不要被挫折和恐惧占据经典英语演讲稿

　　Commencement season is once again upon us and with that comes a flurry of leaders traversing the country to don the ceremonial cap and gown, all with the mission of imparting words of wisdom and lessons learned upon 20XX’s newly-minted grads. Universities may vie to land bold-faced names for their esteemed commencement speaker slots, yet even the most prestigious leaders have fallen short when it comes to inspiring a future generation of leaders thanks to addresses peppered more with formulaic life lessons than authentic personal reflections.

　　毕业季再次降临我们身边，众多领导纷纷穿上毕业礼帽和礼服发表巡回演讲，向20XX年新毕业生传授智慧和经验教训。大学竞相邀请名人来作为备受尊敬的毕业典礼演讲嘉宾，然而，由于他们俗套的生活经验教训较多，人生思考较少，即使最有声望的领导在激励下一代领导者时也会有所不足。

　　That’s certainly not the case with these 10 leaders from Forbes’ list of The World’s Most Powerful Women. Whether they’re sitting at the helm of multi-billion dollar corporations or reigning supreme in the world of fashion, these power women shared insights that have scaled far beyond the graduating classes for which they were intended.

　　当然，对于以下十位出自福布斯全球权势女性榜的人还说绝对是例外。无论是在数十亿美元的大公司做领导还是时尚界的主宰者，这些权势女性分享了远超出毕业生期望的见解。

　　1. Arianna Huffington – Smith College, 20XX

　　阿里安娜-赫芬顿——史密斯学院，20XX

　　Don’t buy society’s definition of success. Because it’s not working for anyone. It’s not working for women, it’s not working for men, it’s not working for polar bears, it’s not working for the cicadas that are apparently about to emerge and swarm us. It’s only truly working for thosse who make pharmaceuticals for stress, diabetes, heart disease, sleeplessness and high blood pressure.

　　不要相信社会对成功的定义。因为这对任何人都不灵。对女性没用，对男性也没用，对北极熊没用，对我们身边成群结队的鸣蝉也没用。这只对那些生产抗压、糖尿病、心脏病、失眠和高血压类药物的人有用。

　　2. J.K. Rowling — Harvard University, 2008

　　J.K.罗琳——哈佛大学，2008

　　The knowledge that you have emerged wiser and stronger from setbacks means that you are, ever after, secure in your ability to survive. You will never truly know yourself, or the strength of your relationships, until both have been tested by adversity. Such knowledge is a true gift, for all that it is painfully won, and it has been worth more to me than any qualification I ever earned.

　　你们从挫折中学到更高深、更强大的`知识，随后，你的生存能力将保护你的前行。在受逆境的考验前，你们将无法真正了解自己或者人际关系的力量。这种知识是真正的礼物，尽管它来之不易，而且对我来说，它的价值超过了我所获得的任何证书。

　　3. Oprah Winfrey – Stanford University, 2008

　　奥普拉-温弗瑞——斯坦福大学，2008

　　And how do you know when you’re doing something right? How do you know that? It feels so. What I know now is that feelings are really your GPS system for life. When you’re supposed to do something or not supposed to do something, your emotional guidance system lets you know. The trick is to learn to check your ego at the door and start checking your gut instead.

　　你们怎么知道你做的事是正确的呢？怎么知道呢？靠感觉。现在我知道，感觉是你人生中的导航系统。当你认为要做或不要做什么事时，你的情感导航系统会指引你。诀窍是在开始检查你的意识，并审视你的直觉。

　　4. Ursula Burns — Columbia University, School of Engineering, 2012

　　乌苏拉-伯恩斯——哥伦比亚大学工程学院，2012

　　Doing good is not an “add on” but central to leading a rewarding life. As my Mother used to tell anyone who would listen, we all have an obligation to “put back” more than we “take out.” Leave more than you take — not a bad formula for true success.

　　做好事不是“附加物”，而是美满生活的核心。我母亲曾经对愿意倾听的人说，我们都有责任使我们的“回馈”多于“索取”。留下的比拿走的多——这对于真正的成功而言不是坏公式。

　　5. Anna Wintour — Fashion Institute of Technology, 2003

　　安娜-温图尔——时装技术学院，2003

　　The way to start: with clarity and purpose and flair.

　　起步之道：清晰，决心，天赋。

　　6. Indra Nyooi – Miami University, 2011

　　因陀罗-卢英德——迈阿密大学，2011

　　Optimismisn’t a life plan, but it is a great tailwind to have at your back. And if you take advantage of that tailwind by doing what you love, striving for perfection, constantly learning, believing in yourself as well as believing in others, you are bound to conquer the world.

　　乐观不是生活计划，但它是你身后强大的推动力。而且，如果你利用这种推动力并做你喜欢做的事，努力做到尽善尽美，不断学习，相信自己并相信他人，那么你必将征服世界。

　　7. Michelle Obama – University of California, Merced, 2009

　　米歇尔-奥巴  马——加州大学默塞德分校，2009

　　“When times get tough and fear sets in, think of those people who paved the way for you and those who are counting on you to pave the way for them. Never let setbacks or fear dictate the course of your life. Hold on to the possibility and push beyond the fear.”

　　“当形势变得艰难、恐惧滋生时，想想那些为你铺平道路的人和那些指望你为他们铺平道路的人。永远不要让挫折和恐惧占据你的人生之路。只要有可能，就要坚持，把恐惧抛到脑后。”

　　8. Sheryl Sandberg – Barnard College, 2011

　　雪莉-桑德伯格——巴纳德学院，2011

　　Women almost never make one decision to leave the workforce. It doesn’t happen that way. They make small little decisions along the way that eventually lead them there….So, my heartfelt message to all of you is, and start thinking about this now, do not leave before you leave. Do not lean back; lean in. Put your foot on that gas pedal and keep it there until the day you have to make a decision, and then make a decision. That’s the only way, when that day comes, you’ll even have a decision to make.

　　女性几乎从来不会主动做出离职的决定。但事实并非如此。他们一路上做出了很多看似微不足道的、引起她们最终离职的决定……所以，我对你们各位的衷心建议，现在就开始思考这个问题，不要在离开前才去想。不要退缩，要前进。把脚踩在油门上，在你不得不做出决定的那天踩紧它，然后作出决定。这是那天到来时唯一的方法，你甚至将有决定可以做。

　　9. Angela Ahrendts – Ball State University, 2010

　　安吉拉-阿伦德茨——鲍尔州立大学，2010

　　So with the world at your fingertips, have you learned to listen to your heart, your intuition and your instincts?…Your heart is your guiding force, teach yourself to listen to it, nurture it, and let it guide as you start this next exciting chapter of life.

　　现在，你们即将踏入社会，你学会倾听你们的内心、直觉和天性了吗？……你的内心是引导你们前行的力量，学会自己去倾听它、滋养它，并在你解开生命中下一个激动人心的篇章时，让它引导你的前行。

　　10. Hillary Clinton — New York University, 2009

　　希拉里-克林顿——纽约大学，2009

　　There is no way to stop change; change will come. Go out and give us a future worthy of the world we all wish to create together.

　　变革势不可挡，变革必将来临。去开创我们的未来吧，让我们无愧于将共同建立的世界。