Why Your Life Needs Novelty, No Matter Your Age | Kenneth Chabert | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

In 2018, I had what I call a powerful first experience.

2018 年，我經歷了 我所謂的強大初體驗。

At 31 years old,

三十一歲時，

I made my first snow angel.

我第一次做了一個雪天使。

Now, that may not sound powerful to some of you,

我知道有些人不覺得那有什麼 強大的，但對我而言很強大。

but for me, it was.

And so how do you get from New York City to Montana?

你要如何從紐約市到蒙大拿？

Well, you have to have a horse.

你得有一匹馬。

I don't make the rules,

規則不是我訂的，但很多人 到不了就是因為沒有馬。

but not having a horse is why so many people don't make it out there.

I'm kidding.

我在開玩笑。

事實上，我受邀到大天空 （蒙大拿）的大會去演說。

I was actually invited to attend and speak at a conference in Big Sky.

I'm a kid from the Bronx, so I knew nothing about Big Sky.

我是來自布朗克斯的孩子， 對大天空一無所知。

I knew nothing about Montana.

我對蒙大拿一無所知。

In fact, I had only recognized images similar to it

事實上，我只認得和它相似的圖像，

as the screen saver that comes on whenever my MacBook goes idle.

我的 MacBook 閒置時，螢幕 保護程式就會顯示類似的圖像。

I landed in Bozeman and the first thing I did was thank God,

我在博茲曼市降落， 我做的第一件事就是謝天，

because I don't like flying, even though I have to do it often.

因為我不愛坐飛機， 雖然我常常得坐。

I walked out of the airport and I saw no skyscrapers,

我走出機場，看不到摩天大樓，

no lines and cabs,

沒有排隊，沒有計程車， 沒有人大聲叫囂，

no people yelling and arguing,

and there were no funny smells that I was familiar with.

沒有我熟悉的奇怪氣味。

You know, all of the things that make NYC amazing.

所有讓紐約市不凡的一切，都沒有。

So fast forward,

時間快轉，我坐在 車子後座向窗外看去，

I'm in the passenger seat of the car and I'm looking out the window

我就只是欣賞風景。

and I'm just taking on the views.

Mountains covered in snow, trees everywhere.

山被雪覆蓋，到處都是樹木。

And at one point we pass by these homes that had to be worth millions of dollars

某個時刻，我們經過一些住房， 價值一定有數百萬美金，

because they had the most beautiful view of the environment.

因為它們看出去的環境實在太美了。

Later the next day, as I'm getting off stage from speaking,

隔天，我演講完走下台， 一名女子來找我，問道：

a woman comes up to me and she asks,

"Would you like to go on a hike?"

「你想去健行嗎？」

Now I’m from New York City, so a hike is a few city blocks.

我來自紐約市， 健行就是走幾個街區。

New York City is at sea level, so we're talking about real oxygen.

紐約市的高度在海平面， 所以有真正的氧氣。

So, no, this was a hike.

不，這才是健行。

And at 8,000 feet elevation,

在海拔八千英尺高，你馬上會知道，

one quickly realizes Montana's oxygen just isn't real.

蒙大拿的氧氣不是真的。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Midway through our hike, I can't remember what I said,

健行到一半，我記不得我說了什麼，

but the woman grabs a fistful of snow,

但那名女子抓了一把雪，

puts it in her mouth and she starts to chew.

放進她的嘴裡，開始咀嚼。

And my initial thought was, "That was disgusting."

我的第一個念頭是： 「那……好噁。」

I would never touch anything that touches a New York City street.

我不會去碰任何 接觸過紐約市街道的東西。

But then I realized this was snow from Montana,

但接著，我想到這是蒙大拿的雪,

and this was symbolic of the relationships Montanans have with their environment.

這象徵著蒙大拿人與其環境的關係。

So towards the end of the hike,

所以，健行快結束時，

this woman lays down in a bed of snow

這名女子把雪當床躺下，

and she moves her body in a way where [it] registers to me,

她用一種吸引我注意的 方式動她的身體，

she's making a snow angel.

她在做雪天使。

So after about 30 seconds, I decide to mimic.

大約三十秒後，我決定模仿。

And so I lay in this fresh bed of snow in Montana,

所以我把蒙大拿新鮮的雪當床來躺，

I move my arms and my legs.

揮動我的手腳。

And then it dawns on me.

接著我恍然大悟。

I'm making a snow angel for the first time.

這是我第一次做雪天使。

當然，我看過別人做雪天使， 我也在電視上看過。

And of course, I've seen other people do it

and I've seen it on television before.

