其他
TED演讲：如何实现定好的目标？
“我要减肥”、“我要学习一门小语种”、“我要坚持早起”、“一年我要读完20本书”....仔细想想，我们是不是都立过类似这种大大小小的flag，但最后可能都不了了之。那么，我们定下的目标，立下的flag，要怎样才不会“打脸”，要怎样才会实现呢？
演讲者Stephen Duneier讲述了他完成定下的目标的故事，总结到说：我们离那些我们所能实现的最大的理想、目标最大的距离不是我们拥有多大的才能、才华。而是我们是否行动起来，懂得把我们定下的目标进行拆解成小目标，并在达成目标路上的每个细微环节都做出能提高我们成功率的决定、并舍弃那些能带来短暂舒适但妨碍我们达成目标的事物。
演说者：Stephen Duneier：美国银行外汇期权交易全球主管，从事投资行业30余年。
时长：17:52
Well, I'm going to show you how to do this.
接下来我会告诉大家如何做到。
And in so doing,I'm going to give you the skill necessary to become a world-class artist.
与此同时，我会提供给大家 成为一位世界级的艺术家所必须具备的技能。
And it shouldn't take more than about 15 seconds.
只需要不到15秒就能学会。
But before I do that,how many of you believe you could replicate this image of a solid gray square?
不过在此之前，有谁相信自己能够重现这个纯灰色的格子？
(Laughter)
（笑声）
Every one of us.
我们每位都可以。
And if you can make one gray square,you can make two, three, nine ...
如果你可以画一个灰格子，你就可以画两个，三个，九个 ...
Truth of the matter is,if you could made just one gray square,it'd be very difficult to argue that you couldn't make every gray square necessary to replicate the image in its entirety.
事实上，如果你可以画出一个灰格子，你就很难否认你是有能力画出全部的灰格子来重现这张照片的。
And there you have it.
就这么简单。
I've just given you the skills necessary to become a world-class artist.
我已经教授了各位成为一位 世界级艺术家最重要的技巧。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
I know what you're thinking.
我知道你在想些什么。
"That's not real art,certainly wouldn't make me a world-class artist."
“这不是真正的艺术，也肯定不能让我 成为世界级的艺术家。”
So let me introduce you to Chuck Close.
那么让我介绍一下 艺术家查克 · 克洛斯。
He's one of the highest-earning artists in the entire world, for decades,he creates his art using this exact technique.
数十年来，他都名列 世界最赚钱艺术家之一，而他恰恰就是用这个技巧 来进行艺术创作的。
You see, what stands between us and achieving even our most ambitious dreams has far less to do with possessing some magical skill or talent, and far more to do with how we approach problems and make decisions to solve them.
如此可见，我们与我们所能实现的最宏大的 理想之间的差异，不是我们拥有多少 神奇的技巧和才华，而是我们如何理解问题和做出解决问题的决定。
And because of the continuous and compounding nature of all those millions of decisions that we face on a regular basis, even a marginal improvement in our process can have a huge impact on our end results.
而正是因为我们日常面对的这种持续和复杂的亿万个小小的决定，就算我们在这过程中 进行轻微的改进，最终的结果也可能大相径庭。
And I'll prove this to you by taking a look at the career of Novak Djokovic.
举个例子，让我们来看看 诺瓦克 · 德约科维奇的事业。
Back in 2004,when he first became a professional tennis player,he was ranked 680th in the world.
在2004年的时候，当他刚成为一名职业网球运动员，他在世界排名第680位。
It wasn't until the end of his third year that he jumped up to be ranked third in the world.
直到大约四年后，他才成功跳上世界第三的宝座。
He went from making 250,000 a year to 5 million a year,in prize money alone,and of course, he did this by winning more matches.
他的年薪从25万提升到500万，这还只是比赛奖金，当然他的成就源于 赢得更多的比赛。
In 2011, he became the number one ranked men's tennis player in the world,started earning an average of 14 million a year in prize money alone and winning a dominating 90% of his matches.
