去他地吧，爷不干了

译者 garfield0619

Pay close attention, this story might be about you.

请密切注意，这个故事可能跟你有关。

Once upon a time, there was a guy. This guy had it made. He was in his late twenties, he had a six-figure corporate job, he was well respected by his peers and subordinates and bosses at work, and he seemed passionate and friendly and outgoing and successful. He was living the corporate dream.

从前，有这样一个人，他什么都有了，二十多快三十了，做着年薪六位数的工作，身边的人无论上下级都很尊敬他，他也是一副热情友好开朗成功的样子。简直就是过着梦想中的生活。

People saw his nice house with more bedrooms than inhabitants, his luxury car, his new gadgets, and his life of opulence and thought, I want to be like that guy. They saw all of those things—all of that superfluous stuff—and they just knew he was successful.

人们看到他那房间多到住不完的漂亮大房子，豪车，最新的电器，富足的生活，禁不住会想，我想变成那家伙。人们看到的都是那些-富裕的东西-大家只是知道，他挺成功的。

But he wasn’t successful at all. Maybe he was ostensibly successful—displaying his status symbols as if they were trophies—but he wasn’t actually successful. The people who envied his life didn’t see the other side, they didn’t see the life behind the curtain. He did a good job of masking his fear, his debt, his anxiety, his stress, his loneliness, his guilt, his depression. He displayed a impressive facade, revealing only what he thought the world wanted him to reveal.

但其实他一点都不成功。也许他表面上看是成功的-就像展示奖杯一样，展示着那些象征他身份地位的东西-但其实他并不成功。那些羡慕他生活的人们没看到另一面，他们没看到他幕后的生活。他把自己的害怕，债务，紧张，压力，孤单，歉疚和绝望掩饰的太好了。他展示出来的只是诱人的假象，只是他认为外界乐于见他展示出来的东西。

A Life Without Happiness

毫无幸福感的生活。

Worst of all, he wasn’t happy with his life.

最糟的是，他根本不满意自己的生活。

I know this story because I am that guy. Or at least I was that guy: Joshua Millburn, the unhappy young executive. And this is my story about why I quit my job to pursue my passions and live a meaningful life, and I’m going to show you how and why you should pursue your passions too, why you must live a meaningful life if you want to be happy.

我之所以知道这个故事，是因为我就是这个人。或者说我曾经就是这个人：Joshua Millburn，闷闷不乐的年轻公司高管。这个故事就是关于我如何辞职，追求自己的理想，过上有意义的生活，我会告诉你们，为什么你们也应该追求自己的理想，怎样去追求，如果想快乐起来，为什么就得过的有意义一些。

This journey started because I was tired of not being happy, plain and simple. Yes, I had a “great” job by cultural standards. But working 70 to 80 hours per week for a corporation was not cutting it for me. Not that working for a company is inherently bad or evil or wrong, it’s not. In fact, I had a lot of mixed emotions about leaving my job. I love a lot of the people there, and there were a ton of things I enjoyed about the job itself: I enjoyed leading people, I enjoyed developing people and helping them see their true potential, and I got used to the comforts that the big salary afforded me.

这一切开始的很简单，因为我厌倦了闷闷不乐。对，表面看来我有份“很棒的”工作。但是对于我来说，每周为公司工作七八十个小时不算成功。当然，我并不觉得为公司工作就不好或者不对，并不是这样。事实上要离开之前的工作，我的心情还是非常复杂的。我爱我的同事们，我更爱工作本身：我喜欢带领着人们前进，我喜欢开发人们的潜能，我也习惯了高薪带给我的享受。

But I was empty inside. I was not living a meaningful life, I was not fulfilled or satisfied, and I certainly was not free. That’s because I wasn’t doing what I really wanted to do. I wasn’t pursuing my passions. I wasn’t living my mission.

但我内心空空。我并没过上有意义的生活，我不充实，我不满足，我更不自由。这全是因为，我做的并不是自己想做的事情。我并没有追求自己的理想。我并没有实现自己的抱负。

Instead, I made six figures per year but got further into debt every time I got a pay raise. I was trying to buy happiness. I was trying to fill the void with things, attempting to give meaning to that which has no meaning.

