佚名/Anonymous
Is there a "success personality"—some winning combination of traits that leads almost inevitably to achievement? If so, exactly what is that secret success formula, and can anyone cultivate it?
At the Gallup Organization we recently focused in depth on success, probing the attitudes and traits of 1500 prominent people selected at random from Who's Who in America. The main criterion for inclusion in Who's Who is not wealth or social position, but current achievement in a given field. Our research pinpoints a number of traits that recur regularly among top achievers. Here are five of the most important:
Common sense—This is the most prevalent quality possessed by our respondents. Seventy-nine percent award themselves a top score in this category. And 61 percent say that common sense was very important in contributing to their success.
To most, common sense means the ability to render sound, practical judgments on everyday affairs. To do this, one has to sweep aside extraneous ideas and get right to the core of what matters. A Texas oil and gas magnate puts it this way: "The key ability for success is simplifying. In conducting meetings and dealing with industry regulators, reducing a complex problem to the simplest terms is highly important."
Is common sense a trait a person is born with, or can you do something to increase it? The oil man's answer is that common sense can definitely be developed. He attributes his to learning how to debate in school. Another way to increase your store of common sense is to observe it in others, learning from their and your own—mistakes.
Knowing one's field After common sense, specialized knowledge in one's field is the second most common trait possessed by the respondents, with three-fourths giving themselves an A in this category.
Geologist Philip Oxley, former president of Tenneco Oil Exploration and Production Co. and now chairman of Tenneco Europe, attributes his success to having worked in the oil fields, by "sitting on wells and bird-dogging seismic crews," he learned the tricks of the trade firsthand. "People, who are going to be good managers need to have a practical understanding of the crafts in their business." he says. Today his expertise earns him a six-figure salary.
On-the-job experience convinced people the importance of specialized knowledge. He says that "understanding why my equipment performs the way it does" is part of his success formula. A noteworthy point: he obtained his specialized knowledge through self-education and not through formal schooling.
Self-reliance Top achievers rely primarily on their own resources and abilities. Seventy-seven percent give themselves an A rating for this trait. Self-reliance is not how you feel or how good you are; rather, it's whether you have the gumption to take definitive action to get things moving in your life. It includes plain old willpower and the ability to get goals.
Two-thirds of the respondents say they've had clear goals for their lives and careers. And half of those we interviewed give themselves an A in willpower. Among other capabilities, willpower encompasses the ability to be a self-starter and to persevere after a project has begun.
General intelligence—This is essential for outstanding achievement because it involves your natural ability to comprehend difficult concepts quickly and to analyze them clearly and incisively. At least that's the way our respondents see it—43 percent said it was a very important ingredient of their success, and another 52 percent said it was fairly important.
Ability to get things done Nearly three-fourths of our high achievers rank themselves "very efficient" in accomplish tasks. And they agree that at least three important qualities have helped them to do so: organizational ability, good work habits and diligence.
A physics professor summarizes his success formula this way: "Sheer hard, tenacious work, with the ability to pace oneself." He admits working up to 100 hours a week.
Besides the five listed here, there are other factors that influence success: leadership, creativity, relationships with others, and, of course, luck. But common sense, knowing your field, self-reliance, intelligence and the ability to get things done stand out. If you cultivate these traits, chances are you'll succeed. And you might even find yourself listed in Who's Who someday.
