TED@Westpac
Raymond Tang: Be humble -- and other lessons from the philosophy of water
Raymond Tang: 保持谦逊——以及其他的“水之道”
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在一个不断变化的世界中，我们如何才能获得满足感呢？Raymond Tang对此冥思苦想，直到他发现了中国哲学经典《道德经》。在这本书中，他找到了一个将善比喻为水的段落，作为他现今的人生指南。在这个谈话中，他分享了迄今为止从“水之道”中学到的三个道理。他会问：“'水会怎么做？“”这个简单而有力的问题，已经改变了我的生活。”
Raymond Tang - IT manager
Westpac's Raymond Tang wants to help bridge the East and the West by exploring and applying ancient Chinese philosophy in the modern world. Full bio
Westpac's Raymond Tang wants to help bridge the East and the West by exploring and applying ancient Chinese philosophy in the modern world. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
You may know this feeling:
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你可能有过这种感觉：
00:14
you wake up to multiple unread
notifications on your mobile phone.
notifications on your mobile phone.
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早晨醒来，看到手机上
许多条未读的通知。
许多条未读的通知。
00:19
Your calendar is already
packed with meetings,
packed with meetings,
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你的行程日历已经被各种会议填满，
有时候甚至要同时做两三件事。
00:21
sometimes double- or triple-booked.
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00:24
You feel engaged, you feel busy.
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你觉得自己很投入，很忙碌。
00:27
In fact, you feel productive.
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实际上，你还会觉得自己很有效率。
00:30
But at the end of it all,
something still feels missing.
something still feels missing.
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可一天结束后，你却总是
觉得还缺了点什么，
觉得还缺了点什么，
00:36
You try to figure out what it is.
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并试图弄清到底少了什么。
00:38
But before you do,
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但在你想明白前
同样的日子又已来临。
00:40
the next day starts all over again.
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00:44
That was how I felt two years ago.
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这就是我两年前的感受。
00:48
I felt stressed; I felt anxious.
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我觉得压抑，焦虑，
00:50
I felt a bit trapped.
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感觉自己陷入了困境。
00:53
The world around me
was moving very quickly.
was moving very quickly.
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周围的世界在快速运转着，
00:57
And I didn't know what to do.
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我却不知道该如何应对。
01:00
I started wondering to myself:
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我开始问自己：
01:02
How do I keep up with all this?
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我该怎么做才能跟上世界的步伐？
01:04
How do we find fulfillment
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我们应该怎么做
01:06
in a world that's literally changing
as fast as we can think,
as fast as we can think,
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才能在这个飞速变换的世界里
找到满足感？
01:11
or maybe even faster?
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01:15
I started looking for answers.
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我开始寻找答案。
01:17
I spoke to many people,
I spoke to my friends,
I spoke to my friends,
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我和许多人聊过这个话题，
包括朋友，家人。
01:20
I spoke to my family.
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我甚至读了很多励志的书，
01:21
I even read many self-help books.
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01:25
But I couldn't find anything satisfactory.
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但一直找不到让自己满意的答案。
01:28
In fact, the more self-help books I read,
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说实话，读过的励志书越多，
01:30
the more stressed and anxious I became.
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我就变得越压抑，越焦虑。
01:33
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
这就像是在喂我的大脑吃垃圾食品，
01:34
It was like I was feeding
my mind with junk food,
my mind with junk food,
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01:37
and I was becoming mentally obese.
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然后自己变得“心智肥胖”了。
01:40
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
我差点就要放弃了。
01:42
I was about to give up,
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01:45
until one day, I found this.
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直到有一天，我发现了这本书。
01:48
"The Tao Te Ching:
The Book of the Way and Its Virtue."
The Book of the Way and Its Virtue."
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《道德经》：一本阐释道德品行的书。
01:54
This is an ancient Chinese
philosophy classic
philosophy classic
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它是中国古代哲学经典，
01:57
that was written
more than 2,600 years ago.
more than 2,600 years ago.