到2011年，他已经是排名 世界第一的男子网球运动员，开始平均每年赚取 1400万的比赛奖金，并赢得90%所参加的赛事。
Now, here's what's really interesting about all of these very impressive statistics.
这些漂亮的数据最精彩的地方在于：
Novak doesn't control any of them.
诺瓦克是没有办法控制它们的。
What he does control are all the tiny little decisions that he needs to make correctly along the way in order to move the probability in favor of him achieving these types of results.
他能控制的只有在处理 那些小小决定的时候，做出最正确的选择，以便间接影响成功概率，让他获得这些成就。
And we can quantify and track his progress in this area by taking a look at the percentage of points that he wins.
而我们可以以赢取分数的 百分比作为参考标准来量化和监测他的进展。
Because in tennis the typical point involves one to maybe three decisions,I like to refer to this as his decision success rate.
因为在网球的规则内，赢取一分需要 做出一到三个小决定，我想把这称为他的 抉择成功率。
So, back when he was winning about 49% of the matches he was playing, he was winning about 49% of the points he played.
当他在比赛中赢取49%的胜利时，他也赢取了49%的分数。
Then to jump up, become number three in the world,and actually earn five million dollars a year for swinging a racquet,he had to improve his decision success rate to just 52 percent.
要成为世界第三，要用一把球拍 赚取500万年薪，他只需要把抉择成功率提升至52%。
Then to become not just number one but maybe one of the greatest players to ever play the game,he had to improve his decision success rate to just 55 percent.
如果他不止要成为世界第一，还要成为史上 最厉害的网球运动员，那么他只需要把抉择成功率提升至55%。
And I keep using this word "just."
我一直用“只需要”这个词。
I don't want to imply this is easy to do,clearly, it's not.
我不是要暗示 这是个容易达成的目标，很明显它不是。
But the type of marginal improvements that I'm talking about are easily achievable by every single one of us in this room.
不过我所说的那种轻微的改进是我们在座每一位 都能够轻易做到的。
And I'll show you what I mean.
让我来揭露其中的玄机：
From kindergarten, all the way through to my high school graduation -yes, that's high school graduation for me -every one of my report cards basically said the same thing:
从幼儿园直到高中毕业——是的，那就是 我高中毕业的容貌——我的每一张成绩单 都说着同样的一件事：
(Laughter)
（笑声）
Steven is a very bright young boy,if only he would just settle down and focus.
“史蒂芬是位很聪慧的年轻人，如果他能够静下心专注就好了。”
What they didn't realize was I wanted that even more than they wanted it for me,
他们没有意识到，我其实比他们更急切的想要专注，
I just couldn't.
可我就是做不到。
And so, from kindergarten straight through the 2nd year of college,I was a really consistent C, C- student.
如此一来，我从幼儿园到大二，我都是C，C- 的学生。
But then going into my junior year,I'd had enough.
不过当我踏入大三那一年，我受够了。
I thought I want to make a change.
我想要做出改变。
I'm going to make a marginal adjustment, and I'm going to stop being a spectator of my decision-making and start becoming an active participant.
我要做出轻微的调整，我选择不再成为抉择的观众，而变是成为一位积极的参与者。
And so, that year,instead of pretending, again, that I would suddenly be able to settle down and focus on things for more than five or ten minutes at a time,I decided to assume I wouldn't.
于是在那年，我不再臆想我会突然开窍，能够静下心专注超过5或10分钟时间，我决定假设自己做不到.
And so, if I wanted to achieve the type of outcome that I desire -doing well in school -I was going to actually have to change my approach.
所以如果我要实现我的愿望 ——在学业上有出色的表现 ——我就一定要改变我的做法。
And so I made a marginal adjustment.
所以我做了一个轻微的改进。
If I would get an assignment, let's say, read five chapters in a book, I wouldn't think of it as five chapters, I wouldn't even think of it as one chapter.
如果我需要完成一份作业， 例如，读上课本的五个章节，我不会把它想像成五个章节，甚至不会把它想象成一个章节。
I would break it down into these tasks that I could achieve, that would require me to focus for just five or ten minutes at a time.
