Perhaps you’ve entertained the fantasy of rushing in on a white horse and saving the world. But it doesn’t work that way. 也许你曾幻想过骑着白马冲进来拯救世界。但事实并非如此。

Much of what improves life comes out of boring and tedious work. The good things in life don’t require saving so much as they require ongoing maintenance, support, and appreciation. 改善生活的许多东西都来自枯燥乏味的工作。生活中的美好事物并不需要省吃俭用，而是需要持续的维护、支持和欣赏。

Glamour and cleverness don’t matter nearly so much as commitment and persistence. It’s important to do what must be done rather than doing merely what appears fun and exciting. 魅力和聪明远不如承诺和坚持重要。重要的是要做必须做的事，而不仅仅是做看起来有趣和令人兴奋的事。

In the ordinary hours and ordinary efforts, extraordinary achievements are built. The work that no one gets excited about will end up being the work everyone benefits from. 在平凡的时间和平凡的努力中，成就不平凡的事业。没有人感到兴奋的工作，最终会成为人人受益的工作。

It’s thrilling to drive a sports car down the highway at 70 miles per hour. Yet for that to happen, someone must build the highway, a few feet at a time. 驾驶跑车以每小时 70 英里的速度驰骋在高速公路上是一件令人激动的事情。然而，要做到这一点，必须有人来修建高速公路，每次只需几英尺。

Enjoy the exciting experiences when you can. But don’t dismiss all the value and fulfillment you can create with ordinary, slow and steady work. 尽情享受激动人心的体验吧。但也不要忽视平凡、缓慢而稳定的工作所能创造的价值和成就感。

— Ralph Marston - 拉尔夫-马斯顿