Do you know that most people never utilize more than 0.1% of their true potential in their lifetime?
你可知道，很多人一輩子也沒發揮出他們真正潛能的0.1%這么多.
It’s true. The thing is, human potential is unlimited. Unlike computers, you’ll never come across a situation where your brain says the hard drive is full. You can constantly push your limits, reaching greater heights, only to find that you’re not even reaching a fraction of your true worth! Believe it or not, you harness more power than you can ever imagine.
事實就是如此，人類的潛能是無限的。人腦不像電腦，大腦的"硬盤"永遠不會不夠用。你可以持續地提高你的極限，努力達到更高的目標，最后你會發現，你也只是發揮了一點點潛能而已。毋須質疑，你限制了自己不可估量的潛能。
Unfortunately, many do not utilize their true potential, and lay it to waste by engaging in tasks that are a poor use of their time and energy. Here are 10 sure-fire ways to live below your true potential:
不幸地是，許多人無法發揮所有的潛能，還把發揮的潛能放在一些浪費時間精力的工作上。以下列舉出10種保證讓你高能低用的生活習慣：
1.Harp on the past instead of focusing on the present.
1.總是舊事重提，而不著眼當下。
Some people spend their lives living in the past. They lament about what has been, what they could have done, and why they didn’t do that. However, the past is the past, and no matter how much time we spend thinking and lamenting about it, it doesn’t change anything. To spend time moping about what has been is to waste the person you can be.
有些人總是活在過去的時光里。他們為時過境遷而悲傷，為曾經的輝煌而傷神，為未竟的事業而悔恨。但是，過去已然過去，無論我們用了多久來哀嘆，它也不會有任何改變。浪費時間為了過去的事情而郁郁寡歡，會毀掉本來的你。
There were times in the past when I wondered how things would have been if I did X instead of Y. Or if I did Z instead of Y. However, after that I’d ask myself, "How would this change anything?" Me sitting here and thinking about the past does absolutely nothing to change things and improve my life. Instead, it is only by thinking forward and taking action that I’m able to live a truly fulfilling life.
在過去,有些時候我也會想如果我做了這件事而沒做那件事，結果會怎樣。可之后，我便會問自己，"這會做何改變么?"我坐在這，沉浸在往日時光中，完全無法改變什么，也不能讓我的生活更好。而只有一心向前并積極行動，我才會過擁有一個真正有意義的生活。
What kind of future do you want to create? What actions can you take to create this ideal future? What have you learned from the past that will help you in this journey? Asking and acting on questions like these will help you to maximize your present moment so you can live your best life going forward. For some practical guidance on living in the present, I recommend The Power of Now.
你想要什么樣的未來?你想做些什么來得到這個理想生活?你從過去得到了什么教訓可以助你一路前行?探索并實踐這樣的問題，就會幫助你延伸當下的一刻，你會向前并得到美好的生活。如果想得到更多關于如何活在當下的建議，請參閱《The Power of Now》一書。
2.Get caught up in the details vs. the big picture.
2.為瑣事發愁VS.著眼大局。
If you’re a perfectionist, you might find yourself caught up with perfecting details on a regular basis. If so, you’re not alone - I’m the same way. I spend a lot of time editing the nitty-gritty, so that everything can be perfect and the way I envision it to be. For example in my articles, I can spend an hour or more looking for the perfect photo that expresses the exact intention of my article. I can spend hours just improving my blog and forums so that my readers can get the perfect experience.
如果你是一個完美主義者，你會發覺自己經常在處理一些小細節。如果這樣，你也不是一個人在 這么做，我也是這樣的。我會用許多時間在編輯些基本的事實，然后所有的事情都會是完美無暇的，也會按是我設想的那樣呈現出來。比如說，在我的文章里，我會花費一個小時或者更多的時間去尋找最匹配的照片，這些照片會準確地表達出文章的旨意。我會耗費幾個小時去打理我的博客和論壇，所以讀者們在閱讀時會感覺非常棒。
However, I have come to realize that by spending all my time on the details, I’m not making the best use of my time. According to the 80/20 principle, 80% of the results we can achieve comes from 20% of our actions. In trying to achieve the remaining 20% to get the perfect 100% outcome, we have to spend 80% more effort!
