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

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Marssi Draw

You may know this feeling:

你可能知道這種感覺：

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

起床時，手機上已經 有一堆未讀通知。

Your calendar is already packed with meetings,

你的行事曆塞滿了會議行程，

sometimes double- or triple-booked.

有時還有兩、三場會議時間重疊。

You feel engaged, you feel busy.

你覺得有在做事，你覺得很忙。

In fact, you feel productive.

事實上，你覺得很有生產力。

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

但在一切都結束時， 仍然覺得少了點什麼。

You try to figure out what it is.

你試著想出是少了什麼。

But before you do,

但在你想出來之前，

the next day starts all over again.

隔天的重覆循環又開始了。

That was how I felt two years ago.

我兩年前就是有這種感覺。

I felt stressed; I felt anxious.

我覺得有壓力；我覺得很焦慮。

I felt a bit trapped.

我覺得有點被困住了。

The world around me was moving very quickly.

我周圍的世界動得好快。

And I didn't know what to do.

我不知道如何是好。

I started wondering to myself:

我開始問自己：

How do I keep up with all this?

我要如何跟上這一切？

How do we find fulfillment

我們要如何才能找到滿足感，

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

畢竟這個世界改變的速度 和我們思考的速度一樣快，

or maybe even faster?

說不定還更快？

I started looking for answers.

我開始尋找答案。

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

我和很多人談過， 我和我的朋友談過，

I spoke to my family.

我和我的家人談過。

I even read many self-help books.

我甚至讀了很多自助書籍。

But I couldn't find anything satisfactory.

但我找不到任何滿意的答案。

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

事實上，我讀越多自助書籍，

the more stressed and anxious I became.

我反而變得更有壓力、更焦慮。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

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

這就像是餵我的大腦吃垃圾食物，

and I was becoming mentally obese.

而我在精神上變得很肥胖。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I was about to give up,

我快要放棄了，

until one day, I found this.

直到有一天，我發現了這個：

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

《道德經：談道和德的書籍》。

This is an ancient Chinese philosophy classic

這是中國古代的哲學經典，

that was written more than 2,600 years ago.

至少有兩千六百年的歷史。

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

它是書架上最薄最小的一本書。

It only had 81 pages.

它只有八十一頁。

And each page had a short poem.

每一頁都有一首短詩。

I remember I flipped to one particular poem.

我記得，我翻到了一首詩。

Here it is.

在這裡。

It's beautiful, isn't it?

很美，是吧？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Let me read it out to you.

讓我讀給你們聽。

"The supreme goodness is like water.

「至高的善就像是水。

It benefits all things without contention.

它讓萬物受惠，不與萬物相爭。

In dwelling, it stays grounded.

靜止時，它謙虛待在低處。

In being, it flows to depths.

流動時，它淵博沉靜。

In expression, it is honest.

表現時，它清晰有誠信。

In confrontation, it stays gentle.

對質時，它維持溫和柔善。

In governance, it does not control.

在治理時，它不求控制。

In action, it aligns to timing.

在行動時，它會順應時勢。

It is content with its nature

因為它無所爭，

and therefore cannot be faulted."

也就不會有所怨尤。」

Wow! I remember when I first read this passage.

哇！我記得第一次讀到這段文字，

I felt the biggest chills down my spine.

明顯感到背脊發涼。

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

今天讀給各位聽時，都還有這感覺。

My anxiety and stress just suddenly disappeared.

我的焦慮和壓力突然就消失了。

Ever since that day,

那天之後，

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

我就一直試圖將這段文字中的概念 應用到我的日常生活當中。

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

今天我想要分享我目前從水的哲學

from this philosophy of water --

所學到的三課──

three lessons that I believe have helped me find greater fulfillment

我相信，正是這三課協助了我，

讓我幾乎在所做的每一件事情中， 都能找到更大的滿足感。

in almost everything that I do.

The first lesson is about humility.

