This is the premise behind the layout of most offices.

這是大部份辦公室佈局的前提

The nearer one gets to the top of the organization, the closer one's work station will approximate to this supposed ideal

越接近高層的人，他的工作站就會更接近這個完美的位置，他的工作站就會更接近這個完美的位置：

in tribute to the quality of thinking that, ideally, one would do there.

理想上，他能夠在那裡貢獻優質的觀點。

Bosses tend to have big desks and even larger views.

老闆們往往有大桌子和更寬廣的視野。

But these assumption are not – in fact – really true to the way our minds work.

但是事實上這些假設並不符合我們的思維方式。

The primary obstacle to good thinking is not a cramped desk or an uninteresting horizon.

阻礙優質思考的最大障礙並不是一張狹促的桌子或是無聊的景色。

It is, first and foremost, anxiety.

最主要是因為焦慮。

Often the most profound thoughts we need to grapple with have a potentially disturbing character.

我們需要掌握的最深刻的思想具有潛在令人不安的特徵。

If we were to pinpoint them accurately and get clear about their significance, there could be a risk.

假使我們必須精確地指出來，並清楚了解它們的重要性，那麼可能會有風險。

We might discover that some of our past, rather cherished, beliefs were not as wise as we'd supposed;

我們或許會發現一些我們過去非常珍惜的信念，並不如我們所想像的明智；

we might realize we were previously deeply wrong about something;

我們或許會意識到過去對於某些事情是錯誤的。

we might have to make some significant and tricky changes to our lives.

我們可能不得不對我們的生活做出一些重大且棘手的改變。

As these potential implications start to come vaguely into view, our inner censor, motivated by a desire for calm rather than growth, gets alarmed.

隨著這些潛在影響開始隱約的出現，我們內心的潛意識受到對於平靜勝過於成長的渴望所激勵而感到驚慌。

A vigilant part of the self gets agitated; it distracts us, it makes us feel tired or gives us a strong need to go online.

自我警惕的部份騷動了起來；它使我們分心，它讓我們感到疲累或者讓我們強烈的需要上網。

Skilfully, it confuses and muddles our train of thought.

巧妙地，它混亂了我們的思路。

It blocks the progress we were starting to make towards ideas that – though important and interesting – also presented marked threats to short-term inner peace.

它阻礙我們開始獲得一些重要而有趣的想法－同時對於短期的和平帶來顯著的威脅。

ideas that – though important and interesting – also presented marked threats to short-term inner peace.

對於短期的和平帶來顯著的威脅

It's in this context that the shower emerges as so helpful to the way our minds work,

在這種情況之下，淋浴對於我們的思維方式十分有幫助

and earns the right to be honoured as one of the best places on earth in which to do any kind of serious reflection.

並且博得世界上最佳思考地點的殊榮

Amidst the crashing water and the steam and with a few minutes of respite before the day starts, the mind is no longer on guard.

能夠在那裏進行任何形式的認真反思。在水和蒸氣的沖擊中在一天開始之前，得到幾分鐘的舒緩，心靈便不再處於戒備狀態。

We're not supposed to be doing much inside our heads

我們不應該動太多腦筋；

we're mainly occupied with trying to soap ourselves and properly rinse our hair.

我們主要忙於用肥皂洗身體並將頭髮沖洗乾淨。

The ideas that have been half-forming at the back of our minds,

想法在我們的腦袋中有了雛型

ideas about what the true purpose of our lives might be and what we should do next,

關於生命的真意以及我們接下來要做的事情

keep up their steady inward pressure – but now there is a lot less to stop them reaching full consciousness.

維持他們穩定的內在壓力－但是現在能夠阻止他們達到全意識的狀態。

We're not meant to be thinking and so – at last – we can think freely and courageously.

我們不應該思考，正因如此所以－總算－我們能夠無拘無束且大膽的思考。

This quality of sufficient – but not overwhelming – distraction

這種充分－但不是壓倒性的特質

might equally well be present when we're driving down the motorway or walking in a forest;

當我們行駛在高速公路上或者漫步森林時也會出現－當然令人分心的事物或許會同時存在；

when there's just enough for the managerial timid side of the mind to be doing to keep

只要心智管理膽小的的那一面

it from interfering with our authentic and bolder inner machinations. Our world places

不去干涉我們真實而大膽的思想策略。我們的世界

a very high premium on good ideas – but it spends very little serious effort in investigating

對於優質的想法非常重視－不過卻花費極少的精神在研究

why we find it extraordinarily hard to hatch them. Ralph Waldo Emerson once wrote: 'In

為什麼我們去孵化它們是如此的困難。拉爾夫沃爾多愛默生曾寫道：「在

the minds of geniuses, we find our own neglected thoughts.' In other words, so-called geniuses

天才的頭腦裡，我們會發現被自己忽視的思想。」換句話說，我們稱作的天才

don't have thoughts different from the ones most of us have. They're just a lot better

和大部分的我們的思想並沒有什麼不同。他們只是比較擅長

at not allowing their inhibitions and preconceptions to get in the way of properly entertaining them.

不讓自己的壓抑及預設立場阻礙思想的進行。

In a utopian future, we would get a lot more creative about what real thinking

在一個理想的未來裡，我們對於真實想法發生

is and where it happens. We'd learn that the real enemy of good thinking isn't a

的地點會更富創造性。我們會意識到一個優質思考的真正敵人並不是一張

small desk or a modest view: it is – almost always – anxiety, for which there can be

小桌子或是一個普通的景色：而是－幾乎總是－焦慮，比起我們深層自我

few better cures than that library of our deeper selves: the morning shower.

的書庫更好的治療方法便是：晨澡。

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感謝你的留言、喜愛和訂閱

We also offer, books, games, homeware and therapy sessions.

我們同時提供書籍、遊戲、家居用品和治療

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