In my previous essay, I argued that much of success boils down to a simple maxim: do the real thing and stop doing fake alternatives.
在之前的文章中，我指出成功的大部分都可以归结为一个简单的准则：做真正的事情，停止虚假的替代选择。
Always start by asking yourself: “How would I do this, if doing it well were all that mattered?”
总是先问自己：“如果最重要的就是把这件事做好，我会怎么做？”
Now, you might object: You don’t have enough time. You have a job, kids and responsibilities. Doing it well sounds too daunting.
现在，你可能会反对：你没有足够的时间。你有工作，有孩子，有要肩负的责任。把这件事做好听上去太令人生畏了。
This is okay. The point of this thought experiment isn’t to deny that obstacles exist. Rather, it’s to start with the best plan and make accommodations as needed. What results is usually much closer to the ideal than if you simply start with something that feels easy enough.
没关系。这个思想实验的目的不是要否认障碍的存在，而是要从最好的计划开始，并根据需要做出调整。比起只是从感觉足够简单的事情开始做起，这样做的结果通常更接近理想。
Let’s look at some examples:我们来看一些例子：
You want to learn a language. The best plan is full immersion. You can’t do this completely though, so you make some exceptions for work, friends or family members. In the end, you only spend 60% of your conversation time speaking the new language.
你想要学习一门语言。 最好的计划是完全沉浸式学习。不过你无法完全做到这一点，所以为了工作、朋友或家人而有一些破例的时刻。最终，你只有60%的日常对话时间在说新语言。
In contrast, imagine you start by asking what’s something easy you can do? Now you end up downloading an app, listening to a podcast or telling yourself you’ll speak it “as much as you can.” The result? Maybe 1% of your conversation time is in the language. Maybe you never use it to communicate at all.
相反，想象你一开始就问有什么简单的事情可做？最终下载了一个app，听播客，或者告诉自己你会“尽可能多地”说这门语言。结果呢？可能你在日常对话中只有1%的时间用了这门语言，也可能根本就没用它来交流。
Say you want to start a business. The best plan is to build a prototype immediately of your intended product. You start interviewing prospective clients, getting preorders or contact information. But you can’t do this perfectly—you can’t quit your job yet and you can’t get financing.
如果说你想要创业，那么最好的计划就是立即为想做的产品建立一个原型。你开始采访潜在的客户，获得预购或联系方式。但你无法做到完美——你不能辞掉工作，也无法获得融资。
The resulting path, however imperfect, is still a hell of a lot better than randomly reading business books or printing business cards or whatever convenient activity would have replaced it.
由此走上的道路，不论多么不完美，也要比随意阅读商业书籍或打印业务名片或其他无论什么方便的替代活动效果好得多。
Maybe you want to get in shape. You figure the ideal path is to plan meals and stick to a precise workout schedule. You have to modify this to fit your life, but it gets you further than just buying a standing desk or telling yourself you really should try to exercise more often.
也许你想有个好身材，意识到理想的途径是计划膳食，坚持严格的锻炼计划。你必须对其进行修改以适应生活，但比起只买一张站立式办公桌，或者告诉自己真的应该尝试更经常锻炼，这样做让你更进一步。
A pattern in my own life, and one you may have seen as well, is that the hardest things end up becoming the easiest, once you’ve fully committed to them.
我自己生活中的一个模式，你们可能也看到了，就是最困难的事最终可能变成最容易的，只要你全身心地投入其中。
Most pursuits have some unavoidable effort. You can either choose to commit that effort, or find ways to pretend it doesn’t exist.
追求的大多数事情都要付出一些不可避免的努力。你可以选择投入努力，或者想办法假装它不存在。
If you choose to commit, you make the pursuit a priority. You put it first in your calendar. You expect frustration, setbacks and obstacles. You’ve made yourself stronger, instead of trying to avoid lifting the weight.
