Since today is my 30th birthday I thought it fitting to share 30 things I understand now that were complete mysteries to me just a few short years ago.  These are simple lessons about life in general that I picked up while traveling, living in different cities, working for different companies (and myself), and meeting remarkable and unusual people everywhere in between.

今天是我30岁生日，正好可以告诉大家我近几年刚刚明白的30个道理。这些简单的人生经验之谈，都是我从旅行中，从不同城市、不同公司（包括自己公司）的生活和工作经历中，从与世界各地人物的交往中拾取的。

1. There comes a point in life when you get tired of chasing everyone and trying to fix everything, but it's not giving up.  It's realizing you don't need certain people and things and the drama they bring.

当你在生活中厌倦了追赶众人、凡事追求完美的时候，不要放弃理想，而是认识到有些人、有些事以及相应的场面是你不需要的。

2. If a person wants to be a part of your life he will make an obvious effort to do so.  Don't bother reserving a space in your heart for people who do not make an effort to stay.

假如某人想成为你生命中的一部分，他应当为此付出努力。犯不着在心灵里为那些无意停留的人预备一个空间。

3. If you want to fly, you have to give up the things that weigh you down — which is not always as obvious and easy as it sounds.

想要飞翔，就得摆脱那些令你下坠的东西——这些东西有时不是那么显而易见的。

4. Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.

哪怕失败的行动也十倍胜过什么都不做。

5. Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You don't fail by falling down.  You fail by never getting back up.  Sometimes you just have to forget how you feel, remember what you deserve, and keep pushing forward.

每一个成功的背后都有失败的踪迹，而每一次失败都通向成功。摔倒不是失败，再也不爬起来才是失败。有时候你只要忘记自己的感受而牢记自己的目标，并一直向前推进。

6. When you get to know people with different ethnic backgrounds, from different cities and countries, who live at various socioeconomic levels, you begin to realize that everyone basically wants the same things.  They want validation , love, happiness, fulfillment and hopes for a better future.  The way they pursue these desires is where things branch off, but the fundamentals are the same.  You can relate to almost everyone everywhere if you look past the superficial facades that divide us.

结识来自不同种族背景、不同城市和国家，处于社会不同阶层的人后，你会了解到每个人都有同样的基本需求，那就是得到认可、获得爱情和幸福、得以自我实现和对美好明天的希冀。他们追逐梦想的途径各不相同，但本质上是一致的。透过看似不同的肤浅表象你可以理解世界上每一个人。

7. The more things you own, the more your things own you. Less truly gives you more freedom.  Read "The Joy of Less".

你拥有的越多，受到的束缚就越大。“简单”真的能给你更多的自由。请读一下《The Joy of Less》这本书。
 

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