Be humble -- and other lessons from the philosophy of water | Raymond Tang

翻译人员: Danyang Luo 校对人员: 晓芸 严

You may know this feeling:

你可能有过这种感觉：

you wake up to multiple unread notifications on your mobile phone.

早晨醒来，看到手机上 许多条未读的通知。

Your calendar is already packed with meetings,

你的行程日历已经被各种会议填满，

sometimes double- or triple-booked.

有时候甚至要同时做两三件事。

You feel engaged, you feel busy.

你觉得自己很投入，很忙碌。

In fact, you feel productive.

实际上，你还会觉得自己很有效率。

But at the end of it all, something still feels missing.

可一天结束后，你却总是 觉得还缺了点什么，

You try to figure out what it is.

并试图弄清到底少了什么。

But before you do,

但在你想明白前

the next day starts all over again.

同样的日子又已来临。

That was how I felt two years ago.

这就是我两年前的感受。

I felt stressed; I felt anxious.

我觉得压抑，焦虑，

I felt a bit trapped.

感觉自己陷入了困境。

The world around me was moving very quickly.

周围的世界在快速运转着，

And I didn't know what to do.

我却不知道该如何应对。

I started wondering to myself:

我开始问自己：

How do I keep up with all this?

我该怎么做才能跟上世界的步伐？

How do we find fulfillment

我们应该怎么做

in a world that's literally changing as fast as we can think,

才能在这个飞速变换的世界里

or maybe even faster?

找到满足感？

I started looking for answers.

我开始寻找答案。

I spoke to many people, I spoke to my friends,

我和许多人聊过这个话题，

I spoke to my family.

包括朋友，家人。

I even read many self-help books.

我甚至读了很多励志的书，

But I couldn't find anything satisfactory.

但一直找不到让自己满意的答案。

In fact, the more self-help books I read,

说实话，读过的励志书越多，

the more stressed and anxious I became.

我就变得越压抑，越焦虑。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

It was like I was feeding my mind with junk food,

这就像是在喂我的大脑吃垃圾食品，

and I was becoming mentally obese.

然后自己变得“心智肥胖”了。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

I was about to give up,

我差点就要放弃了。

until one day, I found this.

直到有一天，我发现了这本书。

"The Tao Te Ching: The Book of the Way and Its Virtue."

《道德经》：一本阐释道德品行的书。

This is an ancient Chinese philosophy classic

它是中国古代哲学经典，

that was written more than 2,600 years ago.

大概成书于2600年前。

And it was by far the thinnest and the smallest book on the bookshelf.

它也是目前书架上 最薄，最小的一本书，

It only had 81 pages.

只有81页。

And each page had a short poem.

每页上都有一首小诗。

I remember I flipped to one particular poem.

我记得当时翻看到了这样一首诗。

Here it is.

请看。

It's beautiful, isn't it?

写得真好啊，是不是？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Let me read it out to you.

我来读给你们听：

"The supreme goodness is like water.

“上善若水。

It benefits all things without contention.

水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶。

In dwelling, it stays grounded.

居，善地；

In being, it flows to depths.

心，善渊；

In expression, it is honest.

言，善信；

In confrontation, it stays gentle.

与，善仁；

In governance, it does not control.

政，善治；

In action, it aligns to timing.

动，善时。

It is content with its nature

夫唯不争，

and therefore cannot be faulted."

故无忧。”

Wow! I remember when I first read this passage.

我记得当时看完这段文字后

I felt the biggest chills down my spine.

感到脊背发凉，醍醐灌顶。

I still feel that today, reading it to you guys.

读完刚才这一遍，我依然有那种感觉。

My anxiety and stress just suddenly disappeared.

我的焦虑和压抑感瞬间消失了。

Ever since that day,

从那天起，

I've been trying to apply the concepts in this passage to my day-to-day life.

我就试着将这篇文章中的理念 运用到日常生活中。

And today, I'd like to share with you three lessons I learned so far

今天，我想和你们分享， 目前为止我从水之道中

from this philosophy of water --

所学到的三个道理——

three lessons that I believe have helped me find greater fulfillment

是它们，让我在做 每一件事时都获得了

in almost everything that I do.

更大的满足感。

The first lesson is about humility.

第一个道理，是要保持谦逊的态度。

If we think about water flowing in a river,

试想，河流中的水

it is always staying low.

