經(jīng)典英語美文成功之路Road to success閱讀欣賞

　　Road to success   成功之路

　　It is well that young men should begin at thebeginning and occupy the most subordinatepositions. Many ofthe leading businessmen ofPittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust uponthem at the very threshold of their career. They wereintroduced to the broom, and spent the first hoursof their business lives sweeping out the office. Inotice we have janitors and janitresses now inoffices, and our young men unfortunately miss that salutary branch of business education.But if by chance the professional sweeper is absent any morning, the boy who has the geniusof the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his hand at the broom. The other day afond fashionable mother in Michigan asked a young manwhether he had ever seen ayoung ladysweep in a room so grandly as her Priscilla.He said no,he never had, and the mother wasgratified beyond measure, but then he said, after a pause,“What I should like to see her do issweep out a room.”It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. Iwas one of those sweepers myself.

　　年輕人創(chuàng)業(yè)之初，應(yīng)該從 底層干起，這是件好事。匹茲保有很多商業(yè)巨頭，在他們創(chuàng)業(yè)之初，都肩負(fù)過“重任”：他們以掃帚相伴，以打掃辦公室的方式度過了他們商業(yè)生涯中 初的時光。我注意到我們現(xiàn)在辦公室里都有工友，于是年輕人就不幸錯過了商業(yè)教育中這個有益的環(huán)節(jié)。如果碰巧哪天上午專職掃地的工友沒有來，某個具有未來合伙人氣質(zhì)的年輕人會毫不猶豫地試著拿起掃帚。一天，一位來自密西根州的時尚女性問一位年輕男子，他是否看見過有一位像普里西拉的年輕女子曾經(jīng)在這里掃地。他說他從來沒看見過，這位母親非常高興，但是他想了一會說：“我想看她把整個房間都打掃一遍。”如果必要的話，打掃房間對于新人來說沒什么不好。我自己就曾經(jīng)掃過地。

　　Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is “aimhigh”. Iwould not give a fig for the young man who does not already see himself the partner orthe head of an important firm. Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as headclerk, or foreman, or general manager in any concern, no matter how extensive. Say toyourself, “My place is at the top.” Be king in your dreams.

　　假如你已經(jīng)被錄用，并且有了一個良好的開端，我對你的建議是：要志存高遠。一個年輕人，如果不把自己想象成一家大公司未來的老板或者是合伙人，那我會對他不屑一顧。不論職位有多高，你的內(nèi)心都不要滿足于做一個總管，領(lǐng)班或者總經(jīng)理。要對自己說：我要邁向頂尖！要做就做你夢想中的國王！

　　And here is the prime condition of success, the great secret: concentrate your energy,thought, and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. Having begun inone line, resolve to fight it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have thebest machinery, and know the most about it.

　　成功的首要條件和 大秘訣就是：把你的精力，思想和資本全都集中在你正從事的事業(yè)上。一旦開始從事某種職業(yè)，就要下定決心在那一領(lǐng)域闖出一片天地來；做這一行的領(lǐng)導(dǎo)人物，采納每一點改進之心，采用 優(yōu)良的設(shè)備，對專業(yè)知識熟稔于心。

　　The concerns which fail are those which have scattered their capital, which means that they havescatteredtheir brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here there, andeverywhere. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” is all wrong. I tell you to “put all your eggsin one basket, and then watch that basket.” Look round you and take notice, men who do thatnot often fail. It is easy to watch and carry the one basket. It is trying to carry too manybaskets that breaks most eggs in this country.He who carries three baskets must put one onhis head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up. One fault of the American businessman is lackof concentration.

　　一些公司的失敗就在于他們分散了資金，因為這就意味著分散了他們的精力。他們向這方面投資，又向那方面投資；在這里投資，在那里投資，到處都投資。“不要把所有的雞蛋放在一個籃子里”的說法大錯特錯。我要對你說：“把所有的雞蛋都放在一個籃子里，然后小心地看好那個籃子。”看看你周圍，你會注意到：這么做的人其實很少失敗�？垂芎蛿y帶一個籃子并不太難。人們總是試圖提很多籃子，所以才打破這個國家的大部分雞蛋。提三個籃子的人，必須把一個頂在頭上，而這個籃子很可能倒下來，把他自己絆倒。美國商人的一個缺點就是不夠?qū)Ｗⅰ?/p>

　　To summarize what I have said: aim for the highest; never enter a bar room; do not touchliquor, or if at all only at meals; never speculate; never indorse beyond your surplus cashfund; make the firm’s interestyours; break orders always to save owners; concentrate; put allyour eggs in one basket, and watch that basket; expenditure always within revenue; lastly, benot impatient, for as Emerson says, “no one can cheatyou out of ultimate success butyourselves.”

　　把我的話歸納一下：要志存高遠；不要出入酒吧；要滴酒不沾，或要喝也只在用餐時喝少許；不要做投機買賣；不要寅吃卯糧；要把公司的利益當(dāng)作自己的利益；取消訂貨的目的永遠是為了挽救貨主；要專注；要把所有的雞蛋放在一個籃子里，然后小心地看好它；要量入為出； 后，要有耐心，正如愛默生所言，“誰都無法阻止你 終成功，除非你自己承認(rèn)自己失敗。”