Day 352: On the Empowerment in Trade-Offs

第352天：关于在交易中权衡取舍

Essentialists see trade-offs as an inherent part of life, not as an inherently negative part of life. Instead of asking, “What do I have to give up?” they ask, “What do I want to go big on?

本质主义者笃信：权衡取舍是生活中与生俱来的构成元素，绝非生活中固有的消极成分。他们不会问：“我必须舍弃什么？”而是会探询：“我应该在什么方面倾尽全力？”

—Greg McKeown

We’ve discussed that it’s essential to replace “I can’t do it” with “I don’t do it” in order not to think of your resolutions as punishments. This entry is about taking that even further: instead of asking yourself what you have to give up, think of something more important that you want to gain. In other words, frame your perception of giving up a harmful behavior as an act of empowerment, not an act of sacrifice.

我们已经探讨过，用 “我不去做 ”来取代 “我做不到 ”是很有必要的，这样才不会把你的决心当成惩罚。

这篇文章将更深入一层：与其问自己必须舍弃什么，不如想一想你想获得什么显得更为关键。

换句话说，将你放弃有害行为的念头视为一种权衡取舍行为，而不是一种牺牲行为。

For example, if you want to start saving money, it’s not a question of what you won’t be able to buy anymore. The right question is what will saving more money let you “go big on”? How about improving your peace of mind, spending less time shopping, treating your family to a nice vacation, or (ultimately) perhaps even retiring early? In the grand scheme of things, what does giving up some purchases mean in comparison to that ?

例如，如果你想开始存钱，这不是一个你不能再买什么的问题。

正确的问题是：省下更多的钱能够让自己 “大手大脚 ”地买些什么？

让自己更为安心、减少购物时间、犒劳家人享受一个美好的假期，或者（最终）甚至提前退休？

从长远来看，与这些相比，舍弃一些购物行为究竟意味着什么呢？

Approach each trade-off in the same way: ensure that you understand deep down that it’s an act of choosing to get more of something you consider important, and not an act of sacrificing something to get something else.

以相同的方式对待每一种权衡取舍：确保自己从内心深处明白，这是选择获取更多自认为更为重要的东西的行为，而不是通过牺牲某些东西来获取其他东西的行为。