My Most Fundamental Principles

我最重要的根本原則

In pursuing my goals I encountered realities, often in the form of problems, and I had to make decisions. I found that if I accepted the realities rather than wished that they didn’t exist and if I learned how to work with them rather than fight them, I could figure out how to get to my goals. It might take repeated tries, and seeking the input of others, but I could eventually get there. As a result, I have become someone who believes that we need to deeply understand, accept, and work with reality in order to get what we want out of life. Whether it is knowing how peoplereallythink and behave when dealing with them, or how thingsreallywork on a material level—so that if we do X then Y will happen—understanding reality gives us the power to get what we want out of life, or at least to dramatically improve our odds of success. In other words, I have become a “hyperrealist.”

追求夢(mèng)想的征途中氯哮，我與現(xiàn)實(shí)中遇到的問題激烈碰撞，不得不做出各種決策。我發(fā)現(xiàn)妆棒，與其整日幻想這些問題不存在或與之抗?fàn)幙妹保€不如實(shí)事求是巧勤，尋找解決方案马昙，這樣倒能更快找到實(shí)現(xiàn)目標(biāo)的路栓辜∮栏撸可能要反復(fù)嘗試隧土，汲取他人智慧，但最終總能實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想命爬。久而久之曹傀，我深信要理解現(xiàn)實(shí)，接受現(xiàn)實(shí)饲宛，與現(xiàn)實(shí)合作皆愉，尋找解決辦法，才能實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想。無(wú)論是了解他人的真實(shí)想法與行為幕庐，還是事物在物質(zhì)層面的真實(shí)原理久锥，如我們做甲那么乙就會(huì)發(fā)生，理解現(xiàn)實(shí)都會(huì)賦予我們力量异剥，助我們實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想瑟由，至少可以提高成功的幾率。換句話說(shuō)冤寿，我成了一名“高度寫實(shí)主義者”歹苦。

When I say I’m a hyperrealist, people sometimes think I don’t believe in making dreams happen. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, I believe that without pursuing dreams, life is mundane. I am just saying that I believe hyperrealism is the best way to choose and achieve one’s dreams. The people who really change the world are the ones who see what’s possible and figure out how to make that happen. I believe that dreamers who simply imagine things that would be nice but are not possible don’t sufficiently appreciate the laws of the universe to understand the true implications of their desires, much less how to achieve them.

提到“高度寫實(shí)主義者”，就有人以為我不相信夢(mèng)想可以變?yōu)楝F(xiàn)實(shí)督怜，恰恰相反殴瘦，事實(shí)上，我認(rèn)為生活沒有夢(mèng)想是寡然無(wú)味的号杠。我強(qiáng)調(diào)的是蚪腋，選擇夢(mèng)想與實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想，通過高度寫實(shí)主義是最好的辦法究流。真正改變世界的人辣吃，能發(fā)現(xiàn)什么夢(mèng)想是有可能實(shí)現(xiàn)的，并能指出可行之道。而真正的空想家成天幻想一些不切實(shí)際的美好事物，不考慮宇宙規(guī)則丙唧，無(wú)法深刻理解自身愿望的真實(shí)內(nèi)涵盏阶，更別提實(shí)現(xiàn)他們的想法了。

Let me explain what I mean.

我來(lái)解釋一下：

I believe there are an infinite number of laws of the universe and that all progress or dreams achieved come from operating in a way that’s consistent with them. These laws and the principles of how to operate in harmony with them have always existed. We were given these laws by nature. Man didn’t and can’t make them up. He can only hope to understand them and use them to get what he wants. For example, the ability to fly or to send cellular phone signals imperceptibly and instantaneously around the world or any other new and beneficial developments resulted from understanding and using previously existing laws of the universe. These inventions did not come from people who were not well-grounded in reality. 17The same is true for economic, political, and social systems that work. Success is achieved by people who deeply understand reality and know how to use it to get what they want. The converse is also true: idealists who are not well-grounded in reality create problems, not progress. For example, communism was a system created by people with good intentions who failed to recognize that their idealistic system was inconsistent with human nature. As a result, they caused more harm than good.

