seven steps for beating the obstacles
“Reality leaves a lot to the imagination.” - John Lennon
"现实总是留给想象极大的空间"-----约翰 列侬
How many times have we told ourselves in complete earnestness, “I'm going to be more organized and productive from now on.”？ Or that the diet starts tomorrow? Or that we're going to make a real effort to exercise now?
多少次我们曾坚定地对自己说"从现在开始我要活得更有规划，更有成就"?从明天起开始减肥？或者开始努力锻炼身体？
Only to have that enthusiasm fizzle away, and all our best intentions come to nothing?
那种热情是否很快就消失了，而我们的目标也完全没有实现呢？
It's the most common thing in the world （besides bacteria） — the honest and fervent desire for self-improvement, followed by inaction or giving in to temptations, followed by guilt or giving up. Bridget Jones captured it best, writing her constant resolutions into her diary. “Will definitely go to the gym this afternoon.” Only to be followed by a binge of pastries followed by drinking and smoking.
世界上最常见的事莫过于，当初诚挚而热烈地追求自我发展目标，而后却由于懒怠和经不住诱惑而放弃，最终内疚不已。布丽琪特对此体会最深，她在日记中经常写到自己的决定“今天下午一定要去体育馆”，然而最终却以狂欢派对，喝酒，抽烟取而代之。
We're all Bridget Jones. It happens to the best of us. It's inertia at work, mixed with a bit of laziness as well as the very human trait of giving in to desires despite all the good intentions in the world.
我们都是布丽琪特。尽管我们有很多美好的目标，但由于在工作中的惯性，懒惰，和对诱惑的妥协，这类事情常常发生在我们身上。
So how do we beat inertia and temptations? Four basic ways, really:
那么，我们如何克服懒惰，抵挡诱惑呢？有四个方法：
1. Get moving, a bit at a time. Inertia is beat only by movement. Once you get going, momentum builds up and inertia is no longer a factor. So the key is to get started, and you do that not by trying to go from 0 to 60 in 5 seconds, but by trying to go from 0 to 5mph in a day or two. That's doable. It's all about baby steps. Once you get going, you're golden.
采取行动，每次进步一点。唯有行动可以击败惯性。一旦你行动起来，动力就会源源而来，惯性也不再成为问题了。所以关键在于着手开始干，这并不是说你在五分钟内重复60次，而是说要努力在一两天内重复5次。这只是第一步，一旦你开始行动，你就成功了一半。
2. Be accountable. Laziness, the second culprit, is beat by a bit of public pressure. We all get lazy from time to time （or, to be more honest, all the time）, and there's nothing wrong with that. But to beat laziness, we must apply a bit of pressure, in the form of accountability. There's nothing wrong with a little pressure, as long is it's not overdone. Pressure is a motivating thing, especially when it's positive. Positive pressure includes encouragement from family or friends, an online forum, a help group in your neighborhood, or the readers of your blog.
责任心。 懒惰是防碍我们实现目标的第二罪犯，社会压力可以击败它。我们总是时不时地变得懒惰（更确切地说，或者总是很懒惰），这也没什么错误的。但为了克服懒惰，我们必须借助因责任感而产生的压力。有适度的压力是很好的，只要没有过火就行。压力可以激励人，特别是积极向上的压力。积极的压力包括来自于家庭，朋友，网络论坛的鼓励，邻里之间和博客读者的帮助。
3. Ignore failures — giving in to temptation is OK. We will always give in to temptation. Plan for it, accept it, move on. There's no need to beat yourself up.
忽视失败------承认诱惑。我们常常经不住诱惑，那么请计划一下，并接受它，然后继续努力。没有必要让自己痛苦。
4. Motivate yourself. Most importantly, you want to really want it. It's not enough to feel pressure to do something — you have to really desire it. I mean, really desire it, not just think it's something you should do, or that you'll be a better person for doing it. If pressure gives you the push toward your goal, motivation gives you the pull.
自我激励-----最重要的是你确实想这样做。仅仅有压力是不够的，你必须真正需要它，我是指真正地渴望，而不是简单地认为你该这样做，或者这样做你会更好。如果说压力给了你追求目标的推力，那么动机则赐予你拉力。
Given those strategies for beating the obstacles to making your desires become reality … how do we implement them? How do we go from theory to actual action steps? Easy. Seven simple steps, that you can do today. Really. Do them today.
