Business Tips from Albert Einstein爱因斯坦的营商秘诀

Although Albert Einstein wasn’t an entrepreneur， he was such an out-of-the-box1 thinker that his wisdom can also apply to business. Einstein’s quotes are particularly insightful on matters such as work-life balance， innovation and reframing failure. You can draw a line from each especially pertinent Einstein quote to the most successful strategies for growing your business. This article is for entrepreneurs seeking wisdom from a name often associated with genius and innovation.

虽然阿尔伯特·爱因斯坦不是企业家，但他是一位极富创造性的思想家，他的真知灼见同样适用于商业领域。在如何平衡工作和生活、如何创新及如何看待失败等问题上，爱因斯坦颇有见地，留下了很多名言警句。在爱因斯坦的每一条相关语录中，你都有可能找到成功开展业务经营的策略。爱因斯坦的名字常意味着天才与创新——需要向智者问道的企业家，不妨看看这篇文章。

1. “If A is success in life， then A = x + y + z. Work is x， play is y and z is keeping your mouth shut.”

1.“如果一个人的成功是A，那么A = x + y + z。其中x是工作，y是休闲，z则是沉默。”

This simple equation may show exactly what it takes to be successful in life， but the same is true for business. Loads of hard work and determination are necessary to make any given venture a success， particularly in business. But a small business owner facing burnout can’t envision their company’s future as clearly， which is why “play” is necessary. And “keeping your mouth shut” means listening to other people and only airing your most important grievances.

这个等式很简单，但也许能揭示一个人想要成功须具备哪些条件。这在商业领域中一样奏效。任何一项事业要想成功，都需要大量的辛勤劳动和决心，商业领域中尤其如此。但一个面临职业倦怠的小企业主无法看清公司的未来，这就是“休闲”重要的原因。“沉默”的意思则是倾听他人的意见，而只表达你最重要的不满。

For example， let’s say you’ve been working 60-hour weeks to grow your business. Maybe you feel stretched to your limit， and an employee’s imperfect presentation at your current meeting is pushing your buttons2. Reacting angrily won’t get you anywhere. Instead， recognize that maybe the presentation isn’t that bad—you’re just so overworked you’re unusually prone to ire. Take some time off （“play”）， come back later with a clearer head and you’ll likely address the issue more productively， such as by coaching the employee to improve their presentation skills.

例如，假设你为了拓展业务周周工作长达60个小时。你可能觉得自己已经达到了极限，此时，某位员工做会议汇报时一些不尽如人意的表现就会把你惹毛。但恼怒的反应无济于事。相反，要承认这个汇报或许并没那么糟糕，你是因为过度劳累才容易发火。给自己一点时间放松休息（“休闲”），然后再回来工作，这时你的头脑会更加清晰，也能更为高效地解决问题，比如指导一下那位员工，帮他提升汇报技能。

2. “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.”

2. “不能用制造问题时的思路来解决问题。”

Simply put， this is another way to emphasize one of the most important （if overused） buzzwords in business： innovation. Thinking outside the box， no matter how cliché， is a necessary and effective way to fix problems and come up with new ideas.

简单地说，这条忠告是在用另一种方式强调商业经营中一个极为重要（尽管是过度使用）的流行语：创新。虽是陈词滥调，但跳出思维定式仍然是解决问题和提出新想法的一种必要且有效的方法。

Great entrepreneurs understand why innovation matters， just as Einstein did. They know the value of improving something that already exists to make it better and more appealing to their target customers. This requires a mix of finding gaps to close， seizing opportunities and taking risks. And no， innovation isn’t the same as creativity—the latter is the type of thinking that results in the former.

爱因斯坦懂得创新的价值，伟大的企业家们也如此。他们懂得改进已经存在的产品的价值，让它变得更好，以增强对目标客户的吸引力。这需要发现差距并加以填补，需要抓住机会和承担各种风险。而且，需要强调的是，创新与创造力并非一回事，后者是成就前者的一种思维方式。

3. “Any intelligent fool can make things bigger， more complex， and more violent. It takes a touch of genius—and a lot of courage—to move in the opposite direction.”

3.“任何聪明的傻瓜都能把事情搞得更大、更复杂，也更激烈。要扭转方向，则需要些许的天赋和莫大的勇气。”

More often than not， success in business requires taking a leap of faith or following the path less traveled. That， however， does not make the decision to do so any easier for entrepreneurs and businesses.

在商业运营中要想取得成功，往往需要放手一搏，不走寻常路。然而，对企业家和企业来说，做出这样的决定并不容易。

Einstein’s wisdom here is as relevant to aspiring entrepreneurs as current ones. For example， let’s say you’re currently an employee and you’re ready to fly solo with a narrower， sharper solution for your field. Einstein’s quote encourages you to take a big career risk and step out on your own： Your way might not be as big or complex， but trying a solution with a narrower scope can help you develop a business niche that attracts new customers.

无论你已经身为企业家还是有志于此，爱因斯坦的这一灼见都适用。举例来说，假设你目前还在给人打工，准备独立创业，在自己的领域找到一个更加细化、针对性更强的方案。爱因斯坦的话鼓励你在事业上勇于承担巨大风险，独立自强。你的方案也许没那么大，也没那么复杂，但是尝试一个更细分领域的解决方案可以帮助你开拓一片独特的业务天地，吸引一众新客户。

4. “Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere.”

4.“逻辑能让你从A点推及B点，而想象力会把你带到任何地方。”

Numbers and projections can only take you so far. A large part of making any business a success relies on your willingness to take chances and your ability to come up with new ideas before anyone else.

数字和预测的作用是有限的。要想把业务打理成功，很大程度上是看你愿不愿冒险，能否先人一步提出新想法。

Though this Einstein quote is meaningful， it’s also one that， given his lack of entrepreneurial experience， doesn’t fully consider the small business owner’s circumstances. Namely， this quote doesn’t mention the importance of testing your small business idea before fully committing to it. Einstein is right that imagination will take you a long way， but a far-fetched idea is no way forward if it doesn’t meet a need in the market.