八大成功习惯：像成功人士一样思考

I am not big on clichés like “every time God closes a door he opens a window,” or “there are no problems, only opportunities.”
我对那些陈词滥调不感兴趣，比如“当上帝关上一扇门时，他会在某处打开一扇窗”，又或者“不存在问题，只有机会。”

But the best entrepreneurs believe and act as if everything is a gift. Well, maybe not every single thing imaginable. But assuming that everything is a gift is a good way of looking at the problems and surprises you’ll encounter in any endeavor, such as getting a new venture off the ground, obtaining buy-in from your boss, or launching a new product line in an ultra-competitive market.
但是最优秀的企业家们相信并会采取行动，好像这一切都是上天赐予的礼物。好吧，或许并非每件事都都预料到。但是假定这一切都是礼物，有助于你看待在今后努力过程中遇到的问题和意外情况，比如，让一个新事业起步，获得你老板的认同，或者在竞争激烈的市场推出一条新产品线。

Why take this seemingly Pollyannaish approach? There are three key reasons.
为什么要采取这种盲目乐观的态度？有三大原因。

First, you were going to find out eventually what people did and did not like about your idea. Better to learn it as soon as possible, before you sink more resources into the concept, venture, or product line. You always want to keep potential loses to a minimum.
首先，你要找出弄清楚人们究竟喜不喜欢你的想法。在你向这个想法、事业，或者产品线投入更多资源之前，最好尽快了解。你总是希望将潜在损失降低到最低。

Second, the feedback could take you in another direction, or serve as a barrier to your competitors. You thought you wanted to start a public relations firm but a quick survey told you potential customers thought the field was saturated. But more than a few of them said they would love someone who could help with their internal communications.
其二，这些反馈可能会将你引向另一个方向，又或者为你的竞争对手设置障碍。你认为你想要创立一家公关公司，但是快速调查告诉你潜在顾客认为这一领域已经饱和。但是其中很多人也表示，如果有人能够帮助他们的内部交流，他们很乐意接受。

Third, you got evidence. True, it was not what you were expecting or even wanted, but that still puts you ahead of the person who is just thinking about doing something (like opening another p.r. firm.) You know something they don’t, and that is an asset. You are ahead of the game.
第三，你获得了证据。诚然，它并非是你所期待的或者想要得到的东西，但是这同样会使你比那些还停留在空想阶段（比如想创办另一家公关公司）的人领先一步。你知道一些他们不知道的事情，这就是资产。你是在这个游戏中的跑在前面的人。

But what if it’s really bad news? It’s a disappointment. You were absolutely certain that your boss would approve your idea for a new software program, and she said no in a way that is still echoing down the corridor. No reasonable person can define what you’ve encountered as anything but a problem, and most people will try to solve the problem. (“Maybe she will like the idea if I go at it this way instead.”) That’s fine if you can. The problem has gone away and, again, you’ve learned something that others might not know. (The boss hates Y, but she loves Z.)
但如果得到的确实是一个坏消息怎么办？这真令人失望。你非常有把握你的老板会赞成你关于一个新的软件项目的想法，而她否定的声音依然在走廊里回荡。任何一位有头脑的人都会把你所遇到的情况视作一个问题，而且大多人将会努力去解决这个问题。（“如果我换个角度阐述，或许她会喜欢这个想法。”）如果你能这么做，那很好。这个问题已经解决，而你又学到了别人可能不知道的事情。（老板讨厌Y，但是她喜欢Z。）

But what if you can’t solve it? (She hated “Z,” too.) Accept the situation to the point of embracing it. Take as a given that it won’t ever change, and turn it into an asset. What can you do with the fact that it won’t ever change? Maybe it presents a heretofore unseen opportunity. Maybe you build it into your product or service in a way that no competitor (having not acted) could imagine. Could you do it on your own? Could you take the idea to a competitor and use it as your calling card to look for the next job?
但如果你解决不了这个问题呢？（她也讨厌“Z”。）接受现实，并敞开怀抱。把它视作将不会改变的前提，把它转化为一种资产。你能拿这种无法改变的事实怎么办？或许，它呈现了一个前所未见的机遇。或许你会把它以某种方式融入到你的产品或者服务，是那些还未付诸行动的竞争对手们所想不到的。你能够自行完成吗？你会把这个想法献给你的竞争对手，用它作为你寻找下一份工作的名片吗？

The thing to remember is this: Successful people work with what they have at hand—whatever comes along—and try to use everything at their disposal in achieving their goals. And that is why they are grateful for surprises, obstacles, and even disappointments. It gives them more information and resources to draw upon.
铭记这一点：成功的人充分利用现有资源——无论那是什么——而且试图利用一切能用的资源去实现他们的目标。这就是他们对意外、阻碍，甚至失望心存感激的原因。这让他们获得更多可以利用的信息和资源。