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大概成书于2600年前。
02:00
And it was by far the thinnest
and the smallest book on the bookshelf.
and the smallest book on the bookshelf.
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它也是目前书架上
最薄，最小的一本书，
最薄，最小的一本书，
02:06
It only had 81 pages.
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只有81页。
02:08
And each page had a short poem.
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每页上都有一首小诗。
02:11
I remember I flipped
to one particular poem.
to one particular poem.
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我记得当时翻看到了这样一首诗。
02:15
Here it is.
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请看。
写得真好啊，是不是？
02:16
It's beautiful, isn't it?
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02:17
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
我来读给你们听：
02:19
Let me read it out to you.
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02:21
"The supreme goodness is like water.
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“上善若水。
02:25
It benefits all things without contention.
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水善利万物而不争，处众人之所恶。
02:29
In dwelling, it stays grounded.
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居，善地；
02:32
In being, it flows to depths.
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心，善渊；
02:35
In expression, it is honest.
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言，善信；
02:38
In confrontation, it stays gentle.
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与，善仁；
02:42
In governance, it does not control.
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政，善治；
02:45
In action, it aligns to timing.
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动，善时。
02:48
It is content with its nature
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夫唯不争，
故无忧。”
02:50
and therefore cannot be faulted."
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02:54
Wow! I remember
when I first read this passage.
when I first read this passage.
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我记得当时看完这段文字后
02:57
I felt the biggest chills down my spine.
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感到脊背发凉，醍醐灌顶。
03:01
I still feel that today,
reading it to you guys.
reading it to you guys.
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读完刚才这一遍，我依然有那种感觉。
03:05
My anxiety and stress
just suddenly disappeared.
just suddenly disappeared.
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我的焦虑和压抑感瞬间消失了。
03:09
Ever since that day,
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从那天起，
我就试着将这篇文章中的理念
运用到日常生活中。
运用到日常生活中。
03:10
I've been trying to apply the concepts
in this passage to my day-to-day life.
in this passage to my day-to-day life.
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03:16
And today, I'd like to share with you
three lessons I learned so far
three lessons I learned so far
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今天，我想和你们分享，
目前为止我从水之道中
目前为止我从水之道中
所学到的三个道理——
03:19
from this philosophy of water --
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03:21
three lessons that I believe
have helped me find greater fulfillment
have helped me find greater fulfillment
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是它们，让我在做
每一件事时都获得了
每一件事时都获得了
更大的满足感。
03:25
in almost everything that I do.
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03:29
The first lesson is about humility.
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第一个道理，是要保持谦逊的态度。
03:32
If we think about water
flowing in a river,
flowing in a river,
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试想，河流中的水
总是在低处汩汩流淌。
03:34
it is always staying low.
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03:37
It helps all the plants grow
and keeps all the animals alive.
and keeps all the animals alive.
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有了水，植物才能生长，
动物才能存活。
动物才能存活。
03:41
It doesn't actually draw
any attention to itself,
any attention to itself,
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可它却从不居功自傲，
03:44
nor does it need
any reward or recognition.
any reward or recognition.
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也不需要尘世的褒奖和认可。
03:47
It is humble.
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它很谦逊。
03:49
But without water's humble contribution,
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如果没有水这样不求回报的贡献，
03:52
life as we know it may not exist.
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现今世界上的生命可能就不复存在了。
03:57
Water's humility taught me
a few important things.
a few important things.
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水的谦逊让我明白了以下几点。
04:00
It taught me that instead of acting
like I know what I'm doing
like I know what I'm doing
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其实我不必表现得像个万事通，
一副什么都知道的样子，
04:04
or I have all the answers,
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04:05
it's perfectly OK to say,
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说出“我不知道，
我想要学习更多，
04:07
"I don't know.
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04:09
I want to learn more,
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我需要你的帮助。”
没什么丢人的。
04:10
and I need your help."
