Trying New Things… Risk and Reward

尝试新事物……风险和回报并存

When we try new things,

当我们尝试新事物的时候，

there is always the risk that we will not be happy with our choice,

总会有我们将不会满意我们的选择的风险相伴，

we might try a food we have never tried before and end up disliking it.

我们可以尝试我们还没有尝过的食物，最终以讨厌它告终。

It could be too sour or too salty.

要么太酸要么太咸。

It could be too spicy¹.

也可能会很辣。

We might try a new sport like snowboarding and end up falling down a lot.

我们可以尝试一种新的运动，比如滑雪板，而以多次摔倒告终。

We might try a new style of music and get a headache.

我们可以尝试新的风格的音乐，最终以自己头痛结束。

We might check out a different kind of art and be totally disappointed.[en]

我们可以看看另一种完全不同的艺术，最终完全失望。

We might try to speak or write a different language and end up embarrassing ourselves.

我们可以试着用另外一种语言说话、写字，最终自寻尴尬。

Who wants that? Sounds risky² to me.

谁想要这个？听起来我也有风险。

But if we take the risk, we might try a new food and end up loving it.

但如果我们敢冒这个险，那我们可以尝试一种新的食物，或许最终会爱上它。

It could be sweet or have a great flavor.

它可能非常甜或者味道非常不错。

It could be an experience that makes our taste buds feel like they are in heaven.

这可能是一种经历，使我们的味蕾感觉好似在天堂。

We might try a new sport and fall down but we get back up and eventually experience exhilaration, even for a minute.

我们可以尝试一种新的运动，虽然会摔倒，不过我们会重新站起来，最终会收获愉快，哪怕是一分钟的短暂快乐。

We might see why people love that sport so much.

我们可以理解人们为什么如此喜欢体育运动。

We might try a new kind of music and regret that we didn’t discover it sooner.

我们可以尝试一种新的音乐，并且抱憾为什么我们没有早发现它。

We might see a new kind of art and be amazed.

我们会看到一种新的艺术而感到称奇。

We might try to write or speak a different language,

我们可以尝试写或说不同的语言，

and we might be a little embarrassed as first;

我们可能起初会有点不好意思，

but we don’t let it bother us too much because we know that the only way to improve is to make mistakes and keep on practicing.

但我们不会让它烦扰我们很久，因为我们知道改善自己的唯一途径就是不断犯错误和持之以恒的练习。

I say: Try a new food.

我说：尝试新食物。

Try a new activity. Try to listen to some new music.

尝试一种新的活动。试着听听新的音乐。

Walk into a gallery, just on a whim³, and look around.

只因一时兴起而步入一间画廊，环顾四周。

Try writing and speaking that other language more.

尝试写和说其他语言。

Try making some new friends.

试着交些新朋友。

There are some risks involved, but I know there are rewards too.

虽然风险常相伴，但是我知道也有一些甜头。