as a wonderful collection of some of the most effective,

令人印象深刻、有才智、

intelligent, intellectual, savvy,

有知識、有常識、

worldly and innovative people in the world.

充滿人生經驗並懂得創新。

And I think that's true.

我認為的確如此。

However, I also have reason to believe that many, if not most, of you

但我也有理由相信

are actually tying your shoes incorrectly.

你們之中有許多人

(Laughter)

其實鞋帶都綁錯了。

Now I know that seems ludicrous.

(笑聲)

I know that seems ludicrous.

我知道這好像很好笑。

And believe me, I lived the same sad life until about three years ago.

我知道這好像很荒唐。

And what happened to me

但相信我，我原本也過著同樣可悲的生活，

was I bought, what was for me, a very expensive pair of shoes.

至少三年前是。

But those shoes came with round nylon laces,

當時我

and I couldn't keep them tied.

買了雙對我來說很貴的鞋。

So I went back to the store and said to the owner,

那雙鞋有圓尼龍鞋帶，

"I love the shoes, but I hate the laces."

而我卻無法綁好它。

He took a look and said, "Oh, you're tying them wrong."

於是我回店裡對老闆說:

Now up until that moment,

「我愛這雙鞋，但我恨這鞋帶。」

I would have thought that, by age 50,

他看完後說：「噢！你綁錯了。」

one of the life skills that I had really nailed

在那之前，

was tying my shoes.

我一直認為活到了50歲

(Laughter)

我一定會的生活技能

But not so -- let me demonstrate.

就是綁鞋帶。

This is the way

其實不然 -- 讓我示範一下。

that most of us were taught to tie our shoes.

這樣是

Now as it turns out -- thank you.

我們多數人綁鞋帶的方式。

(Applause)

結果 -- 謝謝。

Wait, there's more.

等等，還有。

As it turns out --

結果，

(Laughter)

這種結有分強跟弱兩種，

there's a strong form and a weak form of this knot,

而我們學的是弱的結。

and we were taught the weak form.

你可以這樣判斷。

And here's how to tell.

如果你拉結下方的鞋帶，

If you pull the strands at the base of the knot,

你會看到蝴蝶結轉動，

you will see that the bow will orient itself

向下與鞋子的長軸對齊。

down the long axis of the shoe.

這是弱的結。

That's the weak form of the knot.

但不用擔心。

But not to worry.

如果我們重綁，

If we start over

然後簡單地從另外一個方向

and simply go the other direction around the bow,

繞過蝴蝶結，

we get this, the strong form of the knot.

這樣就好了，強的結。

And if you pull the cords under the knot,

如果你拉結下方的鞋帶，

you will see that the bow orients itself

你會看到蝴蝶結轉動

along the transverse axis of the shoe.

與鞋子的橫向軸對齊。

This is a stronger knot.

這是強的結。它比較不易鬆脫。

It will come untied less often.

它也比較不會讓你失望。

It will let you down less, and not only that, it looks better.

不單如此，它也比較好看。

We're going to do this one more time.

我們再來做一次。

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Start as usual --

跟平常一樣開始，

(Applause)

走另一邊繞過蝴蝶結。

go the other way around the loop.

這對兒童有點困難，

This is a little hard for children,

但我認為你們可以應付的。

but I think you can handle it.

拉這個結。

Pull the knot.

就這樣：強的結。

There it is: the strong form of the shoe knot.

現在，為了呼應今天的主題，

Now, in keeping with today's theme,

我想說， 這你們或許早就知道了，

I'd like to point out -- something you already know --

有時候，生命中的

that sometimes a small advantage someplace in life

一個小優點

can yield tremendous results someplace else.

也能在其他地方產生極大的影響。

(Laughter)

生生不息，繁榮昌盛。(源自星際爭霸戰)

Live long and prosper.

(掌聲)

(Applause)