读者文摘:成功的定义是什么(2)

We all left there within a year, as intended. Travis eventually landed a big-time job covering the Pittsburgh Pirates,

我们都按计划在一年内离开了那里。特拉维斯最终找到了一份报道匹兹堡海盗的重要工作，

and he now has a New York Times bestselling sports book about baseball.

现在他已经出了一本关于棒球的《纽约时报》畅销书。

Jeff became one of the most well-known NASCAR writers in the country, with almost 200,000 Twitter followers¹.

杰夫成了全国最著名的美国赛车协会作家，他有差不多200000的推特粉丝。

Now he's got his own media company that's doing quite well. In 2017, Jeff and I went to a Charlotte Knights² game, and he said something about Rocky Mount that I won't forget.

现在他有了自己的媒体公司，做得很好。2017年，我和杰夫去看了一场夏洛特骑士队的比赛，他说了一些关于洛基山的事情，我永远不会忘记。

"I didn't appreciate it then, but honestly, when I look back, it's probably the best time I've ever had in my career."

“当时我并没有领会到，但说实话，当我回首往事时，这可能是我职业生涯中最美好的时光。”

What is success? Buddy³, I don't know. On those late nights, it was making good contact on Travis's curveball.

什么是成功？伙计，我不知道。在那些深夜，它与特拉维斯的曲线球有很好的联系。

Now it's running a tenth of a mile farther than I did last week. Or the sound of a storm door latching⁴ shut after I install it myself.

现在它比我上星期跑的还要远十分之一英里。或者是我自己安装好防风门后，门被关上的声音。

Or the morning Laura said yes. More than a year ago, I wrote a story and no readers yelled at me about it, which these days is a success.

或者劳拉答应的那天早上。一年多以前，我写了一篇文章，没有读者对我大吼大叫，这篇文章现在很成功。

But nobody said anything nice either, so is it a failure? I don't know. College students ask me for advice every now and then, if you can believe it.

但也没人说好话，所以这算是失败吗？我不知道。如果你相信的话，大学生们会时不时地向我寻求建议。

Maybe that's success. But last night an editor at a publication I've been dying to write for replied to a pitch with the murderous words

也许这就是成功。但昨晚，我一直渴望为之写作的一家出版社的一名编辑对我的一篇措辞恶毒的文章做出了回应，

"This just isn't the right fit for us," and I scanned job boards for a new line of work.

“这并不适合我们，”我浏览了求职公告栏，寻找新的工作方向。

Maybe it's beyond work, though. In June 2018, my dad visited and made it the whole weekend without falling while transferring to his wheel-chair.

但是，或许这超越了工作的范畴。2018年6月，我父亲来看望我，整个周末在往轮椅上坐时他都没有摔倒。

That's a victory. To another person, though, success might be a senior discount on McDonald's coffee,

这是一场胜利。虽然是对另外一个人来说。成功可能是麦当劳咖啡的老人折扣，

or a night sleeping on a bench without getting wet, or the last meeting with a parole officer.

或者晚上睡在长凳上而没有被淋湿，或者最后一次见到假释官。

You get the point. Maybe success isn't measured in achievements,

你懂的。也许成功不是用成就来衡量的，

or "being happy with who you are," or any of the clichés in self-help books on this matter.

或者“对做自己感到快乐”，或者任何关于这个问题的励志书籍中的陈词滥调。

Goals and personal peace are selfish markers, and I don't mean to imply selfishness is a bad thing, not at all.

目标和个人平静是自私的标志，我并不是在说自私是件不好的事情，完全没有这个意思。

Selfishness is the axis⁵ of humankind, from cavemen to astronauts to saints on earth.

自私是人类的轴心，从穴居人到宇航员再到地球上的圣人。

Individual accomplishments⁶ bring community accomplishments bring worldwide accomplishments.

个人的成就带来了社区的成就，也带来了全世界的成就。

But all of the accomplishments in the universe may not leave you feeling successful, right? I'm rambling⁷ here, I know.

但是宇宙中所有的成就都不会让你感到成功，对吧？我知道我在这里闲扯。

But the point is, maybe success is a smaller calculation, something more like what Jeff hinted at.

但关键是，也许成功是一个更小的计算，更像杰夫暗示的那样。

Maybe success is having the wherewithal to be grateful at the precise moment you have something to be grateful for.

也许成功就是在你有值得感激的事情的那一刻，可以去感激。

Thank you for writing, old friend. Mike.

谢谢你的来信，老朋友。迈克。

1 followers   

追随者( follower的名词复数 )； 用户； 契据的附面； 从动件

参考例句：

• the followers of Mahatma Gandhi 圣雄甘地的拥护者
• The reformer soon gathered a band of followers round him. 改革者很快就获得一群追随者支持他。

2 knights   

骑士； （中古时代的）武士( knight的名词复数 )； 骑士； 爵士； （国际象棋中）马

参考例句：

• stories of knights and fair maidens 关于骑士和美女的故事
• He wove a fascinating tale of knights in shining armour. 他编了一个穿着明亮盔甲的骑士的迷人故事。

3 buddy   

n.（美口）密友，伙伴

参考例句：

• Calm down,buddy.What's the trouble?压压气，老兄。有什么麻烦吗？
• Get out of my way,buddy!别挡道了，你这家伙！

4 latching   

n.闭塞；闭锁；关闭；闭塞装置v.理解( latch的现在分词 )；纠缠；用碰锁锁上（门等）；附着（在某物上）

参考例句：

• They have a reputation for latching onto all the latest crazes. 大家都知道他们对所有的最新时尚都有兴趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Sometimes we should tolerate people's mistakes instead of latching on to them. 有的时候我们要能够容错，不要揪着对方的失误不放。 来自互联网

5 axis   

n.轴，轴线，中心线；坐标轴，基准线

参考例句：

• The earth's axis is the line between the North and South Poles.地轴是南北极之间的线。
• The axis of a circle is its diameter.圆的轴线是其直径。

6 accomplishments   

n.造诣；完成( accomplishment的名词复数 )；技能；成绩；成就

参考例句：

• It was one of the President's greatest accomplishments. 那是总统最伟大的成就之一。
• Among her accomplishments were sewing,cooking,playing the piano and dancing. 她的才能包括缝纫、烹调、弹钢琴和跳舞。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 rambling   

adj.[建]凌乱的，杂乱的

参考例句：

• We spent the summer rambling in Ireland. 我们花了一个夏天漫游爱尔兰。
• It was easy to get lost in the rambling house. 在布局凌乱的大房子里容易迷路。