本杰明富兰克林教我们的9个成功经验

 　　“Be at war with your vices¹, at peace with your neighbors, and let every new year find you a better man.” –Benjamin Franklin

　　“与恶习作战，与邻里友好相处，在新的一年变得更加优秀。”——本杰明·富兰克林

　　Benjamin Franklin is one of the most beloved founding fathers in the United States. Maybe it was his famous twinkling eyes, or maybe it was his ease with people. Regardless, he embodied² several characteristics that inevitably³ led to his success during his lifetime.

　　本杰明·富兰克林是美国最受爱戴的国父之一。这或许是因为他那双智慧的眼睛，抑或是因为他的随和个性。不管怎样，他所拥有的品质为他赢得了终生成就。

　　1. He cultivated productive habits

　　他养成了有效的习惯

　　Famously known for his 13 virtues⁴, in which he organized a 13-week plan focusing on one of his thirteen virtues of temperance, silence, order, resolution, frugality⁶, industry, sincerity⁷, justice, moderation, cleanliness, tranquility, chastity, and humility⁸, Benjamin Franklin not only implemented⁹ important moral goals, but also found ways to hold himself accountable by marking his own progress. In addition, he formed a time table schedule that had his day planned from the time he rose at 5am until he went to bed at 10pm.

　　在著名的“富兰克林十三美德”中，他总结了13条周目标：节制、寡言、有序、决心、俭朴、勤勉、诚恳、公正、适度、清洁、镇静、贞洁和谦逊。本杰明·富兰克林不仅践行了这些道德目标，还通过记录自己的进步来保证言出必行。此外，他还制定了一张时间表，将他从5:00起床到10:00就寝间的时间规划出来。

　　2. He took risks

　　他愿意冒险

　　Ben Franklin was by no means a cautious man. Famously known for writing letters in the name of “Silence Goodall” while working at his brother’s printshop, he also ran away to Philadelphia after his brother began to abuse him, ultimately running a successful print store.

　　富兰克林绝不是谨小慎微之人。最广为人知的事例就是，当他在哥哥的印刷店工作时，曾用笔名“沉默行善者”撰写文章;而且，因为受不了哥哥的虐待，他干脆跑到了费城，但这一出走却使他后来成功经营了一家印刷店。

　　3. He perfected his public image

　　他为自己树立良好的公众形象

　　In his autobiography¹⁰, Benjamin Franklin states that he “took care not only to be in reality industrious¹¹ and frugal⁵, but to avoid all appearances of the contrary.” In the words of Jonathan Yardley, Benjamin Franklin was “a self-created and self-willed man who moved through life at a calculated pace toward calculated ends.” He knew that the opinions of others mattered, and the importance of being able to network.

　　在自传中，本杰明·富兰克林写道他“不仅实际地做到勤勉节俭，而且还避免出现任何不利的公众形象”。用乔纳森·亚德里的话来说，本杰明·富兰克林是一个“自我经营、自我激励的人，在生活中以计划好的步伐走向计划中的成果”。他懂得尊重他人看法，也知道交际的重要性。

　　4. He was a champion of the common person

　　他是芸芸众生中的佼佼者

　　Never identifying with the elite¹², throughout his life Franklin identified himself as “B. Franklin, printer.” A strong believer in the power of community, he not only organized meetings and founded a library for his fellow citizens, but he also believed that pouring into “the common good” had a divine element. He is quoted stating: “To pour forth¹³ benefits to the common good is divine.” In other words, common people can find transcendence in giving back to their own community.

　　终其一生，富兰克林从不认为自己是精英，而是自诩为“印刷工富兰克林”。作为社区里的中坚信仰者，他不仅组织会议、为市民创建图书馆，还坚信投入公共福利是一件高尚的事。他说：“让公众受益是高尚的。”也就是说，普通人能从回馈自己的社区中得到升华。

　　5. He was an early riser

　　他是早起型的人

　　Famously quoted saying, “early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise,” Benjamin Franklin rose at 5am every morning, asking himself the question “what good shall I do today?”

　　俗话说：“早睡早起使人健康、富有且智慧。”本杰明·富兰克林每天早上5:00就起床了，同时还会自问“今天我能做什么善事”。

　　6. He knew how to network

　　他懂得怎样活络交际

　　Ben Franklin made friends and business connections everywhere he went. Never a shy man, he had a way with people. Walter Isaacson, a biographer, says of Franklin: “he had a happy talent of being at ease in almost any company, from scrappy tradesmen to wealthy merchants…His most notable trait was his personal magnetism¹⁴.” This personal magnetism was a huge asset to him in both his business and personal endeavors.

