A到Z教你如何活出精彩人生
爱思英语编者按:A是代表Adventure冒险精神,B代表Bravery勇气,C代表Choice选择…… The A to Z Guide to a Rich Life A is for Adventure, and B is for Bravery. But a rich life is mostly brought to you by the letter C, for the Choice is yours to make it happen. This A to Z guide is a slippery slide down the letters of the alphabet. It is not a ride for the faint-hearted or for the superficial money-hungry beasts who preach gobbledygook. Instead, it’s for people who want to make a difference with their lives. If that describes you, then you’re in the right place. So, buckle up and jump in. We’ve got a long way to go. A is for Adventure But where will I go? I hear you ask. What you’re really asking for is a map. Unfortunately, there is no one-size-fits-all. Each one of us carries our own map of where we want to go and what we want to do. You need to look within yourself and ask: Where do I want to go? It doesn’t matter if you travel alone or with someone else as long as you move forward on your quest. New adventures lead to more experiences. There is no such thing as a bad adventure. Remember, the adventure begins when you leave the village. If you’re stuck, don’t despair. Remember this dialogue from Alice in Wonderland: “Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” What stops you from embarking on your adventure? Maybe letter B will be of some help. B is for Bravery You can safely ignore these people. Learn to stand up for yourself and your mission without a moment’s hesitation. This is your adventure, remember? Don’t let anyone take that away from you. Have the courage to live a life that’s true to yourself. Dare to be brave: you have nothing to fear. If you’re looking for inspiration, find comfort in these words: “Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.” ― Oscar Wilde C is for Choice It boils down to choice. For every living moment, you have a choice about how you will respond. No one expresses the value of choice better than writer and Holocaust survivor Viktor E Frankl: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” Yes, you always have a choice. If you can’t change a situation, you can always change yourself. I told you it wasn’t easy, but it can still be done with some help from letter D. D is for Discipline No, I don’t mean military discipline. That’s too violent and scary for me. I’m talking about the kind of self-discipline that artists, athletes and scientists use to practice their craft and to stay committed to the task at hand. It’s willpower. It’s grit. It’s the discipline to make and keep a promise to yourself. Indeed, discipline is hard because you’re competing against yourself. You are your own worst enemy. Don’t let this internal struggle bog you down. With a bit of discipline, you can pave the way for your adventure. It’s not sexy, but it works. Think of it this way: “Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.” ― Jim Rohn Of course, sometimes there’s a gap between what you know and what you need to know. That’s when letter E comes to the rescue. E is for Education There’s always more to learn about the world and the people and animals that live in it. If you feel ambitious, there’s always the universe to keep you busy. But let’s not go there today. It makes my head spin. By all means, read more books, listen to more songs, and watch more movies. Talk to people and learn from them. Keep exploring. “Education is not just preparation for life, but part of life itself – a continuous art.” ― Henry Ford If your experience of education is anything like mine, it has involved several moments of fear and self-doubt, which brings us to the dreaded letter F. F is for Fear So, what to do? Try to befriend your fear. Invite him over for dinner, share a glass of wine, but skip the small talk (your guest is very good at that). Instead do the unexpected and act in spite of your fear. See how quickly he leaves the room! “Fears are educated into us, and can, if we wish, be educated out.” ― Karl Augustus Menninger Remember: when you face your fear, you change your path. And when you change your path, you change yourself. G is for Generosity “There was a man, they called him mad; the more he gave, the more he had.” Allow that to sink in for a moment. Then answer this question: do you fear giving away too much? Many people do. They live their life according to a scarcity model: the belief that there isn’t enough resources for everyone. They fear sharing (not to mention giving!) because that means there will be less over for them. In short, they have a fixed mindset. They think: If I win, you lose. In his book Enchantment, Guy Kawasaki calls these people eaters. They do whatever they can to finish the pie first. The fixed mindset is heavy, frustrating, and annoying to carry around. It makes you anxious and grumpy. Keep it at your own cost. Luckily, there is an alternative. Kawasaki calls these people bakers. They want to make a bigger pie. This growth mindset drastically changes their approach to life. They operate from an abundance model–in other words, the belief that there is enough for everyone to get by. What stops you from adopting a growth mindset? Tip: Read Mindset by Standford psychologist Carol S Dweck for a more extensive explanation on the differences between a growth and a fixed mindset. You won’t be disappointed. Bottom line: Choose your mindset carefully or it will affect your health. H is for Health Prevention is the best medicine. So, eat well. Sleep tight. Exercise often. Meet more friends. There’s no excuse to ignore your health. “To keep the body in good health is a duty… Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” ― Buddha Remember: your health is the biggest sign of your wealth. It grants you another day, another chance. The rest you can leave to the imagination. I is for Imagination There’s only one downside to your imagination–without your actual input, it becomes worthless. So, act on your imagination; play with it, have fun with