"I used to encounter difficulties," she said. "I learned so hard that I had headaches."
Not reconciled to giving in, she adjusted her approach. She would do some daily chores to relieve the pressure and would get back to studying after that.
In November 2019, she accomplished the blindfolded method solving in 3 minutes 33 seconds. Officially verified by the World Record Certification agency, she broke the record for "the fastest time to solve a Rubik's cube blindfolded at an age of over 60".
Others may think her ability has reached its peak. She said, she wants to meet more goals.
"First, I would like to strive to pass B1 level," she said. "Second, I aspire to perfect my blindfolded solving to reach a high degree of excellence."
She said level B has four categories, among which B1 is the most difficult.
Some friends earlier asked her to live a simple life instead of worrying about such things, she said. At the beginning, her family also worried about her getting overworked. Yet they supported her after they saw that her happiness was most valuable to them.
Now, Zhao is an inspiration to relatives and friends for being optimistic and persistent. She is lauded as an exemplary in the family and hailed as a doer.
"Her achievements are because of relentless, concrete efforts, not luck," commented a friend of Zhao's.
The Rubik's Cube has brought warmth to her life. It is her "spiritual partner", Zhao said.
"When I am in my 70s, 80s or even 90s, I probably will have no strength left for square dancing. However, I will still have my Rubik's Cube."
Zhao said people should focus their energy on contributing to society. As a member of the Communist Party of China, she provides CPC members in Wulipai community in her city with free training classes to promote the Rubik's Cube and enrich their lives. She teaches her friends in WeChat groups to play the game.
Though she is not planning to participate in any competition in the near future, she sharpens her abilities every day.
"You must have dreams and you must pursue constant learning to realize your dreams through hard work. While realizing dreams is a moment, chasing dreams is a process where happiness truly lies," she said.
From learning about the Rubik's Cube from her granddaughter to holding a record, Zhao has been self-motivated.
