當(dāng)嘲笑成為動(dòng)力，當(dāng)身高成為優(yōu)勢(shì)，沙奎爾·奧尼爾從一個(gè)玩世不恭的“傻大個(gè)”成為NBA球場(chǎng)上叱咤風(fēng)云的“大鯊魚”。他廣受矚目，也備受尊敬。他的成長(zhǎng)和蛻變告訴我們：別人會(huì)因?yàn)槟銈€(gè)子高而仰視你，但不一定會(huì)因?yàn)槟銈€(gè)子高就尊敬你。要想獲得別人的尊敬，你必須給出一個(gè)能讓別人仰視你的理由。

When I was in junior high school， what my friends thought of me was real important to me. During those years， I grew much taller than most of my peers. Being so tall made me feel uncomfortable. In order to keep the focus off me and my unusual height， I went along with the crowd who would play practical jokes2) on other kids at school. Being one of the class clowns gave me a way to make sure that the jokes were directed3) at others and not at me.

I would pull all kinds of pranks4) that were hurtful， and sometimes even harmful， to others. Once before gym class， my friends and I put IcyHot5) in the gym shorts6) of one of the kids on the basketball team. Not only was he terribly embarrassed， but he also had to go to the school nurse's office. I thought it was going to be funny， but it all ended up that no one thought it was—least of all7) my father.

My parents didn't always think that my behavior was funny. They reminded me about the golden rule8): to treat others as I would like to be treated. Many times， I was disciplined9) for the hurtful way that I was treating others. What I was doing was hurting other kids， and in turn hurting my reputation as someone to be looked up to. My friends were looking up to me because I was tall， but what did they see?

My parents wanted me to be a leader who was a good example to others—to be a decent10) human being. They taught me to set my own goals， and to do the best at everything that I set out to do. During the lectures I got from my father， he told me over and over again to be the leader that I was meant to be—to be a big man in my heart and actions， as well as in my body. I had to question myself whether or not it was important to be the kind of leader and person my father believed I was inside. I knew in my heart that he was right. So I tried my best to follow my father's advice.

Once I focused on being the best that I could be at basketball and became a leader in the game， I took my responsibility to set a good example more seriously. I sometimes have to stop and think before I act， and I make mistakes occasionally—everyone is human. But I continue to look for opportunities where I can make a difference11)， and to set a good example because of my father's advice. I now pass it on to you.

\"Be a leader， Shaq， not a follower. Since people already have to look up to you， give them a 'good' reason to do so.\"

初中時(shí)代，我真的特別在意朋友們對(duì)我的看法。那些年里，我比大多數(shù)同齡人都高出許多。這么高的個(gè)頭讓我覺得不自在，于是，為了轉(zhuǎn)移別人對(duì)我和我那異乎尋常的身高的注意力，我便與那幫總喜歡在學(xué)校惡搞其他同學(xué)的人為伍。成為班里的活寶之一讓我有辦法來(lái)保證那些玩笑都是沖著別人去的，而不是沖我來(lái)的。

我總會(huì)開各種各樣傷人的玩笑，有時(shí)那些玩笑甚至?xí)?duì)別人造成傷害。有一次在上體育課前，朋友們和我把IcyHot止痛貼放進(jìn)籃球隊(duì)一位同學(xué)的運(yùn)動(dòng)短褲里。他不僅尷尬萬(wàn)分，還不得不去校醫(yī)務(wù)室就診。我本以為這件事兒會(huì)挺搞笑的，但是最后誰(shuí)都不那么想——尤其是我的父親。

父母并不總認(rèn)為我的所作所為很搞笑。他們會(huì)用那條金科玉律來(lái)提醒我：己所不欲，勿施于人。有很多次，我都因?yàn)閷?duì)待別人的方式太傷人而挨了罰。我的所作所為傷害了其他同學(xué)，也反過來(lái)?yè)p害了自己被人仰視的聲望。朋友們因?yàn)槲覀€(gè)子高而仰視我，可他們看到的是什么呢？

我的父母希望我成為一名領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者，成為別人的榜樣，成為一個(gè)言行得體的人。他們教導(dǎo)我要設(shè)定自己的目標(biāo)，并把要做的每件事都做到最好。在父親的多次訓(xùn)誡中，他一再叮囑我要成為自己理應(yīng)成為的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者——成為一個(gè)內(nèi)心強(qiáng)大、行為得體同時(shí)身強(qiáng)體壯的大人物。我不得不反問，自己究竟是否有必要成為父親認(rèn)定我骨子里就是的那種領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者和大人物。我心里明白，父親是正確的，因而我竭盡所能去聽從父親的建議。

從我把精力集中在成為最優(yōu)秀的籃球運(yùn)動(dòng)員和籃球比賽領(lǐng)軍人物的那一刻起，我便更加認(rèn)真地?fù)?dān)負(fù)起成為別人榜樣的使命。有時(shí)我得三思而后行，偶爾也會(huì)犯下錯(cuò)誤——畢竟人無(wú)完人嘛。不過，因?yàn)橛辛烁赣H的建議，我會(huì)繼續(xù)尋求那些能夠產(chǎn)生影響并且成為一個(gè)好榜樣的機(jī)會(huì)?，F(xiàn)在，我將父親給我的建議分享給你。

“沙克，你要成為一名領(lǐng)導(dǎo)者，而非一名追隨者。既然人們已經(jīng)得仰視你，那你就給他們一個(gè)仰視你的‘充足’理由吧?！?/p>

1.Shaquille O'Neal: 沙奎爾·奧尼爾(1972～)，綽號(hào)“大鯊魚”，美國(guó)NBA著名中鋒。他先后效力于魔術(shù)隊(duì)、湖人隊(duì)、熱火隊(duì)、太陽(yáng)隊(duì)、騎士隊(duì)和凱爾特人隊(duì)，曾率領(lǐng)團(tuán)隊(duì)四次獲得NBA總冠軍。1996年，NBA評(píng)選出了50位最偉大的球員，奧尼爾就名列其中。他于2011年正式宣布退役。

2.practical joke: (付諸實(shí)踐的)惡作劇

3.direct [d??rekt] vt. 把……對(duì)準(zhǔn)特定目標(biāo)(at)

4.prank [pr??k] n. 胡鬧，惡作劇

5.IcyHot: 一種外用的鎮(zhèn)痛膏，止痛貼

6.shorts [???ts] n. 短褲

7.least of all: [多用于否定句] (多者之中)尤其，尤數(shù)

8.golden rule: 為人準(zhǔn)則(基督教《圣經(jīng)·新約》中所說(shuō)“你想他人怎樣待你，你也要怎樣待人”的為人準(zhǔn)則)

9.discipline [?d?s?pl?n] vt. 懲罰，處罰

10.decent [?di?snt] adj. 得體的

11.make a difference: 有影響；起(重要)作用