介绍了这些帮助你扫除障碍，实现愿望的方法，我们应该如何具体实施呢？我们应该如何把理论转化为实际行动呢？很容易，七个简单的步骤，今天就可以实施，今天就开始行动吧。
1. Make a date. Right now. All the good intentions in the history of the universe mean nothing if you don't actually get started. And the only way to get started is to take action, right now. Not tomorrow, not later today, not in an hour, not when you finish reading this article. Right now! Look at your calendar, and make an appointment to create your action plan, or to take the first action （”Go walking at 5:30 p.m. today in the park,” for example）. What's the first action you can take to make your desires a reality? Create a healthier meal plan for tomorrow? Create a place for everything you use at work, so your organizing system doesn't fall apart in two day? Decide what that is and make an appointment for it, right now. Second part of this step: make that appointment the most important appointment on your schedule, more important than a doctor's appointment or a meeting with your boss.
1. 确定时间，现在就确定。如果你不着手开始行动，世界上从古至今一切好的目标都只是空谈。迈出第一步唯一的方法就是立即采取行动，不是明天，不是今天晚些时候，不是一个小时之后，也不是你读完这篇文章，而是此时此刻。看看你的日历吧，作一个行动计划，或者迈出第一步（比如，今天早上 5点半区公园散步）。从哪儿入手可以让你实现愿望呢？是为明天做一个更健康的膳食计划？还是把你工作上的所有事情理得仅仅有条，以免你的规划不至于在两天混乱不堪？现在就做出决定并坚持去做。第二步：找出你计划中最重要的几点，这些甚至比和医生的约定还重要，比和老板的会议还重要。
2. Set a small, achievable goal. Remember, inertia is a powerful force. If you haven't been exercising for a couple years, it's hard to get started. You're used to the way things are, and even if you want to change, it's difficult. So don't start out trying to conquer the world. Just conquer something exceedingly small. It might sound wimpy to say, “I'm going to walk for 10 minutes” or “I'm going to do 10 pushups and 1 chinup”， but those are much more likely to beat inertia than, “I'm going to exercise for 45 minutes today.” Be realistic, and make it very very achievable. It's the only way to beat inertia.
2.设定小的，可及的目标。记住惯性是一种很大的力量。如果你几年都没有涉手某事， 刚开始时是很困难的。人们总是习惯于事物一贯的状态，即使你想要改变它，也是很困难的。所以不要一开始就试图征服世界，只需要从做好一些小事开始。“我要练习走10分钟”，“我要坚持做10个俯卧撑和1个仰卧起坐”，这些话听起来有些怯懦，但却比诸如“我今天要锻炼45分钟”之类的话更能让人克服惯性。非常现实，而且容易实现，这是唯一能克服惯性的方法。
“Try not. Do or do not. There is no try.” - Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back
“尝试不可实现的目标，就等于没有尝试”- Yoda in The Empire Strikes Back
3. Commit thyself, big time. It's this commitment that will keep you going after you overcome inertia. Sometimes we get filled up with enthusiasm, but then a few days later, that enthusiasm wanes and we submit to our old buddy laziness. Now, I'm not anti-laziness — just the opposite, I assure you — but we can't let it stop us from making our dreams come true. So instead, make a commitment, publicly. State your small, achievable goal, and tell it to as many people as you can. Call or email friends and family, tell all your coworkers, join an online forum related to your goal and tell all of them. Put it on your blog. However you do it, make sure people are aware of your goal, and that there's sufficient pressure to overcome laziness.
3.许下承诺，做得最好。正是这种承诺驱使你在克服惯性后继续前进。有时，我们满怀激情，但几天后，热情退去，我们又变得懒散了。我不是反对懒惰－－恰恰相反，我想让你相信－－懒惰并不能阻止我们实现梦想。所以反之，请公开地许下承诺，把你那些小小的，可及的目标告诉尽可能多的人。告诉你的朋友和家人，或者写邮件给他们，告诉你所有的同事，加入到和你目标相关的网络论坛中去，在博客中写下你的目标。无论如何，要让人们知道你的目标，这样你就有足够的压力推动你克服懒惰了。
4. Baby steps, baby. Again, inertia is a very strong force. I've said it before, but this is a very important step here: the best way to change is through baby steps. One small step at a time. Don't try to bite off too much. How is this different from the above step, setting a small and achievable goal? It's the same concept, but extended beyond the initial goal. It's taking things one little goal at a time, a bit at a time. For example, let's say you want to run a marathon, but currently your running regimen consists of running to the bathroom during commercial breaks while you're watching Lost. So do you go out and start a marathon training plan? Nope. You start by walking 10 minutes a day. Then, when that becomes a habit and too easy, walk 15 minutes. Then 20, then 30. Then jog a minute, walk a couple minutes, jog a minute, and so on, for those 30 minutes. Then jog 90 seconds, and so on, until you're running for 30 minutes. Do these steps a week or two at a time, so that all of a sudden, you're running for 45 minutes every other day … and you barely noticed the progression. That's the way you get to a goal … small progressions that are barely noticeable. Not by killing yourself the first day out.