我認(rèn)為宇宙擁有無(wú)限多規(guī)則鸟雏，實(shí)現(xiàn)一切夢(mèng)想與進(jìn)步都得遵循這些規(guī)則，如何遵循也是有定律有原則可循的，這些定律一直都存在节榜，不是人為制定的。人們只能理解并用好這些規(guī)則實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想别智。舉個(gè)例子吧宗苍，想飛翔，想在全球發(fā)射即時(shí)微感的手機(jī)訊號(hào)或別的什么有利于發(fā)展的新發(fā)明薄榛，都得深刻理解宇宙已經(jīng)存在的基本規(guī)律讳窟。不腳踏實(shí)地、實(shí)事求是的人是無(wú)法創(chuàng)造發(fā)明新事物的敞恋。制定經(jīng)濟(jì)丽啡、政治、社會(huì)新制度也是如此硬猫。實(shí)事求是补箍，基于現(xiàn)實(shí)來(lái)實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想改执，才能成功。反之亦然：不腳踏實(shí)地實(shí)事求是的理想主義者只會(huì)制造麻煩坑雅，而不會(huì)帶來(lái)進(jìn)步辈挂。舉例來(lái)說(shuō)，創(chuàng)造共產(chǎn)主義的人初衷是好的霞丧，但沒意識(shí)到他們?cè)O(shè)想的理想體制同人類的本性是不相符的呢岗，所以他們帶來(lái)的麻煩比好處要多。

I recognize that sometimes a discovery is made by accident, but the discovery is of some basic underlying principle that creates understanding of a cause-effect relationship that leads to a desired result.

我認(rèn)為有時(shí)候蛹尝，一項(xiàng)新的發(fā)現(xiàn)可能是偶然事件后豫，但新的發(fā)現(xiàn)都具備基本的潛在原則，這些原則建立了因果關(guān)系突那，相應(yīng)的結(jié)果也就順理成章了挫酿。

This brings me to my most fundamental principle:

這就引出了我想談的最根本原則：

Truth — more precisely, an accurate understanding of reality — is the essential foundation for producing good outcomes.

真相 —— 具體來(lái)說(shuō)，就是精準(zhǔn)理解現(xiàn)實(shí) —— 這是達(dá)成良好結(jié)果的最重要根基愕难。

While I spend the most time studying how the realities that affect me most work—i.e., those that drive the markets and the people I deal with—I also love to study nature to try to figure out how it works because, to me, nature is both beautiful and practical.

我大部分時(shí)間都在研究現(xiàn)實(shí)如何影響我的工作早龟，比如說(shuō)驅(qū)動(dòng)市場(chǎng)的要素，如何與人打交道猫缭，其實(shí)我也愛研究自然規(guī)律葱弟，我覺得大自然美麗而現(xiàn)實(shí)。

Its perfection and brilliance staggers me. When I think about all the flying machines, swimming machines, and billions of other systems that nature created, from the microscopic level to the cosmic level, and how they interact with one another to make a workable whole that evolves through time and through multi-dimensions, my breath is taken away. It seems to me that, in relation to nature, man has the intelligence of a mold growing on an apple—man can’t even make a mosquito, let alone scratch the surface of understanding the universe.

大自然完美絢麗猜丹，令我驚嘆芝加。天上飛的，水里游的射窒，千姿百態(tài)都是大自然創(chuàng)造的藏杖。從微觀層面到宇宙宏觀，世界萬(wàn)物相互聯(lián)系脉顿，構(gòu)成和諧運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)的整體蝌麸，隨時(shí)間推移，層層演進(jìn)艾疟，我驚嘆得無(wú)法呼吸来吩。同大自然相比，人類的智慧充其量也就蘋果上的一小塊霉斑蔽莱，人類連只蚊子都沒創(chuàng)造误褪，更別說(shuō)理解宇宙了，最多也就能知道點(diǎn)皮毛碾褂。

Though how nature works is way beyond man’s ability to comprehend, I have found that observing how nature works offers innumerable lessons that can help us understand the realities that affect us. That is because, though man is unique, he is part of nature and subject to most of the same laws of nature that affect other species.

