Bozoma Saint John: The creative power of your intuition | TED

譯者: 欣潔 李 審譯者: Coco Shen

So I am here ...

我來到這裡……

to recruit you ...

是要招募各位……

to the liberation movement.

參加解放運動。

Now don't worry, this is not the uniform that you have to wear.

別擔心，這不是你們的制服，

(Laughter)

( 笑聲 )

You can come as yourself.

你想穿什麼都可以。

So you're probably wondering, "Well, what are we being liberated from?"

各位現在大概在想：「所以，是要 把我們從什麼解放出來？」

We are being liberated from the endless weight of data.

我們的解放，是要脫離

無止盡的過往數據。

It keeps us bound ...

它將我們束縛住……

so that we can't move into the future,

所以我們才無法向未來邁進，

because we're so busy being tied to the past.

因為我們總是被過去綑綁。

So how do we get free?

我們要怎麼得到自由?

The freedom comes from our intuition.

自由來自我們的直覺。

The thing that's right here,

直覺就在這裡。

you know, that you can't really quite quantify.

直覺是不太能量化的。

Sometimes, you can't even really describe it.

有時，甚至無法確切形容它。

That intuition, that's the thing.

直覺， 就是你所擁有的擅長的事。

Now I'm fortunate to have had a career in marketing,

我很幸運， 曾經從事行銷相關工作，

where data and intuition and creative ideas

在這個領域， 資料、直覺，以及創意點子

are sort of intertwined.

可說是密切相關的。

But at the beginning of my career, I had a boss who told me

但在我的職涯初期，

我老闆告訴我

that the data was going to be extraordinarily important

「如果想讓你的想法成功地被呈現，

to the success of my ideas.

數據就是功不可沒的角色。 對吧? 」

Right?

將點子套進數據，

Anchor the idea in the data,

you can predict whether or not it's going to work,

就可以預測它會不會成功，

and then you can see if it actually did work, and vice versa.

接著就可以確認是否可行，

反之亦然。

Well, I mean, look, I took that advice.

嗯…… 我當時照著他的建議去做。

I baked a lot my ideas right there in the data.

我參考數據產出許多點子。

I was inspired, sometimes.

有時，我會因此而激發出靈感。 且能夠看出某種模式，

I'd see a pattern of something moving, and I would say,

"Look, I can follow that!

然後我會說： 「看! 我可以依循那個模式！

Maybe it'll work."

或許那會使我成功。」

But the challenge was that my ideas stopped right there.

但難題在於， 我的點子就被侷限在那兒了。

They didn't really take flight.

它們沒有起飛。

Because, you know, the ideas are based off of electricity, you know?

因為想法總是靈光一閃， 你知道嗎?

Ideas, like, come sharp.

想法總是石破天驚。

They sprint here, and they go here, and they move there.

它們突然出現，然後跳耀， 又隨即轉向。

They're nonlinear.

這就是非線性思維。

I kind of feel like they're like daydreams.

我覺得它們就像白日夢。

You know? Intuition gets you there.

你知道嗎? 直覺幫助你想像。

It feels like something that is just on the horizon.

讓你更輕易達成目標。

And then, sometimes, it comes into sharp focus.

然而， 有時直覺會使事情變得更加明確。

You wake up and you remember exactly what it was.

當你起床時， 你依然會明確記得那是什麼。

That's what ideas feel like.

那就是所謂的點子。

And your intuition is actually what helps you get there.

實際上， 是你的直覺帶你走向成功。

It takes it from something that is so practical

直覺使你從實際的例子，

to something that is magical.

發想出奇妙的事情。

Now, I'm also very, very, very grateful for a boss I had early on,

現在， 我十分感謝我之前的老闆，

who affirmed my intuition.

相信我的直覺。

I worked for Spike Lee at his advertising agency.

我在史派克李的廣告公司工作。

This was in the early 2000s.

它發跡於2000年初期。

And at the time,

當時，

Pepsi had commissioned him to create a commercial

百事可樂委託他， 為他們的活動製作廣告，

for a campaign that they were trying to run

這支廣告是為了，

on the main brand.