相反，我每年挣六位数，每次加薪反而更加负债累累。因为我在用钱买快乐。我试图用物质填补空虚，试图让那些无意义的变得有意义。

And over the course of a year—in late 2009 and early 2010—my life came crashing down in front of me. It was as if I had no power over my life as it collapsed before my eyes. In 2009 my mother fell victim to cancer and I watched her die slowly and painfully as she battled it. Shortly thereafter, my marriage crumbled and it was completely my fault. During that time, my job became mundane and what I once thought was my mission in life became void of any meaning. And to top it off, my fiction writing—my true passion—halted. It was around that time that I stopped caring about life, and my mental and physical health deteriorated. I was flying in ever-diminishing circles.

经过一年的时间-从09年底到10年初-我的生活逐渐走下坡路。我好像对生活一点驾驭能力都没有，只能看着它在我面前垮掉。09年我妈妈得了癌症，我看着她和癌症抗争，慢慢的痛苦的死去。不久后，我的婚姻也完蛋了，而且全都是因为我。那时候，我的工作开始变得单调，我突然觉得，我生活中的一切都没有意义了。更惨的是，我对写作的爱好-我真正热爱的东西-也停下了。正是那时候，我开始忽视自己的生活，我的身心状况都在恶化。我在一个越来越小的圈子里兜兜转转。

It’s sad that it took that series of life-altering events to wake me up, to make me take massive action to become more free, to find meaning in my life.

说来悲哀，经过数次改变人生轨迹的事件，我才清醒过来，为追寻人生的意义，为追寻自由的生活而展开行动。

In 2010 I stumbled across the concepts minimalism and simplicity and unstoppable passion. More specifically, I stumbled across a handful of blogs that opened a door in my mind and changed my life and led me to today (N.B. prior to discovering these blogs, I never even read blogs and thought they were generally a waste of time). I first discovered Everett Bogue’s, Jonathan Mead’s, Colin Wright’s, Joshua Becker’s, and Leo Babauta’s blogs via Twitter; I was intrigued by their stories, which lead me to other interesting sites.

2010年，我偶然发现了极简主义，俭约及永不止步的理想等概念。具体来说就是我看了一些博客，在我心里打开了一扇门，改变了我的生活，让我能走到今天（在此之前，我基本不看博客，因为觉得浪费时间）。我最初是在twitter上发现了Everett Bogue，Jonathan Mead， Colin Wright，Joshua Becker和Leo Babauta的博客；我对他们的故事大为着迷，然后开始看其他有意思的网页。

All of these people had different stories and different perspectives on living a more meaningful life, and yet their fundamental message was the same: the stuff in your life is not going to make you happy, and there is another way to live your life, a way in which you can grow as a person and contribute to others in a meaningful way, a way in which you can be happy and fulfilled and passionate and free.

这些人都有着不同的故事，对如何活的有意义有着不同的观点，不过他们传达的基本意思是一样的：生活中的物质不会让你快乐，不如换一种方式生活，让自己成长，同时有益于他人，快乐起来，充实起来，热情起来，自由起来。

The life that these people were living was the life that I wanted to live—not that I wanted their lives, but I wanted the freedom that their lifestyles afforded them—so I adopted the principals of minimalism and applied them to my life. I got rid of unnecessary things so I could focus on what’s important in my life, so I could focus on relationships and pursuing my passions and living a meaningful life.

这些人的生活才是我想过的-我并不是想要他们的生活，我想要的是他们的生活方式带给他们的自由-于是我将极简主义原则应用到我的生活中。我摒弃了那些多余的东西，完全专注于生活中重要的东西，专注于人与人之间的情感关系，追求自己的理想，过上有意义的生活。

So, What Can You Do?

所以，你能具体做些什么呢？

Great question. I’m so glad you asked.

好问题。幸亏你问了。

First, you must identify your passions. This one is easy for some people, and you might already know the answer. If you do, that’s great.

