“Clevernessisagiftwhilekindnessisachoice.Giftsareeasy–they’regivenafterall.Choicescanbehard.”––JeffBezos.
IgottheideatostartAmazon16yearsago.IcameacrossthefactthattheInternetusagewasgrowingat2,300percentperyear.I’dneverseenorheardofanythingthatgrewthatfast,andtheideaofbuildinganonlinebookstorewithmillionsoftitleswasveryexcitingtome.Ihadjustturned30yearsold,andI’dbeenmarriedforayear.ItoldmywifeMacKenziethatIwantedtoquitmyjobandgotodothiscrazythingthatprobablywouldn’tworksincemoststart-upsdon’t,andIwasn’tsurewhattoexpect.MacKenzietoldmeIshouldgoforit.Asayoungboy,I’dbeenagarageinventor.I’dalwayswantedtobeaninventor,andshewantedmetofollowmypassion.
IwasworkingatafinancialfirminNewYorkCitywithabunchofverysmartpeople,andIhadabrilliantbossthatImuchadmired.IwenttomybossandtoldhimIwantedtostartacompanysellingbooksontheInternet.HetookmeonalongwalkinCentralPark,listenedcarefullytome,andfinallysaid,“Thatsoundslikeareallygoodidea,butitwouldbeanevenbetterideaforsomeonewhodidn’talreadyhaveagoodjob.”Thatlogicmadesomesensetome,andheconvincedmetothinkaboutitfor48hoursbeforemakingafinaldecision.Seeninthatlight,itreallywasadifficultchoice,butultimately(最后),IdecidedIhadtogiveitashot.Ididn’tthinkI’dregrettryingandfailing.AndIsuspectedIwouldalwaysbehauntedbyadecisiontonottryatall.
Aftermuchconsideration,Itookthelesssafepathtofollowmypassion,andI’mproudofthatchoice.Forallofus,intheend,weareourchoices.
小题1:Whatinspiredtheauthorwiththeideaofbuildinganonlinebookstore?