KK 在 69 岁生日时给出的 99 条建议
I have another birthday, and another bunch of unsolicited advice.
又一年生日；又一堆碎碎念。
(1) That thing that made you weird as a kid could make you great as an adult — if you don’t lose it.
儿时让你显得出格的事情会让你成年后与众不同——只要你还没有丢掉它。
【weird 一词的常用义是“怪异、离奇”。原文评论中有人指出，这个词来源于古英语 wyrd，意指“命运”。每个人都有自己的 wyrd 或 weird；也许应该学会运用我们身上的出格之处，而不是把它装进世俗的框架。KK 表示，涨姿势了。有兴趣的童鞋可以参考维基百科上 wyrd 这个词条。
另外，KK 也承认，很多建议都来自老话，他只不过把它们收集进来。所以，如果你在其他地方也读到过类似的建议，不用惊讶。】
(2) If you have any doubt at all about being able to carry a load in one trip, do yourself a huge favor and make two trips.
如果你担心一趟带不上所有家伙事儿，那就分两次带好了。
(3) What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. At your funeral people will not recall what you did; they will only remember how you made them feel.
达成目标所带给你的，远不及你为此而做出的自身改变。在你的葬礼上，人们不会记得你做过什么，只会记得你带给他们的感受。
(4) Recipe for success: under-promise and over-deliver.
成功的秘诀：不要承诺太满，而要超预期交付。
【看到网上有些译文把 under- 翻译成“少”，over- 翻译成“多”，但更确切的理解应该是：under- 为“不足”，over- 为“过度”。这其中的差别比较微妙。】
(5) It’s not an apology if it comes with an excuse. It is not a compliment if it comes with a request.
带有借口的道歉不是道歉；附有请求的夸赞也不是夸赞。
(6) Jesus, Superman, and Mother Teresa never made art. Only imperfect beings can make art because art begins in what is broken.
耶稣、超人和特蕾莎修女搞不了艺术。只有不完美的存在才能创作艺术，因为艺术始于残缺。
(7) If someone is trying to convince you it’s not a pyramid scheme, it’s a pyramid scheme.
如果某人试图让你相信这不是个老鼠会，那它就是个老鼠会。
(8) Learn how to tie a bowline knot. Practice in the dark. With one hand. For the rest of your life you’ll use this knot more times than you would ever believe.
学会如何打称人结。练习在黑暗中打；练习用一只手打。你会发现今后用到它的地方要远超出你的想象。
【称人结，也有叫单套结、帆索结的，是一种安全性较高也较容易解开的绳结。我照着视频学习了一下，闭着眼睛打应该没问题，单手打还不能够。】
(9) If something fails where you thought it would fail, that is not a failure.
预料中的失败算不上失败。
【这句做了一定程度的意译。原文评论中有人对此不解，认为失败就是失败，不能阻止可以预见的失败也是失败。这是看问题的角度不同，或者说，对失败的定义不同。】
(10) Be governed not by the tyranny of the urgent but by the elevation of the important.
不要被事情的紧急性牵着鼻子走，而要看它的重要性。
(11) Leave a gate behind you the way you first found it.
穿过一扇门后，保持它原来开或合的状态。
【没想到这居然是一条写入英国《乡村守则》（The Country Code）的规则，原始条文是“Leave all gates as you found them”。 有兴趣的童鞋可以查看维基百科上的词条。】
(12) The greatest rewards come from working on something that nobody has a name for. If you possibly can, work where there are no words for what you do.
做一件没有人能说清楚的事儿会带给你最大的回报。但凡有可能的话，去做一件还未被人们谈及的事情。
(13) A balcony or porch needs to be at least 6 feet (2m) deep or it won’t be used.
阳台至少应该有两米宽才有用。
(14) Don’t create things to make money; make money so you can create things. The reward for good work is more work.
