excerpt from commencement speech by David Brooks at Dartmouth college

四个承诺

节选于戴维德布鲁克斯在达特茅斯学院毕业典礼的演讲

making commitments sounds intimidating, but it's not. Making  a commitment simply means falling in love with something, then building  a structure of behavior around it that will carry you through when you love falters.

做承诺听上去挺吓人，但没什么可怕。承诺简言之是爱上什么，当爱摇摆时围绕承诺构建系列行为带你走出摇摆。

when you make  a commitment to something  you truly love, whether it's a spouse, a job, a company, or a school, it won't feel like you  are putting on an uncomfortable lobster shell.it will feel  like you are taking off the shell and becoming the  shape you were meant to be.

当你对你所真正热爱的做了承诺，不论是配偶，工作，公司还是学校，不会像让你穿了龙虾壳一样不舒服，反倒像卸掉束缚成为你注定的样子。

when you are making a commitment, you won't be paralyzed by self-focus because you'll have something besides yourself to think about. specifically, as you go through your 30s, you will make four major commitments, and your life depends on how you do with these four things.

当你许下承诺，你不会在自我关注下目瞪口呆，因为你有自身之外的事物要考虑。特别是在三十多岁的时段，要立下你主要的四个承诺，你的人生取决于如何处理这四个承诺。

First, a commitment  to your spouse and your family. Second, a commitment to  a career and a vocation. Third, a commitment to your faith and to your philosiphy. fourth, a commitment to a community and a village.

第一爱配偶和家人，第二爱事业，第三爱你的信仰和人生哲学，第四爱社区