從密西西比黑人貧民窟躍上一線百億媒體女王的歐普拉 Oprah Winfrey 一路走來不易,有如地獄般的童年處境,9歲時遭受強暴,14歲未婚生子(出生即夭折),謊言與背叛的慢性凌遲,所幸14歲後回到生父身邊,人生逐漸展露曙光。19歲踏入電視圈,爾後的《歐普拉秀 The Oprah Winfrey Show 》(1986.09.08-2011.05.25),使她成為家喻戶曉的美國電視脫口秀主持人,創辦歐普拉電視網(OWN, Oprah Winfrey Network),成為製片人、投資家、美國最具影響力的非洲裔名人之一。
她的人生宛如一部黑人小女孩力爭上游、衝破階級限制的勵志電影。關於人生,她確實有資格告訴我們這60年來她領悟的智慧 :
1.歷史仍在繼續,而你每天都在撰寫歷史。你選擇做的以及不做的,都是歷史的一部分。你要記住,所謂的傳奇不會由一件事締造,而是你所做的全部。 "History is still being written. You're writing it everyday. The wheels still spin and what you do and what you don't do will be apart of it. You build a legacy not from one thing, but from everything."2.你的工作不會常讓你感到充實,偶爾會感到無聊,甚至有些時候會不想上班。不過,你要記住的是,工作不是你的全部,它只是你在實現自我的路上做的事。
"Your job is not always going to fulfill you. There will be some days that you just might be bored. Other days, you may not feel like going to work at all. Go anyway. And remember that your job is not who you are. It's just what you're doing on the way to who you will become. "
3.只要你仍擔心別人對你的看法,別人就會一直是你的主人。唯有當你再也不需要從外在獲得認可,你才成為自己的主人。
"As long as you care about what others think of you, they will always be your master. Only when you no longer seek external validation do you truly become your own master."
4.除了對自己之外,你不需要對任何人證明什麼。這才是無懼地活著,持續追求最佳人生的真正定義。
"You don't need to prove anything to anyone except yourself. This is the true definition of living fearlessly and continuously striving for the best life."
5.我呼吸著自由與平靜的空氣,每一口氣息都讓我深深感恩。而讓這一切更加甜美的是,我確知創造這份快樂的是我。這一切出於我的選擇。
"I breathe in the air of freedom and peace, and with each breath, I am deeply grateful. What makes it even sweeter is knowing that I am the creator of this happiness. It all stems from my own choices."
6.你說得對,或許我不會成功,也或許我正走進地雷區。但如果這些都要不了我的命,至少我會持續成長。
"You're right—maybe I won't succeed, maybe I'm walking into a minefield. But as long as it doesn't take my life, at the very least, I will keep growing."
資料參考 : 《關於人生,我確實知道》、Vogue