大自然的運(yùn)行規(guī)律，人類是難以完全理解的历葛，但觀察自然正塌，能學(xué)到不少東西嘀略，有益于我們理解身邊的現(xiàn)實(shí)。因?yàn)槊總€(gè)人雖是獨(dú)立個(gè)體乓诽，但都是自然的一部分帜羊，受制于大自然支配一切物種的普遍規(guī)律。

For example, I have found that by looking at what is rewarded and punished, and why, universally—i.e., in nature as well as in humanity—I have been able to learn more about what is “good” and “bad” than by listening to most people’s views about good and bad. It seems to me that what most people call “good” and “bad” typically reflects their particular group’s preferences: the Taliban’s definitions are different than Americans’, which are different than others’—and within each group there are differences and they are intended to paint a picture of the world the way they’d like it to be rather than the way it really is. So there are many different takes on what is good and bad that each group uses to call others “bad” and themselves “good,” some of which are practical and others of which are impractical. Yet all of them, and everything else, are subject to the same laws of nature–i.e., I believe that we all get rewarded and punished according to whether we operate in harmony or in conflict with nature’s laws, and that all societies will succeed or fail in the degrees that they operate consistently with these laws.

舉例來(lái)說(shuō)鸠天，我們看看獎(jiǎng)懲之道吧讼育，大自然和人類是一樣的，在這點(diǎn)上稠集，我更能分辨好與壞奶段，而不是隨大流聽別人的觀點(diǎn)。我認(rèn)為大多數(shù)人對(duì)好與壞的區(qū)分都是基于個(gè)人喜惡剥纷，塔利班和美國(guó)人對(duì)好與壞的定義就截然不同痹籍，對(duì)別的群體亦是如此。每個(gè)群體對(duì)好與壞的定義都不盡相同晦鞋，都是基于自身期望蹲缠，而非事實(shí)本身。每個(gè)群體對(duì)什么是好悠垛，什么是壞都有不同觀點(diǎn)线定，有些切合實(shí)際，有些不然确买，即便世間萬(wàn)物都受制于同樣的自然規(guī)律斤讥。我們獲得獎(jiǎng)勵(lì)，還是得到懲罰拇惋，都取決于我們是符合自然規(guī)律周偎，還是違背自然規(guī)律。所有社會(huì)群體成功與否撑帖，都取決于同自然規(guī)律相和諧的程度蓉坎。

This perspective gives me a non-traditional sense of good and bad: “good,” to me, means operating consistently with the natural laws, while “bad” means operating inconsistently with these laws. In other words, for something to be “good” it must be grounded in reality. And if something is in conflict with reality—for example, if morality is in conflict with reality—it is “bad,” i.e., it will not produce good outcomes.

這種觀點(diǎn)與傳統(tǒng)意義上的好與壞不太一樣，對(duì)我來(lái)說(shuō)胡嘿，符合自然規(guī)律的就是好的蛉艾，不符合自然規(guī)律的就是不好的。也就是說(shuō)衷敌，好的事情必須是基于現(xiàn)實(shí)規(guī)律的勿侯，如果一件事情同現(xiàn)實(shí)規(guī)律相沖突，比如道德如果和現(xiàn)實(shí)相沖突缴罗，那就是壞的助琐，就不會(huì)產(chǎn)生有益結(jié)果。

In other words, I believe that understanding what is good is obtained by looking at the way the world works and figuring out how to operate in harmony with it to help it (and yourself) evolve. But it is not obvious, and it is sometimes difficult to accept.

也就是說(shuō)面氓，判斷事情是不是好的兵钮，要從大局看世界運(yùn)行規(guī)律蛆橡，指出如何與之相符合，進(jìn)而使這件事（或你自己）獲得發(fā)展掘譬。不過這種判斷不好做泰演，依據(jù)過于模糊，有時(shí)甚至讓人難以接受葱轩。

For example, when a pack of hyenas takes down a young wildebeest, is this good or bad? At face value, this seems terrible; the poor wildebeest suffers and dies. Some people might even say that the hyenas are evil. Yet this type of apparently evil behavior exists throughout nature through all species and was created by nature, which is much smarter than I am, so before I jump to pronouncing it evil, I need to try to see if it might be good. When I think about it, like death itself, this behavior is integral to the enormously complex and efficient system that has worked for as long as there has been life. And when I think of the second- and third- order consequences, it becomes obvious that this behavior is good for both the hyenas, who are operating in their self-interest, and in the interests of the greater system, which includes the wildebeest, because killing and eating the wildebeest fosters evolution, i.e., the natural process of improvement. In fact, if I changed anything about the way that dynamic works, the overall outcome would be worse.