我会把这份作业分解成我自己 能够完成的任务，而每个任务都只 要求我专注5到10分钟。
So, maybe three or four paragraphs.
大概就是3到4个段落。
That's it.
就这样。
I would do that and when I was done with those five or ten minutes,I would get up.
当我完成了那 5到10分钟的任务后，我会起身。
I'd go shoot some hoops, do a little drawing, maybe play video games for a few minutes, and then I come back.
我会去打篮球，画画，或者玩几分钟电子游戏，然后我就会回来。
Not necessarily to the same assignment,not even necessarily to the same subject,but just to another task that required just five to ten minutes of my attention.
不一定回到同样的作业，甚至是不同的科目，可还是另一样只需 专注5到10分钟的作业。
From that point forward,all the way through to graduation,I was a straight-A student, Dean's List, President's Honor Roll, every semester.
从那时开始，一直到我毕业为止，我都是全A的学生 每个学期都会登上院长嘉许名单，校长荣誉榜。
I then went on to one of the top graduate programs in the world for finance and economics.
我报读了世界顶尖的金融与经济研究生课程。
Same approach, same results.
同样的方法，同样的效果。
So then, I graduate.
然后，我就毕业了。
I start my career and I'm thinking,this worked really well for me.
我就职后开始想，这方法的确对我非常有效。
You know, you take these big concepts, these complex ideas, these big assignments, you break them down too much more manageable tasks, and then along the way, you make a marginal improvement to the process that ups the odds of success in your favor.
就是说，把这些宏大的理念，这些复杂的想法，这些庞大的任务，分解成更加细小， 更加可控的任务，与此同时，对流程做出轻微的调整来增加你成功的机率。
I'm going to try and do this in my career.
我想把这方法运用在我的事业上。
So I did.
于是我这么做了。
I started out as an exotic derivatives trader for credit Swiss.
起初，我是瑞士信贷的 奇异金融衍生品交易员。
It then led me to be global head of currency option trading for Bank of America, global head of emerging markets for AIG international.
随后我成为了美国银行货币期权交易的全球主管，美国国际集团的 全球新兴市场战略主管。
It helped me deliver top-tier returns
该方法还让我作为 全球宏观对冲基金经理，
as a global macro hedge fund manager for 12 years
在十二年内帮我达成了 最顶级的投资回报，
and to become founder and CIO of two award-winning hedge funds.
并且成为了两个获奖对冲基金的 创办人和首席信息官。
So it gets to 2001,
到了2001年，
and I'm thinking, this whole idea,
我不禁思考，这个方法
it worked really well in school,
让我在学校表现很好，
it's been serving me well as a professional,
让我在事业上得到更佳的发展，
why aren't I applying this in my personal life,
为什么我不把这个方法 运用在个人生活中，
like to all those big ambitious goals I have for myself?
正如我以此方式 达到事业上的目标呢？
So one day, I'm walking to work,
有一天，我步行去上班，
and at the time my commute
那段时间我的通勤方式就是
was a walk from one end of Hyde Park to the other, in London.
步行从伦敦海德公园的 一端到另一端。
It took me about 45 minutes each way,
单程就花了我45分钟时间，
an hour and a half a day, seven and a half hours a week,
相当于一天1个半小时， 一个星期7个半小时，
30 hours a month, 360 hours a year,
一个月30个小时，一年360个小时，
when I was awake, aware, basically wasting time,
基本上，我都是在清醒中 浪费这些时间，
listening to music on my iPod.
在我的iPod上听音乐。
So on my way home from work that day I stopped at the store.
所以，在某一天回家时， 我到了一家店。
I picked up the first 33 CDs in the Pimsleur German language program,
我购买了《Pimsleur 系列 德语教程》的前33张CD，
ripped them and put them onto my iPod.
把它们翻录进我的iPod里头。
But I didn't stop there.
而我并没止步于此。
Because the truth of the matter is, I'm an undisciplined person.
因为，事实是我本来 就不是一个自律的人。
And I knew that at some point,
我知道过了一段时间后，
I'd switch away from the language and go back to the music.
我就会选择放弃学习 而继续听音乐。
So I removed that temptation by removing all of the music.
