Life is full of small questions: What will I wear to my meeting? What’s for lunch? Subway or cab?

生活里琐碎的问题源源不绝：穿什么去开会?午饭吃什么?乘地铁还是打车?

Small questions are important as they facilitate the day to day running of our lives. The problem is, most people do not pause to ask themselves the big questions. The real questions. The questions that will change our lives for the better. Often we do not take a moment and think about what really matters to us and what our contribution to the world is. Our wise old friend Socrates said "an unexamined life is not worth living."

琐碎的问题很重要，因为它们让我们的日常生活运转流畅。问题是大多数人不会停下脚步来问问自己一些重要的问题、真正的问题。那些可以让我们的生活变得更好的问题。我们经常忘了抽出点时间来想想到底什么事情最重要，还有我们为这个世界做了些什么事情。著名的哲学家苏格拉底曾经说过：“混混噩噩的生活不值得过。”

Here are five questions that Susie Moore(Life Coach, New York City) asks her coaching clients to help them examine their lives. Take a few minutes, a quiet spot and ask these of yourself (warning: the answers might surprise you!):

这儿有来自纽约的人生导师苏茜·摩尔指导她的客户时所问的五个问题，来帮助他们审阅自己的生活。到一个安静的环境里花上几分钟问问自己这些问题吧(提示：你可能会为自己的答案吃惊!)：

1. How happy am I overall, today, out of 10?

我今天有多开心，10分能打几分?

Take into account all areas of your life when you do this. Whatever your number is, be honest about it with yourself. Then you can get real about what you can do to increase it.

回答这个问题时，你要考虑到生活里的各个方面。不管你得了几分，坦诚面对吧。之后你就能清楚自己能做些什么来提高开心指数。

2. What type of life do I want to lead?

我想要过什么样的生活?

Think about your life 10 years from now. Are you satisfied with your life if it is to continue exactly as it currently is? Are you content with your relationships, work, health? Picture the ideal life you could be living. How is it different? Visualizing helps us understand what it is that we can be doing differently now.

想想你10年之后的生活。如果那时你的生活和现在一模一样，你会觉得满意吗?你对你的爱人、工作以及健康状况满意吗?想象一下你理想中的生活状态。和现在有什么不同?想象让我们知道自己现在需要做出什么改变。

3. What does success look like to me?

我眼里的成功是什么?

For some people it is becoming an expert in their industry. For others it is taking one year off in every five to seven to travel. For some it is raising a healthy and tight-knit family. Be clear on what it looks like to you and don’t be swayed by others visions for themselves. Your life is your path to honor and actualize.

对有些人来说，成功意味着变成他们所在领域的专家，有些人觉得成功是每隔5年至7年就给自己放一年的假来旅游，有些人眼里的成功就是维持健康团结的家庭生活。明确自己眼里的成功，不要被别人的意见左右。生活就是实现自己眼里的荣耀。

4. What brings me joy?

什么事情会让我快乐?

Is it writing, teaching, singing, volunteering, dancing? Whatever it is, make time for it!

是写作、教书、唱歌、当志愿者还是跳舞?不管是什么，为这些事情留出时间!

5. What can I do in the next two weeks to bring more joy, passion and purpose to my life?

在未来2周里，我能做些什么来给我的生活增添更多的欢乐、激情以及目标?

This is the killer part right here. All of the above is important but it won’t impact your life unless you take action. Start small. Write one blog. Take one dance class. Perhaps speak to a friend in Europe about a potential meet over the next few months. You know what it is that will generate excitement and happiness in your life. Don’t put it off!

最重要的部分来了。上述问题都很重要，但是只有你采取行动，它们才能改变你的生活!从小事开始吧。写一篇博客，参加一节舞蹈课，或者和你欧洲的朋友聊聊以后几个月里有没有可能见面。你知道做什么能够给你的生活带来刺激和快乐的。不要拖延!

The answers are within us. We have everything we need to create the lives we want. Getting clear is the starting point. An old proverb says, "The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now." Get busy now sowing the seeds of the life you want to flourish over the coming years.

答案就在我们心中。我们完全有能力来创造自己想要的生活。明确方向是第一步。老话说：“种一棵树的最佳时机是20年前，再就是现在。” 现在就动起来，为你将来茂盛的生活大树播下种子。