例如睦焕，一群土狼攻擊一只羚羊，是好是壞靴拱？表面上看垃喊，這可糟透了，可憐的羚羊遭受痛苦而亡缭嫡。有人會(huì)斥責(zé)說(shuō)這群土狼真是太可惡了缔御，可這種他們稱為可惡的行為卻在所有物種間無(wú)處不在，這是大自然創(chuàng)造的行為妇蛀，這可比我聰明多了耕突。我跳出來(lái)說(shuō)這種行為多邪惡前我會(huì)想，這件事可能不是壞事评架。就死亡本身來(lái)看眷茁，是龐大、復(fù)雜纵诞、高效運(yùn)轉(zhuǎn)的大自然系統(tǒng)中的一部分上祈，這種系統(tǒng)自世界上存在生命以來(lái)就存在了。再?gòu)纳锶Φ亩丬健⑷?jí)效應(yīng)來(lái)看登刺，顯然這種行為有利于土狼群體，以及更大的生物圈嗡呼。同時(shí)纸俭，也有利于羚羊本身，因?yàn)橥晾遣妒沉缪蛴欣诹缪蜻M(jìn)化南窗，這是物種自身進(jìn)化的自然過程揍很。整個(gè)自然動(dòng)態(tài)體系中有任何變動(dòng)，結(jié)果都可能會(huì)更糟糕万伤。

I believe that evolution, which is the natural movement toward better adaptation, is the greatest single force in the universe, and that it is good.Itaffects the changes of everything from all speciesto the entire solar system. It is good because evolution is the process of adaptation that leads to improvement. So, based on how I observe both nature and humanity working, I believe that what is bad and most punished are those things that don’t work because they are at odds with the laws of the universe and they impede evolution.

我認(rèn)為窒悔，生物進(jìn)化是大自然的正常活動(dòng)敌买，幫助生物更好地適應(yīng)大自然简珠，是宇宙最強(qiáng)大的一股力量，所以生物進(jìn)化是好事情虹钮。生物進(jìn)化影響著所有物種北救，甚至影響太陽(yáng)系荐操。生物進(jìn)化是好事情，因?yàn)檫@是讓生物更適應(yīng)大自然的過程珍策，能夠改善物種本身≌梗基于我對(duì)自然與人類的觀察攘宙，我認(rèn)為那些不好的、受懲罰的事情都是因?yàn)榕c宇宙規(guī)律相違背拐迁，影響了生物進(jìn)化蹭劈。

In fact, it appears to me that everything other than evolution eventually disintegrates and that we all are, and everything else is, vehicles for evolution.

事實(shí)上，我覺得似乎除了進(jìn)化本身之外线召，其他一切事物都會(huì)最終瓦解铺韧。我們和其他所有東西都只是進(jìn)化的工具。

I believe that the desire to evolve, i.e., to get better, is probably humanity’s most pervasive driving force.Enjoying your job, a craft, or your favorite sport comes from the innate satisfaction of getting better.Though most people typically think that they are striving to get things (e.g., toys, better houses, money, status, etc.) that will make them happy, that is not usually the case. Instead, when we get the things we are striving for, we rarely remain satisfied.It is natural for us to seek other things or to seek to make the things we have better. In the process of this seeking, we continue to evolve and we contribute to the evolution of all that we have contact with. The things we are striving for are just the bait to get us to chase after them in order to make us evolve, and it is the evolution and not the reward itself that matters to us and those around us.

渴望進(jìn)化缓淹，渴望變得更好哈打，也許是人類最普遍的驅(qū)動(dòng)力。喜歡你的工作讯壶，欣賞一件工藝品料仗，熱愛一項(xiàng)體育運(yùn)動(dòng)，都是源自內(nèi)心對(duì)更好生活的向往伏蚊。盡管大多數(shù)人都覺得為實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想而苦苦掙扎立轧，比如想要玩具，更好的住房躏吊，賺錢氛改，名望等等，認(rèn)為實(shí)現(xiàn)這些夢(mèng)想就能開心比伏。事實(shí)上并非如此胜卤，當(dāng)我們努力實(shí)現(xiàn)了夢(mèng)想后，人們很少會(huì)知足凳怨。我們會(huì)有新的目標(biāo)瑰艘，或想改善我們擁有的東西，這都是很正常的肤舞。追尋夢(mèng)想的過程中紫新，我們不斷成長(zhǎng)，也促使我們接觸的人與事成長(zhǎng)李剖。我們想實(shí)現(xiàn)的夢(mèng)想只是個(gè)誘餌芒率，促使我們?cè)趯?shí)現(xiàn)之后去追求更多夢(mèng)想，促使我們成長(zhǎng)篙顺。和實(shí)現(xiàn)的那些夢(mèng)想比起來(lái)偶芍，成長(zhǎng)本身對(duì)我們和周圍的人才是最有意義的充择。

Of course, we are often satisfied with the same things – relationships, careers, etc.—but when that is the case, it is typically because we are getting new enjoyments from the new dimensions of these things.

