While I love seeing my own ideas take off, I’m even more excited by the prospect of helping develop a universal formula for success. It pushes technology forward, challenging us as human beings to think and to evolve.

　　相比看着自己的想法得到实现，笔者对于这些想法能够创造成功的预期更觉得兴奋。它能够推动科技的发展，促使人类的思考与进化。

　　You probably have at least a slight notion of an idea in mind, but if not, I can give you a little insight on where good ideas come from. The first piece of advice is this: don’t get held up on the idea. Don’t think of an idea and attempt to figure out all the small details right away. Take the idea and run with it.

　　你也许在心中也有一个很小的想法，如果没有的话，笔者可以给你一点点提示。首先你该这样做：不要拘泥在这个想法上。不要认为一个想法就能解决所有的事情，而应该把这个想法好好地利用起来。

　　So where do ideas come from?

　　那么，这些灵感的来源在哪里呢?

　　1.Your world

　　1. 你的身边

　　These are the spontaneous ideas that hit you in your everyday life. The appliance in your kitchen that desperately needs another function, the underutilized advertising opportunity in your morning commute, or the piece of software we know could optimize our workday.

　　这些都是日常生活中突然想到的灵感。厨房工具需要更多的新功能，早餐上班时未被充分利用的广告机会，或者我们工作所需的优化软件。

　　We tend to move through life quickly and accept things for what they are, but when you slow down and start to question the things around you, you’ll find yourself inspired. Many of these ideas you’ll throw out -- too expensive, not enough of a target audience -- but once you start to see the world around you as open market for opportunity, you’re bound to find a couple of ideas with real potential.

　　我们往往都追寻快速的生活并接受事情的本质，但当你放慢脚步，思考身边的这些东西时，你会发现灵感就这么产生了!很多想法——有些太昂贵，不足以找到知音——但一旦你开始把身边的这些东西当作一个机会的开放平台，你就一定能够得到很多真实潜在的灵感。

　　2.Your "bad" ideas

　　2. 你的“坏”想法

　　Some of us are blessed with inspiration all the time. We come up with ideas constantly throughout the day, laughing many of them off as unrealistic, shirking others as poor concepts. You’ll find that the more bad ideas you have, the more potential good ideas you’ll have as well.

　　有些人总能获得不错的灵感。每天我们的脑海里都产生不同的想法，我们会嘲笑那些想法都不显示，别人的想法都是不好的想法。但你会发现，你所想的“坏”想法越多，你的潜在的“好”的想法也会越多。

　　Keep a note open on your mobile device or a notebook and write down every idea you have, no matter how foolish or grandiose it seems. When you go back from time to time to review the list, you may see the more realistic, accomplishable side of some of those ideas.

　　保持可移动设备的笔记功能的随时待命或随身携带一本笔记本，在有任何想法的时候把它写下来，无论它们看起来多么愚蠢或多么伟大。当你时不时查看这些记录的时候，你就能够发现某些想法更现实，更可行。

　　Reading that list off to others can also be a launch point to discussion and the development of those concepts into something legitimate.

　　把这些想法向他人表达出来，也能够抛砖引玉，激发新的讨论和实行。

　　3.Collaborations

　　3. 与人协作

　　Sometimes you have an idea that can’t quite round out to completion, an idea that is half-baked, so to speak. Some of the world’s best new inventions are not the efforts of one person, but a collaborative effort. Conversations with others in your field, even those you connect with on the Internet from the other side of the world, can lead to higher-level inspiration.

　　有时候你的想法并不是一个完整的概念。世界上的一些最伟大的发明都不是靠一个人的努力，而是与他人的协作。在所在领域与他人交谈，及时是网络上处于世界另一端的人，也能给你很多的灵感。

　　Discussing your concepts with a colleague can lead to the realization that while individually, you’re only halfway there, together, you’ve struck gold. Even casual conversations with friends or coworkers can lead to development.

　　跟同事们讨论你的想法，相比单枪匹马只能实现一半的情况，可以把它们更好地付诸实践。即使时平常的闲聊也能让想法提升到新的高度。

　　4.Friends and family

　　4. 亲朋好友

　　You don’t have to limit your collaboration to other business-minded folks either. Really listen to your friends and family. By paying attention to their daily complaints, you have the opportunity to find room for improvement in their lives as well as your own.

　　同时，你也不必限制自己与其他具备商业头脑的亲人的合作。认真听取亲友的意见。多留意他们的诉求，你就有更大的空间提高他们以及自己的生活水平。

　　5.Ask around

　　5. 寻求周围的人帮忙

　　If you feel that you are bound for entrepreneurship, you can always ask potential clients for ideas. Much like finding weaknesses in your own company, you can call companies in the market you are interested in, and ask them what issues they need to deal with on a regular basis. If they all share a common issue -- there’s your idea. Make that. After all, you know they will buy that product.

　　如果你认为自己想要成为一名企业家，你就应该多问问潜在顾客的意见。正如发现公司的弱势，你也能联系所在领域的所有公司机构，了解他们运营公司所需要解决的日常问题。如果他们反映的问题都是相似的，那么这就是你的灵感来源了。努力实现它吧，毕竟你知道他们会购买你的产品。

　　Most important, write your idea down! On your phone, tablet, and/or in your notebook, jot down your overarching concepts, as well as the smaller ideas that go along with them. You’ll find that once an idea hits, your thoughts will come in fast and furious.

　　最重要的是，把想法写下来!无论是电话，写字板，还是笔记本，把大大小小的想法都写下来，你就会发现一旦出现新的灵感，你的想法就会源源不断地涌过来。

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（责任编辑：何莹莹）