4. 一步步的做。惯性是非常强的力量，我之前提到过。最好的办法是走好每一小步，这是非常重要的。每次一小步。不要尝试一次做得过多。这与我们前面提到过的树立小而可及的目标有什么不同呢？其实是一样的，只是不局限于最初的目标，它是指每次树立一个新的目标，每次进步一点。比如说，让我们设想你要参加马拉松比赛，但是最近你的生活习惯是在沉迷与看《迷失》，广告期间还老跑到洗漱间。在这种状态下，你还会出去参加马拉松训练吗？不，刚开始你每天走10分钟，形成习惯后，每天走15分钟。随后变为 20分钟，30分钟，然后慢跑一刻钟，走上半小时，再慢跑一刻钟，如此反复。然后可以慢跑延长到30分钟，直到你能跑上30分钟。坚持每周或每两周一次，而后，突然有一天，你会发现每隔一天你能跑上45分钟了---而你却几乎觉察不出这种进展。那就是成功的方法----一点点地进步，小得甚至不能察觉，而不是在第一天就让你精力耗尽。
“Seventy percent of success in life is showing up.” - Woody Allen
“生命中百分之七十的成功正在显现”----伍德艾伦
5. Hold thyself accountable. You've committed yourself publicly … but it's not enough to tell people your goal. You have to make it clear that they must hold you accountable to reporting to them your progress. Then report your progress to them regularly. Daily is better than weekly. Reporting to them makes sure that you will think twice about being lazy and forgoing your action plan.
5.让你自己勇于承担责任。你已经向公众许下了你的承诺---但仅仅告诉人们你的目标是不够的。你必须清楚你有责任向他们报告你的进展。所以请按时汇报你的进展情况，一天一次比每周一次好些。这样可以促使你再三提醒自己不能懒惰，不能放弃计划。
6. Motivate yourself. We've already discussed accountability and commitment, which are ways to put positive pressure on yourself — a form of motivation. Those are great, but you also want other types of motivation. You want to find ways to make your progress feel great … either through rewards, or the positive way you feel about your progress, or the positive way you feel when others see how well you're doing. Find a few different ways to motivate yourself — the more the better. Incorporate these into your plan. Tell people about them. Let them help push you along.
6.自我激励。 我们已经谈到责任感和承诺，它们都是一种能给你积极压力的激励。这很好，但你还需要另外一种鼓励，你需要一种让你体会到成就感的方式---或许是通过一些奖励，或许是对自己取得的进步德肯定，或许是为别人看到你的进步而喜悦。 寻求许多不同的自我激励方法，越多越好。把这点融入到你的计划中去。告诉人们并让他们推动你前进。
7. Just keep doing it, no matter what. You'll encounter obstacles, and falter and fall. Just get up and keep going. You'll face temptations and give in. That's OK. Just keep going. You'll make mistakes and get discouraged. No matter … just keep going. Learn from your mistakes, and … keep going. No matter what happens, keep going. If you're taking baby steps, you're holding yourself accountable, and you're actually doing something, you'll get there.
7.坚持不懈，无论发生什么。你会遇到障碍，挫折，失败，站起来，继续向前。你会遇到诱惑并屈从，那没关系，只要继续前进。你会犯错误，会泄气，没事，只要继续前进。从错误中总结教训，继续前进。无论发生什么，决不放弃，如果你一步步地做，敢于承担责任，而且踏实肯干，就一定会成功的。
“Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one” - Albert Einstein
“现实只是一种幻觉，虽然它持久稳固”----艾伯特 爱因斯坦。
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