Passage One
文章一

The new year always brings with it a cultural tradition of new possibilities.
新的一年总是伴随的新的可能性一同到来
We see it as a chance for renewal. We begin to dream of new possible selves.
我们认为这是一个重现开始的机会。我们开始梦想自己新的可能性
We design our ideal self or an image that is quite different from what we are now.
我们设想出了一个完美的自己或者和现在完全不同的自己
For some of us, we roll that dreamy film in our heads just because it's the beginning of a new year.
对我们中的一些人来说，我们会在头脑中放映这种“梦想剧场”，只是因为这是一年的开始，
But we are serious about making changes.
但是我们对待改变的态度是很慎重的。
We just make some half-hearted resolution and it evaporates after a week or two.
我们只是下定一些难不难的决心，一两周之后这个决心就人间蒸发了。
The experience makes us feel less successful and leads us to discount our ability to change in the future.
这种经历让我们变得没有那么成功，未来的可能性也打了折扣。
It's not that change is impossible but that it won't last unless our resolutions are supported with plans for implementation.
不是说改变不可能，而是说没有可行性的计划支撑，决心是不会持久的。
We have to make our intentions manageable by detailing the specific steps that will carry us to our goal.
我们需要把决心具体成明确的步骤，才能让我们朝着目标的方向前进。
Say your goal is to lose weight by dieting and cutting off sweets.
比如说你的目标是节食减肥不吃甜食。
But one night you just have to have a cookie.
但是一个晚上你不得不吃一块曲奇，
And you know there's a bag of your favorites in the cupboard.
你知道碗橱里有一包你最爱的零食，
You want one, you eat two, you check the bag and find out you've just shot 132 calories.
你想吃一块，结果吃了两块，你查看了一下这个零食包发现你刚摄取了132卡路里，
You say to yourself, "What the hell!" and polish off the whole bag.
你对自己说，“管他呢”，然后消灭了整个一包。
Then you begin to draw all kinds of unpleasant conclusions about yourself.
然后你得出各种不愉快的结论，
To protect your sense of self, you begin to discount the goal.
为了保护你的自我感觉，你开始给目标打折，
You may think--"Well, dieting wasn't that important to me and I won't make it anyhow."
可能会想，“嗯，节食没那么重要啦，反正我怎么都做不到的。”
So you abandon the goal and return to your bad habits.
于是你抛弃了目标回归坏习惯的怀抱。