摘要：从那以后，我一直相信自己足够优秀，因而拒绝一些事并不会影响我的前途。事实上，不带任何揣测或借口，直率地表达内心所求，正能表现出你对自己的珍视。战胜这些难以应付的时刻，你会得到自己的内心所求。

After I had my second child, I wanted to show my boss I could handle anything. I said yes tocoming back too soon and working the overnight shift! I was so beat, I fell down the stairsholding my baby — she spent eight weeks in a body cast. She's fine now, but that was anexcruciating price to pay for not being able to say no.

Since then, I've trusted that I'm good enough that saying no won't hurt my prospects.Actually, being direct about what you want — without second-guessing or excuses — showsyou value yourself. Power through awkward moments like these and you'll get to your yes.

在我第二个孩子出生以后，我想向老板证明自己能搞定所有事情。于是，我过早地答应了回去上班，而且还是上夜班!这让我累坏了，以至于抱着孩子从楼梯上摔了下来——因此她全身打了八周的石膏。她现在康复了，但是因为不懂得拒绝而付出这样的代价是令人痛苦至极的。

从那以后，我一直相信自己足够优秀，因而拒绝一些事并不会影响我的前途。事实上，不带任何揣测或借口，直率地表达内心所求，正能表现出你对自己的珍视。战胜这些难以应付的时刻，你会得到自己的内心所求。

重视自我价值

1. The I-Do-Not-Need-That No

对不需要的事物说不

You find the perfect dress for your friend's bachelorette. Then the saleswoman starts insistingyou get this belt and those earrings too.

你选中了一条完美的裙子去参加朋友的单身派对，这时导购小姐便开始抓住你不放，给你推销各式各样的腰带和耳环来搭配。

"I love that, but I'm not going to get it today." The sales assistant is just doing her job — shedoesn't take a no personally and you shouldn't either. You're wasting her time by acting likeyou'redeliberating or putting something on hold just for show. Say no, be lovely about it ... andleave.

“我很喜欢它们，但是今天不打算买。”导购员只是在做她的本职工作——她不会把你的拒绝当做针对她个人的，并且你也不应该这么觉得。你假装考虑或者故作迟疑都是在浪费她的时间。你只需友好地拒绝，然后离开。

2. The Parent-Trap No

对“父母束缚”说不

Mom and Dad invite you on a cruise. You get only two weeks off and think this would be anawful way to spend one of them.

父母邀你一同游轮度假。你只有两周的休息时间，而且觉得要花其中一周和他们在一起实在是个糟糕的主意。

"I love you and that's so generous, but I can't. How about a weekend visit?" Time with youmay be more important to them than the plan. Be quick and sweet, and don't make up a story.They knew when you were lying at age 8; they'll know now. P.S. Don't get guilted! You're anadult!

“我爱你们，请我去度假实在是太好了，但我没办法去。我周末去看你们怎么样?”对于他们来说，和你在一起的时光，或许比度假计划重要得多。果断贴心地回答，而不要撒谎。你8岁时的谎言就瞒不过他们的眼睛，现在依然如此。另外，别为此心怀内疚!你已经是个大人了!

3. The "U Up?" No

对不良约会说不

The Guy You Want to Date says, "Let's hang Saturday." At 1 a.m., he finally texts, indicatinghis interest in, ahem, hanging. Nuh-uh.

你心仪的男神说：“周六一起出去吧。”结果到半夜1点，他终于来短信，暗示他想的……咳咳……不止是出去而已。

Text, "No thanks." Wait a beat. Then, "But dinner Wednesday?" If you want more, don't takeless for fear he'll disappear. Forget about jumping like it's the president calling! You'll saveyourself months of pain by being clear with him and sticking to your decision.

短信回复：”还是不了，谢谢。“等一下，再接着回：”周三一起吃晚饭怎么样?“如果你想要他全心全意，就不能因为害怕失去他而委曲求全。千万不要高兴得跳起来，好像是总统给你打的电话。和他说清楚，并且坚持你的想法，这会使自己免受数月的煎熬。

4. The Weekend-Work No

对周末加班说不

Your boss asks you to work on Saturday, but your cousin is getting married.