　　富兰克林无论到哪都能结交到朋友和业务伙伴。他不是怕羞之人，很擅长与人交往。传记作家沃尔特·艾萨克森评价富兰克林说：“他拥有令人愉快的本领，能够和任何人自在相处，不论那人是爱争论的小贩还是富有的商人……他最有魅力的性格就是他的气场。” 这一气场是他个人及业务发展的巨大财富。

　　7. He was a creative thinker

　　他是个创意思考的人

　　Ben Franklin was definitely not one to think inside the box. He is quoted saying, “to create, we must first identify the problem, then offer the best solution possible.” To mention a few, some of his inventions and discoveries include:

　　富兰克林可不是陷在条条框框里思考的人。在他看来，创新就是发现问题所在，然后努力找到最好的解决办法。以下是他的部分发明与发现：

　　The Franklin Stove

　　富兰克林火炉

　　The first library

　　第一座图书馆

　　Electricity

　　电

　　Lightning rod

　　避雷针

　　Glass harmonica

　　水晶口琴

　　8. He learned how to prioritize his time

　　他懂得如何优化时间

　　From his daily hourly schedule to rising at 5am every morning, Ben Franklin found ways to maximize his daily productivity. He is quoted saying: “Lose no time; be always employ’d in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.” In other words, make the best use of your time and find ways to prioritize, in order to produce your best work possible.

　　从每天早上5:00起床的日程安排中，富兰克林设法最大化提高自己的白天效率。他说：“不要浪费时间，随时做有用的事情，杜绝任何不必要的行为。”也就是说，为了提高工作效率，我们应该尽可能利用并优化时间。

　　9. He was frugal

　　他很节俭

　　Ben Franklin included frugality as one of his 13 virtues. He realized the importance of living debt-free and spending minimally¹⁵. He is quoted saying, “a penny saved is a penny earned” and “when you run in debt, you give to another power over your liberty.” In order to live a productive life, it is helpful to not be plagued by the stress of debt.

　　“富兰克林十三美德”中，有一条就是“俭朴”。他认为不欠债不乱花钱非常重要。他说：“省一分钱就等于挣一分钱。”“如果欠债，那说明你又失去了一份自由。”若想过上富有成效的生活，就应该避免被债务压垮。

1 vices   

缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳

参考例句：

• In spite of his vices, he was loved by all. 尽管他有缺点，还是受到大家的爱戴。
• He vituperated from the pulpit the vices of the court. 他在教堂的讲坛上责骂宫廷的罪恶。

2 embodied   

v.表现( embody的过去式和过去分词 )；象征；包括；包含

参考例句：

• a politician who embodied the hopes of black youth 代表黑人青年希望的政治家
• The heroic deeds of him embodied the glorious tradition of the troops. 他的英雄事迹体现了军队的光荣传统。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 inevitably   

adv.不可避免地；必然发生地

参考例句：

• In the way you go on,you are inevitably coming apart.照你们这样下去，毫无疑问是会散伙的。
• Technological changes will inevitably lead to unemployment.技术变革必然会导致失业。

4 virtues   

美德( virtue的名词复数 )； 德行； 优点； 长处

参考例句：

• Doctors often extol the virtues of eating less fat. 医生常常宣扬少吃脂肪的好处。
• She delivered a homily on the virtues of family life. 她进行了一场家庭生活美德方面的说教。

5 frugal   

adj.节俭的，节约的，少量的，微量的

参考例句：

• He was a VIP,but he had a frugal life.他是位要人，但生活俭朴。
• The old woman is frugal to the extreme.那老妇人节约到了极点。

6 frugality   

n.节约，节俭

参考例句：

• We must build up our country with industry and frugality.我们必须勤俭建国。
• By frugality she managed to get along on her small salary.凭着节俭，她设法以自己微薄的薪水生活。

7 sincerity   

n.真诚，诚意；真实

参考例句：

• His sincerity added much more authority to the story.他的真诚更增加了故事的说服力。
• He tried hard to satisfy me of his sincerity.他竭力让我了解他的诚意。

8 humility   

n.谦逊，谦恭

参考例句：

• Humility often gains more than pride.谦逊往往比骄傲收益更多。
• His voice was still soft and filled with specious humility.他的声音还是那么温和，甚至有点谦卑。

9 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

10 autobiography   

n.自传

参考例句：

• He published his autobiography last autumn.他去年秋天出版了自己的自传。
• His life story is recounted in two fascinating volumes of autobiography.这两卷引人入胜的自传小说详述了他的生平。

11 industrious   

adj.勤劳的，刻苦的，奋发的

参考例句：

• If the tiller is industrious,the farmland is productive.人勤地不懒。
• She was an industrious and willing worker.她是个勤劳肯干的员工。

12 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

13 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

14 magnetism   

n.磁性，吸引力，磁学

参考例句：

• We know about magnetism by the way magnets act.我们通过磁铁的作用知道磁性是怎么一回事。
• His success showed his magnetism of courage and devotion.他的成功表现了他的胆量和热诚的魅力。

15 minimally   

最低限度地，最低程度地

参考例句：

• Food spoilage problems occur with minimally processed, concentrated frozen citrus products. 食品的变质也发生在轻微加工的、浓缩冷冻的柑橘制品中。
• So, minimally, they are responsible for such actions and omissions. 所以，至少来说，他们要对这样的行为和忽略负责。