The more successful one is, the more stressful ones life becomes. Every new promotion means added responsibility and added stress. The challenge is how to handle that stress. 一个人越是成功，他的生活就会充满越多的压力。每次新的晋升意味着更多的责任和更多的压力。如何对付这些压力是一个挑战。Every successful person has learned to handle stress well, says Dr. Woodson Merrell, of Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. Its those with a positive outlook on stressful situations who decrease their risk of heart disease, whereas those with increased rage from stress have increased risk of heart disease. “每个成功人士都学会了如何很好地对付压力，”，纽约贝丝以色列医院的伍德森·梅瑞尔医生说道，“那些对于充满压力的情况有着积极展望的人，往往能减少得心脏病的风险，反之，那些因压力而变得情绪激动的人，他们得心脏病的风险则会增加。”Unless one is a newborn infant or a Buddhist monk, to greater or lesser degrees one has stress in ones life. In school, it is the stress of a big test, pimples and finding a prom date. In college, its about the big test, pimples, prom dates and getting a decent job after graduation. And while at the time it all seems very stressful, one finds out later that they were only on a nodding acquaintance with stress. It isnt until you get a job, start earning your own way and, eventually, supporting a family and moving up the career ladder, that you not only get to know stress, but stress moves right in, takes your favorite chair and even raids your refrigerator in the middle of the night. 除非某人是个新生婴儿或是佛教僧侣，不然在其生活中或多或少都会有压力。在学校中，那是大考、青春痘以及正式约会的压力。在大学，那是有关大考、青春痘、正式约会以及在毕业后获得体面工作的压力。虽然在当时似乎充满压力，在那之后人们会发现他们和压力只是擦身而过。直到你获得了一份工作、开始自己赚钱，以及最终支撑起一个家庭并青云直上，你将不仅仅开始认识压力，而且压力会不请自来，登堂入室甚至会在午夜殃及你的冰箱。Yet most people, whether they realize it or not, need a certain amount of stress. In the right amount, it can give people an edge. Keep them sharp, awake, alert. After all, imagine a stress-free life. Rocking in a hammock somewhere, feeling the ocean breeze waft over you as you sip a fruity rum drink. Sounds pretty good, right? Maybe. Imagine living like that all the time. Being that laid-back will not help you succeed, pay your kids college tuitions, get you that corner office or that black Porsche 911 youve always wanted. 然而大多数人都需要一定数量的压力，无论他们有没有意识到这点。适度的压力能鼓舞人。让他们保持敏锐、警觉、机灵。毕竟，设想一种没有压力的生活。在某处的吊床上摇摆着，一边啜饮水果朗姆酒，一边感受海洋微风拂身而过。听上去很不错，是吧？也许。想象——始终这样生活着会是怎样。一直那样懒散不会有助你成功、支付孩子的大学学费、给你一直渴望的总裁办公室或是那辆黑色保时捷911。Conversely, living in a constant state of aggravation isnt such a hot idea either. Constant stress produces high levels of cortisol, which has been shown to impair cognitive functioning and weaken the immune system. Not only will it have a negative effect on ones health, but it can also make one a real jerk. Whats the point in living a permanently stressed-out, albeit successful, life, if one drives away friends and loved ones, and dies of a heart attack at an early age? 相反地，在一种烦恼持久加重的状态下生活也并非是个激动人心的主意。持久的压力会制造高浓度的皮质醇，曾被揭示会削弱认知功能并影响免疫系统。它不仅会对人的健康产生负面的影响，还会让人变成真正的笨蛋。如果一个人长期过着一种虽然成功但压力过重的生活，众叛亲离而且由于心脏病发作英年早逝，这又有什麽意义呢？The ideal, then, is to have just enough stress that one stays focused; but to also have an outlet that can regulate it and keep it from overtaking ones life. The problem is that many so-called stress reducers can do more harm than good--especially if, like stress, they are not taken in moderate amounts.