Is your definition of success a fatal mistake?

    你對成功的定義是一個致命錯誤嗎?

    For some, success is defined in terms of the dollar amount on a paycheck. For others, it's the title on their business card. Others may define success in terms of the accolades and awards they have won.

    有些人用薪水定義成功。對另一些人來說，成功是名片上的頭銜。其它人也許根據贊譽和獎勵來定義。

    But the problem with how people define success these days is that when they're forced to change it, they can't. Look at the businessmen who have committed suicide because they have lost fortunes. Consider the workers who are fired and then go back to work, armed with a gun.

    對于很多人來說，問題在于，讓他們改變自己對于成功的定義是不可能的。看看那些因為損失錢財而自殺的商人，想想被解雇后帶了一只槍回公司的員工。

    Extreme cases, sure. Not everyone considers killing themselves or others when their livelihood is threatened. But it does point out that maybe we need to revisit our own definition of success.

    當然，這些都是極端例子。并不是每個人在生計受到威脅的時候會自殺或殺人。但這的確說明，也許我們需要重新定義成功。

    Start by completing this definition: "Success to me is...."

    首先，完成這個句子：“成功對我而言是......”

    After you complete this sentence, then review it and determine if you're on the path to achieving that success. If you were to lose your job or money tomorrow, would your definition of success still be valid? Or, would you consider yourself a failure?

    當你完成了這個句子，然后重新審視一下，你是否處于取得這種成功的軌道上。如果你明天失去工作或錢財，你對成功的定義還有效嗎？你會認為自己是一個失敗者嗎？

    I remember a job where I worked long, stressful hours and often labored for a boss who had mood swings like a freaking roller coaster. It made for a tense situation, to say the least. One day I was talking to a co-worker and the exhaustion was overwhelming. I felt so dissatisfied, frustrated and even angry. Then it hit me: If I died that day, I didn't want the only thing on my tombstone to be "Always met her deadlines."

    我曾長期從事一份有壓力的工作，情緒無常的老板讓人心力交瘁，至少讓局勢緊張。一天，同事交談時，我感到筋疲力盡。我覺得非常不滿、沮喪甚至是憤怒。突然萌生一個想法：如果我那天死了，我可不愿意我的墓志銘只有一句：“總能按時完成任務。”

    Ugh, I remember thinking. I wanted my life to account for more than that. It wasn't until months later that I started making some real changes in my life, changes that I know made me much better able to balance my life and devote time and effort to more than my job.

    呃，我思考著，我希望生活有更多意義。數月后，我開始對生活做出一些切實改變，讓我更能平衡生活，而不只是把時間和精力花在工作上。

    Right now, times are tough and some of us are beginning to panic. But I think it's a golden opportunity to really think about what is important in your life, and weed out the things that don't really matter.

    時下不景氣，有些人開始驚恐。但是我認為這是一個千載難逢的機會，讓你認真思考你的生活中什么是重要的，并剔除那些不要緊的東西。

    You are the one who must define what success is to you. One thing I know for sure: You are more than a job title, you are worth more than a number on a paycheck and you are more than an award to hang on your wall. Is the destination you have in mind worth the road you must travel? Only you can answer that.

    只有你自己能為自己定義成功。有一點我清楚：你不只意味著一個頭銜，不只意味著工資單上的數字，也不只意味著掛在墻上的那個獎勵。為了到達你心中的目的地，你一定得走這樣一條路嗎? 只有你能回答。