总是在低处汩汩流淌。

It helps all the plants grow and keeps all the animals alive.

有了水，植物才能生长， 动物才能存活。

It doesn't actually draw any attention to itself,

可它却从不居功自傲，

nor does it need any reward or recognition.

也不需要尘世的褒奖和认可。

It is humble.

它很谦逊。

But without water's humble contribution,

如果没有水这样不求回报的贡献，

life as we know it may not exist.

现今世界上的生命可能就不复存在了。

Water's humility taught me a few important things.

水的谦逊让我明白了以下几点。

It taught me that instead of acting like I know what I'm doing

其实我不必表现得像个万事通，

or I have all the answers,

一副什么都知道的样子，

it's perfectly OK to say,

说出“我不知道，

"I don't know.

我想要学习更多，

I want to learn more,

我需要你的帮助。”

and I need your help."

没什么丢人的。

It also taught me that, instead of promoting my glory and success,

水的谦逊还让我明白， 为自己寻求成功之道

it is so much more satisfying to promote the success and glory of others.

远不如帮助他人成功 来得快乐和满足。

It taught me that, instead of doing things where I can get ahead,

与个人的成功相比，

it so much more fulfilling and meaningful

帮助他人克服困难，走向成功

to help other people overcome their challenges so they can succeed.

才是更有满足感，更有意义的事。

With a humble mindset,

怀着一颗谦逊的心，

I was able to form a lot richer connections with the people around me.

我发现自己能和身边的 人建立更深厚的联系。

I became genuinely interested in the stories and experiences

我想聆听他们的故事和经历， 正是这些经历，

that make them unique and magical.

让他们成为了现在独特的自己。

Life became a lot more fun,

我发现生活变得更有趣了，

because every day I'd discover new quirks, new ideas

因为每天我都能发掘新点子，新想法，

and new solutions to problems I didn't know before,

还有之前从来不知道的 解决问题的新方法，

all thanks to the ideas and help from others.

多亏了身边的人给我的建议和帮助。

All streams eventually flow to the ocean

百川最终汇入广阔的大海，

because it is lower than them.

因为大海在低处。

Humility gives water its power.

谦逊赋予了水以力量。

But I think it gives us the capacity to remain grounded,

不过我想到的是， 谦虚使我们能脚踏实地，

to be present,

活在当下，

to learn from and be transformed by the stories of the people around us.

取人之长，补己之短。

The second lesson I learned is about harmony.

我所学到的第二个道理， 是保持平和的心态。

If we think about water flowing towards a rock,

想想看，如果水为石头所阻，

it will just flow around it.

它会绕过那块石头。

It doesn't get upset, it doesn't get angry,

它不会沮丧，不会愤怒，

it doesn't get agitated.

不会被激怒。

In fact, it doesn't feel much at all.

实际上，它不会有任何情绪。

When faced with an obstacle, somehow water finds a solution,

当障碍摆在面前时， 水总能找到解决办法，

without force, without conflict.

不借助武力，也不引起冲突。

When I was thinking through this, I began to understand

当我想明白这些时，我开始懂得

why I was feeling stressed out in the first place.

为什么之前的自己会感到压抑。

Instead of working in harmony with my environment,

当时的我并没有与 周边的环境和谐相处，

I was working against it.

而是站在了它的对立面。

I was forcing things to change

我强迫身边的事物改变，

because I was consumed by the need to succeed or to prove myself.

因为我想通过成功证明自己。

In the end, nothing did.

到最后，事与愿违，

And I got more frustrated.

于是我变得更加沮丧。

By simply shifting my focus from trying to achieve more success

从追求更多的成功

to trying to achieve more harmony,

到追求更多的和谐，

I was immediately able to feel calm and focused again.

我很快感到了内心的平静， 专注度也提高了。

I started asking questions like:

我开始问自己：

Will this action bring me greater harmony

如果这样做，我的内心会更加平和吗？

and bring more harmony to my environment?

我能和外界和谐相处吗？

Does this align with my nature?

这符合我的天性吗？

I became more comfortable simply being who I am,

做真实的自己让我感到很坦然，

rather than who I'm supposed to be or expected to be.

不需要迎合别人的期待。

Work actually became easier,

工作也变得简单起来，

because I stopped focusing on things that I cannot control

因为我不再纠结于 在我掌控之外的事。

and only on the things that I can.