不要为了赚钱而去做事；而是为了做事去赚钱。干好工作的回报是有更多的工作。
(15) In all things — except love — start with the exit strategy. Prepare for the ending. Almost anything is easier to get into than out of.
在所有事情（除去爱情）开始时做好退出计划。为结局做准备。几乎任何事情都是陷入易而抽身难。
(16) Train employees well enough they could get another job, but treat them well enough so they never want to.
尽力培训员工，使他们能有更多的职业机会；尽心善待员工，让他们永远不会考虑跳槽。
(17) Don’t aim to have others like you; aim to have them respect you.
要以获得他人的尊重而非喜爱为目标。
(18) The foundation of maturity: Just because it’s not your fault doesn’t mean it’s not your responsibility.
成熟的基本要素：不因事不关己而高高挂起。
(19) A multitude of bad ideas is necessary for one good idea.
无数个糟糕的想法中才能诞生一个好想法。
(20) Being wise means having more questions than answers.
有智慧意味着有更多的问题而非答案。
(21) Compliment people behind their back. It’ll come back to you.
背后夸人。别人也会背后夸你。
(22) Most overnight successes — in fact any significant successes — take at least 5 years. Budget your life accordingly.
绝大多数一夜之间的功成名就——事实上，任何显著的成就——都要经过至少五年（的准备）。请据此来规划你的人生。
(23) You are only as young as the last time you changed your mind.
你的年轻程度取决于你上一次改变想法的时候（想法有多成熟）。
原译：你的年轻程度取决于你上一次改变想法的时候（距今有多久）。
(24) Assume anyone asking for your account information for any reason is guilty of scamming you, unless proven innocent. The way to prove innocence is to call them back, or login to your account using numbers or a website that you provide, not them. Don’t release any identifying information while they are contacting you via phone, message or email. You must control the channel.
任何人以任何借口向你索要账号信息，都可以认为他们是骗子，除非能证明他们是无辜的。而证明他们无辜的方法是，给你自己确知的号码打电话或登录你自己确知的网站，而不是用他们给你的号码或网页地址。不要在他们打给你的电话或是在回复他们发给你的消息、邮件中透露任何个人信息。你的数据安全你掌控。
(25) Sustained outrage makes you stupid.
持续的愤怒会让你变得愚蠢。
(26) Be strict with yourself and forgiving of others. The reverse is hell for everyone.
严以律己，宽以待人。反其道而行对谁来说都是灾难。
(27) Your best response to an insult is “You’re probably right.” Often they are.
当别人冒犯你时，最好的回应是“也许您是对的”。而通常他们确实是对的。
(28) The worst evils in history have always been committed by those who truly believed they were combating evil. Beware of combating evil.
历史上最严重的罪行总是由那些真心相信自己在与邪恶战斗的人而犯下的。警惕与邪恶做斗争。
(29) If you can avoid seeking approval of others, your power is limitless.
如果你不用在意别人的眼光，那你的力量就是无穷的。
(30) When a child asks an endless string of “why?” questions, the smartest reply is, “I don’t know, what do you think?”
当孩子不停地问“为什么”时，最聪明的回答是：“我不知道。你怎么看呢？”
(31) To be wealthy, accumulate all those things that money can’t buy.
积攒那些用钱买不到的东西可以致富。
(32) Be the change you wish to see.
成为你想要看见的改变。
【这句话曾被认为是圣雄甘地所说，但其实甘地并没有说过这句话。】
(33) When brainstorming, improvising, jamming with others, you’ll go much further and deeper if you build upon each contribution with a playful “yes — and” example instead of a deflating “no — but” reply.
在与他人一起头脑风暴或是即兴创作时，用令人鼓舞的“没错——而且”——而非令人泄气的“不——可是”——来回应每一条贡献，那你就能走得更深更远。
(34) Work to become, not to acquire.
