向前一步:第134期 不要身还在 心已远(8)

 Given life's variables, I would never recommend that every woman lean in regardless of circumstances. 考虑到生活的各种变数，我从不会建议每位女性在任何环境下都要向前一步，积极进取，

There have been times when I chose not to. 我自己也有好几次选择了说“不”。

In the summer of 2006, a tiny start-up called LinkedIn was looking for a new CEO, and Reid Hoffman, LinkedIn's founder¹, reached out to me. 2006年夏天，当时规模还很小的初创公司LinkedIn需要找一位首席执行官，公司创始人里德·霍夫曼对我发出了邀请。

I thought it was a great opportunity, and after five years in the same position at Google I was ready for a new challenge. 我认为这是个绝佳的机会，而且在谷歌工作了5年后，我也已经准备好迎接新的挑战。

But the timing² was tricky³. I was thirty-seven years old and wanted to have a second child. 但那时正赶上我准备要第二个孩子的备孕期。

I told Reid the truth: regrettably, I had to pass because I didn't think I could handle both a pregnancy⁴ and a new job. 于是，我对霍夫曼如实相告，拒绝了这个工作机会，因为我认为自己无法同时应付怀孕和新工作。

His reaction was incredibly kind and supportive. 他的反应相当宽容，也对我的选择表示理解。

He tried to talk me into it, even volunteering to work full-time⁵ at the company to support me during that period, but it was hard to see a path through. 他甚至提出在我休假期间代理我的工作以示支持，但我还是觉得事情很难解决。

For some women, pregnancy does not slow them down at all, but rather serves to focus them and provides a firm deadline to work toward. 对一些女人来说，怀孕完全不会让她们放慢事业上的脚步，反倒会让她们顶着一个“最后期限”，更为关注地工作。

My childhood friend Elise Scheck looks back fondly on being pregnant, saying she has never felt so productive. 我的童年好友埃丽泽·舍克十分怀念怀孕的日子，她说自己从来就没有那么高效过。

She not only worked her usual hours as an attorney but organized her house and put five years of photos into albums. 她不仅保证了身为律师的日常工作时间，还把5年以来拍摄的照片都整理好，一一放进了相框。

For others, like me, pregnancy is very difficult, making it impossible to be as effective as normal. 对一些人来说，比如我，怀孕的日子就相当难过，完全不可能像平时那样高效工作。

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

2 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

3 tricky   

adj.狡猾的，奸诈的；(工作等)棘手的，微妙的

参考例句：

• I'm in a rather tricky position.Can you help me out?我的处境很棘手，你能帮我吗？
• He avoided this tricky question and talked in generalities.他回避了这个非常微妙的问题，只做了个笼统的表述。

4 pregnancy   

n.怀孕，怀孕期

参考例句：

• Early pregnancy is often accompanied by nausea.怀孕早期常有恶心的现象。
• Smoking during pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage.怀孕期吸烟会增加流产的危险。

5 full-time   

adj.满工作日的或工作周的，全时间的

参考例句：

• A full-time job may be too much for her.全天工作她恐怕吃不消。
• I don't know how she copes with looking after her family and doing a full-time job.既要照顾家庭又要全天工作，我不知道她是如何对付的。