世间可有“成功的个性”——也就是那些注定使人成功的优势组合？如果的确有，那么，其秘诀何在？每个人都能培养出“成功的个性”吗？
近来我们在盖洛普组织集中深入地对成功问题进行了研究，我们在美国《名人录》中随机选取了1500名杰出人物，研究他们的态度和性格特征。《名人录》选取人物的重要标准是他们在其所属领域作出的贡献，而不是财富和社会地位。我们的研究显示了高成就者身上频繁出现的几种特征。以下是最重要的五条：
良好的判断力——这是被调查者所拥有的最普遍的品质。79％的人在这一项上都得了高分，61％的人说判断力为他们的成功立下了汗马功劳。
对多数人来说，判断力是指合情合理地解决日常事务的能力。要做到这一点，就该扫除与主题无关的思想的羁绊，确定事情的核心。一位名得克萨斯的石油和天然气业巨头如是说：“简单化是获取成功的重要能力。在主持会议和处理工业规定时，将一个复杂问题变成最简单的条款非常有必要。”
良好的判断力是一个人与生俱来的特征，还是后天提高的呢？那位石油大亨回答说，良好的判断力肯定是可以培养出来的。他把自己的这种能力归功于在学校学习辩论技巧的经历。增强判断力的另一种方法是观察别人，从别人和自己的错误中学习。
对你所在的领域了如指掌——在良好的判断力后，拥有某一领域的专业知识是被调查者的第二个普遍特征，3/4的人在这一项上给自己打了满分。
曾任田纳科石油勘探公司总裁的地质学家菲利浦·奥克斯勒，现任田纳科欧洲分公司的主席。他把曾在油田工作过作为自己成功的一大原因，通过“在油井边坐着，观察地震队员”，他学到了第一手成功秘诀。他说：“要成为出色的管理者，需要对自己的行业事务有切实的了解。”如今，他的专业知识为他赢得了六位数的年薪。
专业知识的重要性在实际的工作经验中得到了证明，他说“了解我的设备的工作方式”是他成功秘诀的一部分。值得注意的是：他并没有通过正规的学校教育获得专业知识，而是自学成才的。
自力更生——成就大事业的人基本是依赖自身的资源和能力。77％的被调查者给自己的这一特点打A。自力更生并非你感觉如何或认为你有多好就可以了；而要看你是否有魄力采取实际行动，在生活中推动事情发展。这包括人们通常所说的意志力，以及实现目标的能力。
被调查者中有2/3的人说，他们曾有明确的生活和职业目标，其中半数人给自己的意志力打A。与其他能力相比，意志力是一种主动开展一个项目并持之以恒的能力。
一般智能——这是取得突出成就不可缺少的，因为它需要你具备迅速理解复杂概念，并能清晰、准确地对其进行分析的自然能力。至少在我们的被调查者眼中是这样的——43％的人说这是他们取得成功的一个非常重要的因素，另有52％的人肯定了它的重要性。
完成任务的能力——高成就者中几乎有3/4的人认为他们“非常有能力”完成任务。他们认为，至少有三种重要的品质有助于他们这么做，即组织能力、良好的工作习惯和勤奋精神。
一位物理学教授在总结他的成功模式时这样说：“全力以赴，紧张工作，使自己有规律地匀速前行。”他坦言，一周的工作时间总计有100小时。
除此五条，影响成功的还有其他诸多因素，比如领导能力、创造能力、协调能力，当然，运气也不可缺少。但是，良好的判断力、对你所在的领域了如指掌、自力更生、一般智能和完成任务的能力这五项最为突出。如果具有这些特点，你就有可能获得成功，甚至在某天，你会突然发现《名人录》中有自己的名字。
心灵小语
成功是可以如法炮制的吗？不见得。每个人心中成功的定义都是不同的，但追求目标的过程是相似的。我们姑且把上文看做奋斗者的经验，在我们追求目标的过程中，给我们以有效的推动。
W 词汇笔记
combination[?k?mbi?nei??n]n.结合；合并；化合；化合物
例 A sequence of numbers or letters used to open a combination lock.
用于开启密码锁的一系列数字或字母。
recur[ri?k?:]v.复发；重现；再来
例 Old memories constantly recurred to him.
往事经常浮现在他的脑海里。
simplify[?simplifai]v.单一化；简单化
例 Try to simplify your explanation for the children.
设法把你的解释说得简单些，好让孩子们听懂。
encompass[in?k?mp?s]v.包围；环绕；包含或包括某事物
例 The enemy encompassed the city.
敌人包围了这座城市。
S 小试身手
对多数人来说，判断力是指合情合理地解决日常事务的能力。
译___________________________________________
增强判断力的另一种方法是观察别人，从别人和自己的错误中学习。
译___________________________________________
与其他能力相比，意志力是一种主动开展一个项目并持之以恒的能力。
译___________________________________________
P 短语家族
At the Gallup Organization we recently focused in depth on success.
in depth：深入地；全面地
造___________________________________________
He admits working up to 100 hours a week.
up to：多达；直到
造___________________________________________