怎样挽救停滞不前的自己？
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老桑说
如果你在工作中停滞不前，
无法取得任何进展，
与其强迫自己前进，
不如先试着对自己说“暂停”。
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「 朋友，你好，我是老桑。 」
老桑在金华观叱石成羊
你是否正受困于某个问题？也许你正试图让工作上的问题取得进展，或是解决一段关系中的症结，也可能是在琢磨一位作家难以理解的作品片段。你也许正尝试给一项新业务或是活动想出一个有创意的名字。但却发现想得越多，答案反而似乎愈发遥远。
当处理困难问题时，我们可能会很焦虑，急于找到快速解决的方案以克服不确定性所带来的不适感——尤其当我们正在处理一个时限紧张的ddl时。我们经常需要帮助来度过难关。然而，在你主动联系某人之前，你可能会先想做一件事。更多信息请看后文分解。
我最近来到了金华市，并在浙江师范大学举办了一场演讲。在那里，我参观了两个重要的文化遗址：智者寺和金华观。在游览的过程中，我想起了一个可以帮助我们解决人生旅途中遇到的各种问题的重要的方法。
智者寺
金华观
浙江师范大学与天普大学主校区的孔子学院是合作伙伴关系。由于天普大学和浙江师范大学共同与世界分享着中国传统文化，所以这次旅行对我而言有着特殊的意义。非常感谢继续教育管理处处长叶志雄所安排的行程。
休息一会儿
Take Five
在智者寺里，我与定觉法师进行了一番长谈，他是普陀山戒忍法师的佛门弟子，如今在这里定居。当我们入座品尝武夷岩茶时，我们讨论了关于慢下来重要性。定觉法师说，僧侣的生活也可以是快节奏的，但当他试图思索一个问题或对某件事有所顿悟时，他首先会停下来思考。
定觉法师解释说，并不是每个人都versed（精通）于冥想，所以除非我们练习这种技巧，否则坐着冥想可能不会给我们带来答案。但他说，还有很多其他方法可以让我们重新思考。有些人可能会打个盹，其他人可能会去跑个步来清理他们的思绪，还有一些人可能只是做几次深呼吸来调整自己的注意力。
老桑与定觉法师
换句话说，定觉法师认为方法不如行动重要。所以，如果你现在正在努力解决一些难题，“休息一会儿”正是你需要的良方。这可以帮助你减轻处理事情时的压力，给自己空间来让大脑思考新的答案。
英语中的“休息一会儿”（“take five“）意味着身心放松，花上“五分钟”远离你所做和思考别的东西。这句话在好莱坞电影中很常见。当导演觉得电影拍摄不顺利，或者演员们状态不佳时，他们会大喊:“休息五分钟!”大家就会休息一下，恢复精神后，电影拍摄又开始了。
叱石成羊
Turn stones to sheep
金华最著名的历史人物之一是黄大仙（在国外，他的名字更多以粤语拼写方式出现：Wong Tai Sin）。近1800年前，黄大仙出生于贫穷并忍饥挨饿的环境中，8岁时成为了一名牧羊人。他在赤松山附近放羊，而今天那里是金华双龙洞景区的一部分。
照顾羊群六年的他在15岁时，被一名神仙（圣洁的人）发现了，他感觉到了大仙不同寻常的acumen（聪敏）。在被神仙选中后，黄大仙很快就开始了修行。
叱石成羊景观
经过40年的功力修炼，黄大仙得到了超乎寻常的能力。为了帮助周围那些需要帮助的人，他能把石头变成羊，而这些羊在当时非常值钱。自那以后，一个围绕他的教会组织逐渐发展起来，香港的黄大仙祠就是一个著名的寺庙和旅游景点。
然而，黄大仙并不是刚开始就有把石头变成羊的能力的。为了解决当时紧迫的贫困和饥饿问题，他用了很多时间来思考和修炼，才能让自己创造奇迹。这不是轻而易举就能解决的问题。
赤松山
虽然我们不需要长达四十年的自我修炼，但我们从实践和思考中得到教训是很容易理解的事。即使我们没有能力把石头变成羊，但只要有想法和方向，我们也可以incremental（一步步地）超越人类的局限。
在希腊神话中，迈达斯国王有将每件东西变成金子的能力。今天，当一个人似乎有不可思议的赚钱能力时，我们说他有“点石成金术”。然而，点金术是一把双刃剑。如果只为自己使用，那就是gluttony（贪婪）。但如果是为了其他人的利益，则是一种恩惠。
“我需要休息”
“I Need a Break”
如果你在工作中停滞不前，无法取得任何进展，与其强迫自己前进，不如试着对自己说“暂停”，然后置身于其外一段时间。如果你在一段关系中发生了冲突，不要让争吵升级，而是告诉对方：“我们冷静一下。”你可以稍后再继续自己的工作或交流，决定什么最适合你。
不管你被什么所困扰，都可以对自己说：“现在有点累了，需要休息一下!”
重构你的问题
Reframe the problem
当你从困境中走出来后，你可能会有全新的见解。如果你仍然很困惑，试着问这些问题：
是什么使问题变得困难?
