一辈子至少要做一次的20件事

 business

 

So much of what we do in our lives is routine or reactive, not deliberate. Here are 20 things we think everyone should do at least once. What would you add?

 

我们一生中做的许多事都是例行公事或者被动反应，并非刻意而为。下面是我们认为每个人一辈子至少要做一次的20件事。看看你有没有要补充的。

 

1. Own your own business

 

自己创业

 

Find out if you have what it takes to be your own boss. Whether you’re founding the world’s next mega-corporation, opening the shop around the corner or just freelancing from your home office, you deserve to experience the freedom and frustration of working for yourself.

 

看看你有没有自己当老板的资质。不论你是在成立一家全球大型企业，还是在街角开一家小店，又或者只是在家做一名自由职业者，你都值得去尝试一把为自己打工的自由与挫折。

 

foreign country

 

2. Live in a foreign country

 

在异国居住

 

Immerse yourself in different culture by taking up residence in another country for as long as your savings and the rest of your life plan will allow. Most countries will issue 60- or 90-day visas on request, and many cities offer short-term rentals at rates that beat vacation prices. There is a world of difference between being a tourist and being an expat. Go and find out.

 

如果你的存款和你接下来的人生计划允许，去异国居住一段时间吧，让自己沉浸在不同的文化中。大多数国家都会根据申请批准两三个月的签证，许多城市可以提供短期租房，价格比假期便宜很多。在国外旅游和在国外居住有着天壤之别，自己去发现吧。

 

home

 

3. Buy a home

 

买一套房

 

Who doesn’t dream of owning their own home? The recession and widespread foreclosures over the past few years may have tarnished the dream a bit, but it’s still alive and well for most people. Renting may offer more flexibility and variety, but there’s nothing quite like having a place of your own.

 

有谁不梦想拥有一套属于自己的房子呢？过去几年中经济的衰退和普遍的取消抵押品赎回权也许让这个梦想变得有些黯淡，但对于大多数人来说这个梦想依然存在。租房也许更灵活多样，但这绝对比不上拥有一个属于你自己的地方。

 

drive

 

4. Drive coast to coast

 

驾车游全国

 

At least once in your life, take the ultimate road trip. Drive all the way across the country and return by a different route. The scenery, and the experience, will be unforgettable.

 

一生中至少要有一次终极公路旅行。驾车穿越整个国家再从另外一条路线返回。那些风景和经历都会毕生难忘。

 

heart broken

 

5. Get your heart broken

 

体会心碎的感觉

 

No one goes looking for heartbreak, but emotional pain is an inevitable part of life and often a prerequisite for developing compassion and empathy, and for recognizing and appreciating true love when you find it.

 

没有人想要心碎，但情感上的伤痛是生活不可避免的一部分，通常也是我们萌生怜悯和情感共鸣的前提条件。也只有心碎过的人遇见真爱时才会察觉并且珍惜。

 

cheered

 

6. Be cheered by a crowd

 

享受众人的欢呼

 

Do something cheer-worthy, whether you’re scoring the winning touchdown, taking a bow after your successful theater debut or delivering a rousing speech—and then bask in the crowd’s loud vocal approval and applause.

 

做一些值得喝彩的事，不论是获得了制胜的触地得分，在成功的舞台首秀后鞠躬谢幕，还是发表了一篇鼓舞人心的演说，在众人的喝彩与掌声中陶醉吧。

 

journal

 

7. Keep a journal

 

写日记

 

At some point in your life, follow the example of successful people ranging from presidents and prime ministers to artists and authors by keeping a written record of your daily thoughts, insights and observations.

 

在生命中的某个时刻，像那些成功人士（总统、首相、艺术家、作家等等）一样记录你日常的想法、见解和观察。

 

faith

 

8. Take a leap of faith

 

大胆一试

 

It’s nice to have all the facts and a clear and irrefutable choice, but life doesn’t always work that way. Sometimes, you have to just trust your instincts, take a leap of faith, and see where you land. Chances are you’ll end up in a place far more interesting than where logic alone would have led you.

 

掌握所有的事实，做出清楚且无可辩驳的选择当然很好，但人生并不总是如此。有时候你只需要相信自己的直觉，大胆尝试，看看你会去向何方。你也许会达到一个更有趣的地方，而单凭逻辑是永远无法到达的。

 

give back

 

9. Give something back

 

回馈他人

 

Life has been good to you, so use some of your time, talent and hard-earned money to help those less fortunate. You’ll not only improve the lives of the people you touch directly, you’ll also enrich your community and yourself.

 

生活如此善待你，所以你可以花一些时间、精力和辛苦挣来的钱去帮助那些不那么幸运的人。你不仅可以改善那些人的生活，你也使得你周围的人和你自己都更加富有。

 

build

 

10. Design and build a house

 

设计并建造一座房子

 

Stop trying to fit your life into spaces designed by people who don’t understand what you need, and build a place of your own. Whether it’s your dream house or a weekend cabin, at least once in your life design and build a home of your own.