工作是为了成长而非获取。
【注：此句出自美国作家和出版人阿尔伯特·哈伯德（Elbert Hubbard）。他以短篇故事《把信送给加西亚》（另译为《致加西亚的信》，A Message to Garcia）而闻名。】
(35) Don’t loan money to a friend unless you are ready to make it a gift.
别借钱给朋友，除非你已做好心理准备当作是送给他。
(36) On the way to a grand goal, celebrate the smallest victories as if each one were the final goal. No matter where it ends you are victorious.
在通往宏伟目标的路上，把每一次微不足道的胜利都当作最终目标来庆祝。这样无论在哪里结束，你都是胜利者。
(37) Calm is contagious.
镇定具有传染力。
(38) Even a foolish person can still be right about most things. Most conventional wisdom is true.
即便是一个蠢人，在大多数事情上也是对的。大多数老话都是有道理的。
(39) Always cut away from yourself.
切削时刀子的方向要朝外。
(40) Show me your calendar and I will tell you your priorities. Tell me who your friends are, and I’ll tell you where you’re going.
从你的日程安排可以看出你看重什么事情；从你的交往圈子可以看出你会是什么样的人。
【我再补充半句：从一个国家的年轻人可以看出这个国家的未来。】
(41) When hitchhiking, look like the person you want to pick you up.
搭便车时，要表现得像是你自己愿意搭载的人。
(42) Contemplating the weaknesses of others is easy; contemplating the weaknesses in yourself is hard, but it pays a much higher reward.
审视别人的弱点很容易；审视自己的弱点很难，但这会让你受益匪浅。
(43) Worth repeating: measure twice, cut once.
值得多念两遍：量两次，切一次。
【这是一句木工谚语，指在动手切割之前要核查测量是否准确，以免浪费材料。也有译为“三思而后行”的。】
(44) Your passion in life should fit you exactly; but your purpose in life should exceed you. Work for something much larger than yourself.
生活的欲望应与自身相匹配，但生命的意义应超越自我。致力于那些超越自我的事情。
【passion 的常用译法是“热情”。不过，这种热情往往是受内心的欲望或渴望而驱动的，它和另一个词 lust 可以看作是同一个本源的正反两面。】
(45) If you can’t tell what you desperately need, it’s probably sleep.
如果你不知道自己迫切想要什么的话，那么答案很可能是“睡上一觉”。
(46) When playing Monopoly, spend all you have to buy, barter, or trade for the Orange properties. Don’t bother with Utilities.
在玩《地产大亨》（也译为《大富翁》、《强手棋》）时，尽你所能去购买、交换或是竞标那些橙色资产。别管那些水、电、气公司。
【在《地产大亨》游戏中，玩家在橙色地段停留的几率最高。】
(47) If you borrow something, try to return it in better shape than you received it. Clean it, sharpen it, fill it up.
还东西时，要让它比你借它时状态更好。清洗它，磨快它，加满它。
(48) Even in the tropics it gets colder at night than you think. Pack warmly.
即便在热带，夜晚也比你想象的冷。多带两件衣服。
(49) To quiet a crowd or a drunk, just whisper.
让人群或醉鬼安静下来的办法是对他们低声耳语。
(50) Writing down one thing you are grateful for each day is the cheapest possible therapy ever.
每天记下一件让你感恩的事情。这是成本最低的（心灵）疗法。
(51) When someone tells you something is wrong, they’re usually right. When someone tells you how to fix it, they’re usually wrong.
如果人们告诉你某件事是错的，他们通常是对的；但如果他们告诉你该如何去解决问题，那通常都行不通。
(52) If you think you saw a mouse, you did. And, if there is one, there are more.
如果你觉得自己看到了一只老鼠，那一定是看到了。如果有一只的话，就一定会有更多。
(53) Money is overrated. Truly new things rarely need an abundance of money. If that was so, billionaires would have a monopoly on inventing new things, and they don’t. Instead almost all breakthroughs are made by those who lack money, because they are forced to rely on their passion, persistence and ingenuity to figure out new ways. Being poor is an advantage in innovation.