第一課和謙卑有關。

If we think about water flowing in a river,

如果我們想想在河流中流動的水，

it is always staying low.

它一直都是低姿態的。

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

它協助各種植物成長， 維持所有動物的生命。

It doesn't actually draw any attention to itself,

水不會把注意力拉到自己身上，

nor does it need any reward or recognition.

也不需要任何獎賞或是認可。

It is humble.

水是謙遜的。

But without water's humble contribution,

但若沒有水的謙遜貢獻，

life as we know it may not exist.

我們所知道的生命就不會存在。

Water's humility taught me a few important things.

水的謙虛教了我幾件重要的事。

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

它教我，不用在表面裝作 我知道我在做什麼，

or I have all the answers,

或裝作我有所有的答案，

it's perfectly OK to say,

我完全可以大方的說：

"I don't know.

「我不知道。

I want to learn more,

我想要學更多，

and I need your help."

我需要你的協助。」

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

水也教我，不用去 宣傳我的榮耀和成功，

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

宣傳他人的榮耀和成功 才是更讓人滿足的。

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

水教我，我要做的不是 讓我能領先別人的事，

it so much more fulfilling and meaningful

更有意義也更讓人滿足的是

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

協助他人克服他們的挑戰， 讓他們能夠成功。

With a humble mindset,

有了謙遜的心態，

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

我得以和我身邊的人 建立更豐富滿足的連結。

I became genuinely interested in the stories and experiences

我變成真心感到好奇， 想了解是什麼故事和經驗

that make them unique and magical.

讓他們如此獨特且迷人。

Life became a lot more fun,

人生變得更有趣了，

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

因為每天我都會發現 新的奇思妙想、新的點子，

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

以及新的問題解決方案， 都是我以前不知道的，

all thanks to the ideas and help from others.

全都歸功於這些想法 以及他人的協助。

All streams eventually flow to the ocean

所有的溪流最終都會流入海洋，

because it is lower than them.

因為海洋比它們還要低。

Humility gives water its power.

水的力量來自謙虛。

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

但我認為，它讓我們有足夠的 能力可以保持腳踏實地，

to be present,

可以活在當下，

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

可以從身邊的人的故事中 學到東西並產生改變。

The second lesson I learned is about harmony.

我學到的第二課與和諧有關。

If we think about water flowing towards a rock,

想想看，當水流向一塊石頭時，

it will just flow around it.

水只會繞過它。

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

它不會沮喪，它不會生氣，

it doesn't get agitated.

它不會激動。

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

事實上，它幾乎不會有感覺。

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

當面臨障礙時，水會以 某種方式找到解決方案，

without force, without conflict.

不用武力，不用衝突。

When I was thinking through this, I began to understand

當我在思考這一點時，

我開始了解為什麼 我一開始會緊張有壓力。

why I was feeling stressed out in the first place.

Instead of working in harmony with my environment,

我並沒有和我的環境和諧相處，

I was working against it.

反而是在對抗它。

I was forcing things to change

我試圖強迫事物改變，

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

因為我有強烈的需求， 需要成功或證明我自己。

In the end, nothing did.

最終，什麼都沒改變。

And I got more frustrated.

我就更感到挫折。

By simply shifting my focus from trying to achieve more success

只要簡單地把我的焦點轉移， 從達成更多的成就，

to trying to achieve more harmony,

轉移到試圖達成更多的和諧，

I was immediately able to feel calm and focused again.

我馬上就能夠再次 感受到平靜以及專注。

I started asking questions like:

我開始問這樣的問題：

Will this action bring me greater harmony

這麼做是否會帶給我更大的和諧？

and bring more harmony to my environment?

帶給我的環境更多的和諧？

Does this align with my nature?

這和我的天性吻合嗎？

I became more comfortable simply being who I am,

我變得能夠更自在地做自己，

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

而不是做我應該成為的人， 或被期望成為的人。

Work actually became easier,

工作變得更容易了，

because I stopped focusing on things that I cannot control

因為我不再把焦點放在 我無法控制的事物上，

and only on the things that I can.