 

别再试图让自己去适应那些根本不理解你需要的人设计的空间了，打造一个属于你自己的地方吧。不论是你梦想中的房子还是一个周末度假小屋，一生中至少尝试一次自己设计并建造一座房子。

 

meal

 

11. Make a meal with food you raised yourself

 

用自己种植的作物来做饭

 

Most of us don’t give much thought to how much effort it takes to produce the food we enjoy—and must consume to survive—every day. Get in touch with reality by growing your own food for a season. It will give you a new respect and appreciation for farmers.

 

我们大多数人都没有想过，种植并培育我们喜爱的食物需要每天花费多大精力。自己种植一季的作物你就会明白了。这会让你对农民产生新的尊重和感谢。

 

art

 

12. Buy a piece of art because you love it

 

买一件自己心头爱的艺术品

 

Original art can be an investment or an extravagance, but at least once make sure that you decide to purchase art because you’re listening to your heart and not your pocketbook. Forget about the cost and the possible resale value and buy a piece of art just because you love it.

 

原创艺术可以作为一种投资或是一件奢侈品，但至少应该有一次你决定购买某件艺术品是因为遵从自己的内心而不是为了金钱。忘掉它的价格和可能的转卖价值去买一件艺术品吧，只是因为你喜欢它。

 

camping

 

13. Go wilderness camping

 

去野外露营

 

Pitching a tent in the back yard is fun and so is car camping at the state park, but for real adventure get back to nature with a wilderness camping trip. By leaving civilization behind and relying on yourself and your companions, you may discover abilities and qualities you never knew you had.

 

在后院里露营或者开车去国家公园露营都很有趣，但要想真正冒险，还是应该回归大自然，去野外露营。把文明抛在脑后，只依靠你和你的同伴，你会发掘出自己之前从未意识到的一些能力和特质。

 

sabbatical

 

14. Take a sabbatical

 

休个长假

 

Everyone dreams about taking a year off, but few people ever do it. Be one of those who do. Save your money and give yourself a sabbatical—whether it’s a year or just a few months—to travel, pursue your passion, and plan the next chapter of your life.

 

每个人都梦想着放一年的假，但很少有人会去做。你可以去试试。攒好钱，给自己放个长假，不管是一年还是几个月，去旅行，去追随自己的热情，去为自己人生的下一篇章做准备。

 

furniture

 

15. Make a piece of furniture

 

打造一样家具

 

Take time to learn a little about carpentry and woodworking. Then get yourself some good wood and use it to build a table, a bookcase or a chair. Furniture you build will always mean more to you than furniture you buy, and it doesn’t have to be perfect to become a cherished family heirloom.

 

花些时间去学习一些木工手艺。然后弄点好木材，自己做一张桌子，一个书架或是一把椅子。自己打造的家具肯定比买来的家具更有意义，它并不需要像珍贵的传家宝一样那么完美。

 

diving

 

16. Go snorkeling or scuba diving

 

去潜水

 

More than 70 percent of the world is covered by water. Discover the beauty and wonder that lie beneath by donning a mask and fins and going below.

 

世界上70%多的区域是水。穿上潜水装备，下水去探寻它的美和水底的奇观吧。

 

pet

 

17. Adopt a pet

 

领养宠物

 

There is no surer way to get in touch with your humanity than to share your life with an animal you love. Pets love us without reservations or conditions and, by their example, teach us live and love better than we could without them.

 

没有什么比和一只你爱的动物分享你的生活更能体现你的人性光辉了。宠物们毫无保留毫无条件地爱着我们，养宠物会让我们更好地学会生活和爱。

 

scare

 

18. Do something that really scares you

 

做一些你真的害怕的事

 

Whether you climb a mountain, jump out of an airplane or ride a giant roller coaster, by doing something that truly scares you and conquering your fear you will grow as a person.

 

不论是爬山、跳伞还是坐大型过山车，做一些你真正害怕的事会克服恐惧，帮助你成长。

 

take stand

 

19. Take a stand

 

表明立场

 

Stand up and speak out against injustice or in defense of a principle that you believe in. If you know you are right, act with courage and refuse to be intimidated, regardless of the risk.

 

站出来，向不公正大胆抗议，或者捍卫你所相信的原则。如果你知道自己是对的，就勇敢行动，拒绝恐吓，不怕风险。

 

work

 

20. Do work you really care about

 

做你真正在意的工作

 

All too often, we choose our work based on the size of the paycheck or the amount of prestige that comes with the job. Too few people are fortunate enough to do work that has real meaning for them. Make sure that, at least once in your life, you are one of them.

 

我们总是根据薪水的多少和名声的高低来选择工作。很少有人足够幸运，能够做一些对他们真的有意义的工作。一辈子至少应该有一次，你是那些幸运的人之一。