首先，要知道自己真正的兴趣在哪里。对有些人来说这很容易，你自己可能已经知道了。若真如此，善莫大焉。

But if you don’t know the answer, I can tell you how to find you passion. Although why would I tell you when Jonathan did a beautiful job explaining the seven keys to discovering your passion. Everything you need to know is there.

但如果你还不知道，那就让我来告诉你。不过，Jonathan已经将如何发现自己的兴趣点的七个关键解释的非常清楚了，我何必多加赘述呢，你要知道的都在那了。

Me? My Passion? I would write fiction. Hell, I would write fiction until my eyes fell out and my fingers were bleeding on my keyboard. Sound passionate enough?

那么我呢？我的兴趣？我愿意写小说。我敢说，我要写到哪怕眼球掉出来，双手血染键盘。听起来够不够决绝？

What about you? What is your passion? Do you want to start a business? Do you want to teach children? Do you want to start a blog? Do you want to write a novel? Do you want to become a scientist? Do you want to travel the world?

那么你呢？你的兴趣在哪里？你想干买卖么？你想当老师么？你想开始写博客么?你想写本小说么？你想当科学家么？你想环游世界么?

Second, you must identify your mission in life. This one’s a little more tricky and even a bit philosophical. Sometimes, if you’re very lucky, your mission is the same thing as your passion, but it’s OK if it’s different too (it’s different for me).

第二步，你必须认清自己的抱负。这有点难办，甚至有点形而上学。有时候，幸运的话，你的抱负正是你的兴趣所在，不过就算不同也没关系（我的就不同）。

Another way to look at this is to ask yourself, “What is the meaning of my life?” OK, I’ll admit, this is an extremely complex and abstruse question. The good news is that I’ve spent years thinking about it and helping other people with this same question (I led a large group of people for a long time and helped them understand their goals; I have a decade leadership under by belt).

另一种方法就是问问自己，“我生命的意义在哪里？”好吧，我承认，这个问题复杂又深奥。不过好在这个问题我已经想了很多年了，也帮助别人想了很多年了（长久以来我带领着一大群人，帮助他们认清自己的目标；我在领导力方面有着十年的经验）

So let’s remove the complexities of this question. Regardless of the answer’s specificity, the answer always revolves around two things:

所以让我们解决掉这个问题的复杂之处。先不管具体的答案，首先答案肯定围绕两件事展开：

Personal Growth

个人成长

Contributing to Other People

有益于他人

In other words, the meaning of my life is to grow as an individual and to contribute to other people in a meaningful way. And the good news is that you get to decide how you’re going to do both.

换句话说，我人生的意义就在于，要实现个人成长，并有益于他人。你要做的就是，看怎样才能两全其美。

Growth. I grow in several ways, most notably:

成长。我成长的方面有很多，最值得一提的是：

Writing & Reading (mostly literary fiction) strengthens my mind and my craftsmanship, and it also strengthens my relationships because we have interesting topics to discuss.

写作和阅读（大部分是文学小说）强化了我的大脑和能力，同时也强化了我和他人的关系，因为我们可以讨论共同的话题。

Exercise (daily) strengthens my overall physical and mental health.

（日常）锻炼加强了我的身体和心理健康。

Relationships allow me to connect with others to get new ideas and learn more about myself through conversation.

人际关系让我能从他人身上吸取新鲜想法，通过交流也更了解自己。

Contribution. I contribute to others in several ways too:

贡献一己之力。我通过下面几种方式帮助他人：

Charity & Community Outreach. I donate my time to charitable organizations, I also organize larger teams to participate at local community outreach events.

参与慈善和团体。我参与慈善组织，同时也组织人们参加地方团体的活动。

Coaching and Mentoring. I help others when they are looking for direction.

指导和咨询。当人们找不到方向的时候，我帮助他们。

Writing. Great writing contributes to readers in a special way. Great writing can connect with another person on a level that other forms of entertainment are incapable of doing.

写作。好文章能帮助读者。好文章能够将同样的人联系起来，这是其他形式的活动做不到的。

How about you? In what ways do you grow? In what ways do you contribute? How would you like to grow and contribute? Make a list and pick your top three in each category. Focus on those, they are your mission.