但終究我卻意識到，我確實在這些小細節上十分用心，可是我并沒有最好地利用時間。根據80/20原則，80%的結果得益于20%的時間。為了得到最后的20%結果以達到完美的100%，我們必須要耗費80%這么多的努力!
Some of us may think that we should do everything to achieve the best outcome. While I agree with this, it fails to hold true outside of certain situational contexts. For example, while it may be gratifying to get the best picture for each blog article, the extra time spent looking for that best picture prevents me from working on higher value tasks, such as writing new books or creating new challenges for my readers. It goes without saying that one hour spent on the latter adds more value than one hour spent looking for a picture.
有些人也許覺得我們應該竭盡全力以達到最好的目標。我雖然也贊同這一點，可是這點在某些情況下并不奏效。比如說，雖然為每篇博客配一張完美的圖確實令人慶幸，可是為了這而花費的時間卻阻止了我做更大價值的工作，比如寫一本新書或者為我的讀者帶來更多的挑戰。后者的價值要高于尋找一張圖片，這點不言而喻。
By looking at the big picture, it helps you realize what does matter and what doesn’t so that you can then channel your energy accordingly. The Gifts of Imperfection is a good read on this topic.
著眼大局可以幫助你看清什么更重要，然后你可以根據重要性重新分配精力。在《The Gift of Imperfection》一書中會有更好的詮釋。
3.Let yourself be affected by minor issues.
3.被小事所影響。
Sometimes we may be affected by a hurtful comment or discouraged by a small setback. While these emotions are justified, often times these events are insignificant in the long run. One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: "Will this matter in one year’s time? Three years? 5 years? 10 years? 30 years?" If not, then it’s probably not worth your energy to think about these things. Concentrate on things that do matter in the long run instead.
有些時候我們也許會被一個傷人的言論所影響，或者一個小挫折而阻礙。雖然產生的情緒是正常的，可是在長遠來看這些事情通常并不重要。一種去檢驗這個事情是否值得去想的方法就是問自己："一年后我還會在意這個事情么?三年后呢?五年后呢?甚至十年后和三十年后呢?"如果答案是否定的話，那這件事就很可能并不值得你的精力去思考這件事情。把注意力集中在那些長遠來看很重要的事情上吧。
4.Blame others for your plight.
4.將你的苦境歸咎于別人。
Is there anything you’re blaming others for in your life? Are you blaming the economy for not getting the job you want? Your parents for giving you "fat" genes? Your boss for your workload? The world for lack of opportunities around you? The universe for not giving you the life of your dreams?
在生活中有沒有什么事情，你總是歸咎于別人的問題?你是否會因沒有理想的工作而責怪經濟環境的不佳?責備你的父母給你遺傳的"胖子"基因?指責你的上司給你的工作負擔?或者譴責這個世界不給你多一些機會?還有這個宇宙沒有為你營造一個夢想中的人生?
The extent to which you can live your dream life depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life. When you blame someone/something for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility. You give others power over that part of your life. For example, if you blame your parents for your obesity, you’ll continue to remain obese because in your mind they are the reason why you’re obese. You’ll never have the power to change the situation until you take responsibility for it. When you take 100% responsibility for your life, be it your career status, your health, your relationship status, your finances, your friendships, etc, that’s when you’re set to achieve the life of your dreams.
你有多大可能實現夢想取決于你承擔了人生中的多少責任。當你責怪了別的人或者別的東西，你就在否認承擔責任。你賦予別人的權利超過了你自己的。譬如，當你責怪你父母導致了你的肥胖，你還會繼續這么胖下去，因為你認為他們才是導致肥胖的原因。你永遠不會行使自己的權力去改變這個情況直到有一刻你承擔了這個責任。當你為你的生命承擔起100%的責任，無論是你的事業情況，健康狀況，愛情，財務狀況，還是友情等等，那一刻你就在著手實現人生夢想了。