讓他們運用在主品牌上。

Spike asked everybody in the office

史派克要求辦公室每個人一起發想，

to come up with some thoughts on what the talent could be

能夠使百事可樂的潛能，

that would star in the commercial.

在廣告中被大眾所知。

And at the time, I was an assistant account executive.

當時， 我只是個業務助理。

There were people who were much more senior than I,

公司裡有許多比我資歷更深的前輩們，

who knew exactly what they were doing,

他們清楚地知道自己該做什麼，

who had come up with a bunch of great ideas.

他們想了一堆很棒的點子。

They went to the data.

他們參考數據。

They went to the Billboard charts to look at who was at the top.

他們參考美國告示牌單曲榜， 以得知誰近期名列前茅。

They went to album sales to see who was selling,

他們還查看專輯銷售量， 以得知誰買榜，

who the public really loved.

或誰才是大眾真正喜歡的。

They looked at lists that experts had put together.

他們查看專家們匯總出的名單。

Who's at the top? Who's really going to win?

誰是最頂尖的? 誰真正會贏?

Who has longevity?

誰會長久受到大眾歡迎?

Well, I didn't really understand any of that data.

然而，關於任何數據， 我都不清楚。

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

I could look at it,

我也可以查看那些資料，

but I didn't really trust myself to interpret it.

但我沒有， 因為我不相信我自己能夠解讀它。

So I went to the thing I did know,

所以我改找我以前就知道的東西，

which is MTV.

那便是全球音樂電視台。

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

There had been a made-for-TV movie

有一部為了電視節目而製作的電影，

called "Carmen: A Hip Hopera," on MTV.

名為天命真女之卡門， 在MTV上能夠搜尋到。

I loved it.

我愛那部電影。

It starred Beyoncé.

碧昂絲有出演那部電影。

Now I thought it was magical,

直到現在， 我仍認為那是奇蹟，

because, I mean, who the hell puts hip-hop and opera together?

我的意思是， 誰能夠想到將嘻哈音樂與歌劇結合。

It's fascinating.

那真的十分有趣。

So, I put my vote on Beyoncé.

所以，我便提議邀請碧昂絲。

Now of course, today, everybody would be like,

現今，理所當然的， 每個人都會像這樣，

"Well, of course, that makes so much sense, why wouldn't you?

「當然，那是十分合理的， 你怎麼會不認同?

Bet on her. Yeah, she's a winner."

賭在她身上，她就是贏家」

But at the time, the data would tell us differently.

但當時， 我們可能會從那些資料得出不同結論。

No, there are not a lot of solo artists that come out of girl groups

當時並沒有很多歌手， 脫離女子團體單飛，

and are successful.

又很成功。

In my opinion, there is only one.

在我看來， 只有一個人符合以上條件。

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

Diana Ross.

黛安娜・羅絲

Yeah, the one.

是的，她就是那個成功的女歌手。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Beyoncé is another.

碧昂絲則是另外一個。

So at the time, nobody was betting on her.

但當時，沒有人願意相信她的潛能。

But I'm so grateful that Spike ...

但我很感激史派克......

affirmed my intuition and also followed his.

他認可我的直覺， 並跟隨他的直覺。

And I would say, today, that we’re pretty successful.

今天，我可能會說， 我們真的十分成功。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Now, 20 years later, I still use my intuition, daily.

現在，20年過去了， 我仍然相信我的直覺，每天。

I'm the chief marketing officer at Netflix.

我現在是網飛的行銷長。

You'd probably say that maybe the stakes weren't as high

你可能會說， 也許當時是因為我只是個業務助理，

when I was an assistant account executive,

所以風險才沒那麼大，

so I could use my intuition, and who cared.

因此我才能用我的直覺， 而且誰會在意。

And maybe today, that's different.

現在或許不同了。

It’s not.

完全不同。

Every day, I am charged with looking at campaigns

每天，我都得負責發想活動，

that are 15 seconds long, 60 seconds long, 90 seconds long,

有的時長為15秒，60秒或90秒，

that will encourage you to watch something that's much longer.

那將會促使你去看時長更長的影片。

Every day.

每一天。

And so I have to use my intuition to understand

就像是我得用我的直覺來了解，

whether or not something is going to make you cry immediately,

某些影片會不會讓你馬上落淚。

is it going to make you laugh immediately,

或者那些影片會不會讓你立刻笑出來，

is it going to scare you?

