Escaping the Zero-Sum Trap: Turning Failure into Success | Chenjunyi (William) Feng | TEDxSinan Rd
What if our obsession with winning is the very thing holding us back? In this deeply personal and thought-provoking talk, Harvard graduate William Feng shares his journey from being an overlooked "average" student to redefining success beyond rankings and résumés. Through childhood struggles with body image, academic pressure, and relentless comparison, he exposes the hidden cost of the zero-sum mindset — the belief that someone else’s gain is your loss.Drawing from experiences working with foster children in the U.S. and high-achieving students across cultures, Junyi challenges the narrative that life is a competition. He invites us to reimagine failure not as defeat, but as a doorway to empathy, collaboration, and shared growth. This is a story about redefining value, embracing vulnerability, and unlocking a future where success is not about beating others — but about lifting others with you.
Northwestern & Harvard alumnus | Education Entrepreneur | Storyteller & Advocate for Win-Win GrowthChenjunyi (William) Feng is an education innovator and storyteller who bridges policy, performance, and purpose. Graduated from Harvard University studying Education Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship, William was one of the youngest student in his cohort and served as Vice President of the Harvard Graduate Consulting Club.With a dual degree in Economics and Radio/TV/Film from Northwestern University, and offers from top programs including Kellogg School of Management, University of Chicago, and NYU Stern, William brings a rare cross-disciplinary perspective to education. He has empowered over 100+ foster children in Kansas City through grassroots educational outreach and helped 200+ students achieve top TOEFL and ACT scores, with 30+ admitted to Top 30 universities across the U.S.As COO of a leading education consulting firm in Shanghai, William designs customized education pathways for students from underprivileged backgrounds to celebrity families. He is also the founder of TEDxSinanRd, where he curates cross-disciplinary dialogues on the future of education.Beyond academics, William is a seasoned debater, comedy lover, and former contestant on China’s hit shows The Brain. Featured in China Youth Daily, he combines wit and warmth to connect with audiences on both sides of the Pacific. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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