而只专注于我力所能及的事。

I stopped fighting with myself,

我不再与自我抗衡，

and I learned to work with my environment to solve its problems.

也学会了和所置身的环境和平相处， 解决其中的问题。

Nature does not hurry.

“道恒无为，

Yet, everything is accomplished.

而无不为“。

That's Tao Te Ching's way of describing the power of harmony.

这是《道德经》对“和谐”的力量的描述。

Just as water is able to find a solution without force or conflict,

就像水解决问题从不 借助武力、引起冲突一样，

I believe we can find a greater sense of fulfillment in our endeavors

我相信，从追求成功

by shifting focus from achieving more success

转变为追求和谐，

to achieving more harmony.

能够让我们收获更大的满足感。

The third lesson I learned from the philosophy of water

我从水之道学到的第三个哲理，

is about openness.

是保持开明的思想。

Water is open to change.

水从不抗拒改变。

Depending on the temperature, it can be a liquid, solid or gas.

随着温度变化，水可以是 液体、固体或气体。

Depending on the medium it's in,

在不同器皿中，

it can be a teapot, a cup or a flower vase.

水可以成为茶壶、杯子或花瓶的形状。

In fact, it's water's ability to adapt and change and remain flexible

事实上，正是水随机应变， 顺其自然的特性，

that made it so enduring through the ages,

使得不论环境如何变化，

despite all the changes in the environment.

水都会经久不腐。

We also live in a world today of constant change.

我们生活在一个不断变化的世界中。

We can no longer expect to work to a static job description

一成不变的工作将不复存在，

or follow a single career path.

一辈子只从事一个工作的 情况也越来越少。

We, too, are expected to constantly reinvent and refresh our skills

我们需要不断地更新我们的技能，

to stay relevant.

方能在社会立足。

In our organization, we host a lot of hackathons,

在我工作的地方曾经举办了 很多次编程马拉松比赛，

where small groups or individuals come together

个人或小团体聚在一起，

to solve a business problem in a compressed time frame.

在规定时间内解决商业问题。

And what's interesting to me is that the teams that usually win

我发现那些获胜的队伍

are not the ones with the most experienced team members,

并非拥有经验丰富的成员，

but the ones with members who are open to learn,

但它们的成员大多乐意学习，

who are open to unlearn

甘于放弃，

and who are open to helping each other

相互帮助，

navigate through the changing circumstances.

共同适应环境的变化。

Life is like a hackathon in some way.

人生在某种程度上就像一场竞赛。

It's calling to each and every one of us to step up, to open up

需要我们每个人迈步向前，敞开心扉，

and cause a ripple effect.

由此引发积极的连锁反应。

Now, we can stay behind closed doors and continue to be paralyzed

我们大可以紧锁心门，麻木不仁，

by our self-limiting beliefs, such as:

用自己的执念限制自己，例如：

"I will never be able to talk about Chinese philosophy

“我永远无法在这么多观众面前

in front of a huge audience."

谈论中国哲学。”

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Or we can just open up and enjoy the ride.

又或者，我们可以敞开大门， 享受这段旅程，

It can only be an amazing experience.

这将是一次无与伦比的体验。

So humility, harmony and openness.

谦逊、平和、开明，

Those are the three lessons I learned from the philosophy of water so far.

这是迄今为止 我从水之道中悟出的哲学。

They nicely abbreviate to H-H-O,

它们可以简称为H-H-O， （谦逊=H，平和=H，开明=O）

or H2O.

或是H2O （即水的化学表达式）。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And they have become my guiding principles in life.

它们已经成为我的人生指导原则。

So nowadays, whenever I feel stressed,

现在，每当我感到压抑，

unfulfilled, anxious or just not sure what to do,

不满，焦虑，或是无所适从的时候，

I simply ask the question:

我就会问问自己：

What would water do?

水会怎么做？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

This simple and powerful question inspired by a book

这个简单而有力的问题 是受一本书的启发，

written long before the days of bitcoin, fintech and digital technology

一本古籍，远在比特币、科技金融 和数字技术出现前就诞生了，

has changed my life for the better.

却使我的生活变得更美好。

Try it, and let me know how it works for you.

尝试一下，看看它 对你将有什么样的影响。

I would love to hear from you.

我将洗耳恭听。

Thank you.

谢谢你们

(Applause)

（掌声）