上司让你周六加班，但是你的表亲这周结婚。

"I would love to work on that with you, but I have a big family event. What if I stayed late Fridaynight?" Apologizing or going into an absurd amount of detail seems weak. Be calm and makeeye contact and she'll respect what you're saying. Then follow up with an alternative solutionif you can, so everyone wins.”

我很想跟着你加班，但是我这周家里有件大事。不如我周五加个晚班怎样?“道歉或者解释一大堆荒唐的细枝末节显得太无力。冷静地采用眼神交流，她会尊重你的决定。接着，如果可以的话，提出一个变通的方案，这样就能双赢了。

5. The Kickstarter No

对筹资活动说不

Your friend has a great idea for a vegan-snack-sample-delivery business, but you do not havethedough.

你的朋友想办一个素食小点心的派送活动，但你并没有这个闲钱。

"I just gave to another friend's charity race, so I'm tapped out. Can I help by making an introfor you instead?" Little white lies can be okay. You don't have to share details about yourfinances with friends. Value the work you did to earn your money, and donate only to causesthat move you.

“我刚刚捐助了另一位朋友的慈善活动，现在手头有点紧。不如我帮你宣传一下?”小小的善意谎言没有多大问题。你并不需要和朋友公开经济状况的细节。珍惜你辛苦工作挣得的钱，捐助给真正打动你的那些活动。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

A mulberry leaf touched with the genius of man becomes silk.

桑叶在天才的手中变成了丝绸。

A field of clay touched with the genius of man becomes a castle.

粘土在天才的手中变成了堡垒。

A Cyprus tree touched with the genius of man becomes a shrine.

柏树在天才的手中变成了殿堂。

A cut of sheep's hair touched with the genius of man becomes raiment for a king.

羊毛在天才的手中变成了袈裟。

If it is possible for leaves and clay and wood and hair to have their value multiplied a hundred, yea a thousandfold by man, cannot I do the same with the clay which bears my name?

如果桑叶、粘土、柏树、羊毛经过人的创造，可以成百上千地提高自身的价值，那么我们为什么不能使自己身价百倍呢?

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

I am liken to a grain of wheat which faces one of three futures. The wheat can be placed in a sack and dumped in a stall until it is fed to swine. Or it can be ground to flour and made into bread. Or it can be placed in the earth and allowed to grow until its golden head divides and produces a thousand grains from the one.

我的命运如同一颗麦粒，有着三种不同的道路。一颗麦粒可能被装进麻袋，堆在货架上，等着喂猪;也可能被磨成面粉，做成面包;还可能撒在土壤里，让它生长，直到金黄的麦穗上结出成百上千颗麦粒。

I am liken to a grain of wheat with one difference. The wheat cannot choose whether it be fed to swine, ground for bread, or planted to multiply. I have a choice and I will not let my life be fed to swine nor will I let it be ground under the rocks of failure and despair to be broken open and devoured by the will of others.

我和一颗麦粒唯一不同在于：麦粒无法选择是变得腐烂还是做成面包，或是种植生长。而我有选择的自由，我不会让生命腐烂，也不会让它在失败，绝望的岩石下磨碎，任人摆布。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

To grow and multiply it is necessary to plant the wheat grain in the darkness of the earth and my failures, my despairs, my ignorance, and my inabilities are the darkness in which I have been planted in order to ripen. Now, like the wheat grain which will sprout and blossom only if it is nurtured with rain and sun and warm winds, I too must nurture my body and mind to fulfill my dreams. But to grow to full stature the wheat must wait on the whims of nature. I need not wait for I have the power to choose my own destiny.

要想让麦粒生长、结实，必须把它种植在黑暗的泥土中，我的失败、失望、无知、无能便是那黑暗的泥土，我须深深地扎在泥土中，等待成熟。麦粒在阳光雨露的哺育下，终于发芽、开花、结实。同样，我也要健全自己的身体和心灵，以实现自己的梦想。麦粒须等待大自然的契机方能成熟，我却无须等待，因为我有选择自己命运的能力。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

And how will I accomplish this? First I will set goals for the day, the week, the month, the year, and my life. Just as the rain must fall before the wheat will crack its shell and sprout, so must I have objectives before my life will crystallize. Insetting my goals I will consider my best performance of the past and multiply it a hundredfold. This will be the standard by which I will live in the future. Never will I be of concern that my goals are too high for is it not better to aim my spear at the moon and strike only an eagle than to arm my spear at the eagle and strike only a rock?

