Day 2: On Your Choices

原文：

Day 2: On Your Choices

MOTTO

Your choices are made in a moment, but their consequences will transcend a lifetime.

​ ——MJ DeMarco

Part 01

Eat this greasy¹, high-calorie hamburger or prepare a healthy salad? Sleep in and barely get to work on time or wake up at 5 a.m. to work on your side business before going to work at your day job? Stop trying the moment you get rejected or swallow² your pride and keep going, despite hearing “no” dozens of times?

Part 02

It takes only a moment to make the wrong choice and jeopardize³ your future. What feels like an insignificant decision today can have a great, lasting impact on your future.

Part 03

Each choice sets a precedent⁴ — and when you make the same wrong choice several times in a row⁵, it becomes your standard modus operandi⁶ .

Part 04

While one hamburger every now and then isn’t likely to ruin your overall efforts to lose weight, underestimating⁷ the impact of repeatedly making the wrong choice can profoundly affect you over the course of the rest of your life.

Part 05

Each time you’re faced with a decision between exerting self-discipline and taking it easy, remind yourself that the choice you’re making today doesn’t affect the present moment alone. A momentary decision can (and often will) reverberate⁸ for many years or even decades into the future.

Words

greasy¹

英//'griːsɪ/ 美/'grisi/

• 英：greasy adj.

  a. containing an unusual amount of grease or oil

• 中：1.adj. 脂肪的,涂有脂肪的,含脂肪过多的
  2.(指人、举止)谄媚的
  3.n. 润滑油箱
  4.<机>油杯

• Eg: Keith, you’re getting the remote all greasy.
  基斯，你把遥控整个都弄油了

• 拓展：oily

swallow²

英/'swɒləʊ/ 美/'swɑlo/

• 英：swallow
  a. v.
  pass through the esophagus as part of eating or drinking

b. n.

the act of swallowing

• 中：1. vt. 忍受；吞没

  2. vi. 吞下；咽下

  3. n. 燕子；一次吞咽的量

• Eg: One swallow does not make a summer.
  勿以偏概全。

• 拓展：synonymous： down, get down, ingest

jeopardize³

英/'dʒɛpɚdaɪz/ 美/'dʒɛpɚdaɪz/

• 英：jeopardize v.
  a. pose a threat to; present a danger to

  b. put at risk

• 中：1. vt. 危及, 损害

• Eg: The soldier jeopardized his life to save his comrade.
  这个士兵冒生命的危险救他的同志。

• 拓展：synonymous：endanger, jeopardise, menace, threaten, imperil, peril

precedent⁴

英/'presɪd(ə)nt/ 美/'prɛsɪdənt/

• 英：precedent
  a. n.
  an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time

b. adj.
preceding in time, order, or significance

• 中：1. n. 先例；前例

  2. adj. 在前的；在先的

• Eg: The judgment set a new precedent.
  那次判决树立了一个新的判例。

• 拓展：synonymous ：former, preceding, previous, prior

in a row⁵

• 中：连续；成一长行

modus operandi⁶

英/'modəs/ 美/'modəs/

英/ɔpə’rændai/ 美/ɔpə’rændai/

• 英： a method of procedure
• Eg: Remind me to stop inquiring about your modus operandi.
  我就不详询你的手法了。

underestimating⁷

英/ʌndər’estɪmeɪt/ 美/ʌndɚ’ɛstəmet/

• 英：underestimate v.

  a. assign too low a value to
  b. make too low an estimate of

  n.

  a. an estimation that is too low; an estimate that is less than the true or actual value

• 中：1. vt. 对…估计不足, 低估

  2. n. 估计不足, 低估

• Eg: Don’t underestimate him. He’s no fool.
  别小看他，他精明着呢。

reverberate⁸

英/rɪ’vɜːbəreɪt/ 美/rɪ’vɝbə’ret/

• 英：reverberate v.
  a. ring or echo with sound

  b. have a long or continuing effect

• 中：1. vi. 回响;回荡

  2. vt. 使反响; 使回荡; 使反射

  3. adj. 反响(性)的;反射(性)的

• Eg: Thunder reverberated across the valley.
  雷声在山谷回响。

Full Text Translation

译文：

第2天：由您选择

您的选择是在瞬间完成的，但其后果将延续一生。

​ ——MJ DeMarco

Part 01

Eat this greasy¹, high-calorie hamburger or prepare a healthy salad?

Sleep in and barely get to work on time or wake up at 5 a.m. to work on your side business before going to work at your day job? Stop trying the moment you get rejected or swallow² your pride and keep going, despite hearing “no” dozens of times?

吃这种油腻、高热量的汉堡还是准备一份健康的沙拉?

睡个懒觉勉强准时上班，或者在上班前早上5点起床做点副业?在被拒绝的那一刻停止尝试，或者放下自尊，继续前进，即使听到无数次的拒绝?

Part 02

It takes only a moment to make the wrong choice and jeopardize³ your future. What feels like an insignificant decision today can have a great, lasting impact on your future.

只需一刹那，你就会做出错误的选择，危及你的未来。今天觉得微不足道的决定可能会对你的未来产生巨大而持久的影响。

Part 03

Each choice sets a precedent⁴ — and when you make the same wrong choice several times in a row⁵, it becomes your standard modus operandi⁶ .

每一个选择都树立了一个先例——当你连续几次做出同样的错误选择时，它就会成为你的标准操作方式

Part 04

While one hamburger every now and then isn’t likely to ruin your overall efforts to lose weight, underestimating⁷ the impact of repeatedly making the wrong choice can profoundly affect you over the course of the rest of your life.

虽然偶尔吃一个汉堡不太可能毁掉你减肥的努力，但低估反复做出错误选择的影响会深刻地影响你的余生。

Part 05

Each time you’re faced with a decision between exerting self-discipline and taking it easy, remind yourself that the choice you’re making today doesn’t affect the present moment alone. A momentary decision can (and often will) reverberate⁸ for many years or even decades into the future.

每次你面对一个选择，是要发挥自律还是要放松，提醒自己你今天所做的选择并不只影响现在的时刻。一个瞬间的决定可能(通常会)在未来的很多年甚至几十年里产生影响。

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