When I was 14 years old, I had low self-esteem. I felt I was not talented at anything.
在我14 岁的时候, 我是个自卑的人, 我觉得自己一无所长。
One day, I bought a yo-yo. When I tried my first trick, it looked like this:
有一天,我买了个溜溜球。 当我第一次试着玩时, 它看起来是这个样子的,
(Laughter)
我甚至无法使出简单的招数。
I couldn't even do the simplest trick, but it was very natural for me, because I was not dextrous, and hated all sports. But after one week of practicing, my throws became more like this: A bit better. I thought, the yo-yo is something for me to be good at. For the first time in my life, I found my passion. I was spending all my time practicing. It took me hours and hours a day to build my skills up to the next level.
然而,这对我来说很正常, 因为我并不灵巧,而且厌恶所有运动。 但经过一个星期的练习, 我可以做出这样的动作了, 稍微好了一些。 我认为,溜溜球将会是 我这辈子 所擅长的第一样东西。 我发现了我的热情。 我把我所有的时间都用在练习上, 每天好几个小时, 来锻炼我的技能以达到更高水平。
And then, four years later, when I was 18 years old, I was standing onstage at the World YoYo Contest. And I won. I was so excited. "Yes, I did it! I became a hero. I may get many sponsors, a lot of money, tons of interviews, and be on TV!" I thought.
接着,四年后,当我年满 18 岁时, 我站在世界溜溜球比赛的舞台上, 我赢了。 我当时是如此兴奋。 “是的,我做到了!我成了英雄。 我将会有很多赞助商,会有很多钱, 一堆的访谈,也可以上电视了!” 我是这么想的。(笑声)
(Laughter)
但回到日本后,
But after coming back to Japan, totally nothing changed in my life.
我的生活没有任何改变。
(Laughter)
我意识到,社会不重视我的热情。
I realized society didn't value my passion. So I went back to my college and became a typical Japanese worker as a systems engineer. I felt my passion, heart and soul, had left my body. I felt I was not alive anymore.
所以我回到大学, 成为一个典型的日本劳动者, 系统工程师。 我感到我的热情、理想、和灵魂 已离开我的身体。 我丧失了活着的感觉,
So I started to consider what I should do, and I thought, I wanted to make my performance better, and to show onstage how spectacular the yo-yo could be to change the public's image of the yo-yo.
所以,我开始考虑我应该做什么, 我想我要使我的表演更好, 并在舞台上展示 溜溜球表演可以多么壮观 以改变大家对溜溜球的印象
So I quit my company and started a career as a professional performer. I started to learn classic ballet, jazz dance, acrobatics and other things to make my performance better.
所以我辞掉我的工作, 并作为一个专业的表演人, 开始了我的职业生涯。 我开始学习古典芭蕾、 爵士舞、 和杂技等等, 以使我的表演更好。
As a result of these efforts, and the help of many others, it happened. I won the World YoYo Contest again in the artistic performance division. I passed an audition for Cirque Du Soleil. Today, I am standing on the TED stage with the yo-yo in front of you.
由于这些努力和其他许多人的帮助, 奇迹出现了。 我再次在世界溜溜球大赛 的表演艺术类别中赢得大奖。 我通过了太阳马戏团(Cirque du Soleil)的试镜。 今天,我站在 TED 舞台上, 带着溜溜球站在你们面前。
(Applause)
(掌声)
What I learned from the yo-yo is, if I make enough effort with huge passion, there is no impossible.
我从溜溜球之中所学到的就是: 只要心怀热情,不懈努力, 就没有不可能的事。
Could you let me share my passion with you through my performance?
请允许我为你们演出, 让我与你们分享我的热情。
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