怎样才能做到呢?首先，我要为每一天，每个星期、每个月。每一年、甚至我的一生确立目标。正像种子需要雨水的滋润才能破土而出，发芽长叶，我的生命也须有目的方能结出硕果。在制定目标的时候，不妨参考过去最好的成绩，使其发扬光大。这必须成为我未来生活的目标。永远不要当心目标过高。取法乎上，得其中也，取法中也，得其下也。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

The height of my goals will not hold me in awe though I may stumble often before they are reached. If I stumble I will rise and my falls will not concern me for all men must stumble often to reach the hearth. Only a worm is free from the worry of stumbling. I am not a worm. I am not an onion plant. I am not a sheep. I am a man. Let others build a cave with their clay. I will build a castle with mine.

高远的目标不会让我们望而生畏，虽然在达到目标以前可能屡受挫折。摔倒了，再爬起来，我不灰心因为每个人在抵达目标之前都会受到挫折。只有小爬虫不必担心摔倒。我不是小爬虫，不是洋葱，不是绵羊。我是一个人。让别人作他们的粘土造穴吧，我只要一座城堡。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我么加倍重视自己的价值。

And just as the sun must warm the earth to bring forth the seedling of wheat so, too, will the words on these scrolls warm my life and turn my dreams into reality. Today I will surpass every action which I performed yesterday. I will climb today's mountain to the utmost of my ability yet tomorrow I will climb higher than today, and the next will be higher than tomorrow. To surpass the deeds of others is unimportant; to surpass my own deeds is all.

太阳温暖大地，麦粒吐穗结实。这些羊皮卷上的话也照耀我的生活，使梦想成真。今天我要超越昨天的成就。我要竭尽全力攀登今天的高峰，明天更上一层楼。超越别人并不重要，超越自己才是最重要的。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

And just as the warm wind guides the wheat to maturity, the same winds will carry my voice to those who will listen and my words will announce my goals. Once spoken I dare not recall them lest I lose face. I will be as my own prophet and though all may laugh at my utterances they will hear my plans, they will know my dreams; and thus there will be no escape for me until my words become accomplished deeds.

春风吹熟了麦穗，风声也将我的声音吹往那些愿意聆听者的耳畔。我要宣告我的目标。君子一言，驷马难追。我要成为自己的预言家。虽然大家可能嘲笑我的言辞但会倾听我的计划，了解我的梦想，因为我无处可逃，直到兑现了诺言。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

I will commit not the terrible crime of aiming too low.

我不能放低目标。

I will do the work that a failure will not do.

我要做失败者不屑一顾的事。

I will always let my reach exceed my grasp.

我不停留在力所能及的事上。

I will never be content with my performance in the market.

我不满足于现有的成就。

I will always raise my goals as soon as they are attained.

目标达到后再定一个更高的目标。

I will always strive to make the next hour better than this one.

我要努力使下一刻比此刻更好。

I will always announce my goals to the world.

我要常常向世人宣告我的目标。

Yet, never will I proclaim my accomplishments. Let the world, instead, approach me with praise and may I have the wisdom to receive it in humility.

但是我决不炫耀我的成绩。让世人来赞美我的吧，但愿我能明智而谦恭地接受它们。

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

One grain of wheat when multiplied a hundredfold will produce a hundred stalks. Multiply these a hundredfold, ten times, and they will feed all the cities of the earth. Am I not more than a grain of wheat?

一颗麦粒增加数倍以后，可以变成千株麦苗，再把这些麦苗增加数倍，如此数十次，它们可以供养世上所有的城市。难道我不如一颗麦粒吗?

Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.

今天我要加倍重视自己的价值。

And when it is done I will do it again, and again, and there will be astonishment and wonder at my greatness as the words of these scrolls are fulfilled in me.

当我完成这件事，我再接再励。当羊皮卷上的话在我身上实现时，世上会惊叹我的伟大。