Why You Should Stop Setting Goals (Yes, Really) | Emmanuel Acho | TED

翻译人员: Maple Dilidili 校对人员: Yanyan Hong

I do not suppose to know everything.

我不认为我自己无所不知，

And those closest to me, they might say, I don't really know much at all, but --

而且那些我身边的人也许会说， 我其实所知甚少——

One thing that I know to be true beyond the shadow of a doubt is this.

但毫无疑问， 我确切地知道一件事：

The surest way to fail in life

人生中注定会失败的方法，

is to set a goal.

就是设立目标。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Now, unfortunately, I found this out through excruciating pain,

很不幸，我经历过彻骨的疼痛 如今才明白这个道理。

but hopefully in the next nine minutes, I can convince you, too,

但希望在接下来的九分钟内 我也可以说服你，

that this is true, without the pain.

不必经历痛苦，就能相信这是真的。

Unless, of course, you consider listening to me painful.

当然，除非你觉得 听我说话是痛苦的。

OK.

好的。

The year was 2011.

在 2011 年的时候，

I was seeking to become a multimillionaire by the age of 21.

我 21 岁，向往成为亿万富翁。

So how was I going to do this?

所以我该怎么办呢？

It was simple.

很简单，

I was going to leave college at the University of Texas

我打算提前一年

one year early.

离开德克萨斯大学。

I was going to leave after my junior year

我打算在大三的时候离校，

and declare for the National Football League draft.

宣布参加全国橄榄球联盟选秀。

In order to do this, however,

然而为了做这件事，

you have to submit your resume to the NFL.

你必须向国家橄榄球联盟提交简历。

A resume in football,

在职业橄榄球领域的简历

it is your highlight tapes from your years playing prior.

是你之前比赛中高光时刻的录像带。

So I submitted my football tape from my freshman,

所以我提交了从大一起，

my sophomore and my junior year.

以及大二和大三的比赛录像带。

The NFL sent me back a letter.

国家橄榄球联盟给我回复了一封信，

It simply read,

里面是这样写的：

"Dear Emmanuel,

“亲爱的埃马纽埃尔·阿乔 （Emmanuel Acho）

you will not be drafted in the first three rounds."

你没有被选进前三轮。”

Excuse you.

你说什么？

I won't be drafted in the first three rounds?

我没有被选进前三轮？

So what did I do, TED audience?

所以我该怎么办，TED 听众朋友们？

It's simple.

很简单，

I set a goal that day.

我当天就设立了个目标。

But you know what they say about goal-setting.

但你知道他们是怎么说 设定目标这件事的吗？

You've got to write it down, commit it to memory.

你必须把目标写下来， 认真记住。

So I highlighted the sheet of paper.

所以我在那张纸上用高光显明出来：

“Dear Emmanuel, you won’t be drafted in the first three rounds,”

“亲爱的埃马纽埃尔·阿乔 （Emmanuel Acho），

你没有被选进前三轮。”

and I put it above my bed in my condo in Austin, Texas.

我把它贴在我的得克萨斯州 奥斯丁的公寓床头上方，

Every morning I woke up, I looked at it.

我每天早上起床的时候都会看它：

"Dear Emmanuel, you won't be drafted in the first three rounds."

“亲爱的埃马纽埃尔·阿乔 （Emmanuel Acho），

你没有被选进前三轮。”

Every night before I went to sleep, I looked at it.

我每天晚上入睡之前都会看它：

"Dear Emmanuel, you won't be drafted in the first three rounds."

“亲爱的埃马纽埃尔·阿乔 （Emmanuel Acho），

你没有被选进前三轮。”

I worked tirelessly my senior year in college

我在大学第四年不知疲倦地练习，

with one goal in mind.

心中只有一个目标：

Be drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.

入选国家橄榄球联盟的前三轮，

Those are the most prestigious rounds after all.

毕竟那是最优秀的群体了。

6am workouts in college, study hall, class.

在学校 6 点钟晨起锻炼， 自习室，上课。

I'm doing it all, with one goal in mind.

在做所有的事情时， 心中只有一个目标。

Well, fast forward one year later,

快进一年之后，

I'm at the NFL Combine.

我在国家橄榄球联盟的联合训练营。

The NFL Combine, it is the job interview.

国家橄榄球联盟的联合训练营 就是职业面试。

I'm in front of 32 billionaires.

我在 32 位亿万富翁面前表现自己，

32 of the richest men in America,

32 位在美国最富有的人，

if not the richest men in the world.

如果说不是世界上最富有的人的话，

They are the owners of every NFL team.

他们是每一支 国家橄榄球联盟球队的所有者，

I'm running the 40-yard dash.