你呢？你通过哪些方式成长？你通过哪些方式帮助他人？你想怎样成长，怎样有益于他人？列个单子吧，然后每种选出三件最重要的事。关注于这些，因为这些就是你的抱负。

Liberating Yet Terrifying

自由洒脱但毛骨悚然

Once you do this—once you discover your passion and mission—it’s eye opening. It’s liberating, but it’s also terrifying.

一旦你开始做--一旦你发现自己的兴趣和抱负--一切都变得惊人。自由洒脱的同时，也毛骨悚然。

It’s liberating because everything changes for you. You feel new and excited and free. Now you have something to focus on, and your life has a purpose, it has a meaning.

之所以自由洒脱，是因为一切都因你而改变。你觉得自己焕然一新，兴奋又自由。现在你有关注点了，你的生活有目标了，有意义了。

It’s terrifying because you realize that the life you’ve been living has been total bullshit, you realize that you must change, because if you don’t change then you’re essentially dead.

之所以毛骨悚然，是因为你意识到之前的生活是多么的不靠谱，你意识到自己必须改变了，不然你基本上就跟死人一样了。

This might sound like hyperbole or exaggeration, but I assure you it’s not. It’s the cold truth. You are either living a meaningful life or you are dead inside.

这听起来好像挺夸张的，但我保证并不是这样。这只是冷冰冰的事实。要不你就好好活着，要不你就心如死灰。

Burn The Boat

破釜沉舟

You’ve most likely heard that little old parable before, the one in which the warriors arrive on the island and burn their boats so they are forced to stay and fight because they have no other alternative. They must fight and win or die trying. There’s no turning back.

你可能听过这则古老的寓言，战士们来到岛上，烧毁自己的船只，这样他们只得留下来奋战，别无选择。要么活下来，要么战死，别无退路。

On February 28, 2011, I burned my boat. That was my last day at my big corporate job. March 1, 2011, was my first day of freedom, the first day of my real life, my new life. This year I will focus on my passion (primarily writing) and on my mission (growth and contribution). I will publish my first novel AS A DECADE FADES towards the end of the year (my passion). I will publish content on our site that helps people change their lives (my passion and mission). I will spend a lot more time contributing to others through charity and mentoring (my mission). And I will help you if you need my help.

2011年2月28日，我做到了破釜沉舟。这一天是我在公司工作的最后一天。2011年3月1日，这是我第一个自由的日子，这是我真正的新生活的第一天。今年我会一直致力于自己的兴趣（写作），致力于自己的抱负（个人成长和贡献一己之力）。年底前我要出版第一本小说AS A DECADE FADES（十年过往）（我的兴趣）。我会在主页上写东西，帮助人们改变他们的生活（我的兴趣和抱负）。我会通过慈善事业和对他人的指导来做出更多贡献（我的抱负）。如果你需要我也会帮助你。

Burning your boat is also terrifying. You begin to think things like, What am I going to do for money? and What if I end up broke, will I be homeless? and What if I’m not successful at pursuing my passions? and What if I’m making a terrible mistake?

破釜沉舟同时也毛骨悚然。你会开始思考一些东西，比如我怎么赚钱呢？如果我最后破产了怎么办，我会无家可归么？如果我追随兴趣失败了怎么办？如果我犯错怎么办？

You will probably think all of these things—and many other things—at some point in time. I did. It’s natural. We’ve been conditioned to think this way. You are going against the status quo, and there is going to be some push back for it. Your friends might think you’re insane, your co-workers won’t understand, your family might think you’re lazy. So what! Those things don’t mean anything if you’re not pursuing your passions, if you’re not happy. Plus Jonathan already showed you how to talk about this with your loved ones.