But it was the first time I did it.

但這是我第一次做。

You see, I've coined the term powerful first experiences or PFEs

我創造了「強大初體驗 （PFE）」這個詞，

as doing something you never thought you would do for the first time,

定義是初次去做你從來 沒有想過你會做的事，

且在你從來沒有想過 你會去的地方做這件事。

in a place that you never thought you would be in for the first time.

我最初會到蒙大拿的主要原因

The main reason why I was in Montana in the first place

was to give a talk about powerful first experiences,

就是去演講關於強大初體驗的主題。

so it was only right that I would then have

所以我在蒙大拿有了強大 初體驗是再正常不過了。

powerful first experiences in Montana.

Powerful first experiences are life-altering moments and experiences

強大初體驗是會轉變 人生的時刻和經驗，

that change the way that we see ourselves

能改變我們看待自己及世界的方式。

and changes the way we see the world.

And it can be as expansive as skydiving out of a plane in France

它有可能很昂貴，比如

到法國從飛機上跳傘，也可能 很小，比如初次到湖邊冥想。

or as small as visiting a lake to meditate for the first time.

What matters is your imagination,

重要的是你的想像力、 勇氣，及好奇心。

your courage and your curiosity.

在奇普和丹‧希思的 《關鍵時刻》這本書中，

In the book "Power of Moments" by Chip and Dan Heath,

the authors reference what psychologists call the reminiscence bump,

作者引用了心理學家 所謂的回憶高峰，

a phenomenon where older individuals are asked

這個現象是：

如果要較年長的人想想他們的經歷，

to think about their experiences,

where they tend to disproportionately talk

他們通常會很不成比例地

大談大約在十五歲 到三十歲之間的經歷。

about the experiences that happened roughly between the ages of 15 to 30.

Some researchers say

有些研究者說，這是我們 生命中最多新奇體驗的時期。

this is a time in our lives when we experience the most novelty.

And there's a few theories why.

有幾個理論可以解釋。

One, when you enter and pass through your 30s,

第一，當你進入三十幾歲時， 人生似乎加速了。

life can seem like it speeds up

because we develop the habits of doing the same things over and over.

因為我們發展出習慣， 不斷重複做同樣的事。

Another reason is that there are just some experiences in our lives

另一個理由，

我們人生中有些經歷本來 就會在那段時期發生。

that are set to happen within that time frame.

So think about it.

想想看。

By 15, you might be in high school.

十五歲時，你可能在讀高中。

By 18, you may be in college.

十八歲時，你可能在讀大學。

After college, you get a job,

大學畢業後，你找了份工作，

you may buy the big home, you may get married,

你可能買了間大房子， 可能結婚生子了。

you may have a kid.

And then you might experience loss or grief.

接著你可能會經歷失去或悲傷。

And then you enter your 30s and that's it.

接著你進入三十多歲， 就這樣，不再有強大初體驗，

No more powerful first experiences

and life repeats itself over and over.

人生變成是不斷的重複。

Something about that seems so unfulfilling.

那會讓人有種很不滿足的感覺。

Now imagine if you were a kid from a community like the Bronx.

想像你是來自布朗克斯 這種社區的孩子，

While the Bronx offers amazing experiences,

雖然布朗克斯提供很不凡的經歷，

by the time you turn 14 or 15,

等你十四或十五歲時， 就會覺得你已經經驗了

you can feel like you've experienced

那個環境中的所有強大初體驗。

all the powerful first experiences in that environment.

And so I became obsessed with figuring out

所以我總是想要搞懂

how to give more powerful first experiences to others.

如何給別人更多強大初體驗。

My organization, Gentlemen's Retreat,

我的組織「男士休養所」把焦點 放在內都市的有色人種年輕人，

focuses on young men of color from the inner city

who end up going to top colleges and universities,

且是進入頂尖大學的人，

such as Brown University.

比如布朗大學。

These young men are gifted and they're special.

這些年輕人很有才華且很特別。

They just felt they experienced everything their community had to offer.

只是他們覺得已經體驗過 他們的社區能提供的一切了。

We call these young men Gs for gentlemen.

我們稱這些年輕人 G，代表男士。

And while working with these gentlemen

和這些男士們合作 並給予他們強大初體驗時，

and giving them powerful first experiences,

I realized it was shaping their identities in a positive way,

我發現這也對形塑 他們的身分有正面的幫助。

but it was also increasing their cultural and their social capital.

同時也是在增加他們的 文化及社會資本。

An individual has cultural capital

人之所以會有文化資本， 是因為他們所屬的環境。

because of the environment that they come from.