我在跑 40 码冲刺。

The 40-yard dash is one of the testing metrics you use at the NFL Combine

40 码冲刺是国家橄榄球联盟 联合训练营的测试指标之一，

with millions of dollars on the line.

数百万美元的得失就在一念之间。

The faster you run, the higher you get drafted.

你跑得越快，被选中的可能性就越高。

I take my mark.

我拿到我的标号，

I proceed to run.

我上前去开跑，

I hear pop, pop, pop.

我听到嘭、嘭、嘭……

I keep running.

我坚持往前跑，

I think my heels are clicking.

我想是我的脚后跟在碰撞，

Pop, pop, pop.

嘭、嘭、嘭。

I clutch my quad, I fall to the ground.

我蜷起大腿，摔倒在地，

It was my quad being torn off the bone.

我的股四头肌从腿骨上撕裂了。

(Audience: Oh!)

（听众：哦！）

I ripped my quad off the bone,

我把我的股四头肌从腿骨上撕裂了。

I’m falling [to the] ground in agony

我在痛苦中倒地，

in front of these 32 billionaires.

在那 32 个亿万富翁面前。

I didn't get drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL draft.

我没有入选 国家橄榄球联盟选秀的前三轮。

I made a decision that day, in that moment,

那一天的那一刻，我做了一个决定，

to stop setting goals.

停止设定目标。

My self-esteem, ruined.

我的自尊心，被摧毁了。

Self-efficacy, ruined.

自我效能感，被摧毁了。

That last year of my life seemingly gone to waste

我生命中过去的一年 仿佛是荒废掉了，

because I had one goal, y'all.

因为我只有一个目标，朋友们。

It was simple.

就这么简单，

Be drafted in the first three rounds.

入选前三轮。

Then I tore my quad, and it all fell apart.

那时候我股四头肌撕裂， 生活也好像碎成渣渣。

What I failed to mention thus far is why I tore my quad.

说到这里我还没有提到 为什么我会撕裂股四头肌。

Two days prior at the NFL Combine,

国家橄榄球联盟联合训练营的两天前，

I weighed in at 240 pounds.

我的体重是 240 磅。

In the NFL, the bigger you are, the better.

在国家橄榄球联盟身体越壮硕越好。

But as you all know, weight,

但众所周知，体重

it don't move all that fast.

也会影响移动速度，

So I cut 10 pounds within two days.

所以我在两天之内减掉 10 磅。

I ran the 40-yard dash two days later at 230 pounds,

两天之后我以 230 磅体重来跑 40 码冲刺。

dehydrated, dieted for two days.

整整两天脱水节食，

Why? Because I was so focused on my goal

为什么？ 因为我全心贯注在我的目标上，

that I caused harm to myself.

以至于我对自己造成伤害。

It's not that goals don't add value.

并不是说目标没有价值，

It’s just that the risk of goal-setting,

而是说设定目标的风险，

it is greater than the potential reward.

比潜在回报更大。

Think about it in your own life for a moment.

想想你自己的亲身经历，

Maybe you had the goal of being in a relationship.

也许你曾有过维持一段关系的目标，

So you ignore the toxic behavior.

所以你忽略了有毒的行为。

Think about it in your own life.

设身处地的想一想，

See, one of my greatest accomplishments to date,

你看，我至今以来最显著的成就之一，

being an NFL player,

作为一个国家橄榄球联盟的运动员，

because ultimately I did play for four years,

最终我的确做了 4 年职业运动员。

I view negatively

因为我没有达成我的目标，

because I didn't hit my goal.

我只看到负面影响。

Maybe that's the same for some of you.

也许你也曾经历过类似的事情，

Maybe you have the goal of reading a certain amount of books in a year.

也许你立下目标 一年读一定数量的书，

You've become a much more proficient reader, but you didn't hit your goal.

你的阅读能力有所提升， 但你并没有完成你的目标。

Maybe you had a goal of making a certain amount of money for your business.

也许你立下目标 要赚到一定数额的钱，

You are a thriving entrepreneur, but you didn't hit your goal.

你是蓬勃崛起的创业者， 但你并未达到目标。

I left the NFL.

我离开了国家橄榄球联盟，

I became a content creator

我成为了一个内容创作者，

where I would live a much more limitless life.

由此可以过一种更加少受限制的生活。

I'll get to that more here in a moment.

等一下我会详细说。

The question now is why in the world do we set goals?

现在我想问 为什么我们要设定目标？

Well, first, let's define a goal.

首先，我们来定义什么是目标：

A goal, by definition, it is the end

目标，顾名思义，就是终点。

towards which effort is aimed.

人们朝着这个终点努力。

But why would I start something with the end in mind?

