1. Consider Marrying Young(考虑早婚)
I'm not suggesting that you decide ahead of time that you will get married in your 20s. You've got to wait until the right person comes along. I'm just pointing out that you shouldn't exclude the possibility. If you wait until your 30s, your marriage is likely to be a merger. If you get married in your 20s, it is likely to be a startup, in which you and your partner make your way together.
2. Learn How to Recognize Your Soul Mate(学会辨识你的灵魂伴侣)
Marry someone with similar tastes and preferences. Which tastes and preferences? The ones that will affect life almost every day. Personal habits that you find objectionable are probably deal-breakers. Jacques Barzun identified the top three as punctuality, orderliness and thriftiness.
3. Eventually Stop Fretting About Fame and Fortune(最终不再因名利而烦恼)
Any talented 20-something should be ambitious. But suppose you arrive at age 40, and you enjoy your work, have found your soul mate, are raising a couple of terrific kids—and recognize that you will probably never become either rich or famous. At that point, it is important to supplement your youthful ambition with mature understanding.
4. Take Religion Seriously(把宗教认认真真当回事)
Taking religion seriously means work. If you're waiting for a road-to-Damascus experience, you're kidding yourself. Getting inside the wisdom of the great religions doesn't happen by sitting on beaches, watching sunsets and waiting for enlightenment. It can easily require as much intellectual effort as a law degree.
5. Watch 'Groundhog Day' Repeatedly(反复观看影片《土拨鼠日》)
The movie 'Groundhog Day' was made more than two decades ago, but it is still smart and funny. It is also a brilliant moral fable that deals with the most fundamental issues of virtue and happiness, done with such subtlety that you really need to watch it several times.
By CHARLES MURRAY