The knowledge, skills and belief of that environment

該環境的知識、技能，和信念 可以被視為資本或資產。

can be seen as capital or an asset.

And having the combination

擁有這樣的組合

allows an individual to have economic advantages

就會讓人擁有經濟優勢和其他優勢。

and other advantages.

And when you collect powerful first experiences,

當你收集強大初體驗，

you're collecting cultural capital from different environments.

就是在收集來自 不同環境的文化資本。

Social capital is a set of shared values and resources

社會資本是一組共同價值觀和資源，

that allows individuals to come together

讓人能夠聚集在一起，

達成共同目標。

to achieve a common goal.

It can also be thought of as the ability to access resources and favors

它也可以被視為是一種能力，

能從你的網路取得 資源、人情，和資訊。

and information from your network.

當男士們在巴黎、倫敦， 甚至蒙大拿等地發展出

Countless connections are fostered

when the gentlemen develop intimate relationships

in places such as Paris, London and even Montana.

親密關係時，便培養出了無數連結。

As they spend time with locals, entrepreneurs

他們花時間和當地人、企業家， 甚至風險投資家相處。

and even venture capitalists.

They develop a more expansive network and idea of the world.

他們發展出更廣大的網路和世界觀。

And increasing cultural and social capital doesn’t just benefit the gentlemen,

而文化與社會資本的增加

不僅讓男士們受惠，他們所到的 社區也托他們的福一同受惠。

it also benefits the communities that they bless with their presence.

And a powerful first experience changes the way you see yourself

強大初體驗會改變 你看待自己以及世界的方式。

and the way you see the world.

Going to Big sky changed the way that I saw the world,

到大天空的經歷改變了 我看待世界的方式、

the way that I saw myself and what I wanted to do in the world.

我看待自己的方式， 以及我在世界上想做什麼。

Instead of waiting for my cycle of experiences to repeat themselves,

我不再等待我的經歷循環不斷重複，

doing the same things over and over,

一而再再而三做同樣的事 ，

I decided to go out into the world and collect powerful first experiences.

我決定走出去，到世界上 去收集強大初體驗。

And a powerful first experience can be anything.

強大初體驗可以是任何事。

It's all about intention.

重點是意圖。

The most important part of a powerful first experience or a PFE,

強大初體驗（PFE） 最重要的部分就是意圖。

is intention.

人人都能得到。

Anyone can have them.

You don't have to have capital or have started an organization.

你不需要有資本或創辦一個組織，

You don't even have to be a G.

你甚至不用是男士。

You just have to be thoughtful about two things.

你只需要思考兩點。

一、去做你一直想做 但還沒去做的事。

One, do something you haven't done

but have always wanted to do.

And what’s important here, no matter what you choose to do --

重要的是，不論你選擇做什麼，

skydiving out of a plane,

從飛機上跳傘、

learning a new language, switching your wardrobe --

學習新語言、更換你的衣櫥——

whatever you decide to do,

不論你決定做什麼，對你 都必須要有某種程度的風險。

has to have a certain level of risk in it for you.

It's about courage.

重點是勇氣。

The courage to get on a plane

鼓起勇氣坐上飛機及前往 大部分人外觀和我不同的州，

and go to a state where most people don't look like me

in order to experience something as simple as making a snow angel.

去體驗像做雪天使這麼簡單的事。

Second thing, switch up your environment,

二、改變你的環境。

change the stimuli and please try to be bold.

改變刺激，且請務必要大膽一點。

So you may be a singer,

你可能是個歌手，

but maybe you sing on a crowded train in New York City

但也許你可以在擁擠的紐約地鐵上 或美麗的義大利威尼斯街道上唱。

or in the beautiful streets of Venice, Italy.

Imagine what the world would be like

想像一下世界會變成什麼樣子，

if we decided to share and exchange in more powerful first experiences.

如果我們決定分享和交流 更多強大初體驗。

Would we feel more loved?

我們會更有被愛、有所連結、 更勇敢的感覺嗎？

Would we feel more connected?

Would we feel more brave?

Most importantly, would we feel more human?

最重要的是，我們會更有人的感覺嗎？

Each and every one of us has so much to experience

我們每一個人都有好多要體驗的，

if we allow ourselves the gift of another powerful first experience.

如果我們能允許自己收下 「另一個強大初體驗」這份禮。

My only ask,

我唯一的請求：

if you decide to go to Montana for the first time,

如果你打算初次造訪蒙大拿，

please don't forget your horse.

別忘了你的馬。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）