在2008年的哈佛大学毕业典礼上，英国著名作家J.K.罗琳发表了一场令人深思的演讲。这场演讲不仅展现了她个人的成长历程，也传递了关于失败与想象力的重要启示。以下是对这场演讲的回顾以及其中文翻译。

英文原文：

The Fringe Benefits of Failure and the Importance of Imagination

Today, I want to talk to you about the two things that I think are most important in life: failure and imagination.

Failure has defined my life more than any other single experience. When I was twenty-one years old, I found myself living in Edinburgh with no job, no money, and no prospects. I had just been divorced, and I was trying to raise a child on my own. It was one of the darkest periods of my life.

But it was also during this time that I began writing the story that would become Harry Potter. I wrote in cafes and libraries because I couldn't afford to heat my flat. I was poor, but I was free. And in that freedom, I discovered the power of imagination.

Imagination is not just the domain of artists and writers. It is the foundation of human progress. It allows us to envision new possibilities, to dream beyond our circumstances. Without imagination, we would still be living in caves.

So, why do I talk about failure and imagination? Because they are the twin pillars of success. You cannot have one without the other. Failure teaches us resilience, while imagination gives us the courage to dream.

中文翻译：

失败的附加好处与想象力的重要性

今天，我想和你们谈谈我认为生活中最重要的两件事：失败与想象力。

在我的人生中，没有什么经历比失败更能定义我了。当我二十一岁的时候，我独自住在爱丁堡，没有工作，没有钱，也没有未来。我刚刚离婚，还在努力独自抚养一个孩子。那是我生命中最黑暗的时期之一。

但就在那时，我开始写作那个后来成为《哈利·波特》的故事。我是在咖啡馆和图书馆里写的，因为我付不起取暖的费用。虽然贫穷，但我自由。在那种自由中，我发现了想象力的力量。

想象力不仅仅是艺术家和作家的领域。它是人类进步的基础。它让我们能够展望新的可能性，超越我们的现状去梦想。如果没有想象力，我们仍然会住在洞穴里。

那么，为什么我要谈论失败和想象力呢？因为它们是成功的双支柱。你不可能拥有其中一个而不拥有另一个。失败教会我们坚韧，而想象力赋予我们梦想的勇气。

这场演讲不仅激励了当时的毕业生，也让全世界的读者重新思考生活的意义。JK罗琳通过分享自己的故事，提醒我们即使在最困难的时刻，也要保持对未来的希望和对梦想的追求。她的智慧和真诚至今仍深深影响着无数人。