又或是某些影片會不會嚇到你?

Is it going to inspire you?

或是否振奮你心?

And I feel like if I feel that ...

如果我感受到這些情緒.....

then perhaps you do too.

那麼你可能會跟我一樣感同身受。

Now I'm not the only one.

如今， 我不是唯一一個做這件工作的人。

There are other people who do this.

在這裡， 有許多人跟我一起完成這項任務。

One is over 100 years ago, Henry Ford.

其中一位， 就是約略百年前的亨利・福特。

He's attributed with saying that if he had asked people,

他認為如果問人們，

at the time when he was inventing the Model T,

有關於那時， 他研發出的福特T型車，

if they wanted something like that,

問他們是否想要有類似的交通工具，

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

they would have said they wanted faster horses ...

他們反而可能會說， 他們想要更快的馬匹就好......

instead of this new invention.

而不是他所研發出的新產品。

I think that's pretty powerful.

我認為直覺十分有影響力。

Or you can look at today.

或者你可以參考最近發生的事情。

A more recent example, Ed Bastian and the team at Delta,

舉一個近期的例子， 艾德·巴斯蒂安及達美航空團隊，

you know, based on intuition, I believe,

你知道的， 根據直覺，我相信，

decided that after the restrictions of leaving that middle seat open

在決定中間座位需閒置後，

so that those who are flying would feel safer,

搭機乘客們搭乘飛機時， 可能會更有安全感，

with some distance in-between them,

因為人與人之間都有距離隔開彼此，

that after those restrictions were lifted,

當限制被取消後，

they still kept that middle seat open.

達美航空依然使中間座位閒置。

Now I'm sure they were losing millions of dollars every day

我敢保證， 他們每天都在損失幾百萬美元，

with that decision,

就因為那決定，

but the intuition was right.

但這個直覺是對的。

Do you feel safer? Do I feel safer?

你感到安全嗎? 我感到安全嗎?

What would make us feel safer?

什麼東西會讓我們感到安全?

I think that's the right thing.

我認為達美航空的決定是正確的。

Now look, we can all look at 2020 and 2021

回過頭來， 看看2020及2021的現況，

and understand that, oof, we can't really predict what happens.

並明白事情總是來的太快， 我們永遠無法準確預測。

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

We don't really know.

我們真的不知道。

But what we do know is right here.

但我們所能知的就是當下。

What are the things that make us feel good,

什麼事情讓我們感到美好?

the things that scare us,

什麼事情會使我們感到驚嚇?

the things that make us feel more connected to each other?

什麼事情會讓我們感到彼此更靠近了?

You know, today ...

你知道嗎? 今天......

is a gift.

是個禮物。

That’s why they call it the present.

那就是所謂的現在。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

I didn't make that up, but it's so corny and I love it.

我沒有在編故事， 雖然很老套但我很愛。

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

But my addition to it

我想補充的是

is the question: "Why would we give the present back?"

對於這個問題: “為什麼我們要將這份禮物返還?”

Oh, your intuition is a gift.

噢，你的直覺是份禮物。

So we have to use it.

因此我們得妥善運用它。

So then let's talk about you.

所以， 讓我們來談談關於你的事吧。

You have your intuition.

你擁有你的直覺。

And we'll use some science in here too.

且我們同樣會用科學的方法。

We're not totally against data.

我們並不會完全不參考數據資料。

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

That if you are a set up of molecules, OK?

假設你是一組細胞組成的分子。

Every one of us has a unique pattern, a unique set.

我們每個人， 都有屬於自己獨特的模式，組合。

How remarkable is that -- no two of us are the same.

讓人感到驚訝的是， 我們不會與任何一人是一模一樣的組成。

So one molecule changes,

當一個分子改變時，

and we have a whole other being.

我們就會得到另一種組合。

Now if you consider that we take ourselves as a whole --

現在我們將所有人視為一個個體。

let's pretend we're one big molecule,

假設我們是一個大分子組合，

and that over there, the matter over there,

在這與在那的事物，

is life and the experiences, the services, the communities

是我們的人生， 經驗、服務及社會

that we serve,

我們所貢獻的社會，

and we enter that matter --

我們深入探討這個大分子的組成，

it changes.

