excerpt from commencement speech by Jeff Bezos
我们的选择定义了我们自己
节选自杰夫.贝索斯于毕业典礼之演讲
what I want to talk to you about today is the difference between gifts and choices.cleverness is a gift, kindness is a choice. gifts are easy--they're given after all. choices are hard. you can reduce yourself with your gifts ,if you are not careful. and if you do, It'll probably be to the detriment of your choices.
今天我想谈谈天赋与选择的差异。聪明是天赋,仁慈是选择。天赋意味轻松,毕竟是被给予的。选择意味艰难,要小心,选择总会面对自己来自天赋的诱惑,否则将有损你的选择。
How will you use these gifts? And will you take pride in your gifts or pride in your choices?
你将怎样用你那些天赋?你会以你的天赋为荣,还是以你的选择为傲呢?
Tomorrow, in a very real sense, your life--the life you author from scratch on your own--begins. How will you use your gifts? what choices will you make? will inertia be your guide, or will you follow your passions? will you follow dogma , or will you be original? Will you choose a life of ease, or a life of service and adventure? will you wilt under criticism, or will you follow your convictions? will you bluff it out when you 're wrong, or will you apologize? will you guard your heart against rejection, or will you act when you fall in love? will you play it safe, or will you be a little bit swashbuckling? when it's tough, will you give up, or will you be relentless? will be a cynic, or be a builder ? will you be clever at expense of others, or will you be kind?
明天,真正的意思是人生。书写你自己的人生从刻画你自己开始。如何运用你的天赋,做出何等选择?指引你的是惰性还是激情?你遵循教条还是特立独行?选择安逸生活或是大胆尝试?面对批评,退缩或是坚持信念?当犯错时,是蒙混过关或是道歉?对待爱情是勇敢行动还是怕被拒绝而封锁内心?踏实本分或是虚张声势,艰难使你放弃还是坚持不懈?你是犬儒还是建设者?你会吝啬还是宽厚?
I will hazard a prediction .when you are 80 years old, and in a quiet moment of reflection narrating for only yourself the most personal version of your life story, the telling that will be compact and meaningful will be the series of choices you have made.in the end ,we are our choices, build yourself a great story.
我冒险预测,当你80岁时的某个安静的反思时刻你叙述着最私人版本的人生故事,那是你所有系列选择中的精华 ,为自己书写伟大故事吧。