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04:12
It also taught me that, instead
of promoting my glory and success,
of promoting my glory and success,
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水的谦逊还让我明白，
为自己寻求成功之道
为自己寻求成功之道
远不如帮助他人成功
来得快乐和满足。
来得快乐和满足。
04:17
it is so much more satisfying to promote
the success and glory of others.
the success and glory of others.
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04:21
It taught me that, instead of doing things
where I can get ahead,
where I can get ahead,
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与个人的成功相比，
04:25
it so much more fulfilling and meaningful
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帮助他人克服困难，走向成功
04:27
to help other people overcome
their challenges so they can succeed.
their challenges so they can succeed.
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才是更有满足感，更有意义的事。
04:33
With a humble mindset,
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怀着一颗谦逊的心，
我发现自己能和身边的
人建立更深厚的联系。
人建立更深厚的联系。
04:34
I was able to form a lot richer
connections with the people around me.
connections with the people around me.
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04:39
I became genuinely interested
in the stories and experiences
in the stories and experiences
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我想聆听他们的故事和经历，
正是这些经历，
正是这些经历，
让他们成为了现在独特的自己。
04:42
that make them unique and magical.
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04:45
Life became a lot more fun,
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我发现生活变得更有趣了，
04:46
because every day I'd discover
new quirks, new ideas
new quirks, new ideas
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因为每天我都能发掘新点子，新想法，
04:49
and new solutions to problems
I didn't know before,
I didn't know before,
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还有之前从来不知道的
解决问题的新方法，
解决问题的新方法，
04:52
all thanks to the ideas
and help from others.
and help from others.
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多亏了身边的人给我的建议和帮助。
04:57
All streams eventually flow to the ocean
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百川最终汇入广阔的大海，
因为大海在低处。
04:59
because it is lower than them.
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05:02
Humility gives water its power.
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谦逊赋予了水以力量。
05:06
But I think it gives us the capacity
to remain grounded,
to remain grounded,
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不过我想到的是，
谦虚使我们能脚踏实地，
谦虚使我们能脚踏实地，
活在当下，
05:11
to be present,
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05:12
to learn from and be transformed by
the stories of the people around us.
the stories of the people around us.
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取人之长，补己之短。
05:18
The second lesson I learned
is about harmony.
is about harmony.
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我所学到的第二个道理，
是保持平和的心态。
是保持平和的心态。
05:21
If we think about
water flowing towards a rock,
water flowing towards a rock,
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想想看，如果水为石头所阻，
05:24
it will just flow around it.
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它会绕过那块石头。
05:26
It doesn't get upset,
it doesn't get angry,
it doesn't get angry,
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它不会沮丧，不会愤怒，
不会被激怒。
05:28
it doesn't get agitated.
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实际上，它不会有任何情绪。
05:30
In fact, it doesn't feel much at all.
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05:32
When faced with an obstacle,
somehow water finds a solution,
somehow water finds a solution,
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当障碍摆在面前时，
水总能找到解决办法，
水总能找到解决办法，
05:37
without force, without conflict.
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不借助武力，也不引起冲突。
05:41
When I was thinking through this,
I began to understand
I began to understand
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当我想明白这些时，我开始懂得
为什么之前的自己会感到压抑。
05:44
why I was feeling stressed out
in the first place.
in the first place.
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05:47
Instead of working in harmony
with my environment,
with my environment,
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当时的我并没有与
周边的环境和谐相处，
周边的环境和谐相处，
05:50
I was working against it.
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而是站在了它的对立面。
05:52
I was forcing things to change
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我强迫身边的事物改变，
因为我想通过成功证明自己。
05:53
because I was consumed
by the need to succeed or to prove myself.
by the need to succeed or to prove myself.
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05:58
In the end, nothing did.
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到最后，事与愿违，
06:00
And I got more frustrated.
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于是我变得更加沮丧。
06:03
By simply shifting my focus
from trying to achieve more success
from trying to achieve more success
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从追求更多的成功
到追求更多的和谐，
06:06
to trying to achieve more harmony,
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06:09
I was immediately able
to feel calm and focused again.
to feel calm and focused again.
