Magnum opus is a latin term that is defined as someone’s greatest life achievement. It is the highest intersection of talent, skill and hard work, when someone reaches their maximum potential at the exact right time in the exact right place.

 

"Magnum opus"是一个拉丁词，意思是某人一生中最伟大的成就。这是天赋、技能和努力工作的完美交集，还需要天时地利人和。

 

For Michelangelo it was painting the Sistine Chapel, for Einstein it was the theory of relativity, for Lincoln Park it was Hybrid Theory, for JK Rowling it's Harry Potter, for Leo Messi it's a record-breaking season. Whatever the medium, your magnum opus is your life's greatest work and it will be your legacy long after you are gone.

对米开朗基罗来说，他的杰作是为西斯廷教堂作画；对爱因斯坦来说，是相对论；对林肯公园来说，是专辑；对JK罗琳来说，是《哈利波特》；对梅西来说，这是一个破纪录的赛季。无论是什么媒介，你的杰作是你一生中最伟大的作品，即使你离开这个世界很久以后，它仍然是你的遗产。

 

Sadly not many people get to achieve their magnum opus or even make an attempt. Most people spend the vast majority of their lives in a career that falls short of inspiration. Two-thirds of employees say they are genuinely dissatisfied with their jobs, and one-fifth admit they actively hate their career.

可悲的是，没有多少人能够完成他们的杰作，在努力也没有用。大多数人一生中的大部分时间，都在缺乏灵感的工作中度过。三分之二的员工表示，他们对自己的工作真的不满意，五分之一的员工直接承认，他们对自己的职业充满仇恨。

 

Everyone has a massive amount of potential, whether it be an invention, a painting, a song, a journey, a book, an idea, you name it, but very few actually get to flourish and reach for that potential. When you’re a young child, you hold the belief that anything is possible, no dream is too big...so what happens between childhood and adulthood that crushes so many dreams? Why do so many settle? Is it the school system? Is it “realistic” expectations? Financial fear? Practicality? A lack of belief?

每个人都有巨大的潜力，无论是一项发明、一幅绘画、一首歌、一次旅行、一本书、一个想法，但很少有人能真正获得这种潜力并把它发扬光大。当你还是个孩子的时候，你坚信任何事情都是可能的，再大的梦想也能实现……那么，为什么人成年之后，很多梦想会破碎？为什么这么多人会安定下来？是学校制度吗？是“现实”的期望吗？对财务状况的恐惧？务实？缺乏信仰？

 

The reason people don’t attempt their magnum opus is because of doubt. Doubt is the ultimate crippler of ambition. In order to believe in yourself, you must have evidence to support this belief. It’s like a table. Your belief is the table-top and the legs are experiences and evidence that support the belief. Doubt is like a woodpecker, that chips away at the legs of the table. When enough doubt creeps into your mind, the table comes crashing down and you no longer believe in yourself.

人们不尝试创作自己杰作的原因是怀疑。怀疑是野心的摧毁者。为了树立信心，你必须找到证据来支持这个信念。就像一张桌子，你的信仰是桌面，桌腿是经验和证据，它们负责支撑这个信仰。怀疑就像一只啄木鸟，把桌子腿啄开。当足够多的怀疑潜入你的脑海，桌子就要塌下来，你就不再相信自己了。

 

The key is to reverse this process. Move toward beliefs that empower you, then find role models, experiences, stories and evidence to support the new empowering belief. Most importantly, do not listen to the doubters. Doubters are cynical people who have never attempted what you’re setting out to do. Buddha said, “we are what we think, all that we are arises with our thoughts. With our thoughts, we make the world.” Achieving your goal starts with the mental belief that it can be done. Attitude is far more important than IQ.

关键是要扭转这个过程。朝着赋予你力量的信念前进，然后找到榜样、经验、故事和证据来支撑这个信念。最重要的是，不要听怀疑者的话。怀疑者是愤世嫉俗的人，他们从来没有尝试过你要做的事情。佛陀说：“我们就是我们所想的，我们所拥有的一切都是由我们的思想而产生的。用我们的思想，我们来创造世界。”实现你的目标，首先要有这样一种精神信念：它是可以实现的。态度远比智商重要。

 

It may seem scary and unfamiliar, for the path to your magnum opus is never easy. You will have to be willing to take risks, sacrifice, and to go the extra mile. At the end of this short life, you want to look back and say, i gave it my all. I took a shot, and left it all on the line.

这可能看起来可怕和陌生，因为通往你的杰作之路从来都不容易。你必须愿意承担风险，做出牺牲，并且付出更多的努力。当这短暂的一生结束时，你会回首往事，说：我付出了我的一切，我拼尽了全力。

 

This simple exercise can help you focus your energy and home in on your magnum opus journey. Write down things you love to do, things you’re good at and things people will pay you to do. The intersection of these 3 categories is your “sweet spot”. Perhaps you can combine things from all 3 categories. The key to reaching your magnum opus is to find your sweet spot and take action.

这个简单的训练可以帮助你集中精力，直接聚焦到你的杰作上。写下你喜欢做的事，你擅长的事，人们会付钱给你的事。这三件事的交叉点就是你的“最佳位置”。也许你可以将这三件事的内容结合起来。实现你的杰作的关键，是找到你的最佳位置并采取行动。

 

So give yourself a year, give yourself one year to pursue your magnum opus, give yourself one year to take that trip, build that farm, climb that mountain, or start that business. Give yourself one year to tune out fear and doubt, be unreasonable, be impractical. If people don't laugh at your dreams, then your dreams are not big enough, give yourself one year to follow your passion and leave your mark on the world. Find your sweet spot, the worst possible scenario is that you come right back to where you are now. You owe it to yourself to take a chance.

所以给自己一年时间，给自己一年时间去追求你的杰作，给自己一年时间去旅行，建农场，爬山，或者创业。给自己一年的时间来消除恐惧和怀疑，不按常理出牌，不切实际。如果人们不嘲笑你的梦想，那么你的梦想就不够大，给自己一年时间来追随你的激情，在世界上留下你的印记。找到你的最佳位置，最糟糕的情况也就是回到你现在的状态。你应该给自己一个机会！