所以，我为了不受诱惑， 把全部音乐都卸载了。
That left me with just one option:
留给我的，只有一个选择：
listen to the language tapes.
听语言课程。
So ten months later, I'd listened to all 99 CDs
十个月后，我听完了 所有99张CD的
in the German language program,
德国语言教程，
listened to each one three times each.
每一张听了三遍。
And I went to Berlin for a 16-day intensive German course.
然后我到柏林去参加了一个 为期16天的德语强化课程。
When I was done, I invited my wife and kids to meet me.
课程结束后，我邀请 太太和孩子们到柏林见我。
We walked around the city.
我们到城区逛了逛。
I spoke German to the Germans, they spoke German back to me.
我用德语和当地人交谈， 他们也用德语回应我。
My kids were amazed.
我的孩子们惊呆了。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
I mean they couldn't close their jaws.
他们惊得连嘴巴都合不上。
But you and I, we know,
不过你和我都知道，
there is actually nothing amazing about what I've just done.
我刚才做的一切， 没有一丁点了不起。
I made this marginal adjustment to my daily routine.
我在我的日常作息中， 做了个轻微的调整。
This marginal adjustment to my process.
进而在整个的流程中 做出了细微的改进。
(German) Und jetzt, ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch.
（德文）Und jetzt, ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch.
And now I could speak some German.
现在我能说德文了。
And so in that moment, I'm thinking,
在那个时刻，我想到：
it's not supposed to be this easy for a guy like me - an old guy -
这应该不是那么容易的吧—— 尤其是对我这样的老人家来说——
to learn a new language.
那么快就学会了一门新语言。
You're supposed to do that when you're a kid.
这应该是儿童才能办到的。
And yet here I had done it.
而我现在办到了。
This marginal adjustment.
靠的正是这种轻微的调整。
So what other big ambitious goals I've been holding onto,
那么，有没有其他我为自己
putting off until retirement,
退休后立下的，
that I could potentially achieve
但有可能现在就达成的宏伟目标呢
if I just made a marginal adjustment to my routine
如果我对日常作息做出轻微调整的话或许也能实现。
So I started doing them.
于是我就开始行动了。
I earned my auto racing license.
我获得了赛车驾驶证、
I learned how to fly a helicopter,
我学会了如何驾驶直升机、
did rock-climbing, skydiving.
去学了攀岩、跳伞。
I learned how to fly planes aerobatically.
我学会了花样飞行。
Well, if you're like me, back in 2007,
如果你像我那样，在2007年时，
you might have the same goal I had.
你可能和我有相同的目标。
I was just moving back from London.
我刚从伦敦回来。
I was about 25 pounds overweight and out of shape,
那时我大概超重25磅，身材完全走样，
and I wanted to rectify that.
我想改变这一切。
So I could go to the typical route,
我可以运用普通的方法，
you know, I could write a check to a gym I'd never go to.
比如，给一间我不可能去的健身房 写一张支票。
Or I could swear to myself that I will never again
或者我可以对天发誓我不会再
eat those foods that I love
吃那些我爱吃，
but are doing all the damage.
但对身体有害的食物。
And I knew that going that route rarely results in the outcome you desire.
我很清楚，要实现这种 普通方法的可能性是很低的。
So I decided to become an active participant.
所以我决定成为一位主动参与者。
I thought about the habits and passions that I've developed in my life,
我对生活中形成的 各种习惯进行分析。
and I thought, can I make just a marginal adjustment to them
我想，如果我能对它们 做出轻微的调整，
so that they work in my favor as opposed to against me?
它们能够反过来，变得有利于我吗？
And so I did.
于是我开始行动了。
I've got a habit
我有个习惯，
where I've been walking an hour and a half a day for the last seven years,
七年以来，我每天都会 花上1个半小时走路，
and I've got this passion for being in the outdoors.
我对户外有种强烈的热忱。
And so that year,
在那一年，
I didn't actually set the new year's resolution to lose 25 pounds.