但为什么我要在开始的时候 就想着结束呢？

In working on my master’s degree in sports psychology,

在我攻读运动心理学硕士学位期间，

I focused on goal-setting, I wrote my final thesis on it,

我关注于目标设定， 我的毕业论文就是关于这个议题。

and I realized we set goals for three primary reasons.

我意识到我们设定目标 主要有三个原因：

The first.

第一，

We've been indoctrinated with this belief that we have to set a goal to achieve.

我们被灌输了这样一个信念 就是我们必须设定目标才能有所成就。

There's a popularized study, which has since been debunked,

有一个广为流传的研究 后来被推翻：

which said the person who writes their goals down

该研究说把目标写下来

and commits them to memory,

并谨记于心的人，

they will earn twice as much money as the person who doesn't.

比那些没有这么做的人 多赚两倍的钱。

So what you want me to believe

所以我能相信什么，

is the difference between one million dollars

这里的差别是 100 万美元

and 500,000 dollars is this?

和 50 万美元吗？

What you want me to believe

想让我相信什么，

is the difference between 100,000 dollars and 50,000 dollars is simply this?

还是这个差别是指 10 万美元和 5 万美元？

Can't be.

不可能。

Now, these ideas aren't completely off-base.

当然，这些想法 也不是完全没有道理。

The problem is very simple.

问题非常简单，

They're misidentifying causation and correlation.

他们混淆了 因果关系和关联关系。

Surely there is a correlation

这之间的确是有相关性的，

between the person who was willing to go the extra mile

愿意多花费一些精力

and write their goal down

写下目标的人，

and the person who's willing to go the extra mile in their business.

和愿意在自己的生意上更加努力的人。

But no, the reason you're making twice as much money

但是不，你赚到两倍多的钱的原因

is not because you wrote your goal down.

并不是因为你把你的目标写下来了。

The second reason we set goals,

我们设立目标的第二个原因是

goals give us a North Star.

目标给我们一个导航的北极星，

Motivation.

它激励我们前行。

As if we'd just be wandering around life aimlessly

如果我们不设立目标，

if we didn't set a goal.

就好像我们在漫无目的的随波逐流。

The final reason we set goals?

我们设定目标的 最后一个原因是什么呢？

We have this insatiable desire for feedback.

我们不停地渴望获得反馈，

And feedback,

源源不断的反馈，

it is a predecessor, is a necessary aspect of goal-setting.

这是设定目标的必要性方面的 一个先决条件。

Think about it in your own life.

想想你自己的生活经历，

Did this Instagram post get as many likes as that Instagram post?

这个 Instagram 帖子得到的点赞 数量和那一个一样多吗？

Did this tweet get as many likes as my last tweet?

这条推文得到的点赞数量 有没有上一条那么多？

How about this TikTok post?

这个 TikTok 帖子反响如何？

Did it get as many shares as my last?

有没有上一条的分享转发多？

We have this insatiable desire for feedback.

我们对反馈有着无尽的渴望。

You know, I made a mistake earlier.

你知道吗？我之前犯了个错误，

I said the surest way to fail in life is to set a goal.

我说在人生中确定失败的方式 是设定目标。

But in all honesty,

但坦白地说，

the only way to fail in life is to set a goal.

在人生中唯一失败的方式 就是设定目标。

Think about anything you've ever failed at.

想想任何你曾经失败的经历，

Maybe relationally, occupationally, educationally.

也许是在 关系、职业、教育方面，

That marriage, it ended in divorce.

以离婚收场的婚姻，

You didn't get into that college that you wanted to.

你没能考上理想的大学，

You didn't pass the MCAT, you didn't pass the LSAT,

你没有通过医学研究生院入学考试， 你没有通过法学院入学考试，

whatever the case may be,

不论具体情况如何，

it was all tethered to a goal.

都与一个目标相关。

It's not just that the surest way to fail in life is to set a goal.

不仅在人生中确定失败的方式 是设定目标，

The only way to fail in life is to set a goal.

人生中唯一失败的方式就是设定目标。

So what do I suggest we do instead?

所以与之相反我们该怎么办呢？

Here it is.

这里是我的建议：

You have an objective with no limitations.

你要有一个没有界限的目的。

Now I know what you're thinking, Acho, that's semantics.

我知道你现在在想什么： “哦，那不过是玩弄文字游戏。”

No, this small difference will have a huge impact in your life.

不是的，这个细微的差别 将会给你的人生带来巨大影响。

Objective: effort aimed in a direction.

目的：朝向一个方向的努力。

A goal: the end towards which energy is aimed.

目标：释放能量对准的终点。

Your objective, it should be subjective.

你的目的应该是主观的，

It should be subject to people's interpretation.

它应该是可以由人来诠释的，

That way you do not fail.

