英语美文：你比自己想象的强大

 　　We all like to think we are special. Better than others. Doing better work. Excelling¹ beyond our peers².Yet, by definition³, most people are average。我们都希望自己是特别的，比别人优秀，做更好的工作，超越我们的同龄人。然而根据定义我们能看出，大多数人都是普通的。

　　Are you choosing to be average?你会选择成为普通的人吗？

　　Average is What Everyone Else Does普通人就是跟其他人做一样事情的那种人

　　I was chatting with a business colleague recently. He was frustrated⁴ that he had not advanced faster in his career. There was a sense of entitlement and much complaining. （I wanted to tell him that no one was going to give him his dreams。） Instead, I asked him a simple question about his job, “What are you doing that is above average?”我最近和一位业务伙伴聊天，他很沮丧因为他的事业并没有很快提升。他认为自己应该得到但事实上没有，所以有诸多抱怨。（我想要告诉他没有人可以帮他实现他的目标）然后，我只是问他了关于他工作方面的一个很简单的问题，“你现在做的什么事情是普通人做不到的呢？”

　　In other words, what do you do that is better than everyone else?换句话说，你做的事情是不是比别人做得更好呢？

　　There was more complaining and a statement about putting in more time than his peers. The conversation eventually ended, but I ran into the same individual a few days later. He came up to me and said, “I thought about that question. And you know what? I don't do anything that everyone else doesn't do. In fact, there are several people who could do my job。”他反而抱怨更多了，而且说自己比同龄人投入了更多的时间。谈话最终结束了，但我几天后又遇上了他。他走到我面前对我说，“我考虑了下你的问题。但你知道吗？其他人不会做的任何事情我也不会做的。事实上，的确有一些人可以做我的工作。”

　　He finished with, “I am average at work。”他最后说，“在工作上，我只是个普通人。”

　　Average is as Average Does普通就是按照普通人的方式做

　　Average is what everyone else does. If you want to succeed, you must go beyond average。“普通人就只会做其他所有人都会做的事情。如果你想要成功，你就必须超过普通人。”

　　Average is following the crowd。普通人做事情循规蹈矩。

　　Average is following the standard career path。普通人只会按标准的职业流程办事。

　　Average doesn't get up early （or stay up late） to work on their dreams。普通人不会早起（或是熬夜）去实践他们的梦想。

　　Average doesn't exercise or get in shape。普通人不会去运动或是健身。

　　Average is doing what everyone else does。普通人只会做其他所有人都会做的事情。

　　Choose Not to Be Average选择不成为普通人

　　The story above has another chapter. This particular individual told me that he had decided⁵ that he wasn't going to settle for average anymore. He was going to choose to not be average in his daily performance anymore. Instead of going through the motions⁶ and doing what everyone else did, he was going to make a concerted effort to go above and beyond average。上面讲到的故事后来还有另一段。这个家伙告诉我，他决定将不再满足于做普通人。在他以后每天的工作表现中，将不会成为普通的人。他将尽一切努力去超越普通的人，而不是走走过场，做其他人都能做的事情。

　　So, how do you choose not to be average? Here are 5 Ways to Choose Not to Be Average:那么，你如何才能不成为普通的人呢？下面是五种方法教你如何不成为一个普通的人：

　　1. Have Goals – Average doesn't have goals. Average doesn't write them down. And average doesn't make progress every single day without excuses. Make sure you have clearly defined⁷ goals and that you do something daily to move them forward。要有目标——普通人是没有目标的，普通人也不会将它们写下来，普通人也不会没有理由每天都进步。确保你有明确具体的目标，而且你每天都的事情都能让你更接近目标。

　　2. Go Above and Beyond – Average does just enough to get by and nothing more. Average does what is expected and stops there. Go beyond people's expectations and surprise them with results. （It is important to note that this is not always about the # of hours put in, but rather the quality of effort put in。）超越——普通人做事情尚可就满足了而不会做得更多。普通人只做到他们期望的程度就会停下来。超越人们的期望，给他们一个惊喜。（有必要提下这不是指你花的时间，而应该是你完成的工作质量）

　　3. Push Yourself – Average likes easy. Average doesn't push limits. You are stronger than you think. Always be testing your limits to reach new ones。强迫自己——普通人喜欢简单，普通人不会挑战他们的极限。你比你想象的要强大。要经常挑战你的极限去到达一个新的高度。

　　4. Make Your Own Path – Average likes comfortable. Average likes the well-worn path that is easy to follow. Average is where everyone else goes. Make your own path if you don't want to end up with everyone else。选择你自己的道路——普通人喜欢安逸，普通人喜欢那种容易遵循的旧方式。普通人走的路跟其他人一样。请选择你自己的道路，如果你不想落得跟其他人一样的结局。

　　5. Try New Things – Average doesn't like change. Average likes the status quo. Always be willing to try something new. You have to try new things in order to learn and grow。尝试新事物——普通人不喜欢改变，普通人满足于现状。你要经常渴望尝试新事物，为了学习和成长你必须要尝试新事物。

　　Life is too short to be average. Ask yourself if you are settling for the same as everyone else. Choose to be more. Choose to be something better. Choose to be above average。生命太过短暂，不要只做普通人。如果你正勉强接受和别人一样的生活，那就问问你自己。选择做得更多，选择把事情做得很好吧，选择超过普通人。

1 excelling   

优于，擅长( excel的现在分词 )； 胜过平时

参考例句：

• The rockery in the park is of wonderful workmanship excelling nature. 公园里的假山巧夺天工。
• Dukakis has a history of enduring, even excelling at, hardball campaigns. 杜卡基斯一向能承受，甚至擅长选举硬仗。

2 peers   

n.同等的人，贵族vi.凝视，窥视vt.与…同等，封为贵族v.凝视( peer的第三人称单数 )；盯着看；同等；比得上

参考例句：

• She enjoys the respect of her peers. 她受到同侪的尊敬。
• She peers into my eyes. 她盯着我的眼睛。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 definition   

n.定义；限定，确定；清晰度

参考例句：

• The book attempts a definition of his role in world politics.该书要阐明的是他在世界政局中的作用。
• I made a definition for this word.我给这个字下了定义。

4 frustrated   

adj.挫败的，失意的，泄气的v.使不成功( frustrate的过去式和过去分词 )；挫败；使受挫折；令人沮丧

参考例句：

• It's very easy to get frustrated in this job. 这个工作很容易令人懊恼。
• The bad weather frustrated all our hopes of going out. 恶劣的天气破坏了我们出行的愿望。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

6 motions   

n.（物体的）运动( motion的名词复数 )；提议；通便

参考例句：

• She just went through the motions of being a poetess. 她只不过装成一个女诗人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He always accompanied his speech with motions. 他讲演时总是伴以手势。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 defined   

adj 定义的; 清晰的

参考例句：

• These categories are not well defined. 这些类别划分得不太明确。
• The powers of a judge are defined by law. 法官的权限是由法律规定的。