There are some people that are content with their situation in life, but everyone has something they want to excel in; something they want to be proud of. Unfortunately, most people don’t have the drive to do something about it. They waste away their time and talents day dreaming of what could be instead of living the life they want.

有一些人对他们的生活状况很满意，但每人都想有擅长的事情，想有为之自豪的事情。不幸的是，大部分的人没有力量驱动他们去做。他们浪费了时间和天赋，做着想要的生活的白日梦。

People are constantly taking the easy road in life: it’s less risky, it doesn’t involve a lot of effort and it’s comfortable. Change requires you to step out of your comfort zone and into the unknown. You have to change yourself, your surroundings even your habits.

人们不断地选择着生活中容易的道路：风险低、不需要太多努力，而且很舒服。改变需要你走出当前的舒适区，进入未知的未来。你必须要改变自己，改变你的环境，甚至你的习惯。

Change is difficult. If it were easy, we would all be famous billionaires living in mansions. The fact that it’s hard is what makes change and improvement so great. Improving your life will result in several positive outcomes such as, giving you a better sense of self, making you a better person, mother father, friend, etc. and you’ll find yourself being happier in general. You need to understand that changing yourself for the better won’t take away challenges in your life—it will just prepare you to be able to face them.

改变是困难的。如果很容易，那我们就都是生活在豪宅中的亿万富翁了。就是因为它很难，才使得改变和提高显得很棒。改善你的生活会有很多积极的结果。例如，会让你自我感觉更好，让你成为一个更好的人、更好的父亲/母亲、朋友等。你会发现自己更开心。你需要明白的是：让自己变得更好并不会让生活中的挑战变少——但这样做会让你准备好来面对挑战。

If you have tried to change in the past and failed, don’t quit. You can still change and start making a difference in your life. The following tips will get you set on the path to action. When you do these things, you are preparing yourself to do more than just dream about the life you want; you are getting yourself on the path to achieving it. Use these tips as guidelines to make the changes in your life that you want to see.

如果你在过去尝试着改变但以失败告终，不要放弃。你还可以改变，让你的生活变得不同。下面的小贴士会让你开始行动。当你做这些事情时，你不只是在梦想生活，而且你会往争取那样生活的路上前进。用这些小贴士做准则，让你的生活朝着想要的方向发展。

1. The first step toward changing is knowing what you want to change and why.

改变的步是弄清你想要改变什么以及改变的原因。

Take the time to sit down and write down your goals. Also write down why you want to change; make this as in-depth as you can because it will be a foundation for you. This is something you will be able to go back to when you are feeling like it’s too hard or you have forgotten why it’s important.

拿点儿时间坐下来，把你的目标写下来。也把你想改变的原因写下来。尽量写地深入一些，因为它是你改变的基础。当你感觉太难了或你忘记了为什么它很重要时，就可以再回头看看这些内容。

2. Tell people your goals.

把你的目标告诉给别人。

It can be embarrassing for some people to share with others what’s in their heart; but it’s necessary. In order to change, you have to be held accountable. Letting someone else know what you are trying to do will ensure that you have someone to answer to. Make sure this person is someone who will continue to encourage you and isn’t afraid to ask how things are moving along.

对有些人而言，和他人分享心中的想法有些尴尬；但这是必要的。要想改变，你需要有人对你负责。让别人知道你尝试去做的事情会确保有人对你负责。确保这个人会一直鼓励你，不怕去问你的进展。

3. Replace bad habits with good ones.

用好的习惯来代替坏习惯。

Stopping something cold turkey is hard, so it’s best to replace the unwanted habit with something positive. If you have a major addiction, there are other steps you will have to take. If it’s just a bad habit, such as looking at Facebook too much, replace that with something like going for a walk around the block. If you are trying to stick within a budget, play a game with your family instead of going shopping. Find something positive to do that will replace the negative things in your life.

