『讀者文摘』的這篇文章其實是由“Never Confuse a Memo with Reality”這本書上節錄下來的，書名直譯成中文就是『別把公司的備忘錄誤認為事實』。這本書在台灣也有中譯本，書名是『做個快樂的上班族』。在此特別轉載這篇在我工作生涯中讓我受用無窮的文章，與大家分享，祝福大家武功精進，步步高升。

Business is made up of ambiguous victories and
nebulous defeats. Claim them all as victories.
商場上充滿著不清楚的勝利和不明顯的失敗──把它們全都宣稱為勝利。

Keep track of what you do; someone is sure to ask.
隨時掌握你工作的進度；總是會有人問你的。

Be comfortable around senior managers, or learn to fake it.
在上司面前要能輕鬆地應對自如；如果做不到，至少要想辦法裝得像。

Never bring your boss a problem without some solutions.
You are getting paid to think, not to whine.
永遠別只向上司報告問題而不同時提出解決問題的方案。
公司雇用你是讓你來思考的，而不是來發牢騷的。

Long hours don't mean anything; results count, not effort.
加班並不代表什麼；工作成果──而不是工作時數──才真正算數。

Write down ideas; they get lost, like good pens.
寫下你的好點子；不然它們會像你最喜歡的一隻筆一樣，
一不小心就忘了放在那兒了。

Always arrive at work 30 minutes before your boss.
總是比你上司早三十分鐘到公司。

Be sure to sit at the conference table---never by the wall.
開會時要坐在會議桌旁──絕不要躲在會議室的牆邊坐。

Help other people network for jobs.
What goes around comes around.
幫助別人介紹工作，好心是會有好報的。

Don't take sick days----unless you are.
別請病假──除非你是真的生病了。

Assume no one can/will keep a secret.
別假設任何人能夠，或是願意保守秘密。

Know when you do your best---morning, night, under pressure, relaxed;
schedule and prioritize your work accordingly.
瞭解自己在什麼情況和時候最有效率──早晨、夜晚、壓力下、輕鬆時；
然後依此安排你的工作順序。

Treat everyone in the organization with respect and dignity,
whether it be the janitor or the president.
Don't ever be patronizing.
對公司的每一個人──不論是工友或是董事長──都應以尊敬和尊嚴待之。
永遠不要擺出高人一等，自以為是的架子。

When you get the entrepreneurial urge,
visit someone who has his own business. It may cure you.
當你有要自行創業的衝動時，不妨去拜訪一些自己開公司作生意的朋友。
你可能就此打消你的念頭。

Never appear stressed in front of a client, a customer or your boss.
Take a deep breath and ask yourself: in the course of human events,
how important is this?
永遠別在客戶或老闆面前顯示出你承受的壓力過大。先深呼吸一口氣，
再問問你自己：跟一連串人類史上的重大事件比起來，這件事有這麼重要嗎？

Recognizing someone else's contribution will repay you doubly.
表揚一個人的功勞會促使他加倍地償還你。

Career planning is an oxymoron.
The most exciting opportunities tend to be unplanned.
『生涯規劃』是一個 自我矛盾的說詞。
最令人興奮的機會通常是出乎你意料和計畫之外的。

Always choose to do what you'll remember ten years from now.
永遠選擇做十年後還值得你回憶的事。

The size of your office is not as important as the size of your paycheck.
你辦公室的大小比不上你薪餉的大小來得重要。

Understand what finished work looks like and
deliver your work only when it is finished.
認清工作全部完成時的成果該是什麼樣子的，
然後只在工作全部完成時才交件。

The person who spends all of his or her time at work
is not hard-working; he or she is boring.
成天只在工作的人不是個勤勞的人；而是個無趣的人。

Know how to write business letters---
including thank-you notes as well as proposals.
學會如何寫商用書信──包括感謝函和企劃書。

Never confuse a memo with reality.
Most memos from the top are political fantasy.
別把公司的備忘錄誤認為事實。
上層發表的備忘錄大多只是行政上所要製造的假象。

Eliminate guilt. Don't cheat on expense reports,
taxes, benefits or your colleagues.
避免內疚。別在費用報表、報稅單、醫療保險上，或是同事間作假。

Reorganizations mean that someone will lose his or her job.
Get on the task force that will make the recommendations.
公司內部改組代表有人的職位會不保了。想辦法加入推薦改革方案的專案小組。

Job security does not exist.
沒有任何工作能保障你永遠不會丟掉飯碗。

Children are a source of truth and ideas.
The best icebreaker to use in intense meetings is one
I heard from a six-year-old: "Raise your hand who's mad."
兒童是真相和靈感的來源。
我所聽過在討論激烈的會議中打破僵局最有效的方法，
是一個六歲小孩說的一句話：「誰生氣了請舉手。」

Always have an answer to the question:
 "What would I do if I lost my job tomorrow?"
永遠準備好以下問題的答案：「如果我明天失業了該怎麼辦？」

Go to the company holiday party.
要參加公司逢年過節舉辦的餐會。

Don't get drunk at the company holiday party.
別在公司的年節餐會上喝醉失態。

Avoid working on the weekends.
Work longer during the week if you have to.
盡量避免用週末來工作。如有必要，寧可在平日加班。

The most successful people in business are interesting.
商場上最成功的人通常也是最有趣的。

Sometimes you'll be on a roll and everything will click;
take maximum advantage.
When the opposite is true, hold steady and wait it out.
有時你手風正順，事事順利；要充分利用良機。
當情勢正好相反時，則應咬緊牙關，耐心度過難關。

Never in your life say, "It's not my job."
這一輩子永遠別說，「這不干我的事兒。」

Be loyal to your career, your interests and yourself.
別忘了要效忠於你自己的事業、你自己的興趣和你自己。

Understand the skills and abilities that set you apart.
Whenever you have an opportunity, use them.
認清你所擁有讓你與眾不同的本領和技能。
一有機會就多加運用它們。

People remember the end of the project. As they say in boxing,
 "Always finish stronger than you start. "
大家總是記得一件專案的結局。套句拳擊上的用語，
「最後衝刺時要比比賽開始時表現得更強。」