我并没有立下 ”减肥25磅“的新年愿望，
I set a resolution to hike all 33 trails
而是立下了一个走完33个
in the front country of Santa Barbara Mountains.
圣巴巴拉山区徒步路径的爬山目标。
And I'd never been on a hike before in my life.
我那会儿还从来没有爬过山。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
But the truth of the matter is, it's not about the 33 trails.
不过事实是，关注点 不在那33条登山路径。
You have to break this big ambitious goal
你要把这个庞大的目标
down into these more manageable decisions -
分解成自身能接受的决定——
the types of decisions that need to be made correctly along the way
在过程之中我们要做对的决定
in order to improve the odds of achieving the type of outcome you desire.
来增加我们成功的机率。
It's not about even one trail.
关注点不是在每一条途径，
It's about those tiny little decisions,
而是每一个细小的决定。
you know, like when you are sitting at your desk,
当我们坐在书桌前，
putting in just a little extra time at the end of a day.
在一天结束之前 努力的挤出一点时间。
Or you're lying on your couch,
或者我们在沙发上躺着，
clicking through the channels on your remote control,
按着遥控器看不同频道，
or scrolling through your Facebook feed,
或者是在脸书上看信息，
and in that moment, make the decision to put it down.
就在那一刻，要做出决定， 把它们放到一边。
You go put on your hiking clothes,
穿上自己的登山服，
you go walk outside your front door, and you shut it behind you.
走出大门，把一切丢到脑后，
You walk to your car, get in, drive to the trailhead.
走进车子，启动， 然后驾驶到登山小路的起点。
You get out of the car at the trailhead,
走下车子，
and you take one step, you take two steps, three steps.
踏出第一步，踏出第二步、第三步，
Every one of those steps that I have just described
刚刚我所说的每一步，
is a tiny little decision that needs to be made correctly along the way
都需要做出细小的、正确的抉择
in order to achieve the ultimate outcome.
才能达到最终极的结果。
Now, when I say I want to hike 33 trails in the front country,
每次，当我说我要爬完33条路径，
people think about the decisions at the top of the mountain.
人们想到的都是 我要在山顶上所做出的决定。
That's not what it's about.
而其意义并不在于此。
Because if you don't make the right decision
因为如果你在沙发躺着时
when you're on the couch,
没有做出正确的决定，
there is no decision that occurs at the top of the mountain.
那么，在山顶上就 没有做决定的机会。
So by the end of the year,
就这样，到了那年的年末，
I'd hiked all 33 trails in the front country;
我爬完了33条路径，
I did them a couple of times each.
甚至每条路径爬了好几次。
I even did a few in the backcountry.
我甚至爬了几条深山野岭的路径。
I lost the 25 pounds, and I capped the year off
我瘦了25磅。那年结束时，
by doing the hardest half marathon in the world -
我完成了世界上 最困难的半程马拉松——
the Pier to Peak.
Pier to Peak。
In 2009, I got really ambitious,
2009年时，我把目标放得非常远大，
ambitious for a guy who still, to this day, cannot settle down
对于一名到如今都不能安静下来、
and focus on anything for more than ten or ten minutes at a time,
无法集中心神超过 10分钟的人来说非常远大，
and that was to read 50 books.
那就是阅读50本书。
But again, it's not about reading 50 books.
但是同样的，关注点 仍然不是读50本书，
It's not even about reading one book.
也不是读一本书，
It's not about reading a chapter, a paragraph, a sentence.
甚至不是读一章、 一节，或者一个句子。
It's about that decision
而是当我们一天结束前
when you're sitting at your desk at the end of the day,
坐在书桌前做出的那个决定。
or when you're lying on the couch,
或者是躺在沙发上、
or flicking through your Facebook feed,
在脸书上浏览信息时，
and you put down the phone.
我们把手机放下。
You pick up a book and you read one word.
拿起一本水，读上一个字。
If you read one word, you'll read two words, three words;
如果我们能读上一个字， 我们就会读两个字，三个字；
you'll read a sentence, a paragraph, a page, a chapter, a book;
就会继续读上一句，一节， 一页，一章，一本书；
you'll read ten books, 30 books, 50 books.