當(dāng)然我們經(jīng)常會(huì)因?yàn)橥瑯拥氖虑槎械綕M足：人際關(guān)系，事業(yè)等等匪蟀。但一般那也是因?yàn)槲覀儚倪@些東西中獲得新角度椎麦，得到了新的愉悅體驗(yàn)。

It is natural that it should be this way—i.e., that our lives are not satisfied by obtaining our goals rather than by striving for them—because of the law of diminishing returns.For example, suppose making a lot of money is your goal and suppose you make enough so that making more has no marginal utility. Then it would be foolish to continue to have making money be your goal. People who acquire things beyond their usefulness not only will derive little or no marginal gains from these acquisitions, but they also will experience negative consequences, as with any form of gluttony. So, because of the law of diminishing returns, it is only natural that seeking something new, or seeking new depths of something old, is required to bring us satisfaction.

自然規(guī)律就是如此材彪，我們不會(huì)滿足于實(shí)現(xiàn)一個(gè)個(gè)夢(mèng)想观挎，而是享受這個(gè)追夢(mèng)的過程，這是基于收益遞減原理的段化。舉個(gè)例子嘁捷，假設(shè)你的夢(mèng)想是賺錢，而當(dāng)你賺夠了显熏，再賺更多也就沒有邊際效益了雄嚣，若此時(shí)的夢(mèng)想還是賺錢就很傻。超過使用邊際后還不斷獲取喘蟆，是難有回報(bào)缓升，甚至沒有回報(bào)的，還會(huì)產(chǎn)生譬如貪婪這種負(fù)面的結(jié)果履肃。根據(jù)收益遞減原理仔沿，我們很自然地會(huì)想要尋求新鮮事物或探索已存在事物的新層次，這樣我們才能獲得滿足尺棋。

The marginal benefits of moving from a shortage to an abundance of anything decline.

從缺少到富足封锉，邊際效益逐漸遞減。

In other words, the sequence of 1) seeking new things (goals); 2) working and learning in the process of pursuing these goals; 3) obtaining these goals; and 4) then doing this over and over again is thepersonal evolutionary processthat fulfills most of us and moves society forward.

也就是說(shuō)膘螟，1）尋求新目標(biāo)成福；2）在追尋目標(biāo)的過程中工作與學(xué)習(xí)；3）實(shí)現(xiàn)目標(biāo)荆残；4）反復(fù)這個(gè)過程奴艾。這是個(gè)人進(jìn)化過程，是我們甚至社會(huì)前進(jìn)的方式内斯。

I believe that pursuing self-interest in harmony with the laws of the universe and contributing toevolution is universally rewarded, and what I call “good.” Look at all species in action: they areconstantly pursuing their own interests and helping evolution in a symbiotic way, with most of them not even knowing that their self-serving behaviors are contributing to evolution. Like the hyenas attacking the wildebeest, successful people might not even know if or how their pursuit of self-interest helps evolution, but it typically does.

我認(rèn)為蕴潦，在遵循宇宙規(guī)律，在有利于進(jìn)化的基礎(chǔ)上追尋個(gè)人目標(biāo)俘闯，就會(huì)獲得獎(jiǎng)賞潭苞，我就會(huì)認(rèn)為這是好的事情≌胬剩看看所有現(xiàn)存的物種吧：它們不斷維護(hù)自身利益此疹，同其它生物共生進(jìn)化，卻不知道它們這種自利行為也推動(dòng)了進(jìn)化。像我提到的土狼襲擊羚羊蝗碎，成功人士可能不知道自己追逐自身利益的同時(shí)幫助了進(jìn)化湖笨，可事實(shí)就是如此。

When pursuing self-interest is in conflict with evolution, it is typically punished.

