We all like to think we are special. Better than others. Doing better work. Excelling beyond our peers.Yet, by definition, most people are average.
我們都希望自己是特別的，比別人優秀，做更好的工作，超越我們的同齡人。然而根據定義我們能看出，大多數人都是普通的。
Are you choosing to be average?
你會選擇成為普通的人嗎?
Average is What Everyone Else Does
普通人就是跟其他人做一樣事情的那種人
I was chatting with a business colleague recently. He was frustrated that he had not advanced faster in his career. There was a sense of entitlement and much complaining. (I wanted to tell him that no one was going to give him his dreams.) Instead, I asked him a simple question about his job, 「What are you doing that is above average?」
我最近和一位業務夥伴聊天，他很沮喪因為他的事業並沒有很快提升。他認為自己應該得到但事實上沒有，所以有諸多抱怨。(我想要告訴他沒有人可以幫他實現他的目標)然後，我只是問他了關於他工作方面的一個很簡單的問題，「你現在做的什麼事情是普通人做不到的呢?」
In other words, what do you do that is better than everyone else?
換句話說，你做的事情是不是比別人做得更好呢?
There was more complaining and a statement about putting in more time than his peers. The conversation eventually ended, but I ran into the same individual a few days later. He came up to me and said, 「I thought about that question. And you know what? I don’t do anything that everyone else doesn’t do. In fact, there are several people who could do my job.」
他反而抱怨更多了，而且說自己比同齡人投入了更多的時間。談話最終結束了，但我幾天後又遇上了他。他走到我面前對我說，「我考慮了下你的問題。但你知道嗎?其他人不會做的任何事情我也不會做的。事實上，的確有一些人可以做我的工作。」
He finished with, 「I am average at work.」
他最後說，「在工作上，我只是個普通人。」
Average is as Average Does
普通就是按照普通人的方式做
Average is what everyone else does. If you want to succeed, you must go beyond average.
「普通人就只會做其他所有人都會做的事情。如果你想要成功，你就必須超過普通人。」
Average is following the crowd.
普通人做事情循規蹈矩。
Average is following the standard career path.
普通人只會按標準的職業流程辦事。
Average doesn’t get up early (or stay up late) to work on their dreams.
普通人不會早起(或是熬夜)去實踐他們的夢想。
Average doesn’t exercise or get in shape.
普通人不會去運動或是健身。
Average is doing what everyone else does.
普通人只會做其他所有人都會做的事情。
Choose Not to Be Average
選擇不成為普通人
The story above has another chapter. This particular individual told me that he had decided that he wasn’t going to settle for average anymore. He was going to choose to not be average in his daily performance anymore. Instead of going through the motions and doing what everyone else did, he was going to make a concerted effort to go above and beyond average.
上面講到的故事後來還有另一段。這個傢伙告訴我，他決定將不再滿足於做普通人。在他以後每天的工作表現中，將不會成為普通的人。他將盡一切努力去超越普通的人，而不是走走過場，做其他人都能做的事情。
So, how do you choose not to be average? Here are 5 Ways to Choose Not to Be Average:
那麼，你如何才能不成為普通的人呢?下面是五種方法教你如何不成為一個普通的人：
1. Have Goals – Average doesn’t have goals. Average doesn’t write them down. And average doesn’t make progress every single day without excuses. Make sure you have clearly defined goals and that you do something daily to move them forward.
要有目標——普通人是沒有目標的,普通人也不會將它們寫下來,普通人也不會沒有理由每天都進步。確保你有明確具體的目標，而且你每天都的事情都能讓你更接近目標。
2. Go Above and Beyond – Average does just enough to get by and nothing more. Average does what is expected and stops there. Go beyond people’s expectations and surprise them with results. (It is important to note that this is not always about the # of hours put in, but rather the quality of effort put in.)
超越——普通人做事情尚可就滿足了而不會做得更多。普通人只做到他們期望的程度就會停下來。超越人們的期望，給他們一個驚喜。(有必要提下這不是指你花的時間，而應該是你完成的工作質量)
3. Push Yourself – Average likes easy. Average doesn’t push limits. You are stronger than you think. Always be testing your limits to reach new ones.
強迫自己——普通人喜歡簡單，普通人不會挑戰他們的極限。你比你想像的要強大。要經常挑戰你的極限去到達一個新的高度。
4. Make Your Own Path – Average likes comfortable. Average likes the well-worn path that is easy to follow. Average is where everyone else goes. Make your own path if you don’t want to end up with everyone else.
選擇你自己的道路——普通人喜歡安逸，普通人喜歡那種容易遵循的舊方式。普通人走的路跟其他人一樣。請選擇你自己的道路，如果你不想落得跟其他人一樣的結局。
5. Try New Things – Average doesn’t like change. Average likes the status quo. Always be willing to try something new. You have to try new things in order to learn and grow.
嘗試新事物——普通人不喜歡改變，普通人滿足於現狀。你要經常渴望嘗試新事物，為了學習和成長你必須要嘗試新事物。
Life is too short to be average. Ask yourself if you are settling for the same as everyone else. Choose to be more. Choose to be something better. Choose to be above average.
生命太過短暫，不要只做普通人。如果你正勉強接受和別人一樣的生活，那就問問你自己。選擇做得更多，選擇把事情做得很好吧，選擇超過普通人。
（兼職編輯：楊帆）