We typically aim for a particular career because we have been deeply impressed by the exploits of the most accomplished practitioners in the field.
我们选择一份职业，往往是因为我们仰慕某些行业里最杰出的那部分人。
We formulate our ambitions by admiring the beautiful structures of the architect tasked with designing the city’s new airport,
我们的抱负来自于城市里精心设计的新机场，
or by following the intrepid trades of the wealthiest Wall Street fund manager,
或者是仰慕华尔街那些基金经理大胆的投资，
by reading the analyses of the acclaimed literary novelist or sampling the piquant meals in the restaurant of a prize-winning chef.
或者是读到小说里的精妙语言，或者是折服于一道被获奖厨师制作出来的开胃菜。
We form our career plans on the basis of perfection.
我们的人生规划来自于“完美”。

Then, inspired by the masters, we take our own first steps and the trouble begins.
由于这些大师的鼓舞，我们迈出了我们的第一步，这时麻烦就来了。
What we have managed to design, or make in our first month of trading, or write in an early short story,
我们努力设计出的，或者是完成了首月的第一笔交易，或者是写出了一个短篇故事，
or cook for the family is markedly and absurdly, beneath the standard that first sparked our ambitions.
或者是给家人做的饭，它们经常明显且荒谬地远远低于我们一开始想达到的标准。
We who are so aware of excellence end up the least able to tolerate mediocrity – which in this case, happens to be our own.
我们当中那些最想要变得杰出的人是最不能忍受中庸的这些人——恰恰就是我们自己。
We become stuck in an uncomfortable paradox: our ambitions have been ignited by greatness, but everything we know of ourselves points to congenital ineptitude.
我们被困在一个难受的困境里：我们的雄心壮志是被伟大激起来的，但是我们慢慢发现自己天赋上的无能。
We have fallen into what we can term the Perfectionist Trap,
我们慢慢陷入完美主义陷阱，