我们就会阅读10本，30本，50本书。
In 2012, I got really ambitious.
2012年我把目标定得更大。
I set 24 new year's resolutions.
我设定了24个新年愿望。
12 of them were what I call giving resolutions,
其中12个是我自己 所谓的" 慷慨愿望”，
where I did 12 charitable things that didn't involve writing a check.
需要我完成12项不涉钱财的义举。
But it's not without its failures.
不过当中有的失败了。
I tried to donate blood,
我尝试捐血，
and they rejected me because I'd lived in the UK.
不过被拒绝了，因为我住在英国。
I tried to donate my sperm; they rejected me because I was too old.
我尝试捐精，也被 当局拒绝了，因为我太老。
I tried to donate my hair,
我尝试捐出我的头发，
and it turns out nobody wants grey hair.
才发现原来没有人要灰发的。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
So, here I was trying to do something to make myself feel good,
这期间，我尝试做好事， 让自己感觉良好，
and it was having the opposite effect.
可是只有反效果。
So anyway, I've also had these 12 learning resolutions,
除此外，我还立下12个学习目标，
to learn 12 new skills.
学习12种技能。
And when I was done with unicycling, parkour, slacklining,
当我学会了骑独轮车、 跑酷、走软绳、
jumping stilts and drumming,
踩高跷和打鼓，
my wife suggested that I learned how to knit.
我太太建议我学习针织。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
And I'll be honest, I wasn't all that passionate about knitting.
老实说，我对针织 完全没有兴趣。
But one day, I'm sitting under this 40-foot tall eucalyptus tree
不过有一天，当我坐在 一棵12米高的桉树下，
that's 2.6 miles up the cold spring trail in Santa Barbara,
——那是在圣巴巴拉 冷溪徒步路径上方2.6英里的地段，
and I'm thinking, that tree would look really cool if it were covered in yarn.
我想，这棵树如果 被棉纱包起来一定非常炫酷！
(Laughter)
（笑声）
And so I went home and Googled this,
然后我回家搜索了一下，
and it turns out it is a thing people do, it's called yarnbombing:
竟然有人做过这样的事， 它被称之为——棉纱炸弹：
you wrap these public structures with yarn.
用棉纱把公共建筑包裹起来。
And, the second annual international yarn bombing day
巧的是，第二届世界棉纱炸弹日
was just 82 days away.
就在82天以后。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
So for the next 82 days, no matter where I was -
就这样，在那82天内， 不管我身在何处——
(Laughter)
（笑声）
if I was in a board meeting, on the trading floor,
在会议室里、在交易所、
in an airplane or in the hospital,
在飞机上、或者在医院里，
I was knitting.
我都在练习针织。
One stitch at a time.
一针一针的反复练习。
And 82 days later,
82天后，
I had done my first ever yarnbomb.
我完成了人生中第一个棉纱炸弹。
(Applause)
（掌声）
And the response to it blew me away.
而之后的反响，真的把我给镇住了。
So I kept going ...
所以我决定再接再厉——
(Laughter)
（笑声）
with bigger, more ambitious projects
完成更庞大、更宏伟的工程，
that required more engineering skills.
需要运用了更多工程技巧。
And in 2014, I set the goal to wrap six massive boulders
在2014年，我定下目标，
in Los Padres National Forest at the top of the mountains.
把洛斯帕德雷斯国家森林 山上的六块巨石包起来。
But if I was going to pull this off, I'd need help.
不过，如果真的要完成目标， 我需要他人帮助。
So at this point, I had a few thousand followers on social media
那时候，我在社交媒体上 已经有了数千名粉丝，
as "The Yarnbomber."
《棉纱炸弹者》的粉丝。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
And I started getting packages - lots of packages -
我开始收到包裹，很多的包裹——
388 contributors from 36 countries in all 50 states.
388位捐赠者，来自36个 不同国家，包括全美国50州。
In the end, I didn't wrap one massive boulder,
后来，我包了不止一块巨石，
I wrapped 18.