有哪些信息或资源是我还没有利用过的?
问题可以简化吗?
这些问题是否可以向前回溯——从目标着眼，然后考虑实现目标的步骤？
我以前遇到过这个问题吗？当时我是怎么处理的？
为什么这个问题对我来说在此时解决如此重要?
我经常建议在你寻求建议之前...甚至之后...问自己这些问题。很多学生带着问题来找我，我建议他们花点时间想想其他的事情，然后再回到困扰本身，最后才是询问自己这些问题，而不是试图给出一个快速的答案。很多时候，他们能给出比我提供的方案更好的回答。
金华观内景观
就我自己而言，我经常自我“暂停”。例如，我的每一篇公众号文章都要花大约四天的时间来写。首先我一般会想到一个立意，并自己想清楚内容。之后会准备一份初稿，但在我阐述主要观点的时候会留很多空白。然后我再回来填补这些内容。然后，我可能还需要几天的时间来写或是重写一个连贯的故事。最后，从构思到最后成文，我需要大量自我暂停的时间来推动自己前行！
有时候你需要回退一步来更好的前行。
”双龙洞风景区
一个适宜思考人生的地方
我的朋友，我们也许没有把石头变成羊的能力，但是如果能花些时间并有创造性的思考，我们就能获得洞察力来帮助我们解决thorny（棘手的）问题。如果你现在被某个问题所困扰，那就休息五分钟，看看你是否能想出最优的解决方案来帮助自己和周围的人。
本文照片均由老桑拍摄。
谢谢收看《老桑说》。
给你启发，激励你上进，陪伴你坚持。
敬请期待下一集。
英文版
English
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Stuck on a problem? Take Five.
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「 Hello, my friend！
I'm John Smagula. 」
Are you stuck on a problem right now? Maybe you are trying to move forward on a work issue, resolve a sticking point in a relationship, or work through a stubborn bout of writer’s block. You may be trying to come up with a creative name for a new business or event. The more you think about it, the farther away the answer may seem.
When dealing with a hard problem, we can get anxious and rush to a quick resolution to get over the discomfort of uncertainty—especially if we are dealing with a tight deadline. We often ask for help to get us over the hump. Before reaching out to someone, though, you may want to do one thing before you ask. Keep reading for more information…
I recently visited Jinhua and gave a lecture at Zhejiang Normal University. While there, I visited two important cultural sites: Zhizhe (“Wise Man’s) Buddhist Temple and Jinhua Daoist Temple. Through these visits, I was reminded of an important skill that can help us resolve the various problems we encounter on our life’s journey.
Jinhua Temple
Zhizhe Temple
Temple University partners with Zhejiang Normal University for our main campus Confucius Institute. My visit to these temples in Jinhua had particular significance to me, given Temple and Zhejiang Normal’s partnership to share Chinese culture with the world. Many thanks to Continuing Education Director Ye Zhixiong for making all the arrangements.
At Zhizhe Temple, I spoke with Dingjue, a Putuoshan monk now based at the temple. As we sat and drank Wuyi Rock tea together, we discussed the importance of slowing down. Dingjue said that the lives of monks can also be fast-paced, and when he’s trying to think through a problem or gain insight on something, he first takes time to stop and think.
Dingjue explained that not everyone is versed in the art of meditation, so unless we practice this skill, just sitting and meditating may not bring us an answer. But he said there are plenty of other methods to get us to reset our thinking. Some may take a nap. Others may go running to clear their heads. And still others may just take a few deep breaths to re-center themselves.
Zhizhe Temple
In other words, Dingjue was suggesting that the method is less important than the action. So, if you’re struggling with some sort of difficult problem at the moment, “take five” in any way that you want. This could help you reduce the stress around the matter you’re handling and give yourself the space to let your mind think of new answers.
To “take five” in English means to relax and take “five minutes” away from what you are doing and think about something else. It’s a common phrase in Hollywood filming. When a director feels that the filming isn’t going well, or that the actors aren’t at their best, they’ll yell out, “Take Five!” After everyone has taken a break and refreshed, the filming resumes.
One of Jinhua’s most famous historic figures is Huang Daxian (more commonly known abroad by the Cantonese spelling of his name, Wong Tai Sin). Born into poverty and hunger nearly 1,800 years ago, Huang became a shepherd when he was eight years old. He labored on Red Pine Mountain, which today is part of Jinhua’s Double Dragon Cave scenic area.
After six years of tending sheep, at the age of 15, an immortal (saintly person) discovered the young Huang and sensed he had unusual spiritual acumen. Once chosen by the immortal, Huang started practicing Taoism.
Turn stones to sheep
After 40 years of spiritual cultivation, Huang Daxian developed supernatural abilities. To help those in need around him, he was able to turn stones into sheep, which at the time were as good as money. A cult has since developed around him, and Wong Tai Sin Temple in Hong Kong is a well-known shrine and tourist attraction.
Huang was not able to turn stones into sheep right away, though. In order to address the pressing problem of poverty and hunger of the day, he needed to take time out, cultivate his thinking, and enable himself to work miracles. He wasn’t able to simply snap his fingers and fix the problem.
