生活的犒賞不會出現在旅途的起點附近，而往往在旅程的終點。我不知道要走多遠才能到達目的地。走到第一千步，我仍然可能遭遇失敗，然而成功就在下一個拐彎處；如果我不轉過去，就永遠也不會知道它離我有多近。通常，我都會再前行一步；如果還沒成功，我還會再向前一步，然後再向前一步。事實上，每一步也並非那麽困難。
因此我認為，每天的努力就好比往大橡樹上砍一刀。最開始的一擊也許對大橡樹沒有任何影響，第二刀也是這樣，第三刀還是這樣。每一刀似乎都沒什麽效果，都可以忽略。但這小小的一刀刀累積起來，大橡樹終將倒掉。同樣地，我們也可以把今天所做的努力比做衝刷山嶺的雨滴、蠶食老虎的螞蟻、照亮地球的星星和建造金字塔的奴隸。我要一磚一瓦地壘築起自己的城堡，因為我知道，小小的努力，隻要堅持下去，就能成就偉業。
我絕不會考慮失敗，我要從我的字典裏去掉這些愚蠢的詞和短語：放棄、無法、不能夠、不會發生、不可能、沒有可能性、失敗、難以實行、無望和退卻等；我會盡量擺脫失望的控製，即使染上這種思想疾病，我也會在絕望中繼續前進；我要揮灑汗水，不停勞作，忍受一切磨難痛苦；我會全身心地向著目標前行，藐視所有阻礙，因為我堅信，沙漠的盡頭必有綠洲。
我將牢記古老的平均律，並為我所用。我相信，每一次失敗都增加了成功的概率，每一次否定都是肯定的砝碼，每一次失敗都是成功的前奏，每一次不幸都預示著明天的好運。隻有經曆過黑夜，才能欣賞到白晝的明亮；隻有曆經了多次的失敗，才能取得最終的成功。
我將努力、努力、再努力。我將視每一個障礙為成功路上的小小延誤，或是對我的職業的一種挑戰。我將堅持下去，像水手一樣不斷提高自己的技能，乘風破浪，勇往直前。
我不會因昨日的成功而驕傲自大，因為這是失敗的禍根。不論昨日的一切是好是壞，我都將忘記，並滿懷自信地迎接新一輪太陽的升起，我相信這將是最美好的一天。隻要一息尚存，我就要堅持到底。因為我已經知道了成功的最大秘訣：隻要堅持到底，我就一定會獲得成功。
堅持下去，定會成功。
心靈小語
我們不是為了失敗而來到這個世界的，隻要堅持下去，就一定能獲得成功。
記憶填空
1. I was__ delivered unto this world in defeat， nor does failure course in my veins. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded by my shepherd. I am a__ and I refuse to talk， to walk， to sleep with the sheep. I will hear not those who weep and__， for their disease is contagious.__ them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.
2. Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth__， yet success hides behind the next bend in the__. Never will I know__ close it lies unless I turn the corner. Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take__， and yet another. In truth， one step at a time is not too__ .
佳句翻譯
1. 我會全身心地向著目標前行，藐視所有阻礙，因為我堅信，沙漠的盡頭必有綠洲。
譯______________
2. 我將堅持下去，像水手一樣不斷提高自己的技能，乘風破浪，勇往直前。
譯______________
3. 我不會因昨日的成功而驕傲自大，因為這是失敗的禍根。
譯______________
短語應用
1. Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner.
turn the corner：拐彎；轉危為安；好轉；渡過難關
造______________
2. In truth， one step at a time is not too difficult.
in truth：事實上；實際上；的確
造______________
鐵的意誌才能戰無不勝
An Iron Will
奧裏森·馬登 / Orison Marden
“I can’t！ It is impossible！” said a lieutenant to Alexander， after failing to take a rock-crested fortress.
“Be gone！” thundered the great Macedonian. “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” And at the head of a phalanx he swept the foe from the strong hold.
“You can only half will，” Suwarrow would say to people who failed. “I don’t know，” “I can’t，” and “impossible” he would not listen to. “Learn！” “Do！” “Try！” he would exclaim.