如果你选择投入努力，就是把追求的目标列为优先事项，置于日程表的第一位。你预料到会有挫折、阻碍和困难，但你让自己更强大了，而不是设法逃避困难任务。
Paradoxically, it’s those who ignore the investment needed that experience the highest costs. It’s hard to hit a target when you’re aiming out of the corner of your eye. Difficulties arise precisely when you expect things to be easy.
矛盾的是，那些忽视所需投入的人，才会经历最大的代价。只用余光瞄准，则很难命中目标。当你预期事情容易的时候，困难恰恰出现了。
The way forward is simple. It just isn’t easy:
前方的道路很简单，只是不容易：
Start with what would work best. Hold the buts and whatabouts for later. Merely asking what the ideal strategy would be doesn’t yet commit you to it. But it forces you to recognize the effort inherent in the path ahead.
从最有效的事开始，把“但是”和“怎么样”留到以后再说。仅仅问理想的策略是什么还没有使你付诸实践，但这迫使你认识到前进道路上所需的努力。
Focus on what you’d be doing, not how much. The “what” turns your attention to the real thing. “How much” matters too, but it should come after. While intensity can be scaled, the real thing doesn’t have easy substitutes.
关注你会做什么，而不是做多少。“什么”使你的注意力转到真正的事情上。“多少”也很重要，但它应该排在后面。虽然强度有大小，但真正的事情没有简单的替代方案。
Starting with what would work, you now ask how you could make it possible.
从有效的事情开始，现在问，如何才能让它成为可能。
Maybe the real thing is inaccessible. You want to learn a language, but you’re stuck at home. You want to work in a real firm, but they won’t hire you. You want access to the training ground, but it’s off-limits.
真正的事也许是做不到的。你想要学一门语言，但如今被困在家里。你想要在一家真正的公司工作，但他们不愿意雇佣你。你想进入训练场，但那里禁止进入。
Now is the time for substitutions. Approximating the real thing is tricky, but it’s far better than efforts that don’t even strive for verisimilitude.
现在就是寻找替代方案的时候了。逼近真正的事情并不容易，但那也比连力求貌似真实都算不上的努力要好得多。
You can’t travel, but you aim for immersion at home. You can’t work in the real office, but you train on the tools they use. The training ground is off-limits, so you build your own in your backyard.
你无法旅行，但力求在家里浸入式学习。你无法在真正的办公室工作，但可以练习他们使用的工具。训练场无法进入，那就在后院里建自己的训练场。
Now, and not a moment sooner, is the time for engineering ease into your efforts.
现在，而不是更早，才是研究如何做得轻松的时候。
The timing is critical. Starting with what’s easy, you’ll be tempted to substitute something convenient for something that works. Once you know what needs to be done, however, do everything you can to make it easier to execute.
时机很关键。从容易的事情开始，你很可能用方便易做的事代替了真正有效的事。然而，一旦你知道了什么是需要做的，就可以尽一切努力让它变得更容易执行。
Smooth friction. Ask for help. Cultivate good habits, systems and routines. Throw every hack, trick or tactic you have at the problem to make the path a little less treacherous.
减少阻力，寻求帮助，培养良好的习惯、系统和例程，把你所掌握的一切窍门、技巧或策略用于解决这个问题，从而减少前进道路上的困难。
The hard way forces a choice: are you willing to invest the effort required to do it right?
困难的道路强迫你做出选择：是否愿意投入必要的努力做好它？
As with any real choice, sometimes the answer is no. The cost is too high, other obligations take precedence or you simply don’t care enough. No is always a valid answer. Better to say it now, than let it rot away your resolve over time.
与任何真正的选择一样，有时候答案是否定的。成本太高了，有其他义务排在前面，或者你就是不够在乎。“不”永远是个合理的答案。现在说出来，总比让它随着时间推移腐蚀掉你的决心要好。
But if your answer is yes, then you know the path. All that’s left is to walk it.但如果你的答案是肯定的，那你就知道路在何方了。剩下的就是走下去。
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