一共包了18块。
(Applause)
（掌声）
So I kept going
所以我又再接再厉，
with bigger, more ambitious projects
进行了更庞大，更宏伟的工程。
that would require me to work with new materials,
也需要我运用更多新的材料，
like fiberglass, and wood, and metals,
如玻璃纤维、木头、金属等。
which culminates in a project that is currently at TMC, here in Tucson,
最后集成了在图森医院 这里的一个工程，
where I wrapped the Children's Hospital.
我包裹了图森幼儿医院。
(Applause)
（掌声）
Along the way, I stopped knitting.
之后，我就停止针织了。
I never really liked it.
我其实没有真正喜欢过它。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
But ...
不过...
I like crocheting.
我喜欢钩针。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
So, I started making these seven-inch granny squares -
所以，我就做了些 7寸的老祖母方块织——
because that's the standard granny square -
因为这就是标准的方块织尺寸——
and I thought along the way: why am I stopping at seven inches?
这个过程中。我不禁在想， 为什么我要止步于7寸呢？
I need big stuff.
我要大件的。
So, I started making bigger granny squares.
所以，我开始做更大的 老祖母方块织。
So one day, I come home from a business trip,
有一天，我出差回家后，
and I've got this really large granny,
我拿了这个很大的方块织，
and I went to the website of Guinness.
游览到吉尼斯世界纪录的网页。
I was curious what's the world's largest granny square.
我很好奇，世界上最大的 老祖母方块织有多大。
And it turns out there's no category for it.
结果发现，吉尼斯 是没有这个类别的。
(Laughter)
（笑声）
So I applied,
于是我就去申请了，
and they rejected me.
然后他们拒绝了我。
So I appealed,
我申诉，
and they rejected me.
他们又拒绝了我。
I appealed again, and they said fine,
我再申诉，他们说，好吧。
if you make it ten meters by ten meters, we'll create a new category,
如果你能把它做成10米见方尺寸， 我们就开一个新的类别，
and you will be a Guinness world record holder.
而你就可以成为新的 吉尼斯世界纪录持有人。
So, for the next two years,
就这样，接下来的2年，
seven months, 17 days,
7个月，17天的时间，
one stitch at a time,
一次一针，
I finally reached more than half a million stitches,
我终于缝织了超过五十万针，
incorporated more than 30 miles of yarn,
用了超过30英里长的棉纱。
and I am now the official Guinness world record holder
而现在，我就是世界最大的钩针
for the largest crocheted granny square.
老祖母方块织的 官方吉尼斯世界记录保持者。
(Applause) (Cheering)
（掌声）（欢呼）
Along the way, I've garnered an awful lot of attention for my escapades.
一路以来，我这种自娱自乐的行为 吸引了无数人的眼球。
I've been featured in Newsweek magazine,
我被Newsweek杂志刊登过、
Eric news, which is kind of the Bible for artists.
还有Eric News, 一本艺术家的特刊。
But what I want you to realize when you hear these things:
不过，当你听到这些成就时， 我希望你了解的是：
I'm still that C- student.
我还是那位C-的学生。
I'm still that kid who can't settle down
我还是那位不能静下心来，
or focus for more than five or ten minutes at a time.
专注超过5或10分钟的孩子，
And I remain a guy who possesses no special gift of talent or skill.
还是那位没有特殊天赋或技能的人。
All I do is take really big, ambitious projects
我只是把很庞大，宏伟的计划、
that people seem to marvel at,
别人觉得不可思议的计划，
break them down to their simplest form
分解成最细小的项目，
and then just make marginal improvements along the way
并在过程中进行轻微的改进
to improve my odds of achieving them.
来增加成功的机率。
And so the whole reason I'm giving this talk is
而我发表这个演讲的原因，
I'm hoping to inspire several of you
就是希望能够启发你们
to pull some of those ambitious dreams that you have for yourself
用行动实现自己的 那些宏大的梦想，
off the bookshelf
不再是纸上谈兵，
and start pursuing them by making that marginal adjustment to your routine.
在日常行为中做出轻微的改进， 开始实践自己的梦想。
Thank you.
谢谢！
(Applause)
（掌声）
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