戒掉坏习惯很难，所以用好习惯代替不想要的习惯。如果你的瘾很大，那你需要采取其他步骤。如果只是个坏习惯，如看Facebook看得太多，那你可以把它替换成在街区散步的习惯。如果你尝试让花费在预算之内，那就和家人玩游戏来代替购物。找一些积极的事情做来代替生活中消极的事情。

4. Change is not easy, but it’s easier when you have someone to do it with.

改变并不容易，但当有人和你一起做时就容易一些。

Find a partner, coach, friend or family member who might be in the same situation as you. If you want to start working out, set up times when the two of you can go exercise together. If you want to get up earlier, call each other in the morning and encourage one another to get up and get moving. Whatever changes you want to make, find a way to include someone else in them. You will be each other’s support, can hold one another accountable for what you do or don’t do.

去找一个可能和你情况一样的伙伴、教练、朋友或家庭成员。如果你想开始健身，约定时间两个人一起去运动。如果你想早起，早晨互相给对方打电话，鼓励对方起床并动起来。无论你想进行什么样的活动，想方法和他人一起去做。你们会互相支持，你做什么或不做什么都可以向对方说明。

5. Get rid of distractions.

摆脱杂念。

There are things everywhere in our houses, our workplaces, and even our schools that can and will distract us from changing into the kind of people we want to be. Our phones, computers, iPads, etc. are all wonderful tools that we have at our disposal, but they can also hinder us. We spend so much time texting, emailing and checking various social media platforms. That is time that could be used doing something productive. Limit the amount of time you spend on the computer. Set an alarm and when it goes off, you’re done.

我们的屋子、工作地点，甚至我们的学校里，到处都是分散注意力的东西，让我们无法转变成我们想要成为的人。我们的手机、电脑、iPad等在我们需要的时候都是很好的的工具，但是它们也会妨碍我们。我们花了太多的时间来发短信、发电子邮件、检查各种社交媒体平台。这些时间可以用来做一些富有成效的事情。减少花费在电脑上的时间。定个闹钟，当它响起来的时候，就马上离开电脑。

6. Turn off the TV.

关掉电视。

I know so many people who have the TV on in the background while they are trying to get stuff done. I am guilty of this. In the past I would turn on a movie while I was trying to work or clean the house, but every time, I would find myself sitting on the couch watching instead of being up and moving. I decided to listen to audio books instead: that way I don’t have anything visual distracting me from the things I need to get done but I still have something entertaining or educational to listen to.

我知道很多人在工作时会把电视打开，我也做过，我很负罪。过去当我想工作或打扫屋子时我会打开一部电影，但是我发现每次我都是坐在沙发前看电视而不是起来采取行动。我决定用听有声书的方式来替代看电视：这样没有视觉上的东西干扰我去做所需做的事情，而我仍然有娱乐性或教育性的内容去听。

7. Only say positive things to yourself.

对自己只说一些积极的事情。

When you fail it’s easy to point out everything you did wrong, but that is so discouraging. Instead, say to yourself, “I can do hard things.” You have the ability to change, you just have to believe in yourself. Don’t beat yourself down.

当你失败时，很容易指出自己做错的事情，但是这样很让人沮丧。与其这样，不如对自己说，“我可以做很难的事情。”你有能力去改变，你只需要相信自己，不要被自己打败。

8. Serve other people.

为他人服务。

It’s funny how service works: you go out expecting to help someone else in need and you end up helping yourself. When you serve others, you feel better about yourself, you make a difference in someone’s life, and you give back to the community.

服务性的工作很有趣：你出去想帮助需要帮忙的人，结果你自己帮助了自己。当你为他人服务时，你的自我感觉会更好，你让别人的生活有所不同，你回馈了社会。

9. Recognize the good things you do, no matter how small.

找出你做的好事，无论多么小。

Many people might skip this step because it feels arrogant and prideful. IT’S NOT! Changing yourself is about evaluating where you are in life, what you’re doing and why you’re doing those things. When you make a change, even if it’s something simple, acknowledge it, don’t brush it off like it doesn’t mean anything. It means everything! It means that you’re actually doing it, you’re changing.

很多人可能跳过这步，因为这样感觉自大和自傲。不是这样！改变自己是评价你自己在生活中的位置、你在做什么，以及你为什么在做那些事情。当你改变时，即使是简单的事情，也要承认它，不要漠视它，好像它不意味着什么。它意味着一切！它意味着你真正地在做它，意味着你正在改变。