金钱被高估了。真正的新事物很少需要大量金钱。不然的话，所有新发明都会被那些亿万富翁们所垄断，但并没有。相反，几乎所有的突破都来自于那些囊中羞涩的人——他们唯有依赖自己的热情、执着和才智，才能闯出一条新路来。穷，则思变。
【穷则思变这个成语中，“穷”的原意并非贫穷，而是“穷尽”，指事物走到了尽头。不过今天，这则成语更多用来指贫穷会促使人想办法改变现状。
这和前段时间网上流行的“贫穷限制了你的想象力”是截然不同的两个视角。也许，限制想象力的从来都不是贫穷或富有。】
(54) Ignore what others may be thinking of you, because they aren’t.
不用在意别人怎么看你。他们也并不在意你。
(55) Avoid hitting the snooze button. That’s just training you to oversleep.
（闹钟响时）别按“稍后提醒（snooze）”按钮。这只能让你习惯性地睡过头。
(56) Always say less than necessary.
智者不多言。
【原文出自美国作家罗伯特·格林（Robert Greene）的《权力的 48 条法则》（The 48 Laws of Power）。意思是说，当你试图用言语打动他人时，说得越多，越显得你所言之事平淡无奇。要少言，要留白。
《老子·道德经》中有“知者不言，言者不知”的说法，虽然不完全是一个意思，但可以参照着来回味。】
(57) You are given the gift of life in order to discover what your gift in life is. You will complete your mission when you figure out what your mission is. This is not a paradox. This is the way.
上天赋予你生命，是要你来发现你的天赋所在。当你找到你的使命时，你就完成了你的使命。这并非自相矛盾，而是道之所在。
【中文可以用三个字来概括这段话，就是“知天命”。】
(58) Don’t treat people as bad as they are. Treat them as good as you are.
投我以木瓜，报之以琼琚。
【这句纯粹是意译。原文直译是：“不要以他人对你的恶意来待他，而要以你的善意来待他”。】
(59) It is much easier to change how you think by changing your behavior, than it is to change your behavior by changing how you think. Act out the change you seek.
通过改变行为而改变想法，要比通过改变想法来改变行为容易得多。去实践你所寻求的改变。
(60) You can eat any dessert you want if you take only 3 bites.
如果你能只吃三小口，那任何甜点随你吃。
(61) Each time you reach out to people, bring them a blessing; then they’ll be happy to see you when you bring them a problem.
每次去到别人那里都能给人带来祝福的话，那人们也很乐意帮你解决你的问题。
【这段做了一定程度的意译。】
(62) Bad things can happen fast, but almost all good things happen slowly.
坏事无常，好事多磨。
(63) Don’t worry how or where you begin. As long as you keep moving, your success will be far from where you start.
不要太在意从哪儿或是如何开始。只要不停前进，你的成就将远远超越你的起点。
(64) When you confront a stuck bolt or screw: righty tighty, lefty loosey.
遇上卡住的螺栓时，记住：右旋（顺时针）紧，左旋（逆时针）松。
【相信我们都碰到过这种情况：想要把一个拧紧的螺丝拧松时，忽然就想不清楚该往哪个方向拧了。英语里面用 righty tighty, lefty loosey 这个押韵的短语来帮助记忆。不过，我还是会经常糊涂，特别是螺丝的位置是在物体的底部时。】
(65) If you meet a jerk, overlook them. If you meet jerks everywhere everyday, look deeper into yourself.
碰上一个混蛋的话，不用理他。总是碰上混蛋的话，好好反省一下自己。
(66) Dance with your hips.
