Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, If I were any better, I d be twins! He was a natural motivator.

　　迈克尔是那种你真想恨一恨的家伙，他总是乐呵呵的，总是说些积极上进的话。如果有人问他近况如何，他会这样回答： 如果我还能再好，我就成双胞胎了! 他生来就会让人积极进取。

　　If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation. Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, I don' t get it. You can' t be positive all the time. How do you do it?

　　如果哪位雇员有天过得很糟糕，迈克尔会告诉他如何看待问题的积极一面。他的这种方式着实让我好奇，所以有一天我找到迈克尔问： 我真弄不明白。你怎么能总是那样积极乐观?你是如何做到这一点的?

　　Michael replied, each morning I wake up and say to myself 'Mike, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or you can choose to be in a bad mood.' I choose to be in a good mood. Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it. Every time someone comes to me complaining I can choose to accept their complaining or I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.

　　迈克尔回答说， 每天早晨醒来时我对自己说， 迈克，今天你有两种选择。你可以选择心情愉快，你也可以选择心情恶劣。 我选择心情愉快。每次什么不愉快的事情发生时，我可以选择成为一个牺牲品，也可以选择从中吸取教训。我选择从中吸取教训。每次有什么人找我来抱怨，我可以选择接受他们的抱怨，也可以选择向他指出生活的积极面。我选择指出生活的积极面。

　　Yeah, right. It isn't that easy. I protested.

　　是的，不错。可并不那么容易呀。 我表示异议。

　　Yes it is, Michael said. Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people will affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line is: It's your choice how you live life. I reflected on what Michael said.

　　其实很容易， 迈克尔说。 生活就是选择。从每一事物剔除一切枝节后剩下的都是一种选择。你选择如何应付生活中的种种情形。你选择他人会怎样影响你的情绪。你选择是心情愉快还是心情恶劣。说到底：如何生活是你自己的选择。 我琢磨着迈克尔的这席话。

　　Soon thereafter, I left the big enterprise that I had worked in for years to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often though about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it. Several years later, I heard Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling off 60 feet from a communications tower.

　　那以后不久，我离开了工作数年的大企业去创建自己的公司。我们失去了联系，但当我对生活做出一种选择而非对它做出反应时，我时常想起迈克尔。几年之后，我听说迈克尔遭遇一场恶性事故，从一座通讯大楼的60英尺高处掉了下来。

　　After l8 hours of surgery, and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw Michael about six months after the accident. When I asked him how he was, he replied, If I were any better, I d be twins. Wanna see my scars? I declined to see his wounds, but did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.

　　在经历了18个小时的手术和数周的精心护理之后，迈克尔出院了，背部装有金属杆。大约事故半年之后，我见到了迈克尔。当我问他怎么样时，他回答， 如果我还能再好，我就成双胞胎了。想看看我的伤疤吗? 我拒绝看他的伤痕，但的确问了他事故发生时他是怎么想的。

　　The first thing that went through my mind was the well being of my soon-to-born daughter, Michael replied. Then, as I lay on the ground, remembered I had two choices: I could choose to live or I could choose to die. I chose to live. Weren t you scared? Did you lose consciousness? I asked. Michael continued, ... the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the operation room and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, l read 'He's a dead man.' I knew I needed to take action. What did you do? I asked. Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me said Michael. She asked me if I was allergic to anything. Yes, I said. The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled , Gravity Over their laughter, I told them, 'I'm choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead'.

　　我首先想到的是我那即将出世的女儿的幸福生活， 迈克尔答道。 当时我躺在地上，我记起我有两种选择：我可以选择活着，也可以选择死。我选择了活。 你难道不害怕吗?你失去知觉了吗? 我问。迈克尔接着说， 那些护理人员棒极了。他们不停地告诉我我会好的。但当他们把我推进手术室，我看到医生和护士脸上的表情时，我真是吓坏了。在他们的眼里，我读出了 他是个死人。 我知道我应该采取行动。 你采取了什么行动? 我问道。 有一位人高马大的护士大声冲我问问题， 迈克尔说。 她问我是否对什么过敏。 是的， 我说。医生和护士都停下手中的活儿等我回答。我深吸一口气大声说出， 万有引力。 他们的笑声未了，我告诉他们， 我选择活着。把我当活人而不是死人来做手术。

　　Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I 1eamed from him that every day we have a choice to live fully. Attitude is everything.

　　迈克尔活了下来，这要感谢他那些医生的高明医术，但也要归功于他那令人赞叹的态度。我从他那里学到了我们每天都有机会充实地活着，关键是态度。