What Got You Here Won't Got You There by Marshall Goldsmith

PART 1 Expressions

1. As you go through you list, consider this make-or-break question.

make-or-break: sth that is make-or-break will lead to either success or failure

This could be a make-or-break speech for the prime minister.

2. But I doubt even the most self-involved among us would see things this myopically.

myopic: 1. [maɪ'ɒpɪk] 近视的  SYN short-sighted; 2. unwilling or unable to think about the future, especially about the possible results of a particular action, used to show disapproval

the government's myopic attitude to environmental issues

myopically: (ad.)

myopia: (n.) [maɪˈəʊpiə]

Maybe you have got myopia, or you are just too tired.

3. We excuse our tardiness because we've been running late all our lives.

tardy: (a.) arriving or done late; doing sth too slowly or late 迟到的；拖延的

Do please forgive this tardy reply.

people who are tardy in paying their bills 

tardiness: （n.）

4. One of your coworkers tried to worm their way out of accepting responsibility by saying "I'm just no good at ..."

worm one's way into/ through sth: to move through a small place or a crowd slowly, carefully or with difficulty

He wormed his way under the fence.

worm one's way out of (doing) sth: to avoid doing sth that you have been asked to do by making an excuse that is dishonest but clever

Steve wormed his way out of going to the meeting.

worm one's way into sb's affections/ heart/ confidence etc: to gradually make sb love or trust you, especially by being dishonest.

5. It's because your parents doted on you and inflated your importance.

dote on/ upon sb: to love sb very much, and show this by your actions

Everyone doted on Sally, the only girl in the family.

类似表达： coddle sb; spoil sb

doting (a.) a doting parent

6. I trotted out the sorriest, most pathetic speech any parent can give a child.

trot: [trɒt] (n./v.) （马）小跑； （人）快走

trot sth out: to give opinions, excuses, reasons etc that you have used too many times and that do not seem sincere 脱口而出

Steve trotted out the same old excuses.

7. I started yammering about growing up in Kentucky in a gas station.

yammer:  ['jæmə] informal,  to talk continuously in a way that is annoying

a crowd of yammering aunts and cousins

类似表达：ramble （On Writing Well里出现过）

My father kept rambling on about the war.

8. I use an irrefutable test with my clients to show how we all unknowingly encourage sucking up.

suck up: to say or do a lot of nice things in order to make sb like you or to get what you want, used to show disapproval 

suck up to sb SYN fawn on/ over sb

He's always sucking up to the boss.

9. The answer is always a predictable but resounding no.

resounding: 1. 反响的；响亮的；2. resounding success/ victory/ defeat etc: a very great or complete success, victory etc

The show was a resounding success.

10. Beau goes bonkers when I return home from a trip.

bonkers: (a.) slightly crazy; 

类似表达： drive sb bonkers, drive sb bananas,  drive sb nuts

go bonkers; go bananas; go nuts

注：go berserk 意思上更进一步，具有狂躁、暴力的含义， to become very angry and violent

Dad went berserk when he found out.

11. Without meaning to, we are basking in hollow praise, which makes us hollow leaders.

hollow:1. 空洞的； 2.words, events or people that are hollow have no real worth or value 无意义的

They won, but it was a hollow victory.

3. hollow laugh/ voice etc: a hollow laugh or voice makes a weak sound and is without emotion 干笑

12.  Just think how bitter you have felt when a friend failed to apologize for hurting you or letting you down. And how long that bitterness festered.

fester: (v.) 1. 溃烂；腐烂；2. if an unpleasant feeling or problem festers, it gets worse because it has not been dealt with

The dispute can be traced back to resentments which have festered for centuries.

13. a tony French restaurant

tony: fashionable and expensive

We met in a tony restaurant uptown.

(突然发现理发师叫Tony还是挺合适的 ^_^...)

14. When you fail at listening, you're sending out an armada of negative messages.

armada: [ɑ:ˈmɑ:də] a large group of things, especially ships or boats 舰队；大队

an armada of US naval vessels

15. He ruefully admitted, "I was worse. Instead of, "next slide!' I said, 'Last slide. Last slide.' "

rueful: [ˈru:fl] feeling or showing that you wish you had not done sth 懊悔的  eg. a rueful smile

rue: (v.) SYN regret

She learned to rue the day she had met Henri.

PART 2 Sentences

This experience instilled in me the conviction that if you put all your cards in someone else's hands that person will treat you better than if you kept the cards to yourself. I'm sure this is what Benjamin Franklin believed when he said, "To gain a friend, let him do you a favor."