it, and get ready to be surprised. But don’t take my word for it. Here’s what the genius himself, Albert Einstein, has to say about the subject: “Imagination is more important than knowledge.” ― Albert Einstein Well, who am I to disagree with a genius? Open up to your imagination and let it bring you joy. J is for Joy Joy lasts longer if you let it seep into the depths of your being. Let it fill you up. Be grateful about the simple joys in life. “Find joy in everything you choose to do. Every job, relationship, home… it’s your responsibility to love it, or change it.” ― Chuck Palahniuk K is for Kindness Everyone makes mistakes, but it’s part of the journey. Save yourself the grief. Learn to forgive rather than to condemn. When you’re struggling, remember this quote: “To err is human; to forgive, divine.” ― Alexander Pope L is for Love Everyone deserves love. The opposite of love is not hatred. The opposite of love is indifference. Love means that you care. When you stop loving, you stop caring. Your senses become numb and violence and injustice can take over. Now we can’t have that. The more you love, the richer you become. It really is that simple. “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.” ― Lao Tzu M is for Mindfulness Mindfulness invites you to tune into your mind. This is a difficult but rewarding practice because it teaches you the art of listening to yourself. So, please take your time. Hurry slowly. Sit down. Close your eyes. Breathe. “The most fundamental aggression to ourselves, the most fundamental harm we can do to ourselves, is to remain ignorant by not having the courage and the respect to look at ourselves honestly and gently.” Remember: Listen more to yourself. After all, you have two ears and one mouth. N is for Narrative You can’t always change what happens to you, but you can always change the story you tell yourself. In short, own the story line and tell a better story. Ask yourself: Can I tell myself a different story? Then remember this quote from Stephen R Covey: “The way you see the problem is the problem.” ― Stephen R. Covey Change the story line and you change the way you see the problem. And that’s how you turn a problem into an opportunity. O is for Opportunity Who’s there? Opportunity! Don’t be silly–opportunity doesn’t knock twice! Do you make the most of the opportunities that come your way? P is for Principles Proactivity, honesty, integrity–these principles stand the test of time because they work. They also allow you to enjoy your success and not to feel guilty for cheating your way to the top. “Failure comes only when we forget our ideals and objectives and principles.” ― Jawaharlal Nehru Q is for Questioning I keep six honest serving-men Their names are What and Why and When Questions often lead to more questions, which lead to some useful answers. So, start questioning. R is for Relationships New relationships mean new responsibilities. Do you remember the first time when you became a parent, a grandparent, an aunt or an uncle? These roles gave your life a new meaning, a sense of purpose that wasn’t there before. Without relationships, life becomes futile. Create lasting relationships with others. It’s the most important investment you can make. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” ― Maya Angelou S is for Spirit Whether you’re religious or not, people leave a legacy after they’re gone. We remember them through their actions, words and deeds. A part of them stays with us. What is important is the legacy they leave behind. What legacy do you want to leave behind? “Every man casts a shadow; not his body only, but his imperfectly mingled spirit. This is his grief. Let him turn which way he will, it falls opposite to the sun; short at noon, long at eve. Did you never see it?” ― Henry David Thoreau Letter T helps you build the lasting legacy that you deserve. T is for Teaching Teaching helps others avoid costly, dumb and painful mistakes. It’s your duty to pay it forward. As Oscar Wilde points out: “I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.” U is for Uncertainty You fear uncertainty because you believe you don’t have what it takes to recover from it. Imagine your worst case scenario in vivid detail. What’s the worst possible thing that can happen to you? But don’t just stop there. Now write an equally clear plan on how you’re going to recover from it. Once you do, you’ll realize that you can recover from just about anything. “Waves are inspiring not because they rise and fall. But because each time they fall… They never fail to rise again.” V is for Values “Your beliefs become your thoughts, ― Mahatma Gandhi W is for Win-Win How does that change your outlook on life? And more important, how does it change your actions? “The Law of Win/Win says, ”Let’s not do it your way or my way; let’s do it the best way.” ― Greg Anderson X is for Xylatomy Because it’s fun to say and I want to reward you for your efforts! You’ve come this far down the alphabet with me, the least I can do is to teach you a new word. Xylatomy can be defined as: “Preparation of sections of wood for microscopic study.” Bet you didn’t know that one! So, what does xylatomy got to do with a rich life? Well, I believe it teaches us to find the joy in the small things. What’s your interpretation? Y is for Yes A word of caution though: don’t say yes to everything. Believe me, I’ve been there. Only say yes if the answer is: “I cannot not do it“. Don’t be afraid to say no to the rest. “Learn to say ‘no’ to the good so you can say ‘yes’ to the best.” ― John C. Maxwell Z is for Zest “True happiness comes from the joy of deeds well done, the zest of creating things new.” ― Antoine de Saint-Exupery Start your adventure today It’s time to unbuckle your seatbelt, jump out the car, and get started on your new adventure. But relax. Remember the wisdom of letter C: Choice. Choose to act on one of these letters and you’re well on your way to a richer life. |