成功沒有捷徑 你做好長期奮鬥的準備了嗎？

So many people are in such a hurry to success that they eagerly take any shortcuts that come across their way. In reality, shortcuts usually lead to disappointments rather than quicker success. The key to any long-term success is to take the necessary steps to steadily progress rather than skip any of them. This would be true whether the goals are financial or health or relationship related.
太多人急着想要成功，總是希望途中能走捷徑。但在現實中，捷徑往往只會帶來失望而非瞬間成功。長久成功的關鍵是踏實走好所必須的每一步，而不是敷衍了事。不論你的目標是有關經濟的、健康的還是人際關係的，這一點都確鑿無疑。

I’ve seen gullible people buy into the many ‘get rich quick’ or ‘lose weight fast’ schemes out there only to find out that none of them work except in relieving you of the money paid for such products or programs. A friend of mine even bought one of those home devices that electronically stimulate belly muscle contractions thinking that weight lost is possible while watching TV. This friend, who did not want to put in the work of exercising in a gym, is still overweight today.
我遇見過不少輕信“一夜致富”或“快速減肥”的人，最後發現他們除了在類似產品或活動上浪費大把鈔票外，什麼收穫也沒有。我有個朋友甚至買過一種能電動刺激腹部收縮的家用儀器，自以爲可以趁看電視的功夫就成功減肥。然而，這個不願去健身房運動的朋友，至今也還是沒能減肥。

Shortcuts can result in loss of success
捷徑會導致錯失成功

As a certified ski instructor, I’ve seen many beginners who try to come down slopes that they are clearly not ready for. Such folks have not reached a level where they can consistently stop and turn on their skis while even on the bunny hill yet. For some reason, these same people ventured onto steeper slopes serviced by chairlifts and they end up frozen stiff with fear at the top.
作爲一名資歷滑雪教練，我見過不少初學者躍躍欲試那種他們顯然還不夠資格的滑坡。這些人在小斜坡上甚至都還無法熟練剎車和轉彎，可出於某種心理，他們卻總是冒險搭乘升降機到陡峭的山坡上去，然後又在坡頂上嚇得哆哆嗦嗦。

I’ve had to physically climb back up a slope to rescue such novice skiers by holding them all the way safely back down the hill. Imagine how embarrassing this must be for an adult as this is how we usually start little three or four year-olds on the bunny hill.
結果我只好親自爬到坡上去解困，一路拉着這些幼稚的滑雪傢伙安全下坡。想想這對成年人來說該有多麼尷尬吧，三四歲的時候就在小斜坡上練習過的呀！

If they do manage to start coming down on their own, they will usually panic, lose their focus and end up going straight down the hill with increasing speed. Of course a ‘yard sale’ (a ski phrase which describes a fallen skier with skis and poles ending up all over the slope) will be the result.
要是他們確實能夠自己滑下來，通常也會變得六神無主，完全任憑加速度筆直地衝下來。當然，後果就是“橫七豎八”，整個坡上連人帶板摔得到處都是。

We always tell beginners that they must be completely comfortable in making solid turns and stops on a bunny hill before going onto slopes serviced by chairlifts. This is achieved only by extra practice outside of lesson time. But some are just impatient and decide to go on the chairlifts anyway before they are proficient on the easier slopes.
我們總是告誡初學者：只有先在小斜坡上能夠熟練自如地剎車和轉彎，然後才能搭乘升降機嘗試陡峭山坡。而且這也需要在課外多加練習才行。但有些人就是不耐煩，一意孤行地選擇先搭升降機去陡峭山坡，就算還沒在小斜坡上滑熟練也無所謂。They thought that they could take shortcuts and bypass the steps required. Imagine the shock when they realize that even the easier slopes serviced by the chairlifts are way beyond their abilities and comfort levels when they are looking down these larger hills compared to the relatively flat bunny slopes.

他們以爲可以跳過部分規定的步驟轉而選取捷徑。但當搭乘升降機到達比較容易的山坡時，他們卻發現自己根本就沒有那個膽量和能力，再回頭看看那些相對平坦的小斜坡，想想他們該有多麼震驚吧！

Unfortunately, some of these beginners may never put on skis again because of their terrifying experiences. This is a real shame since they did make the initial efforts to come out to try skiing as a way to embrace winter. If they do come back to try again, sometimes it is the following winter when they have already loss the momentum of any progress as they have forgotten the basic skills.
糟糕的是，有些初學者會因爲可怕的經歷而再也不願踏上滑板。這可真夠丟臉的：畢竟，他們爲了享受冬季已經嘗試過滑雪了。如果他們確實準備回來再次嘗試，有時也是來年冬天了，這時他們幾乎忘了基本技巧，也很難取得進步了。

The shortcuts they thought they could get away with resulted in a loss of success. These poor folks usually have to start all over again from scratch in terms of learning how to ski even the bunny hills. Their initial fears will take twice as much work to get over compared to those who did not take shortcuts in their learning.
他們原本以爲的捷徑卻只會讓他們錯失成功。這些可憐的傢伙往往只能從頭開始再學一遍如何在小斜坡上滑雪。相比那些開始就沒走捷徑的人，他們的恐懼感會讓他們更加事倍功半。

Take the same steps as other successful people have done
像其他成功的人一樣循序漸進

Although it is wise to get proper coaching, instruction and mentoring for your goals, these are not considered shortcuts. They are just more efficient ways to learn the skills required for success. However, time with a coach or instructor does not replace the steps one must take in order to be successful.
雖然爲了達成目標而選擇合適的教練和指導比較明智，但這些並不算是“捷徑”。這些只是掌握成功所需技巧的更有效的方法而已。不過，跟隨教練或指導員並不表示你可以忽略成功所必須的那些步驟。

You still have to do your part of the work whether it’s working out at the gym, building wealth, starting a new relationship or practicing your ski turns on the bunny hill. The bottom line is that there are no true shortcuts to real success.
你仍然需要做好分內之事——去健身房鍛鍊，累積財富、建立新的人際關係或在小斜坡上練習滑雪轉彎。底線在於，真正的成功是沒有捷徑的。

Many of the goals we want to achieve have already been achieved by countless numbers of other people. Follow their examples and take the same type of steps they had to take in order to be successful. Each step is very much like a little success on its own and little successes do add up. Pay your dues to steadily develop towards success rather than take detours on shortcuts that can actually set you back.
我們想要實現的目標中，有很多都是其他人已經實現了的。如果想要成功，那就以那些人爲榜樣，採取同樣的步驟吧。每一步都是一次小小的成功，而小成功就能彙集成大成功。請腳踏實地去爭取成功，而不要選擇實際上會拖後腿的彎路或捷徑！