Shifting Focus Takes Work

It’s not easy, it takes work and time. I used to rely heavily on my cravings to guide me. Many of them were long-term and get applauded in our society as being ambitious or forward-thinking. But however you describe them they are pain.

改变”焦点“是需要努力的

这不容易，需要努力和时间。以前我总让欲望牵着我的鼻子走。这些欲望有很多都是长期的，被主流生活观所倡导鼓舞的。但不论你怎么说，欲望就是痛苦的根源。

Make the Process Flow

Flow is a term coined by psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. It describes the peak state where your mind is completely engaged with a task. With a process focus, you aim to make the process flow. The challenge level and enjoyment¹ should be high, throughout the entire process.

We’re told to find work we’re passionate² about. But what about an exercise routine? Classes? Books to read? Flow needs to come everywhere, not just in your work. A process focus forces you to seek the route to a goal that produces the most flow and suits your interests, not just the shortest path.

让过程”泛滥“

”泛滥“这个词是心理学家Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi制造的。意思就是说你脑海被一件事完全地占据。”聚焦过程“就是让你的脑海占据的是”过程“。整个过程都是高度的挑战和享受。

我们总是认为工作要找喜欢的有激情的。那日常锻炼呢？功课呢？要读的书呢？过程“泛滥”要无处不在，而不单单是在工作上

Goals are Good, Obsession³ is Not

In many ways, a process focus is like making your life into a game. Goals are important, therefore, because they give structure to the game. Chess wouldn’t be much fun if there was nothing to strive for. Just because you emphasize process and flow, doesn’t mean you should abandon goals.

Just don’t let your need for a structured process allow you neglect what is important. Dial down the intensity⁵" target="_blank">intensity⁴ of your goals and emphasize the game before.

有目标很好，但太过执着就不必了。

其实，“聚焦过程”跟把你的生活当成游戏很像。有目标当然很重要，因为他们也是游戏的一部分。下棋如果没有目标的话也不会那么有趣了。让你聚焦“过程”不是说让你放弃目标。二者并没有冲突。只是不要让有目标的过程使你忽略了什么是最重要的。不要把目标看得太重，多关注点在游戏过程上吧。

Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket

In life we’re told to focus. Don’t dabble⁶, set your sights on one goal and achieve it with overwhelming force. While this is certainly a valid⁷ strategy, it can trick you into falling for your cravings. Don’t feel you need to focus just to achieve a goal. Only focus when the process becomes so fascinating that you want to let it occupy a majority of your thoughts.

I oscillate between periods of intense focus on one area of my life to a focus on multiple areas. This cycle ensures I don’t burn out on one particularly intense process or get bored by only half-heartedly pursuing a bunch.

别把你的鸡蛋都放在一个篮子里

生活中，我们总是被教导要集中精力。别什么都去浅尝一下，眼睛放在一个目标上，然后尽全力去达到目标！虽然这个策略不错，当它很容易让你陷入欲望的泥沼中。不要认为你一定要集中精力才能达到目标。只有当你认为追求目标的过程是如此让你享受其中，你才能让它占据你大部分的思绪。

我在做法是在一段时期里高度集中精力在我生活的一个部分，其他时期或着几个部分一起兼顾关注。这样的循环转换我就不会因为某部分高度集中精力而变得精疲力尽也不会因为三心二意地兼顾几个部分而感到无聊.

Accomplishments⁸, Status and Money are Meaningless

Accomplishments are the Monopoly money of life. They have no intrinsic value in the universe and are simply tokens of the game to give it structure. The solution isn’t to simply reject the game entirely⁹, just don’t give the tokens more value than they have. Don’t worship them.

A process focus keeps you from resting on past successes. Since these successes are meaningless on their own, your only job is to keep pursuing interesting goals.

成就，地位，金钱是无意义的

成就是生活金钱化的主宰。他们本身没什么内在价值，只不过是游戏成绩的符号。也不是单单因此而拒绝玩游戏了，只是不要把他们看得太重了。不要崇拜它。“聚焦过程”不会让你停留在过去的成功上。因为成功本身是无意义的，你只要一直追求有意思的目标就行了。

Happiness is Now, Not in the Future

Happiness isn’t a far-off beach with beautiful people. It’s here, right now, whether you live in a mansion¹⁰ or a rent-controlled apartment. A process focus forces you to look in the now since you stop worrying about satisfying your cravings that will never stop.

幸福就在当下，而不是在未知的将来

幸福不是有很多漂亮美女的海滩，遥不可及。

它就在这，就是现在，而不论你是住在高楼大厦里还是住在出租屋了。

“聚焦过程”让你看重的是现在，因为你不再为可能永远得不到满足的欲望而担忧烦恼了。