Most people are inherently inquisitive. I spend a lot of time talking with our team about the value of curiosity. But over time, we can become set in our ways. Sometimes it seems easier to shrug off a new concept or task that appears difficult than to invest the time to master it.

大多數(shù)人生來好奇。我跟我們的團(tuán)隊(duì)花了很長時間討論好奇的重要性。但隨著時間的推移，我們會形成固定的思維模式。有時候，我們更容易放棄一些看起來難以應(yīng)付的新想法或新任務(wù)，而不會花時間掌握其中要領(lǐng)。

A study at the University of Texas at Dallas found that learning challenging new skills keeps your mind sharp. Another three-month study found that adults who learned a demanding new task, such as digital photography, fared better on memory tests than control groups who spent time in less challenging pursuits, such as reminiscing with others or watching movies.

德克薩斯大學(xué)達(dá)拉斯校區(qū)的一項(xiàng)研究表明，學(xué)習(xí)有挑戰(zhàn)性的新技能會讓你的頭腦保持敏銳。另一項(xiàng)為期三個月的調(diào)查發(fā)現(xiàn)，學(xué)習(xí)高難度任務(wù)的成年人，如數(shù)碼攝影，在記憶測試上比那些低追求的人進(jìn)展更好，比如和他人一起回憶或是看電影。

I see each day as a fresh opportunity to learn something new. Invariably, I find something that can help me pursue my goal of achieving sustainable happiness. Even while on vacation, I try to look for what's novel.

我認(rèn)為每天都是學(xué)習(xí)新事物的好機(jī)會?？偟膩碚f，我發(fā)現(xiàn)一些事可以幫助我追逐目標(biāo)——實(shí)現(xiàn)持續(xù)的快樂。即使在休假時，我也在嘗試新鮮事物。

For example, I recently traveled to Scotland with my family. I learned about the world's best scotch producers--and their nearly insane devotion to tradition and consistency. That experience underscored the importance of setting a high bar for product quality (which I have to admit, I sampled), and how that can translate into generations of loyal customers.

比如，我最近和家人一起去了蘇格蘭。我認(rèn)識到世界上最好的威士忌生產(chǎn)商，他們竭力維護(hù)傳統(tǒng)工藝和一貫的風(fēng)味。這個經(jīng)驗(yàn)強(qiáng)調(diào)了為產(chǎn)品質(zhì)量設(shè)置高門檻的重要性(實(shí)地考察后我必須承認(rèn)這一點(diǎn))，以及如何轉(zhuǎn)化為幾代的忠誠客戶。

High-performing people know that continued learning is essential--and employ unique approaches to get the maximum benefit from mastering a new concept or skill. Here are a few ways that successful people learn new things:

高效的人知道持續(xù)學(xué)習(xí)是必不可少的，而且要采用獨(dú)特的方法，以便從掌握新思維或是新技能中獲得最大利益。下面是成功人士學(xué)習(xí)新東西的一些方法：

Learn how you learn

了解如何學(xué)習(xí)

Maybe you are like Warren Buffett, who starts his morning by reading six newspapers. Perhaps you are a hands-on learner, or would rather listen to a podcast while working out. The important thing is to find out how you learn best, then start putting forth the effort.

也許你像沃倫·巴菲特，每天早上讀六份報(bào)紙。也許你是一個傾向于實(shí)踐的學(xué)習(xí)者，或者更愿意聽播客來學(xué)習(xí)。重要的是找到最好的學(xué)習(xí)方法，然后開始努力。

Consume challenging material

使用有挑戰(zhàn)性的材料

Choose materials that introduce new concepts and challenge your old ideas. Here are a couple of recommendations to get you started: Pick up a copy of Outliers, a favorite of Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh, or dive into a classic such as The Aeneid, recommended by both Mark Zuckerberg and Ted Turner. Make sure to have a pen and paper nearby--a study found that handwriting notes can give you a stronger grasp of the concepts than if you tapped away on a laptop.

選擇包含新概念并能挑戰(zhàn)你舊思想的材料。你可以從這份推薦書單開始：拿起一本《異類》，Zappos(一家美國賣鞋的B2C網(wǎng)站)的CEO謝家華非常喜歡這本書;或者好好讀讀經(jīng)典的《埃涅阿斯紀(jì)》，它由馬克·扎克伯格和泰德·特納聯(lián)合推薦。確保手邊有紙和筆，研究表明，相比在電腦記錄，手寫筆記能更好地讓你理解概念。

Go back to class

回歸課堂

Successful people enlist help from subject-matter experts to expand their knowledge. Some well-known college dropouts have returned to school to finish what they started, including Steven Spielberg. In 2001, he completed his degree in film and electronic arts. To maximize your own learning potential, sign up for a conference, take an online course, or finally pursue that advanced degree.

成功的人會尋求有關(guān)專家的幫助來擴(kuò)大自己的知識。包括史蒂芬·斯皮爾伯格在內(nèi)的一些知名大學(xué)的輟學(xué)生重回學(xué)校，以完成自己的學(xué)業(yè)。在2001年，他完成了電影和電子藝術(shù)學(xué)位。為了最大限度地發(fā)揮自己的學(xué)習(xí)潛力，你可以參加研討會和在線課程，或者追求更高的學(xué)位。

Get uncomfortable

逃離舒適區(qū)

If you want to strengthen your brain's connections, you need to challenge yourself with novel tasks. It may feel strange or even frustrating at times, but doing so can result in rich learning experiences. If you want to be more successful, embrace disciplines and topics that are outside the norm for you--and persevere even when mastery is a struggle.

如果你想增強(qiáng)大腦聯(lián)系，你需要用新奇的任務(wù)挑戰(zhàn)自己。有時可能會感到奇怪，甚至是沮喪，但這么做可以獲得豐富的學(xué)習(xí)經(jīng)驗(yàn)。如果你想更成功，就要接受自己不擅長的學(xué)科或題目。即使掌握起來很困難也要堅(jiān)持。

Successful people guard their time carefully. That is why they make sure to derive the most benefit out of what they are learning. They challenge themselves by asking, "What did I learn?" And if the answer is "not enough," they ask more questions--and seek more answers.

成功人士謹(jǐn)慎地捍衛(wèi)自己的時間。這也是他們能從自己所學(xué)東西中獲益的原因。他們通過問：“我學(xué)到了什么?”來挑戰(zhàn)自己，如果答案是“還不夠”，他們會問更多的問題，并尋找更多的答案。

The truth is that you will never know everything there is to know. (And the older you get, the more you realize that!) But if you can cultivate an open mind and seek to learn new things, you will always know more tomorrow than you know today.

事實(shí)上，你永遠(yuǎn)不可能了解所有的知識。(年紀(jì)越大你越能意識到這一點(diǎn)!)但如果你能培養(yǎng)一個開放的思維，并且設(shè)法學(xué)習(xí)新事物，你將會不斷擴(kuò)充新的知識。