Life is full of small questions: What will I wear to my meeting? What’s for lunch? Subway or cab?

生活里瑣碎的問題源源不絕：穿什么去開會?午飯吃什么?乘地鐵還是打車?

Small questions are important as they facilitate the day to day running of our lives. The problem is, most people do not pause to ask themselves the big questions. The real questions. The questions that will change our lives for the better. Often we do not take a moment and think about what really matters to us and what our contribution to the world is. Our wise old friend Socrates said "an unexamined life is not worth living."

瑣碎的問題很重要，因為它們讓我們的日常生活運轉流暢。問題是大多數人不會停下腳步來問問自己一些重要的問題、真正的問題。那些可以讓我們的生活變得更好的問題。我們經常忘了抽出點時間來想想到底什么事情最重要，還有我們為這個世界做了些什么事情。著名的哲學家蘇格拉底曾經說過：“混混噩噩的生活不值得過。”

Here are five questions that Susie Moore(Life Coach, New York City) asks her coaching clients to help them examine their lives. Take a few minutes, a quiet spot and ask these of yourself (warning: the answers might surprise you!):

這兒有來自紐約的人生導師蘇茜·摩爾指導她的客戶時所問的五個問題，來幫助他們審閱自己的生活。到一個安靜的環境里花上幾分鐘問問自己這些問題吧(提示：你可能會為自己的答案吃驚!)：

1. How happy am I overall, today, out of 10?

我今天有多開心，10分能打幾分?

Take into account all areas of your life when you do this. Whatever your number is, be honest about it with yourself. Then you can get real about what you can do to increase it.

回答這個問題時，你要考慮到生活里的各個方面。不管你得了幾分，坦誠面對吧。之后你就能清楚自己能做些什么來提高開心指數。

2. What type of life do I want to lead?

我想要過什么樣的生活?

Think about your life 10 years from now. Are you satisfied with your life if it is to continue exactly as it currently is? Are you content with your relationships, work, health? Picture the ideal life you could be living. How is it different? Visualizing helps us understand what it is that we can be doing differently now.

想想你10年之后的生活。如果那時你的生活和現在一模一樣，你會覺得滿意嗎?你對你的愛人、工作以及健康狀況滿意嗎?想象一下你理想中的生活狀態。和現在有什么不同?想象讓我們知道自己現在需要做出什么改變。

3. What does success look like to me?

我眼里的成功是什么?

For some people it is becoming an expert in their industry. For others it is taking one year off in every five to seven to travel. For some it is raising a healthy and tight-knit family. Be clear on what it looks like to you and don’t be swayed by others visions for themselves. Your life is your path to honor and actualize.

對有些人來說，成功意味著變成他們所在領域的專家，有些人覺得成功是每隔5年至7年就給自己放一年的假來旅游，有些人眼里的成功就是維持健康團結的家庭生活。明確自己眼里的成功，不要被別人的意見左右。生活就是實現自己眼里的榮耀。

4. What brings me joy?

什么事情會讓我快樂?

Is it writing, teaching, singing, volunteering, dancing? Whatever it is, make time for it!

是寫作、教書、唱歌、當志愿者還是跳舞?不管是什么，為這些事情留出時間!

5. What can I do in the next two weeks to bring more joy, passion and purpose to my life?

在未來2周里，我能做些什么來給我的生活增添更多的歡樂、激情以及目標?

This is the killer part right here. All of the above is important but it won’t impact your life unless you take action. Start small. Write one blog. Take one dance class. Perhaps speak to a friend in Europe about a potential meet over the next few months. You know what it is that will generate excitement and happiness in your life. Don’t put it off!

最重要的部分來了。上述問題都很重要，但是只有你采取行動，它們才能改變你的生活!從小事開始吧。寫一篇博客，參加一節舞蹈課，或者和你歐洲的朋友聊聊以后幾個月里有沒有可能見面。你知道做什么能夠給你的生活帶來刺激和快樂的。不要拖延!

The answers are within us. We have everything we need to create the lives we want. Getting clear is the starting point. An old proverb says, "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now." Get busy now sowing the seeds of the life you want to flourish over the coming years.

答案就在我們心中。我們完全有能力來創造自己想要的生活。明確方向是第一步。老話說：“種一棵樹的最佳時機是20年前，再就是現在。” 現在就動起來，為你將來茂盛的生活大樹播下種子。