追求個(gè)人私利是同進(jìn)化相沖突的蹦骑，一般會(huì)受到懲罰慈省。

Self-interest and society’s interests are generally symbiotic: more than anything else, it is pursuit of self-interest that motivates people to push themselves to do the difficult things that benefit them and that contribute to society. In return, society rewards those who give it what it wants. That is why how much money people have earned is a rough measure of how much they gave society what it wanted—NOT how much they desired to make money. Look at what caused people to make a lot of money and you will see that usually it is in proportion to their production of what the society wanted and largely unrelated to their desire to make money. There are many people who have made a lot of money who never made making a lot of money their primary goal. Instead, they simply engaged in the work that they were doing, produced what society wanted, and got rich doing it. And there are many people who really wanted to make a lot of money but never produced what the society wanted and they didn’t make a lot of money. In other words, there is an excellent correlation between giving society what it wants and making money, and almost no correlation between the desire to make money and how much money one makes. I know that this is true for me—i.e., I never worked to make a lot of money, and if I had I would have stopped ages ago because of the law of diminishing returns. I know that the same is true for all the successful, healthy (i.e., non-obsessed) people I know.

自身利益和社會(huì)利益是相互共生的。追逐自身利益脊串，會(huì)激勵(lì)人們接受挑戰(zhàn)辫呻，獲得益處，推動(dòng)社會(huì)有效發(fā)展琼锋。反過來(lái)，社會(huì)也會(huì)回饋那些推動(dòng)其有效發(fā)展的個(gè)體祟昭。所以評(píng)判對(duì)社會(huì)有效貢獻(xiàn)的粗略標(biāo)準(zhǔn)是賺了多少錢缕坎，而不是有多想要賺錢〈畚颍看看是什么促使人們賺錢谜叹，你就會(huì)發(fā)現(xiàn)，這同他們對(duì)社會(huì)的有效生產(chǎn)值成正相關(guān)搬葬，同他們想賺錢的欲望程度無(wú)關(guān)荷腊。不少盆滿缽贏的人都沒把賺錢當(dāng)做首要目標(biāo)，他們只是認(rèn)真工作急凰，生產(chǎn)社會(huì)需要的東西女仰，就逐漸變得富有了。也有不少人天天想賺一大筆錢抡锈，但從沒按社會(huì)需求進(jìn)行生產(chǎn)疾忍，就沒怎么賺錢。也就是說(shuō)床三，提供社會(huì)所需同賺錢之間的關(guān)系甚是緊密一罩，而賺錢的欲望強(qiáng)烈程度則與之沒什么關(guān)系。至少對(duì)我確實(shí)如此撇簿，我工作從不為賺大錢聂渊，要是如此的話，按收益遞減原理四瘫，我早就沒工作了汉嗽，因?yàn)殄X早賺夠了。我認(rèn)識(shí)的成功且健康（未對(duì)金錢癡迷）的人都是如此莲组。

Of course, there are many people who give society what it wants but are paid poorly. This is explained by the law of supply and demand.

當(dāng)然也有不少人生產(chǎn)了社會(huì)所需但沒有獲得豐厚回報(bào)诊胞，供應(yīng)與需求規(guī)則可以解釋這種現(xiàn)象。

I do know some successful people who are obsessed with making money despite making money having little or no marginal benefit for them.

我就認(rèn)識(shí)有些成功人士癡迷于賺錢，盡管再賺錢對(duì)他們也幾乎沒什么邊際效益了撵孤。

This process of productive adaptation—i.e., the process of seeking, obtaining, and pursuing new goals— does not just pertain to how individuals and society move forward. It is equally relevant when dealing with setbacks, which are inevitable. That is why many people who have had setbacks that seemed devastating at the time ended up as happy as (or even happier than) they were before, once they successfully adapted to them. The faster that one appropriately adapts, the better. As Darwin described, adaptation—i.e., adjusting appropriately to changes in one’s circumstances—is a big part of the evolutionary process, and it is rewarded. That is why some of the most successful people are typically those who see the changing landscape and identify how to best adapt to it.

這個(gè)過程叫有效適應(yīng)迈着，也就是尋求、獲得邪码、追尋新目標(biāo)的過程裕菠。它不僅和個(gè)體與社會(huì)進(jìn)步相關(guān)，也同樣與挫敗相關(guān)闭专，挫敗是難以避免的奴潘。所以有人面對(duì)看似災(zāi)難性的挫折后，一旦成功適應(yīng)了影钉，就和以前一樣開心画髓，甚至更開心。適應(yīng)越快平委，效果越好奈虾。達(dá)爾文說(shuō)，適應(yīng)就是對(duì)個(gè)體環(huán)境的變化進(jìn)行適當(dāng)調(diào)整廉赔。這是進(jìn)化過程中很重要的一部分肉微，適應(yīng)過程能帶來(lái)回饋。所以大多數(shù)成功人士能很快覺察到大環(huán)境的變化蜡塌，并迅速以最佳方式適應(yīng)碉纳。

Darwin is reported to have said, “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.”

