雙語對照 ● From Dreamers to Doers　與其做夢不如行動

From Dreamers to Doers　與其做夢不如行動

◎ Allison Burgess

Most potential entrepreneurs dream of breakthrough businesses all their lives and never get started. On the other hand, those who have listened to their intuition often wish they took the plunge earlier.

世界上很多人都有成為創(chuàng)業(yè)家的潛力，可惜他們一生都在蹉跎中度過了，從未實現(xiàn)自己的創(chuàng)業(yè)夢想。另一方面，那些聽從了直覺的企業(yè)家也常常感嘆自己沒有早點放手一搏。

When surveyed, entrepreneurs[50]say 29 is the ideal age to start a business. The average age that entrepreneurs actually start a business is 35. They wish they’d started earlier.

調(diào)查結(jié)果顯示，企業(yè)家們認為29歲是創(chuàng)業(yè)的理想年齡。然而，企業(yè)家真正開始創(chuàng)業(yè)的平均年齡卻是35歲。他們都希望自己能早點開始創(chuàng)業(yè)。

There’s no perfect age to start living your dreams. Being too young or too old is no excuse. The perfect time to start is right now.

其實根本沒有所謂的實現(xiàn)夢想的理想年齡。年紀太小或太大都不是理由。最佳時機就是立刻開始。

These people did.

這些企業(yè)家就是這樣做的。

Nola Ochs—the Energizer Student

諾拉·奧克斯——不安分的學生

1972. Nola Ochs is widowed on her wheat farm in the town of Jetmore, Kansas (population 1000). She tends to her farm with the help of her children. In 1978, she realizes she wants more from life. Age 68, she signs up for a tennis class at the nearest community college.

1972年，諾拉·奧克斯獨自一人居住在堪薩斯州杰特摩爾鎮(zhèn)（人口1000）一個種植小麥的農(nóng)場上。她在子女的幫助下照管農(nóng)場。1978年，她意識到自己的生活應該是豐富多彩的。68歲時，她到最鄰近的社區(qū)大學報名參加了一個網(wǎng)球班。

Years pass. Nola works full-time on her farm and occasionally drives into town to attend a class. After ten years studying everything from agribusiness to the Bible, she’s told that she is one class away from an associate’s degree. All she must do is complete college algebra[51].

多年后，諾拉全身心投入到農(nóng)場上，只是偶爾開車到鎮(zhèn)上上課。10年間，從農(nóng)業(yè)綜合業(yè)到圣經(jīng)，她學了一樣又一樣。拿大專學位的話，她只剩代數(shù)一門課程未學完。她要做的就是修完大學代數(shù)。

With an associate’s degree she is pleased but not fulfilled. College algebra will not be the end of her scholarly career. Several years later she decides to make the two- hour trek to Fort Hays State University. Enrolling at age 94, she lacks only 30 class hours to earn a bachelor’s degree. In May 2007, at 95, she becomes the world’s oldest college graduate.

獲得大專學位，她很高興，但不滿足。學完代數(shù)這門課并不意味著她的學涯就此結(jié)束。多年后，她決定花兩小時開車到富特海斯州立大學上課。入學時，她已經(jīng)94歲了。她還差30個課程才能獲得學士學位。2007年的5月，95歲的她成為了世界上最年長的大學畢業(yè)生。

Is it time to sit back and enjoy the framed diploma on the farmhouse wall? Not yet. She’s started a Masters Degree.

她是不是應該坐下欣賞掛在農(nóng)舍墻上的那張裱起來的文憑呢？還是不行。她又開始攻讀碩士學位了。

Cliff Burgess—the Marathon Man

克里夫·伯吉斯——參加馬拉松的老漢

1993. Cliff Burgess is 55. He’s tired of his potbelly and vows to start walking.

1993年，克里夫·伯吉斯55歲。他厭倦了自己的啤酒肚，于是決定開始散步。

Cliff hits the pavement in his suburban Texas town. A walk around the block turns into twice around the block. Walking feels good, but he knows he can pick up some speed. The weight starts to come off as he signs up for 5km and 10km races. In less than a year, he enters in the San Antonio marathon thinking of it as a training run in preparation for his first marathon—42km (26.2 miles). He feels good during the race, and he crosses the finish line faster than expected.

克里夫看上了德州小鎮(zhèn)郊外的那條柏油馬路。在街區(qū)行走一圈慢慢變成了兩圈。散步讓他覺得很舒服，可他知道自己應該走得更快一些。體重開始減少了，他報名參加了5公里和10公里的賽跑。不到一年時間，他進入了圣·安東尼奧馬拉松隊。他把平時跑步當作是自己首次參加馬拉松比賽——42公里（26.2英里）的賽前訓練。比賽時，他感覺良好，沖過終點的速度比他預想的還要快。

Averaging 15 marathons[52]per year, he completes his 100th marathon six years later at the age of 62.

他平均每年參加15場馬拉松比賽。6年后，62歲的他跑完了100場馬拉松賽。

Reaching 100 marathons isn’t the final goal. His running gives him an excuse to travel the world to add to his marathon list. He finds himself in Finland, France, Romania, China, Argentina, Brazil, 25 other countries, and nearly all of the 50 states of the USA in a record 15 years.

跑完100場馬拉松賽并非他的終極目標。他的長跑經(jīng)歷讓他有了充分的理由，把跑遍全世界列入自己的馬拉松計劃中。15年來，他發(fā)現(xiàn)自己的馬拉松參賽記錄遍布芬蘭、法國、羅馬尼亞、中國、阿爾及利亞、巴西等25個國家，還幾乎跑遍了了美國50個州。

At age 70, he’s at Marathon #226 and counting. One of his finest highlights is qualifying multiple times for the runner’s dream: a bib number in the Boston Marathon. In April 2009, he will travel to Boston, Massachusetts for the fourth time to take part yet again in all the running glory.

70歲時，他總計參加了226場馬拉松賽。他最引以自豪的一樣東西，就是多次取得賽跑者夢寐以求的參賽資格——他拿到了波士頓馬拉松賽的參賽選手編號。2009年4月，他將第四次到馬薩諸塞州的波士頓參賽，一展自己的長跑輝煌。

“Nothing happens unless first we dream.”

“除非我們夢想在先，否則只能一事無成。”

~ Carl Sandburg

——卡爾·桑德伯格

Action summary

行動總結(jié)

● Make your goal known. Travel one step at a time.

● 明確你的目標，一步一個腳印。

● Keep your dream alive. Long-term goals exist because they take a long time.

● 讓你的夢想永遠充滿活力。長期的目標需要長時間的努力。

● Success and determination are intimate siblings. Talent is merely success’s distant cousin.

● 成功和決心是最親的兄弟姐妹。天賦只是成功的遠房親戚。

美麗語錄

There’s never a perfect age to live your dreams. The perfect age is right now.

根本沒有所謂的實現(xiàn)夢想的理想年齡。最佳時機就是立刻開始。

超多雙語閱讀，盡在聽力課堂