生活中有很多很厉害的人，我们称它们为牛人，很多牛人呢都有些共通点，它们喜欢没事找罪受，他们喜欢自虐，对自己下手狠，不达目的不罢休。
对牛人这个称呼，有个很简单的定义：就是可以自己为自己定目标，并实现目标的人。
我们吃瓜群众也许不太理解，只是可能我们没想过要去当个牛人。当牛人说起来很容易，殊不知，牛人除了能给自己定目标，自己实现目标，还会制定“原则”。
在清晨朗读会上读到一篇英文文章，觉得很受启发，突然觉得很有必要翻译一下，一来可以加深下自己的理解，二来还能练练我停滞多年的英语，哈哈。

Instead of Goals or Resolutions, Try Creating Rules
——BY LEO BABAUTA

下决心，定目标，还不如制定原则。
——BY LEO BABAUTA

I’m convinced that creating goals or resolutions is hardwired into us, because we can’t stop making them. Unfortunately, we’re not as equipped for making the goals come true, and the pattern most of us have seen is that we start a goal with optimism, only to be disappointed when we haven’t done much after the first week or so.

我信了这么一个说法，不断地下决心、制定新目标像是根植在我们骨子里的行为，因为我们一直这么重复地做，从未停过。不幸的是，我们生来并不擅长实现目标，在我们生活中最常见到的模式是——我们很乐观地制定了一个目标，一两个星期后发现没做出什么来，然后对自己很失望。

I’d like to suggest that you try creating rules that will make your goals happen.

我建议你得试试制定一些能让你实现目标的原则。

A rule in this case is an action you do after a specific event happens, as consistently as you can, which will lead to your goal happening.

原则是让你在做完一个具体事务后，还能尽可能地让你持续地执行新事项，直到达成目标。

Some examples for different goals:

这里举几个不同的栗子：

• Write a book: When I turn on my computer, I will shut off the browser and all other programs but my text editor, and write for 20 minutes.

写书：用电脑时，我只打开文本编辑器，一定会关掉浏览器和其他所有程序，持续写20分钟。

• Learn Spanish: When I drive to and from work, I will listen to my Spanish tapes and practice.

学西班牙语：开车上班的路上，我会听西班牙语的磁带并跟着练。

• Read more: When it’s 9:30 p.m., I turn off the computer, get ready for bed, and read my book.

看书：一到晚上9点半，就关上电脑，上床，读书。

• Run a marathon: When my alarm goes off at 6 a.m., go out and do my run for today. Or stretch if it’s a rest day.

跑马拉松：早上6点闹钟一叫，就立马出门跑步，当然休息日除外。

• Lose weight: 1) When it’s breakfast, eat oats, cinnamon and berries. 2) When it’s lunch or dinner, eat black beans, brown rice, veggies, salsa and guacamole. 3) If I’m hungry in between, eat apples, carrots, or plain nuts. 4) Drink only tea or water, except a cup of coffee to start the day.

减肥：1）早餐，吃燕麦，桂皮粉，浆果。2）午饭、晚饭吃黑豆、糯米饭、蔬菜、番茄酱、牛油果…3）平时饿的时候就吃苹果、萝卜或坚果。4）平时只喝茶，白开水，当然可以喝咖啡来开启新的一天。（咱中国人忽视以上食物。）

• Be more mindful: When I wake up, I pee, drink a glass of water, then meditate for five minutes.

培养正念(专注力)：起床，尿尿，喝杯水，然后冥想五分钟。

None of these rules will get you all the way to the goal, but they’ll get you much farther than you are now.

“原则”这东西不能保证你实现目标，但它能让你走得更远，总比没有它要强。

Implementing the Rules
关于实施这些原则。

Of course, a rule is great in theory, but much harder to put into practice. So I’d like to make a few suggestions:

当然，一个原则理论上很美好，但实际实行起来难得多，所以我有几个建议。

Implement one at a time. When you’ve done one for a week or two, then implement another, but never have too many going at once. I’ve found that five fairly new ones are my max.

一次只执行一个新原则：当你一两星期后可以把一个原则执行好时，再开始执行一个新的原则，千万别一次性执行太多，反正我发现我自己顶多能同时执行5个新原则。

Make each one small (5-20 minutes for something hard, up to 30 minutes for something easy).

把原则定小，定详细（困难的事情就定成只做5-20分钟，容易的事可以定成做30分钟）

Don’t expect perfection — allow yourself to mess up, but try to do better.

别指望完美——允许自己搞砸，但也要尽可能做好。

If you keep messing up, set up some accountability, or change your environment so it’s easier to implement.

如果你不断搞砸，自己建立个责任机制，自我惩罚，或者你也可以尝试换换环境，让“原则”更容易执行。

Don’t start with food rules. Food is the hardest, because we’re not really aware of all the things going on, like emotional eating or parts of our brain sending hormones to make us really hungry. When you do food rules, do one at a time, and try to change your environment so that there aren’t tempting foods all around you. If you can’t get rid of the foods, don’t go where they are very often.

别一开始就执行关于“吃的原则”，吃这方面是最难的，因为我们通常不会意识到自己的身体是个怎样的情况，有时只是因为情绪而冲动饮食，或者只是大脑释放了点激素让你感觉到饥饿。当你执行吃这方面的原则时，一次只执行一小个新原则，并尝试改变下你身处的环境吧，别呆在那种到处都是美食诱惑的地方。如果你逃脱不了食物的诱惑，就别经常去有好吃的的地方。

Mindfulness rules are the best to start with, because they make following the other rules easier.

培养（正念）专注力的原则是最适合最先开始执行的，因为它会让你执行其他原则更容易。

Set computer or phone reminders, or put up visual reminders like notes wherever the rule is supposed to happen.

在电脑或手机上设置提醒，或者贴点可以看到的提示便签，以便你要执行这些原则时随时可以看到它。

What you’ll find is that the rules need adjusting as you figure out what works for you and what doesn’t. You’ll find that you forget at first — in which case you should set reminders. You’ll find that some rules really need a change in environment, others might need accountability. What you’ll learn is that this is an incredible learning process, as you start to understand how you work best.

当你执行后，你会发现有的原则是需要调整的，你会慢慢知道什么样的原则是适合你自己的，什么样的又不适合。你一开始也许会意识到，有时忘记自己有这么个原则了——所以说还是设个提醒好。你会知道，有的原则也许需要身处环境的改变，有的需要有让自己承担责任的惩罚机制。你会了意识到，这将是个不可思议的学习进程，因为你开始会懂得怎样可以最好地做事。

Rules are small steps that add up to huge changes over time, and they’re ones that you’ll actually make happen. What one rule can you create today that will have a big impact on your life?

原则一小步一小步地让你发生改变，长时间改变巨大，原则真的会让改变发生哦。你今天会制定个怎样的原则来影响你未来的生活呢？

后记：原则这玩意“目标”靠谱多了，目标是远在未来，现在摸不着的东西，有点虚无缥缈，让人产生不确定的焦虑；而原则的却是个可以立马执行的规则。

随便说几个：

• 开车不喝酒。
• 不背后说人坏话。
• 任何时候不抱怨。
• 看书时不玩手机。
• 吃饭时不biaji嘴。
• 公共场合不抖腿。