只放在我能控制的事物上。

I stopped fighting with myself,

我不再和自己鬥爭，

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

我學會和我的環境合作， 來解決它的問題。

Nature does not hurry.

大自然並不匆忙。

Yet, everything is accomplished.

然而，一切都完成了。

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

那就是《道德經》 描述和諧力量的方式。

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

就像水能夠找到不用武力 或衝突的方式來解決問題一樣，

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

我相信，在我們的努力嘗試中， 我們也能找到更高的滿足感，

by shifting focus from achieving more success

只要能把焦點從達成更多成就轉移到

to achieving more harmony.

達成更多和諧。

The third lesson I learned from the philosophy of water

我從水的哲學中所學到的第三課

is about openness.

和開放有關。

Water is open to change.

水對於改變是開放的。

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

依溫度的不同，它可以是 液態、固態，或氣態。

Depending on the medium it's in,

依它所在的媒介物，

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

它可以是茶壺、杯子，或花瓶。

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

事實上，水有能力去適應、 去改變，還能維持彈性，

that made it so enduring through the ages,

這讓它能世世代代持續下去，

despite all the changes in the environment.

不論環境如何改變。

We also live in a world today of constant change.

現今，我們也居住在 一個經常改變的世界中，

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

我們已經無法期待 工作內容不會改變，

or follow a single career path.

也不能只循著單一職涯的路。

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

我們也被期許要經常 重塑和更新我們的技能，

to stay relevant.

才能保有重要性。

In our organization, we host a lot of hackathons,

在我們的組織裡， 會舉辦許多駭客馬拉松，

where small groups or individuals come together

小團體或是個人來參加，

to solve a business problem in a compressed time frame.

在一段有限的時間之內 要解決一個商業問題。

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

讓我很感興趣的是， 通常會勝出的團隊，

are not the ones with the most experienced team members,

它們的隊員通常都不是最有經驗的，

but the ones with members who are open to learn,

而是願意開放學習的，

who are open to unlearn

也願意開放捨棄既有想法的，

and who are open to helping each other

還能開放地協助彼此，

navigate through the changing circumstances.

在不斷改變的情境中找到方向。

Life is like a hackathon in some way.

在某種層面上， 人生就像駭客馬拉松。

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

它在呼喚我們每個人， 站出來，打開心胸，

and cause a ripple effect.

製造出漣漪效應。

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

我們可以待在關閉的門後， 繼續消極氣餒，

by our self-limiting beliefs, such as:

只因為我們的信念限制了自己，如：

"I will never be able to talk about Chinese philosophy

「我永遠不可能對著廣大的觀眾，

in front of a huge audience."

談中國的哲學。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Or we can just open up and enjoy the ride.

或者，我們也可以 打開自己，享受過程。

It can only be an amazing experience.

它只有可能是很棒的經驗。

So humility, harmony and openness.

謙虛、和諧，以及開放。

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

這些是我目前從 水的哲學所學到的三課。

They nicely abbreviate to H-H-O,

它們可以縮寫成 H-H-O， （謙虛=H、和諧=H、開放=O）

or H2O.

或 H2O。 （謙虛=H、和諧=H、開放=O）

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And they have become my guiding principles in life.

它們已經變成了我的人生指引原則。

So nowadays, whenever I feel stressed,

所以現在當我感到有壓力、

unfulfilled, anxious or just not sure what to do,

不滿足、焦慮，或只是 不確定該怎麼做時，

I simply ask the question:

我就只是問這個問題：

What would water do?

水 (H2O) 會怎麼做？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

This simple and powerful question inspired by a book

這個簡單又強大的問題， 靈感來自一本書，

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

這本早在比特幣、金融科技、 數位科技出現之前就存在的書，

has changed my life for the better.

讓我的人生變得更好了。

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

試試看，再告訴我 它對你的幫助如何。

I would love to hear from you.

我很樂意聽到你們的回音。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）