他便改變了。

You step out of the matter, it changes.

你跨出這個框架， 分子便改變了。

So of course you're powerful.

由此可知， 你具有影響力。

So why wouldn't your intuition,

所以， 為何不讓你的直覺，

your own thing that you have,

任何你所擁有的，

be powerful?

也具有影響力呢?

I think about that all the time.

我常常都在思考這個問題。

And perhaps you don't want to take the big, big swing just yet.

或許你目前還不想做太大的改變。

You know, you can take the little steps.

你知道的， 你可以先從微小的改變開始。

You can practice.

你可以練習它。

I've practiced for a long time.

我練習了很長一段時間。

I want to encourage you to practice too.

我想激勵你一同與我練習。

So maybe you don't want to, you know, bet on Beyoncé.

所以你有可能不想，你知道的， 在碧昂絲身上下賭注。

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

Or maybe you don't want to create the Model T.

或你不想研發出福特T型車。

Maybe you don't want to make the call about the middle seat.

也許你不會下向達美航空一樣的決定。

So let's take it to something

我們接著用這個論點談論別的事情。

that may be a little bit easier, a little closer to home.

那或許會容易理解一點， 也更一針見血。

Let's pretend you're curating a dinner party.

假設你正在策劃一場派對。

Going to be safe about it -- we have six people over.

有六個人會參與這場派對， 且必須考量安全問題。

And you're considering all the data around who likes what.

你開始查資料看大家喜歡吃什麼。

Right? There's some people who, you know,

對吧? 這涉及到了很多人， 你知道的，

maybe somebody is a pescatarian,

也許有人是魚素主義者，

another person doesn't eat dairy,

也許有人不吃奶製品，

another hates spicy food,

也許有人不吃辣，

somebody only likes their food really, really hot, with heat,

也許有人喜歡吃熱騰騰還會冒煙的食物，

and you have to consider all of this.

你必須考量到這些種種因素。

Put it all together, think about what to make.

綜合這些因素， 思考要怎麼制定菜單。

I think you'd come up with a really bland fish dish,

我猜， 你會想出一頓沒什麼味道的魚肉餐點，

ugh.

噢。

Something terrible.

有點可怕。

But if you used yourself as the curator,

但是，

as one with intuition --

如果你是一個運用直覺的策展人，

think about it, yes, put in all the data, you know?

將這些因素結合資料來思考， 你知道的，

Pescatarian, the spices, all of that.

魚素主義者，嗜辣者，等等......

I think you would come up with something you wanted to eat too.

我猜， 你會想出你也會喜歡的餐點的。

You know? Taking all of that into consideration.

你知道嗎? 考量到這些種種因素。

It might be a catfish stew.

就成了美國南部常見的燉鯰魚。

Something really delicious,

這可能十分美味，

something memorable.

也可能使人難忘。

Now there's probably going to be one person in there who hates it.

但是， 可能還是會有人討厭這道料理。

(Laughs)

(笑聲)

Guaranteed, there's always one.

我敢保證， 總是會有這麼一個人。

But that's OK.

但那不傷大雅。

Everybody else will remember that moment,

其他人將會記住吃這道料理的瞬間，

remember that experience.

記住現在的感受。

It will be something exciting.

那將會十分扣人心弦。

So consider that.

接下來思考這個吧。

As I think about data

當我思考數據這部分，

and how we want to live and change our world,

以及我們如何改變這個世界時，

I'm reminded that sometimes, data is the pill that we take

有時，我會注意到， 數據是良藥，

to calm our insecurity

以用來安撫我們的不安，

about what we intuitively know.

安撫我們憑直覺知曉事情的當下。

So I’m advocating

因此我主張，

that we decrease the dosage of our data.

我們應該減少參考數據的頻率。

And that we increase the implementation of our intuition.

且增加使用直覺的頻率。

You’ll feel great,

你將會感受更好，

you really will ...

你將會真的......

when you're able to prove to yourself

當你有能力證明自己時，

that the power of your intuition is actually accurate.

你的直覺力將是千真萬確的。

Thank you so much.

謝謝。

(Applause)

(掌聲)