要用你的臀部来跳舞。
【说实话，不是很清楚为啥。原文的评论里也有人较真儿说，交谊舞是不能动胯的，功夫全在脚上。
但有科学研究表明，女性舞者摆臀的动作是最吸引异性的；而男性舞者则应该动脖子和上身，再加上右膝的快速动作。
所以，这段建议其实不完整，有冒犯女权之嫌。应该再加上半句：（男舞者）要用你的脖子来跳舞。】
(67) We are not bodies that temporarily have souls. We are souls that temporarily have bodies.
我们并非短暂拥有灵魂的躯壳，而是短暂拥有躯壳的灵魂。
(68) You can reduce the annoyance of someone’s stupid belief by increasing your understanding of why they believe it.
如果你对某些人的愚蠢信念感到费解的话，不妨试着去理解他们为什么会有这种信念。
(69) If your goal does not have a schedule, it is a dream.
没有行动计划的目标只不过是白日梦。
(70) All the greatest gains in life — in wealth, relationships, or knowledge —come from the magic of compounding interest — amplifying small steady gains. All you need for abundance is to keep adding 1% more than you subtract on a regular basis.
生命中所有最重要的收益——不论是财富、人际关系还是知识——都来自于神奇的复利，它可以将持续的微小收益进一步放大。你所要做的，就是在日常基础上，持之以恒地加上 1%。
(71) The greatest breakthroughs are missed because they look like hard work.
人们之所以会错过重大突破，是因为它们看着就很难。
(72) People can’t remember more than 3 points from a speech.
一段讲话中能被人记住的点不超过三个。
(73) I have never met a person I admired who did not read more books than I did.
我所仰慕的人，读的书都比我多。
(74) The greatest teacher is called “doing”.
实践出真知。
(75) Finite games are played to win or lose. Infinite games are played to keep the game going. Seek out infinite games because they yield infinite rewards.
有限的游戏旨在分出胜负；无限的游戏旨在让游戏继续进行下去。去寻找那些无限的游戏，因为它们能带给你无尽的回报。
【关于有限游戏和无限游戏，可以读读「东西文库」出品的一本小书《有限与无限的游戏》。】
(76) Everything is hard before it is easy. The day before something is a breakthrough, it’s a stupid idea.
每件事在变得容易之前都是很难的。某个想法在取得突破之前都会显得很愚蠢。
(77) A problem that can be solved with money is not really a problem.
能用钱解决的事儿就不叫事儿。
(78) When you are stuck, sleep on it. Let your subconscious work for you.
碰到卡壳的时候就睡上一觉。让潜意识来帮你解决问题。
(79) Your work will be endless, but your time is finite. You cannot limit the work so you must limit your time. Hours are the only thing you can manage.
事情是做不完的，但时间是有限的。你不可能不去做事儿，但你可以控制你的时间。时间是你唯一能掌控的事情。
(80) To succeed, get other people to pay you; to become wealthy, help other people to succeed.
让别人付钱给你可成事；帮别人成事可致富。
(81) Children totally accept — and crave — family rules. “In our family we have a rule for X” is the only excuse a parent needs for setting a family policy. In fact, “I have a rule for X” is the only excuse you need for your own personal policies.
孩子对立规矩其实是接受甚至欢迎的。家长想要立规矩的话，只需声明“我们家对这事儿有个规矩”。事实上，你想为自己定规矩的话，也只需要“我对这件事情有个规矩”这一个理由。
(82) All guns are loaded.
所有的枪都是上了膛的。
【这是保证枪支安全的一条重要原则。永远不要将你的枪口对着人。】
(83) Many backward steps are made by standing still.
逆水行舟，不进则退。
(84) This is the best time ever to make something. None of the greatest, coolest creations 20 years from now have been invented yet. You are not late.
当下是创造的最佳时机。未来二十年内最伟大、最酷炫的发明尚未诞生。你一点儿都不晚。
(85) No rain, no rainbow.
不经历风雨，怎能见彩虹。
(86) Every person you meet knows an amazing lot about something you know virtually nothing about. Your job is to discover what it is, and it won’t be obvious.
