On the fourth day of every July, Americans celebrate our independence. Freedom is one of those things that is hard to explain, but it’s easy to notice the lack thereof. Anybody can be a follower – in fact, it’s hard not to find people looking for followers. One must only exist to be dependent, but these steps are necessary to become independent.
每年的7月4日，美国都会庆祝独立日。自由是一个很难解释的事情，一旦缺失又很容易发现。人人都可以成为一个追随者---实际上，找到追随者并不是件难事。每个人都有依赖性,但是要想变得更独立，以下这些步骤是不可或缺的。
1. Fake It Till You Make It 不懂就要弄懂为止
You don’t have to be successful to act like it. As long as you are confident and friendly, people will generally accept you are who you say you are (provided, of course, you can back it up when necessary).
你不必做的这么好。只要你足够有信心，足够友好，人们通常都会接受你所表现出来的那个你。
2. Create A Plan 制定一个计划
If you’re independent without a plan, you’re not independent – you’re actually just blind to how dependent you actually are. This drives your friends and family absolutely crazy, so stop it. Get yourself a plan, and make it a good one. Sticking to your own plan is how you avoid following or obstructing others.
要是想要独立却没有计划，你不可能会很独立---你根本不知道要怎么才可以独立。这样还会让你的家人、朋友觉得很奇怪，那就放弃吧。给自己制定一个计划，制定一个很周全的计划。坚持自己的计划也会关系到要怎么做才不会影响到他人。
3. Form Habits 养成好习惯
Now that you have plans, turn those plans into habits by making a conscious effort to continue following them. Every time you follow through with your plan, you’re one step closer to making it a habit. Habits are much easier to follow, as they’re ingrained in your very nature. You become unconsciously drawn to these actions to the point that it actually takes effort to stop. This is when you know you have made it.
既然你已经制定好了计划，通过有意识的坚持做一些事情，将计划里的事情慢慢地变成你的习惯。每次按着计划行事的时候，距离将其变成习惯就又更近了一步。习惯更容易保持，因为它们已经成为一件很自然的事情。在某件事情上要是你已经下意识的就有了这些反应，你也就可以不必再那么努力地培养这一习惯了。到那一刻你也知道你已经做到了。
4. Make Decisions 做一些决定
As you become more and more comfortable in your independence, it’s vital to exercise your freedom. It’s in exercising your freedoms that they become stronger. Deciding is the easiest way to exercise your freedoms. By deciding, you’re creating your path, your way. Start deciding what you want and learn to get it.
在培养独立性这件事情上，当你做的越来越顺手的时候，就该学着自主了。学着自主会让你变得更强大。做决定就是一种培养自主性的最简单方式。练习做决定，你可以决定你自己要走的道路。开始决定你想要的是什么然后试着去争取吧。
5. Learn Your Role 学习扮演好你的角色
Remember you are never isolated. You’re always in a world surrounded by other people, and it’s important to be compassionate to those around you. Just because you’re independent doesn’t make you an automatic CEO, nor will you be treated as one. Learn where you really fit in and play your cards to the best of your ability instead of wishing for a new hand.
记住，你不是孤立的个体。你的周围总是有很多人，对周围的人要有一颗慈悲之心。因为你的独立性不会让你成为一个机动的首席执行官，你不也不会被这样对待，学着融入你的团体，尽力打好你手中的王牌，不是寄希望于一个新的地方。
6. Take Chances 抓住机会
The only way you can survive independently is to take chances. Even if you have the best plans in the world, there will always be someone ready, willing and able to stop you. You’d be naïve to think you’re the one exception, so be willing to take risks. When these risks pay off, you’ll be a success, and if they fail, you at least have a great story.
你能活的更独立地唯一方式就是抓住机会。即使你还有绝妙的计划，世界上也总有那么一个人准备好争取那个机会，想要而且能够阻止你。原本你以为你很特殊，所以愿意去冒这个险。风险有回报的时候，你就成功了，即使你失败了，至少也还有这样一段经历。
7. Think Independently 独立的思考
If people are agreeing with you, you’re not disrupting enough to be independent. This isn’t to say you need to be an obnoxious jerk, but you do need to shake things up. Anyone can be agreeable up to a point, but if you’re always agreeing with people, you’re following them. Think for yourself and play devil’s advocate every so often, just to keep everyone on their toes.
要是周围人的意见都与你相同，你也没有为了独立而觉得烦恼。这并不是说你得变成一个十足的混蛋，而是说你得想办法改变现状。针对同一件事情，每个人都可能会有一个观点，但是要是你的意见总是和别人相同，那么你就会被别人牵着鼻子走。你要独立思考，必要的时候还要扮演一个恶人，主要是为了能让他们保持警觉性。
Our forefathers fought and died in the name of freedom. In July 1776, they drafted our Declaration of Independence to provide guidelines to preserve the independence of each and every one of us. In order to honor their sacrifices it’s important for each of us to become independent.
我们的祖先为了自由为战，为了自有牺牲自己。1776年的6月，他们起草了独立宣言，为保护我们每一个人的独立提供了指导方针。为了不辜负他们，我们都应该变得更加的独立自主。