Professor George Wilson， of Edinburgh University， was so fragile that no one thought he ever could amount to much； but he became a noted scholar in spite of discouragements which would have daunted most men of the strongest constitutions. Disaster， amputation of one foot， consumption—nothing could shake his imperious will. Death itself seemed to stand aghast before that mighty resolution， hesitating to take possession of the body after all else had fled.
At fifty-five years of age， Sir Walter Scott owed more than six hundred thousand dollars. He determined that every dollar should be paid. This iron resolution gave confidence and inspiration to the other faculties and functions of the body and brain. Every nerve and Fibre said， “The debt must be paid！” Every drop of blood caught the inspiration and rushed to the brain to add its weight of force to the power which wielded the pen. And the debt was paid. In his diary he wrote， “I have suffered terribly and often wished that I could lie down and sleep without waking. But I will fight it out if I can.”
“Is there one whom difficulties dishearten？” asked John Hunter. “He will do little. Is there one who will conquer？ That kind of a man never fails.”
在攻擊敵軍要塞的戰爭失敗後，一位陸軍中尉這樣對亞曆山大說：“我不能！根本不可能！”
“進攻！”亞曆山大怒吼道，“對於敢於嚐試的人來說，沒有什麽不可能。”陸軍中尉按照亞曆山大的指示，一舉掃平了敵軍要塞。
蘇沃洛夫對那些失敗者說：“你根本無法成功。”他根本不屑於那些“我不知道”“我不能”“不可能”的話。他主張的是：“學習！”“做事！”“嚐試！”
愛丁堡大學的喬治？威爾遜教授曾經被認為是一個軟弱之人，不可能有什麽成就。但是不管別人如何看他，他仍然堅持，最終成為一位傑出的學者。疾病、斷足手術、肺病——沒有一件事能夠動搖他的決心。死亡在威爾遜麵前也有些害怕了，不敢帶走他的身軀。
沃爾特？斯科特55歲時，已經欠了超過60萬美元的債務。他決定還清所有的錢。他堅定的決心使他整個人變得信心百倍、頭腦清晰。他的每一根神經仿佛都在說：“一定要償還債務！”熱血在燃燒著，一種強烈的力量在激勵著他，他最終成為一名作家，並償還了所有債務。他在日記中寫道：“我遭受了令人難以忍受的痛苦，時常希望能常睡不醒，但最終我戰勝了一切困難。”
約翰？亨特說：“被困難嚇倒的人，永遠不可能成功。勇於戰勝困難的人，一定戰無不勝。”
心靈小語
被困難嚇倒的人，永遠不能成功。勇於戰勝困難的人，一定戰無不勝。
記憶填空
1. “You can__ half will，” Suwarrow would say to people who__.“I don’t know，”“I can’t，”and“impossible” he would not listen to. “Learn！” “ ！” “Try！” he would exclaim.
2. Professor George Wilson， of Edinburgh University， was so fragile__ no one thought he ever could amount to__； but he became a noted scholar in spite of discouragements which would have daunted__ men of the strongest constitutions.
3. Every drop of blood caught the inspiration and rushed to the__ to add its weight of force to the power which wielded the pen. And the debt was__.
佳句翻譯
1. 死亡在威爾遜麵前也有些害怕了，不敢帶走他的身軀。
譯______________
2. 他堅定的決心使他整個人變得信心百倍、頭腦清晰。
譯______________
3. 被困難嚇倒的人，永遠不可能成功。勇於戰勝困難的人，一定戰無不勝。
譯______________
短語應用
1. …hesitating to take possession of the body after all else had fled.
take possession of：占領；占有
造______________
2. …but he became a noted scholar in spite of discouragements…
in spite of：盡管；不管；不顧；雖然
造______________
意誌力為你導航
Concentration Finds the Way
塞隆·Q.迪蒙 / Theron Q. Dumont
Everyone has two natures. One wants us to advance and the other wants to pull us back. The one that we cultivate and concentrate on decides what we are at the end. Both natures are trying to gain control. The will alone decides the issue. A man by one supreme effort of the will may change his whole career and almost accomplish miracles. You may be that man. You can be if you will to be， for will can find a way or make one.