你遇到的每个人都会熟知某个你几乎一无所知的事物，而你的任务就是发现这个事物是什么。答案并非显而易见。
(87) You don’t marry a person, you marry a family.
你与之步入婚姻的并非是一个人，而是一个家庭。
(88) Always give credit, take blame.
功劳归于他人，责难归于自己。
【西方人很重视给别人足够的 credit。该给别人的 credit 没有给，就构成 plagiarism（抄袭、剽窃），是非常严重的学术不端行为。
国内年轻人缺少这方面的意识和习惯。如果你的成果中含有别人的工作，一定要明确声明，哪怕你觉得这种声明并不能给他人带来任何好处。因为这体现的是，你是否尊重事实并能如实陈述。】
(89) Be frugal in all things, except in your passions splurge.
在任何事情上都要精打细算，唯有你的热情无需如此。
(90) When making something, always get a few extras — extra material, extra parts, extra space, extra finishes. The extras serve as backups for mistakes, reduce stress, and fill your inventory for the future. They are the cheapest insurance.
做事留出裕量——多备些材料和部件，多留些空间和时间，多做些成品。这些裕量可以弥补错误、减轻压力，并可放入仓库以备将来所需。裕量是最便宜的保险。
(91) Something does not need to be perfect to be wonderful. Especially weddings.
某些事情即便不完美也很精彩，特别是婚礼。
(92) Don’t let your email inbox become your to-do list.
别把你的邮件收件箱当 to-do list 来用。
【很多时候我们并没有意识到，我们在把邮件收件箱当 to-do list 来用。比如，你可能会想着稍后再回复一封邮件；再比如，有一封看起来重要但又不紧急的邮件，你也许会故意让它保持“未读”状态，这样你有空或想起来的时候就可以把它读了。这些做法都不如用一个专门的 to-do list 工具来得有效。如果你想稍后再回复一封邮件，那就在 to-do list 里记上一笔；如果你想稍后再读某封邮件，同样把这件事记在 to-do list 里。
当然，另一种做法是，立刻、马上把该做的事儿做了。第一时间读该读的邮件，第一时间回复该回复的邮件。任何管理工具都会带来额外的成本。】
(93) The best way to untangle a knotty tangle is not to “untie” the knots, but to keep pulling the loops apart wider and wider. Just make the mess as big, loose and open as possible. As you open up the knots they will unravel themselves. Works on cords, strings, hoses, yarns, or electronic cables.
解开一团乱麻的最好方法不是去“解”，而是把它不断向外拉扯，尽可能让它变大、变松。打结处就会自然而然地解开。绳索、软管、毛线、电缆，都可以用这种方法。
【也适用于想法或心情。】
(94) Be a good ancestor. Do something a future generation will thank you for. A simple thing is to plant a tree.
做一个称职的祖先，做一些造福子孙后代的事情。一件简单的事情就是种棵树。
(95) To combat an adversary, become their friend.
对敌之道是化敌为友。
(96) Take one simple thing — almost anything — but take it extremely seriously, as if it was the only thing in the world, or maybe the entire world is in it — and by taking it seriously you’ll light up the sky.
找一件简单的事情——任何事情，极其认真地对待它，仿佛它是世界上唯一的事情。只要认真对待，你就能照亮天空。
(97) History teaches us that in 100 years from now some of the assumptions you believed will turn out to be wrong. A good question to ask yourself today is “What might I be wrong about?”
历史告诉我们，今天我们相信的很多道理一百年后都将不再正确。今天给自己提的一个好问题就是：“我有哪些看法可能是错的？”
(98) Be nice to your children because they are going to choose your nursing home.
善待子女，因为他们会决定你的养老条件。
(99) Advice like these are not laws. They are like hats. If one doesn’t fit, try another.
这些建议并非什么金科玉律。它们更像是帽子。如果戴着不合适，换一顶就是了。