这样你就不会失败。

The theme of this conference is Possibilities.

本次会议的主题是可能性，

You all have spent money, left your homes, maybe children,

你们都为此花了钱 离开家或许还有孩子，

because somewhere deep down inside you,

因为在内心深处

you subscribe to this notion of possibility.

你们认同可能性这个理念，

But you can't simultaneously subscribe to the notion of possibility

但你无法在被设定目标的想法 笼罩之下

while still being held captive by goal-setting.

同时认同可能性的理念。

The laws of goal-setting completely undermine the freedom of possibility.

设定目标的法则 完全压制了可能性的自由，

So if we're being honest with ourselves, we have to choose one.

所以如果我们坦然面对自己 就必须选择一个，

Because possibility is limitless.

因为可能性是不加限制的。

But goal-setting, oh, it’s fixated on an end.

但目标设定， 哦，它被限定在一个结局上。

If you want to have a 10-million dollar business,

如果你想要打造一个千万美元的生意，

you'll set that goal.

你将会设定那个目标，

And you might do just that.

你可能就做到了。

Have a 10-million dollar business.

建立一个千万美元的生意，

Congratulations.

祝贺你。

You'll work towards a 10-million dollar business.

你为了创建千万美元的生意而努力，

But what if it could have been more?

但如果其实可以做得更多会如何？

If you want to run a mile without stopping,

如果你想连续跑一公里，

you’ll work towards it, and you might do just that.

你将会朝着它努力，然后你做到了，

Having never known if you could have run a marathon.

但永远不会知道 你是不是可以跑一个马拉松。

What does it look like practically?

这个理念在实际生活中是怎样的？

Kirk Hammett, lead guitarist for Metallica,

柯克·哈米特 (Kirk Hammett)， Metallica 乐队的主吉他手，

he never had the goal of winning eight Grammys.

他从来没有设定 获得 8 个格莱美奖的目标，

He never had the goal of selling 125 million records,

也从来没有设定 卖出 1.25 亿张唱片的目标，

never had the goal of being a rock star.

更没有设定 成为一个摇滚歌星的目标，

He simply said, and I quote,

他只是说，引用他的话：

"I just want to play my guitar a little bit better every day."

“我只是想每天把我的吉他 弹得更好一点。”

Close quote.

就这样。

See, because with that, there is no end.

看到吗，就是这样，没有终点。

A goal, by its definition, it is focused on an ending,

目标，顾名思义， 它集中注意力于一个终点，

which means inherently a goal is limiting.

也就是说目标本质上是限制性的。

It's not that goals in and of themselves have no value,

并不是说目标本身没有价值，

it's just, what about the damage you have done to yourself,

而是说 你会因此对自己所造成的伤害。

your self-esteem, your self-efficacy,

你的自尊心，你的自我效能感，

the way in which you view yourself when you look at yourself?

你用什么样的眼光自我审视。

What about that damage?

那又会造成怎样的伤害？

I'm not saying don't achieve.

我没有说不要有所成就，

I'm saying achieve limitlessly.

我是说去成就无限的可能，

I'm saying believe in the reason you were all sitting in here today

我是说相信使你们 今天来到这里的理由，

because you believe in possibility.

因为你们相信可能性。

Let go of the captivity of goal-setting

放下设定目标的执念，

and achieve all you actually have to achieve.

然后达成所有 你事实上能够成就之事。

So what is my objective with no limitations?

所以什么是我的不受局限的目的？

Very simply put,

简单地说，

to be considered one of the most creative people

被认为是电视行业所出现过的

the television industry has ever seen.

最具有创造力的人之一。

Because if I would have achieved my goal

因为如果我达成了我的目标

of being drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL draft,

在全国橄榄球联盟选秀中 入选前三轮，

I never would have achieved this.

我就永远不会有机会做到这个：

Winning a Primetime Emmy Award and sharing that moment with my mom.

赢得黄金时段艾美奖 并与我妈妈分享那个时刻。

(Applause)

（掌声）

But just as importantly,

同样重要的是，

if I would have achieved my goal

如果我达成了我的目标

of being drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL draft,

在国家橄榄球联盟预选赛中 被选入前三轮，

I wouldn't be standing in front of you all today.

今天我就不会站在你们面前。

Why?

为什么？

Because if you hear nothing else,

如果你们没有听进去其他的，

truly, if you hear nothing else,

真的，如果你们没听进去其他的，

hear this.

仔细听这个。

I'm begging each and every one of you to hear this.

我恳请你们每一个人 仔细聆听，

The goal that you achieve,

你们达成的目标

it's actually the penalty that you receive

实际上是因为起初设定了目标

for having set that goal in the first place.

而受到的惩罚。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause and cheers)

（掌声与欢呼）