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我很快感到了内心的平静，
专注度也提高了。
专注度也提高了。
06:13
I started asking questions like:
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我开始问自己：
如果这样做，我的内心会更加平和吗？
06:15
Will this action bring me greater harmony
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06:18
and bring more harmony to my environment?
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我能和外界和谐相处吗？
06:20
Does this align with my nature?
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这符合我的天性吗？
06:24
I became more comfortable
simply being who I am,
simply being who I am,
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做真实的自己让我感到很坦然，
不需要迎合别人的期待。
06:27
rather than who I'm supposed to be
or expected to be.
or expected to be.
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06:31
Work actually became easier,
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工作也变得简单起来，
06:33
because I stopped focusing
on things that I cannot control
on things that I cannot control
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因为我不再纠结于
在我掌控之外的事。
在我掌控之外的事。
06:36
and only on the things that I can.
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而只专注于我力所能及的事。
06:38
I stopped fighting with myself,
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我不再与自我抗衡，
06:41
and I learned to work
with my environment to solve its problems.
with my environment to solve its problems.
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也学会了和所置身的环境和平相处，
解决其中的问题。
解决其中的问题。
06:46
Nature does not hurry.
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“道恒无为，
06:48
Yet, everything is accomplished.
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而无不为“。
06:51
That's Tao Te Ching's way
of describing the power of harmony.
of describing the power of harmony.
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这是《道德经》对“和谐”的力量的描述。
06:56
Just as water is able to find a solution
without force or conflict,
without force or conflict,
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就像水解决问题从不
借助武力、引起冲突一样，
借助武力、引起冲突一样，
07:01
I believe we can find a greater
sense of fulfillment in our endeavors
sense of fulfillment in our endeavors
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我相信，从追求成功
转变为追求和谐，
07:05
by shifting focus
from achieving more success
from achieving more success
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能够让我们收获更大的满足感。
07:08
to achieving more harmony.
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07:11
The third lesson I learned
from the philosophy of water
from the philosophy of water
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我从水之道学到的第三个哲理，
07:15
is about openness.
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是保持开明的思想。
07:17
Water is open to change.
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水从不抗拒改变。
07:20
Depending on the temperature,
it can be a liquid, solid or gas.
it can be a liquid, solid or gas.
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随着温度变化，水可以是
液体、固体或气体。
液体、固体或气体。
07:24
Depending on the medium it's in,
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在不同器皿中，
水可以成为茶壶、杯子或花瓶的形状。
07:26
it can be a teapot, a cup
or a flower vase.
or a flower vase.
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07:30
In fact, it's water's ability to adapt
and change and remain flexible
and change and remain flexible
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事实上，正是水随机应变，
顺其自然的特性，
顺其自然的特性，
使得不论环境如何变化，
07:34
that made it so enduring through the ages,
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水都会经久不腐。
07:37
despite all the changes
in the environment.
in the environment.
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07:41
We also live in a world today
of constant change.
of constant change.
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我们生活在一个不断变化的世界中。
07:44
We can no longer expect to work
to a static job description
to a static job description
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一成不变的工作将不复存在，
一辈子只从事一个工作的
情况也越来越少。
情况也越来越少。
07:48
or follow a single career path.
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07:50
We, too, are expected to constantly
reinvent and refresh our skills
reinvent and refresh our skills
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我们需要不断地更新我们的技能，
方能在社会立足。
07:54
to stay relevant.
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07:57
In our organization,
we host a lot of hackathons,
we host a lot of hackathons,
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在我工作的地方曾经举办了
很多次编程马拉松比赛，
很多次编程马拉松比赛，
个人或小团体聚在一起，
08:00
where small groups
or individuals come together
or individuals come together
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在规定时间内解决商业问题。
08:02
to solve a business problem
in a compressed time frame.
in a compressed time frame.
