在美國大學的畢業(yè)典禮上,校方通常會邀請一些名人來進行演講。以下這篇演講是美國通用電氣公司的主席兼首席執(zhí)行官杰弗里·R·伊梅爾特梅爾特在他的母校達特茅斯大學的畢業(yè)典禮上所作的。他以自己的親身經驗為母校的畢業(yè)生們提出了寶貴的建議,激勵他們在以后的職業(yè)生涯中有所作為。
I hope you had a great time at Dartmouth. If you stop here, if you really think these were your best days, then you truly have nothing. But if you go forward and build on the values of Dartmouth, you can live a life that will be both great and good.
我希望你們在達特茅斯度過了一個美好的時光。如果你們從此駐足不前,如果你們認為這些年就是你們最好的日子,那么你們實際上是一無所獲??墒?,如果你們以達特茅斯的價值觀為基礎繼續(xù)前進,你們的人生會變得非凡而卓越。
For the last 25 years, I’ve had a career that’s been both interesting and fun. I have a powerful job, but I’ve never wanted to be powerful. I hope to be judged by what I do and not how much money I make. I want to create a company that’s powered by ideas and values and people. And I hope to reflect what I learned right here and in some small way repay my debt to Dartmouth.
在過去的25年里,我一直從事著一份很有樂趣的職業(yè)。我有一份權利很大的工作,但我權利從不熱衷。我希望別人通過我做的事來衡量我,而不是看我賺了多少錢。我想創(chuàng)建一家以理念、價值觀和人才為優(yōu)勢的公司。我也希望反思我在這里所學的一切,并略盡綿力來報答達特茅斯對我的栽培。
I’m a son of Dartmouth, a husband, a father, a business leader; I’m loyal to my friends and I love my family. I am, and always will be, an optimist. But the great part about life is that sometimes ordinary Dartmouth grads, people like you and me, get a chance to do extraordinary things. And if you’re sitting out there wondering about the future, sad to leave your friends, or hoping desperately for this speech to end, I want you to know that there are some amazing days ahead. Ultimately you define your own success. Some of you will be doctors or lawyers or parents or teachers, but make five choices: that you will keep learning; that you will live and work with passion and courage; that you will give of yourself to earn trust of others; that you will always take on the world’s toughest problems; and that you will be an optimist. Live the values of Dartmouth --- a commitment to be both great and good in a world where the journey truly counts.
我是達特茅斯的子弟,我是一位丈夫、一位父親和一位商界領導;我對朋友忠誠,我熱愛我的家庭。我是一個樂觀的人,并將繼續(xù)保持樂觀。但生命的精彩之處在于,像我和你們這樣普普通通的達特茅斯的畢業(yè)生,有時也有機會取得非凡的成就。如果你們只是坐在那里為未來而茫然,為離開你們的朋友而悲傷,又或者極度希望這個演講盡快結束,那么我希望你們知道,未來還有許多精彩的日子在等著你們。最終還是由你們來定義自己的成就。你們當中的一些人會成為醫(yī)生、律師、父母或者教師,但是請作出下面這五個決定:我會繼續(xù)學習;我會充滿熱情和勇氣地生活和工作;我會奉獻自己,贏得他人的信任;我總是會擔負起世界上最困難的事情;我會做一個樂觀的人。要實踐達特茅斯的價值觀,那就是永不放棄對偉大和優(yōu)秀的追求,因為在這個世界上,追求的過程才是真正重要的。