Although we need not self-cultivate for 40 years, the lesson for us to take a break from doing or thinking about something is well understood. And even if we don’t have the power to turn stones into sheep, with some thought and direction, we can take incremental steps beyond our human limitations.
In Greek Mythology, King Midas had the ability to turn everything he touched into gold. Today, when someone seems to have the uncanny ability to make money, we say they have the golden touch or the Midas touch. However, the Midas touch is a double-edged sword. If only used for oneself, it is gluttony. If for the benefit of others, it is a blessing.
If you’re at a standstill at work and just can’t seem to make any progress, rather than force something ahead, try saying “time out” to yourself and step away for a while. If you’re having a conflict in a relationship, rather than escalate the fight, say, “Let’s take a break.” You can resume your work or interaction later, deciding what works best for you.
Regardless of what you’re stuck on, it’s perfectly fine to say to yourself, “I’m overwhelmed at the moment, I need a break!”
After you have stepped away from the problem, you may come back with some fresh insights. And if you’re still stuck, trying asking these questions:
What makes the problem hard?
What information or resources are available that I haven’t used yet?
Can I simplify the problem?
Can I work backwards—starting from the goal and then think about the steps on how to get there?
Have I ever experienced this problem before—and how did I deal with it then?
Why is this problem so important for me to resolve at this time?
I often suggest asking these questions before…and even after…you seek advice. Many students come to me with problems, and rather than try to come up with a quick answer, I suggest they take time out to think about something else, and then return to the problem and ask the questions above. Very often, they can come up with better answers than anything I could have suggested.
Zhizhe Temple
In my own case, I often take “time out.” For example, each of my blog posts takes about four days to write. I first come up with an idea and think it through. I then prepare a first draft, which will have many gaps as I frame the main idea. I then come back and fill in the gaps. And then I may need another few days to write and rewrite to produce a coherent story. In the end, from conception to final article, I need lots of time-outs to move me forward!
Sometimes you need to take one step back to take two steps forward.
”Zhizhe Temple
My friend, we may not have the power to turn rocks into sheep, but with some time away and creative thought, we may gain insights to help us resolve a thorny issue. If you’re stuck on some problem right now, take five, and see if you just may be able to come up with the golden solution that will help you and those around you.
Photos all taken by John Smagula.
{ 今日英文速记卡 }
1.Versed \ ˈvərst \
a)含义：adj. 精通的
b)例句：
i.Dingjue explained that not everyone is versed in the art of meditation, so unless we practice this skill, just sitting and meditating may not bring us an answer.
定觉法师解释说，并不是每个人都精通于冥想，所以除非我们练习这种技巧，否则坐着冥想可能不会给我们带来答案。
ii.He is well versed in different methodologies and knows how and when to apply them.
他精通不同的方法学，并且知道怎样以及何时需要使用它们。
c)近义词： accomplished, experienced, skilled
2.Acumen \ ˈa-kyə-mən \
a)含义： n. 聪敏
b)例句：
i.After six years of tending sheep, at the age of 15, an immortal (saintly person) discovered the young Huang and sensed he had unusual spiritual acumen.
照顾羊群六年的他在15岁时，被一个不朽的神仙(圣洁的人)发现了，他感觉到了大仙不同寻常的聪敏。
ii.The firm’s success is largely due to Brannon’s commercial acumen.
该公司的成功主要归功于布兰农的商业头脑。
c)近义词： astuteness, intelligence, sharpness
3.Incremental
\ ˌiŋ-krə-ˈmen-tᵊl \
a)含义：adj. 逐步的
b)例句：
i.And even if we don’t have the power to turn stones into sheep, with some thought and direction, we can take incremental steps beyond our human limitations.
即使我们没有能力把石头变成羊，但只要有想法和方向，我们也可以一步步地超越人类的局限。
ii.Mr. Kennedy said that progress on reforms would be incremental.
肯尼迪先生说改革将逐步进行。
c)近义词： gradual, phased, step-by-step
4.Gluttony \ ˈglə-tə-nē \
a)含义：n. 暴食
b)例句：
i.If only used for oneself, it is gluttony.
如果只为自己使用，那就是贪婪。
ii.One thing you might want to watch out for is weight gain and gluttony.
有一件事你可能想警惕的是，体重增加和暴食。
c)近义词： immoderation, overeating, overindulgence
5.Thorny \ ˈthȯr-nē \
a)含义：adj. 令人苦恼的；棘手的
b)例句：
i.My friend, we may not have the power to turn rocks into sheep, but with some time away and creative thought, we may gain insights to help us resolve a thorny issue.
我的朋友，我们也许没有把石头变成羊的能力，但是如果能花些时间并有创造性的思考，我们就能获得洞察力来帮助我们解决棘手的问题。
ii.How to solve the heavy traffic problem is a thorny issue for our government.
如何解决严重的交通问题对于政府而言是个棘手的问题。
c)近义词： sticky, tough, tricky
Thank you for watching me to inspire, encourage, and accompany you.
See you next time.
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