount of English I’m exposed to, it’s actually quite a lot: everyday environment, communication, and presentations—all of it is practice. Plus, I’ve written thousands of pages in English.

If we treat time as a quantifiable value, then whichever approach can save time is the better approach.