可能你会想到这些东西-也许还有其他很多东西-我以前也想过。这是正常的。我们就是会这么想。你想要改变现状，就会遇到一些阻力。你的朋友们可能觉得你疯了，你的同事无法理解，你的家人会觉得你只是懒惰。那又如何？如果你不是在追寻生活的热情，如果你闷闷不乐，那这些事又有什么意义呢。再说Jonathan已经告诉过我们，如何跟身边爱你的人说清你的想法。

Burning your boat means that you must be successful: you are leaving yourself no options other than success. Nothing to fall back on, no safety net. You will find a way to succeed.

破釜沉舟意味着你必须获得成功：除了成功你别无选择。没有退路可循。你最终会找到成功的方法的。

This doesn’t mean that you can live the same lifestyle that you lived before though. The house with the two extra guest bedrooms isn’t going to cut it. The $600 car payment isn’t going to cut it. Continuously buying stuff isn’t going to cut it. You will have to drastically adjust your lifestyle if you want to pursue your passions.

当然这并不意味着，你可以依旧按照以前的方式生活。多余两家客房的大房子不会起什么作用的。买600块的车不会起什么作用的。买各种东西不会起什么作用的。如果你想追随自己的理想，那就要调整自己的生活方式。

But I don’t have enough money to change my life, you might say. Really? Everett Bogue did it with just $3,000. He also wrote the book (literally) on how to make money with a Minimalist Business while pursuing your passions.

但你可能会说，我没什么钱能用来改变生活。真的么？Everett Bogue只花了3000块钱就做到了。他在追寻理想的同时，还就如何通过极简主义赚钱写了本书呢。

But I have a family and kids to take care of, you might say. Well, Leo Babauta has a wife and six kids and he changed his life, and Joshua Becker has a wife and two children, but he is living his mission and is living a minimalist lifestyle.

但你可能会说，我还有家人和孩子要养。Leo Babauta有妻子和6个孩子，但他改变了生活，Joshua Becker有妻子和2个孩子，但他遵循自己的抱负，过着极简主义的生活。

No matter what excuse you have, there is a way around it. You know it’s true.

不管你找什么理由，都有办法解决。你知道的。

Screw You, I Quit!

去他地吧，爷不干了。

The “screw you” here is a bit more subtle than it sounds. I didn’t barrel into by boss’s office and yell “screw you, I quit!” In fact, I had no desire to do so. My former boss is an amazing guy, one who taught me a lot about life.

“去他地吧”其实比听上去要更巧妙一些。我并没有闯进领导的办公室喊“去他地吧，爷不干了。”实际上，我也没想这么做。我的前任领导是个不错的人，他教了我很多生活的道理。

So, my “screw you” is not to my former job.

所以我说的“去他地吧”并不是对我之前的工作说的。

Instead, my “screw you” here is to my old lifestyle, to my old life, to a life without meaning. I’m not just quitting a job—the job is not the point here—I’m quitting the life that I lived, and I’m committed to living a meaningful life, one in which I do what I love.

反之，我说的“去他地吧”是对我之前的生活方式，是对我之前毫无意义的生活说的。我不单单只是辞职了--工作不是重点--我是摒弃了以前的生活方式，决定过一种做自己想做的事的新生活。

And you can do it too.

你也可以做到。

I didn’t quit with some big savings account to live off of for a while (the life I was living didn’t allow me to build up some sort of huge nest egg). But I took Jonathan’s advice, and I have enough money to live off of for a few months as a safety net, because I will live a simple life with few expenses. And you can do the same thing. You can refuse to be a slave to your current circumstances and to live a more meaningful life. You can pursue you passions.

我辞职的时候并没有大笔的存款（我之前的生活也不可能存下巨款）。但我听从了Jonathan的建议，我的钱还是足够活几个月，因为我要采取简单的生活方式，花销不会很大。你也可以做到。拒绝做当前生活的奴隶，过的更有意义。追寻自己的理想吧。

That’s what I’m doing starting today. I refuse to be a slave to culture expectations, ensnared by the trappings of money and power and status and perceived success. So, to my old life, I bid you farewell. Oh, and screw you, I quit!

这就是我从今天开始要做的事。我拒绝做金钱，权利，地位，所谓成功等等这些的奴隶。于是，永别了过去的日子。哦还有，去他地吧，爷不干了。