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08:05
And what's interesting to me
is that the teams that usually win
is that the teams that usually win
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我发现那些获胜的队伍
并非拥有经验丰富的成员，
08:08
are not the ones with the most
experienced team members,
experienced team members,
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08:12
but the ones with members
who are open to learn,
who are open to learn,
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但它们的成员大多乐意学习，
甘于放弃，
08:15
who are open to unlearn
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08:16
and who are open to helping each other
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相互帮助，
共同适应环境的变化。
08:19
navigate through
the changing circumstances.
the changing circumstances.
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08:23
Life is like a hackathon in some way.
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人生在某种程度上就像一场竞赛。
08:26
It's calling to each and every one of us
to step up, to open up
to step up, to open up
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需要我们每个人迈步向前，敞开心扉，
由此引发积极的连锁反应。
08:30
and cause a ripple effect.
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08:32
Now, we can stay behind closed doors
and continue to be paralyzed
and continue to be paralyzed
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我们大可以紧锁心门，麻木不仁，
用自己的执念限制自己，例如：
08:36
by our self-limiting beliefs, such as:
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08:39
"I will never be able to talk
about Chinese philosophy
about Chinese philosophy
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“我永远无法在这么多观众面前
谈论中国哲学。”
08:42
in front of a huge audience."
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08:43
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
又或者，我们可以敞开大门，
享受这段旅程，
享受这段旅程，
08:44
Or we can just open up and enjoy the ride.
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08:47
It can only be an amazing experience.
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这将是一次无与伦比的体验。
08:51
So humility, harmony and openness.
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谦逊、平和、开明，
08:54
Those are the three lessons I learned
from the philosophy of water so far.
from the philosophy of water so far.
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这是迄今为止
我从水之道中悟出的哲学。
我从水之道中悟出的哲学。
08:58
They nicely abbreviate to H-H-O,
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它们可以简称为H-H-O，
（谦逊=H，平和=H，开明=O）
（谦逊=H，平和=H，开明=O）
或是H2O
（即水的化学表达式）。
（即水的化学表达式）。
09:01
or H2O.
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09:02
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
09:03
And they have become
my guiding principles in life.
my guiding principles in life.
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它们已经成为我的人生指导原则。
09:07
So nowadays, whenever I feel stressed,
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现在，每当我感到压抑，
不满，焦虑，或是无所适从的时候，
09:10
unfulfilled, anxious
or just not sure what to do,
or just not sure what to do,
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09:14
I simply ask the question:
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我就会问问自己：
09:16
What would water do?
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水会怎么做？
09:17
(Laughter)
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（笑声）
09:18
This simple and powerful question
inspired by a book
inspired by a book
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这个简单而有力的问题
是受一本书的启发，
是受一本书的启发，
09:22
written long before the days
of bitcoin, fintech and digital technology
of bitcoin, fintech and digital technology
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一本古籍，远在比特币、科技金融
和数字技术出现前就诞生了，
和数字技术出现前就诞生了，
却使我的生活变得更美好。
09:27
has changed my life for the better.
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09:29
Try it, and let me know
how it works for you.
how it works for you.
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尝试一下，看看它
对你将有什么样的影响。
对你将有什么样的影响。
09:32
I would love to hear from you.
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我将洗耳恭听。
09:33
Thank you.
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谢谢你们
（掌声）
09:34
(Applause)
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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Raymond Tang - IT managerWestpac's Raymond Tang wants to help bridge the East and the West by exploring and applying ancient Chinese philosophy in the modern world.
Why you should listen
Raymond Tang grew up in Guangzhou, China. An advocate of cultural diversity and inclusion in the workplace, he founded the Cultural Leadership Toastmasters Club at Westpac to help individuals find and share their unique selves and cultural experiences. He is also actively connecting culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) talents with growth opportunities through his involvement with Westpac's Cultural Diversity Leadership Employee Action Group.
A technology geek at heart, Tang is excited by the possibilities at the intersection of technology and philosophy. He believes that great technology should help us connect deeper with ourselves, so that we can discover different ways to make a difference whilst staying true to who we are as individuals.
Raymond Tang | Speaker | TED.com