第10章 I Will Persist until I Succeed坚持不懈，直到成功(1)

Anonymous

心灵寄语

一个崇高的目标，只要不渝地追求，就会居为壮举；在它纯洁的目光里，一切美德必将胜利。

——华兹华斯

In the Orient， young bulls are tested for the fight arena1 in a certain manner. Each is brought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador2 who pricks them with a lance. The bravery of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade. Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like manner. If I persist， if I continue to try， if I continue to charge forward， I will succeed.

I will persist until I succeed.

I was not delivered onto this world in defeat， nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded3 by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk， to walk， to sleep with the sheep. I will hear not those who weep and complain， for their disease is contagious4. Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.

I will persist until I succeed.

The prizes of life are at the end of each journey， not near the beginning；and it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step， yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner.

Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail5 I will take another， and yet another. In truth， one step at a time is not too difficult.

I will persist until I succeed.

Henceforth， I will consider each day"s effort as but one blow of my blade against a mighty oak. The first blow may cause not a tremor6 in the wood， nor the second， nor the third. Each blow， of itself， may be trifling， and seem of no consequence. Yet from childish swipes the oak will eventually tumble. So it will be with my efforts of today.

I will be liken to the rain drop which washes away the mountain；the ant who devours a tiger；the star which brightens the earth；the slave who builds a pyramid. I will build my castle one brick at a time for I know that small attempts， repeated， will complete any undertaking.

I will persist until I succeed.

I will never consider defeat and I will remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as quit， cannot， unable， impossible， out of the question， improbable， failure， unworkable， hopeless， and retreat；for they are the words of fools. I will avoid despair but if this disease of the mind should infect me then I will work on in despair. I will toil7 and I will endure. I will ignore the obstacles at my feet and keep mine eyes on the goals above my head， for I know that where dry desert ends， green grass grows.

I will persist until I succeed.

I will remember the ancient law of averages and I will bend it to my good. I will persist with knowledge that each failure will increase my chance for success at the next attempt. Each nay I hear will bring me closer to the sound of yea. Each frown I meet only prepares me for the smile to come. Each misfortune I encounter will carry in it the seed of tomorrow"s good luck. I must have the night to appreciate the day. I must fail often to succeed only once.

I will persist until I succeed.

I will try， and try， and try again. Each obstacle I will consider as a mere detour8 to my goal and a challenge to my profession. I will persist and develop my skills as the mariner develops his， by learning to ride out the wrath9 of each storm.

I will persist until I succeed.