達(dá)爾文自傳曾說(shuō)過：在大自然的歷史長(zhǎng)河中，能夠存活下來(lái)的物種馏艾，既不是那些最強(qiáng)壯的劳曹，也不是那些智力最高的，而是那些最能適應(yīng)環(huán)境變化的攒至。

Your ability to see the changing landscape and adapt is more a function of your perceptive and reasoning abilities than your ability to learn and process quickly.

能感受到大環(huán)境的變化并適應(yīng)是一種能力厚者，主要是洞察力和推理能力，這比快速學(xué)習(xí)與處理的能力更能發(fā)揮作用迫吐。

So,it seems to me that desires to evolve are universal and so are symbiotic relationships that lead to the evolution of the whole to occur via the pursuit of individuals’ self-interests. However, what differentiates man from other species is man’s greater ability to learn. Because we can learn, we can evolve more and faster than other species.

想進(jìn)化是很正常的库菲，追逐個(gè)人利益時(shí)，與社會(huì)的共生關(guān)系會(huì)推動(dòng)整個(gè)社會(huì)進(jìn)化志膀，這也是很普遍的熙宇。人類與別的物種的不同之處在于人類善于學(xué)習(xí)。我們會(huì)學(xué)習(xí)溉浙，所以我們比別的物種進(jìn)化得快烫止。

I also believe that all things in nature have innate attributes that are both good and bad, with their goodness and their badness depending on what they are used for. For example, the thorns on a rose bush, the stinger on a bee, the aggressiveness of a lion, the timidity of a gazelle are all both good and bad, depending on their applications. Over time, nature evolves toward the right balance through the process of natural selection—e.g., an overly aggressive animal will die prematurely, as will an overly timid animal. However, because man has the ability to look at himself and direct his own change, individuals have the capacity to evolve.

所有事物都有其內(nèi)在的固有屬性，都有好與壞兩面戳稽，這取決于用途馆蠕。比方說(shuō)玫瑰上的刺期升，蜜蜂身上的刺，獅子的攻擊性互躬，小羚羊的怯弱播赁，這些都既是好的也是不好的，取決于他們的用途吼渡。攻擊性過強(qiáng)或太膽小的動(dòng)物都可能還沒發(fā)育完全就死掉了容为。而人類有能力審視自己，指導(dǎo)自身變化寺酪，有能力進(jìn)行進(jìn)化坎背。

Most of us are born with attributes that both help us and hurt us, depending on their applications, and the more extreme the attribute, the more extreme the potential good and bad outcomes these attributes are likely to produce. For example, highly creative, goal- oriented people who are good at imagining the big picture often can easily get tripped up on the details of daily life, while highly pragmatic, task-oriented people who are great with the details might not be creative. That is because the ways their minds work make it difficult for them to see both ways of thinking. In nature everything was made for a purpose, and so too were these different ways of thinking. They just have different purposes. It is extremely important to one’s happiness and success to know oneself—most importantly to understand one’s own values and abilities—and then to find the right fits. We all have things that we value that we want and we all have strengths and weaknesses that affect our paths for getting them.The most important quality that differentiates successful people from unsuccessful people is our capacity to learn and adapt to these things.

我們大多數(shù)人生來(lái)具備的特質(zhì)，既會(huì)幫助我們寄雀，也可能傷害到我們得滤，根據(jù)用途而有別。程度越極端盒犹，特質(zhì)帶來(lái)的積極或消極影響就相對(duì)應(yīng)越大耿戚。例如，創(chuàng)造力很強(qiáng)阿趁、目標(biāo)很清晰，善于把握大局的人可能就會(huì)在生活細(xì)節(jié)上吃虧坛猪。而重實(shí)務(wù)脖阵、關(guān)注具體任務(wù)、能完美處理細(xì)節(jié)的人可能不怎么有創(chuàng)造力墅茉。因?yàn)槲覀兯季S的特性命黔，很難兩者兼顧。事事都存之有理就斤，不同的思維方式也存之有理悍募，因其有不同的存在目的，這對(duì)于個(gè)人幸福感和自身了解極為重要洋机，尤其是了解自身價(jià)值和能力坠宴，這樣才能進(jìn)一步找到合適的定位。人人都有珍視之物绷旗，都有渴望之事喜鼓，都有影響我們實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想的優(yōu)缺點(diǎn)。區(qū)分成功人士與平庸之輩最重要的品質(zhì)就是學(xué)習(xí)能力和適應(yīng)能力衔肢。

