勵志好文:跟富蘭克林學成功經驗
摘錄:最後也最重要的課程就是要接受改變。當單個殖民地獨立運作時，富蘭克林提出了殖民社區的概念——這對建立地緣政治大國是個重要舉措，也成就了現在的美國。固守陳規就是倒退——讓自己順應這個變化的時代才能讓你走向成功。
His disciplined outlook towards life and a progressive mindset to the changing times made him one of the greatest figures of not only American, but also world history. Even in today's day and age, lessons one can learn from his life are still very relevant and can be the success mantra for your professional life. We bring to you 10 such lessons from the man's life。
他對人生井然有序的展望，以及對待這個變化時代的積極心態，足以使他不僅成爲美國還是世界中最偉大的人。即使在現代，人們仍然可以從他身上學習到很多，他也可以成爲你職業生涯中的成功典範。下面我們來看看能從這位偉人身上學到哪十門課吧。
1. Personal Set of Virtues
自己的美德標準
The joy of success is rendered hollow if the road to it is paved by vicious acts. In the long run, it always helps to have a personal code of conduct and live by them in the strictest way possible. Franklin had his own list of 13 virtues that he tried to emulate in his daily actions and used to keep track of how well he had been doing so. Not only does it make you a better man, but your work or business is also thrown into a good light。
如果成功的道路鋪滿了罪惡，那麼成功的喜悅也只是虛無。在人生長跑中，一定要對自己有屬於自己的行爲準則，並且嚴格遵守。富蘭克林有一個13個美德清單，這使得他在日常生活中對自己的行爲有一定的衡量，他還會記錄下來到底自己遵守得如何。這樣不僅能讓你變得更好，還能讓你的工作或生意進展的更加順利。
2. Well-maintained Daily Routine
保持作息習慣
We all know how Benjamin Franklin was skilled in different arts, professions and fields. His achievements in each of them do not arise from a disorderly life. Every hour of his day was carefully planned so as to make the optimum use of time without leaving time for unproductive frivolity. And this is a lesson that every person can do with。
我們都知道富蘭克林在各種藝術和職業領域都非常才華橫溢，這些成就都來自於秩序有條的生活。他一天中的每小時都被安排的妥妥當當，這樣才能充分的利用時間。這也是我們每個人都需要學習的地方。
3. Honing People Skills
磨練人的技能
Franklin was a man with a charming tongue and great diplomatic skills – and these are what make for smooth conversations and transactions. If you read his autobiography, you will come across various occasions when this skill helped him out. In fact, it can even help you turn your enemies around and make them your friends instead – according to Franklin。
富蘭克林有着驚人的口才和社交技能——這些都是暢談和交易的基礎。如果你看過他的自傳，你就會發現這項技能曾無數次幫到了他。實際上，這些還能讓你化敵爲友——用富蘭克林的話來說。
4. Say Less, Do More
少說多做
One of Benjamin Franklin's oft-quoted mantra is “Well done is better than well said”。 And that applies to every trade, not just politics. There has been many spins on this motto – like “A little less conversation, a little more action please”。 All goes down to say that even though you need a silver tongue, it is better to invest your energy in working than flapping your gums about working。富蘭克林最經典的一句話莫過於“說得好不如做得好”，這不僅在政治上，在貿易上面也同樣適用。這句話還有其他類似的版本——比如“少說點，多做事。” 這些都說明口才再好，都抵不過把精力投入到實際行動之中，而不要總是停留在說上。
5. Never Procrastinate
不要拖延
Another highly quoted Ben Franklin quote is “Never leave that till tomorrow which you can do today”。 Undoubtedly, one of the best mottos to apply to your work-life is this. Work has a way of piling up and overwhelming you – and if he had given in to procrastination, he would probably not have achieved all that he did。
富蘭克林另外一句經典話語是“今日事今日畢”，毫無疑問，這句話完全適用於你現在的職業生涯。工作總是會堆積在那裏壓倒你——一旦拖延，那麼你永遠都不可能完成工作了。
6. Pros and Cons List
利弊清單
If you have never made a pros and cons list to make an important decision, you should start. Whether it is expanding your business, promoting a certain employee or even taking a mortgage – making such a list helps you arrive at a solution faster. And who should be the one to have first brought this into effect but Franklin himself?如果你從來沒有在做出某個重要決定時列過利弊清單，那麼你可以試試。無論是擴展業務，提升某個員工還是僅僅做個小抵押——列個清單可以助你更快找到解決方法。除了富蘭克林，誰還能想到這麼好的辦法呢?
7. Importance of Perseverance
堅持的重要性
Entrepreneurial success is more than just luck – it is pure hard work, tenacity and never giving up in face of obstacles. And when Benjamin Franklin said, “Diligence is the mother of good luck”， this is what he meant. An unwavering
decision to stick by his work and values led him to become one of the founding fathers of USA – and it can work wonders for everyone。
企業家的成功絕非僅僅靠運氣——這絕對是努力工作、韌性以及面對挫折時的堅持。富蘭克林說過“勤奮是好運的母親”，這就是他的本意。對工作和價值觀堅定不移的決心使得他最終成爲美國開國之父——每個人都可以靠這一美德來創造奇蹟。
8. Seizing Opportunities
抓住機會
Benjamin Franklin became a pioneer in demographic studies at a time when it was still new. He was anyway making his personal notes on the population growth in the 1740s – and he took the opportunity of a study in the matter. Centuries later, we still remember him for his discoveries. Being an opportunist and making the most of your chances will help you grow professionally by leaps and bounds。
在人口統計學形成初期，富蘭克林已經是該領域的先行者了。18世紀40年代他就已經對人口增長進行了個人統計——然後抓住機會來進行研究。幾個世紀之後，他的發現仍然被我們銘記於心。成爲一個機會主義者，好好利用一切機會能讓你大幅度的前進。
9. Learning From Mistakes
從錯誤中學習
Another huge lesson that can be learnt from the American scientist's life is not to get disheartened about failure before even trying and to make mistakes without apprehension. Only by trying something new with the risk of failure can you also find the path to success. Franklin did that with a number of his scientific discoveries – and this applies to every entrepreneur as well。
另外一個能從這位美國科學家身上學習到的便是不畏懼失敗，對錯誤要有反思。冒着失敗的風險嘗試新鮮事物纔有可能找到成功之路。富蘭克林就是靠這個得出了很多科學發現——這也同樣適用於企業。
10. Welcoming Change
樂於改變
The last but not the least relevant lesson to learn from Franklin's life is acceptance of change. Franklin brought about a colonial unity at a time when individual colonies functioned independently – and this was an important move that went to establish the geopolitical superpower that is USA now. To stick to the old is to regress – adapt yourself to the changing times to steer yourself towards success。
最後也最重要的課程就是要接受改變。當單個殖民地獨立運作時，富蘭克林提出了殖民社區的概念——這對建立地緣政治大國是個重要舉措，也成就了現在的美國。固守陳規就是倒退——讓自己順應這個變化的時代才能讓你走向成功。
These are some key attributes that went into building the character of one of America's founding fathers. Taking a leaf out of his book is almost half the battle won for the entrepreneur striving for success。
這就是我們能從美國成立之父身上學到的一些關鍵品質。從他的書中隨便學習一頁，你的企業就成功一半了。
