for a degree, we're learning a trade, building a business, writing a book. We have hardly

為了一個學位，我們在學一門手藝，建立一個企業，寫一本書。我們幾乎沒有

a moment to ourselves. We don't even ask whether we are fulfilled, it's simply obvious

一個屬於自己的時刻。我們甚至不問自己是否滿足，這很明顯

that this is the bit that has to hurt. We fall asleep counting the weeks until the end.

這是最痛苦的一點。我們睡著了，數著週數，直到結束。

And then, finally, one day, slightly unexpectedly, the end arrives. Through slow and steady toil,

然後，終於有一天，稍稍出乎意料的是，終點到了。通過緩慢而穩定的勞作。

we have achieved what we had been seeking for years: the book is done, the business

我們實現了多年來一直追求的目標：書做好了，生意做大了。

is sold, the degree certificate is on the wall. People around us cheer and lay on a

被賣掉了，學位證掛在牆上。周圍的人歡呼雀躍，躺在

party; we might even take a holiday.

黨；我們甚至可能會放假。

And that is when, for those of us in the melancholy camp, a supreme unease is liable to descend.

而這時，對於我們這些憂鬱陣營的人來說，一種極度的不安就有可能降臨。

The beach is beautiful, the sky is flawless, there is a scent of lemon in the air from

海灘是美麗的，天空是無暇的，空氣中瀰漫著一股檸檬的香味，來自於

the orchard. We have nothing unpleasant to do. We can read, loll, play and dawdle. Why

果園裡。我們沒有什麼不愉快的事情可做。我們可以看書、閒逛、玩耍、發呆。為什麼呢？

then are we so flat, disoriented and perhaps slightly tearful? Why are we so scared?

那麼，我們是否如此平淡、迷茫，或許還略帶淚水？為什麼我們會如此害怕？

The mind works in deceptive ways. In order to generate the momentum required to induce

心靈的工作方式具有欺騙性。為了產生誘導所需的動量。

us to finish any task, this mind pretends that once the work is done, it will finally

我們要完成任何任務，這種心態假裝一旦工作完成，它最終會。

be content, it will accept reality as it is. It will cease its restless, persecutory questions,

滿意，它將接受現實，因為它是。它將停止其不安的、迫害性的問題。

it won't throw up random unease or guilty supposions. It will be on our side.

它不會隨便拋出不安或罪惡的抑制。它將站在我們這邊。

But whether by intent or coincidence, our mind isn't in any way well suited to honouring

但不管是有意還是巧合，我們的心態都不太適合去尊重

such promises. It turns out to be vehemently opposed to, and endangered by, states of calm

這種承諾。它原來是強烈反對平靜的狀態，並受到這種狀態的危害。

and relaxation. It can manage them, at best, for a day or so. And then, with cold rigour,

和放鬆。它最多隻能管理它們一天左右。然後，以冷酷的嚴謹。

it will be on its way again with worries and questions. It will ask us once more to account

它將帶著憂慮和疑問再次上路。它將再次要求我們交代

for ourselves, to ask what the point of us is, to doubt whether we are worthy or decent,

為自己，問我們的意義是什麼，懷疑自己是否有價值或體面。

to question what right we have to be. Once hard work ends, there is nothing to stop

以質疑我們有什麼權利。一旦辛勤工作結束，就沒有什麼可以阻止

our melancholy minds from leading us to the edge of an abyss we had been able to resist

我們憂鬱的心靈，不至於把我們引向我們所能抵擋的深淵邊緣

so long as our heads were down. We start to feel that no achievement will ever in fact

只要我們的頭是向下的。我們開始覺得，沒有任何成就會在事實上... ...

be enough, that nothing we do can last or make a difference, that little is as good

我們所做的任何事情都不能持久，也不能改變現狀，小巫見大巫。

as it should be, that we are tainted by a primordial guilt at being alive and a sense

我們被一種對活著的原始罪惡感和一種對生命的感覺所玷汙，這是應該的。

of not having paid our dues, that others around us are far more noble and able than we will

我們周圍的人比我們更高尚，更有能力。

ever be, that the blue sky is oppressive and frightening in its innocence – and that

永遠都是，藍天在它的純真中是壓抑的、可怕的--而且

'doing nothing' is the hardest thing we have ever attempted to do.

'無所事事'是我們嘗試過的最困難的事情。

It is as though deep down, the melancholy mind knows that the ultimate fate of the planet

彷彿在內心深處，憂鬱的心靈知道地球的最終命運

is to be absorbed by the sun in seven and a half billion years and that everything is

將會在75億年後被太陽吸收，而萬物都會被太陽吸收

therefore vain and futile against a cosmological sense of time and space. We know that we are

是以，對宇宙論的時間和空間感的反對是徒勞無益的。我們知道，我們是

puny and irrelevant apparitions; we haven't been so much busy as protected from despair

渺小而無關緊要的幻影；我們沒有那麼多的忙碌，而是受到保護，不至於絕望。

by the use of deadlines, punishing schedules, work trips and late night conference calls.

通過使用最後期限、懲罰性的時間表、工作旅行和深夜電話會議。

But now, with the achievement secured, there is no defence left against the might of existential

但現在，隨著成就的取得，已經沒有任何防禦措施來抵禦存在的威力了。

terror. It is just us and, in the firmament above, the light of a billion billion dying

恐怖。只有我們和，在蒼穹之上，億萬億萬人死亡的光景。

stars. There are no more 8.30am meetings, no more revision notes, no more chapter deadlines

明星。不再有早上八點半的會議，不再有修改筆記，不再有章節的截止日期。

to distract us from our metaphysical irrelevance. We should be kinder on ourselves. Rather than

來分散我們對形而上的無關性的注意力。我們應該對自己好一點。而不是

putting ourselves through the infinitely demanding process of idling (as though a nervous, adrenaline

讓自己經歷無限繁重的空轉過程（彷彿神經質的、腎上腺素的

we should be self-compassionate enough to keep setting ourselves one slightly irrelevant but well

我們應該有足夠的自我同情心，不斷地給自己設定一個略顯無關緊要但卻很好的。

camouflaged challenge after another – and do our very best to pretend that these matter

inordinately and that there should be no sizeable gaps between them.

過多，而且它們之間的差距不應過大。

Our work exists to protect us from a brutal sense of despair and angst. We should make

我們的工作是為了保護我們免受殘酷的絕望和不安感而存在的。我們應該使

sure we never stop having tasks to do – and never make that most reckless of all moves,

確保我們永遠不會停止有任務要做--永遠不會做出那最魯莽的舉動。

'retire' or embark on that next most reckless step, taking a long holiday.

'退休'或踏上下一個最輕率的步驟，放長假。

How to think more effectively is a book about how to optimize our minds so that they can more regularly and generously produce the short of insights and ideas we need to fulfill our potential and achieve the contentment we deserve.

如何更有效地思考》是一本關於如何優化我們的頭腦，使其更有規律、更大方地產生我們所需的見解和想法的書，以發揮我們的潛能，實現我們應有的滿足感。