Unlike any other species, man is capable of reflecting on himself and the things around him to learn and adapt in order to improve. He has this capability because, in the evolution of species man’s brain developed a part that no other species has—the prefrontal cortex. It is the part of the human brain that gives us the ability to reflect and conduct other cognitive thinking. Because of this, people who can objectively reflect on themselves and others —most importantly on their weaknesses are—can figure out how to get around these weaknesses, can evolve fastest and come closer to realizing their potentials than those who can’t.

和別的物種不同庄岖，人類能夠進(jìn)行自身反思，對(duì)周遭事物展開思考角骤，進(jìn)而獲得學(xué)習(xí)與提高隅忿。人類擁有這些能力是因?yàn)樵谶M(jìn)化過程中大腦形成了前額葉皮層，這是別的生物所沒有的。它使得人類具備自省背桐、開展其他認(rèn)知思維的能力优烧。鑒于此，人類能客觀地反思自己和別人牢撼，最重要的是反思自身的缺點(diǎn)匙隔，指出解決這些缺點(diǎn)的辦法，能最快進(jìn)化熏版、開發(fā)潛能纷责。

However, typically defensive, emotional reactions—i.e., ego barriers—stand in the way of this progress. These reactions take place in the part of the brain called the amygdala. As a result of them, most people don’t like reflecting on their weaknesses even though recognizing them is an essential step toward preventing them from causing them problems. Most people especially dislike others exploring their weaknesses because it makes them feel attacked, which produces fight or flight reactions; however, having others help one find one’s weaknesses is essential because it’s very difficult to identify one’s own. Most people don’t like helping others explore their weaknesses, even though they are willing to talk about them behind their backs. For these reasons most people don’t do a good job of understanding themselves and adapting in order to get what they want most out of life. In my opinion, that is the biggest single problem of mankind because it, more than anything else, impedes people’s abilities to address all other problems and it is probably the greatest source of pain for most people.

然而某些抵抗性的情緒反應(yīng)，如自我設(shè)障撼短，阻礙著我們進(jìn)步的過程再膳。這些情緒由大腦內(nèi)杏仁體掌管。鑒于這種反應(yīng)的存在曲横，大多數(shù)人都不愛反省自身缺點(diǎn)喂柒，即便他們都知道反省缺點(diǎn)是避免出現(xiàn)問題的重要一步。大家尤其討厭別人挖掘自己的缺點(diǎn)禾嫉，令人深感冒犯灾杰，從而產(chǎn)生還擊或逃離的反應(yīng)。其實(shí)有人指出自己的缺點(diǎn)很重要熙参，因?yàn)樽约汉茈y發(fā)現(xiàn)自身缺點(diǎn)艳吠。大多數(shù)人都不喜歡指出別人的缺點(diǎn)，不過背地里倒是挺愿意討論別人的缺點(diǎn)孽椰。所以蕓蕓眾生昭娩，真正了解自己的人甚少，也就無(wú)法適應(yīng)環(huán)境黍匾、實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想了栏渺。我認(rèn)為，這是人類面臨最簡(jiǎn)單卻最大的問題锐涯，深深阻礙著人們解決問題的能力磕诊，也是大多數(shù)人感到痛苦的根源。

Some people get over the ego barrier and others don’t. Which path they choose, more than anything else, determines how good their outcomes are. Aristotle defined tragedy as a bad outcome for a person because of a fatal flaw that he can’t get around. So it is tragic when people let ego barriers lead them to experience bad outcomes.

有人能克服自我設(shè)障這種情緒反應(yīng)全庸，有些人則做不到秀仲。選什么路，就會(huì)走向何種結(jié)果壶笼。亞里士多德認(rèn)為悲劇是人類無(wú)法克服致命弱點(diǎn)而帶來(lái)的不好結(jié)果神僵。如果人們被自我設(shè)障這種情緒牽著鼻子走，碰了一鼻子灰覆劈，就是悲劇保礼。