双语有声阅读：成功的首要条件和最大秘诀

引言：

 

获得成功的首要条件喝最大秘诀是：把精力和财力完全集中于所干的事业上。

 

The prime condition great secrets of success

 

It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions. Many of the leading businessmen of Pittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust upon them at the very threshold of their career. They were introduced to the broom, and spent the first hours of their business lives sweeping¹ out the office. I notice we have janitors² and janitresses now in offices, 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 genius of the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his hand at the broom. The other day a fond fashionable mother in Michigan asked a young man whether he had ever seen a lady sweep in a room so grandly as her Priscilla. He said no, he never had ,and the mother was gratified beyond measure, but then said he,after a pause, “What I should like to see her do is sweep out a room” It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was one of those sweepers myself.

 

Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is “aim high”. I would not give a fig³ for the young man who does not already see himself the partner or the head of an important firm. Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as head clerk, or foreman, or general manager in any concern, no matter how extensive. Say to yourself ，“My place is at the top.” Be king in your dreams.

 

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 in one line, resolve to fight it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have the best machinery⁴, and know the most about it.

 

The concerns which fail are those which have scattered⁵ their capital, which means that they have scattered their brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here there, and everywhere. “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” is all wrong. I tell you to “put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket.” Look round you and take notice, men who do that not often fail. It is easy to watch and carry the one basket. It is trying to carry too many baskets，which break most eggs in this country. He who carries three baskets must put one on his head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up. One fault of the American businessman is lack of concentration.

 

To summarize what I have said: aim for the highest; never enter a bar room; do not touch liquor, or if at all only at meals; never speculate; never indorse beyond your surplus cash fund; make the firm’s interest yours; break orders always to save owners; concentrate; put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket; expenditure⁶ always within revenue; lastly, be not impatient, for as Emerson says, “no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourselves.”

 

年轻人应该从头学起，担当最基层的职务，这是件好事。匹兹堡有许多大企业家在创业之初都肩负过重任。他们与扫帚结伴，以清扫办公室度过了企业生涯的最初时光。我注意到现在的办公室都配备了工友，这使我们的年轻人不幸丢掉了这个有益的企业教育的一个内容。不过，如果哪一天早晨清扫工碰巧没来，某位具有未来合伙人气质的青年就会毫不犹豫试着拿起扫帚。有一天，以为溺爱孩子的，时髦的密歇根母亲问一位男青年，是否见过像她的女儿普里希拉那样的年轻女郎如此潇洒地在房间里进行打扫。男青年说从未见过，那位母亲高兴的乐不可支。但男青年顿了顿又说: “我想看到的是她能在室外进行打扫”。如果有必要，新来者在办公室外进行打扫并没有什么损失。我本人就曾经是打扫人之一。

 

假设你们都已就业了，并干的相当出色，我对你们的忠告是要“胸怀大志”。对那些尚未把自己看成是某重要公司的合伙人或领导人的年轻人，我会不屑一顾。你们在思想上一刻也不要满足于充当任何企业的首席职员，领班或总经理，不管这家企业的规模有多大。你们要对自己说:“我的位置在最高处”你们要梦寐以求登峰造极。

 

获得成功的首要条件喝最大秘诀是：把精力和财力完全集中于所干的事业上。一旦开始干那一行，就要决心干出个名堂，要出类拔萃，要点点滴滴地改进，要采用最好的机器，要尽力通晓这一行。

 

失败的企业是那些分散了资力，因而意味着分散了精力的企业。他们向这件事投资，又向那件事投资，在这里投资，又在哪里投资，方方面面都有投资。“别把所有的鸡蛋放进一个篮子”之说大错特错。我告诉你们，“要把所有的鸡蛋放在一个篮子，然后照管好那只篮子。”注意走位并留点神，能这样做的人往往不会失败。管好并提好那只篮子很容易。在我们的国家，想多提篮子的人打碎的鸡蛋也多。有三只篮子的人就得把一只篮子顶在头上，这样很容易摔倒。美国企业家的一个错误就是缺少集中。

 

我把所说的话归纳如下：要志在顶峰，千万不要涉足酒吧，不要沾酒，或者仅在用餐时喝点酒；千万不要投机，签署支付的款项时，千万不要超过盈余的现金储备，把公司的利益当成自己的利益，取消订货的目的永远在于挽救货主，集中精力，把所有的鸡蛋放进一个篮子，支出永远小于收入，最后不要失去耐心，因为正如爱默生所说，“除了你自己以外，没有人能哄骗你离开最后的成功。”

1 sweeping   

adj.范围广大的，一扫无遗的

参考例句：

• The citizens voted for sweeping reforms.公民投票支持全面的改革。
• Can you hear the wind sweeping through the branches?你能听到风掠过树枝的声音吗？

2 janitors   

n.看门人( janitor的名词复数 )；看管房屋的人；锅炉工

参考例句：

• The janitors were always kicking us out. 守卫总是将～踢出去。 来自互联网
• My aim is to be one of the best janitors in the world. 我的目标是要成为全世界最好的守门人。 来自互联网

3 fig   

n.无花果(树)

参考例句：

• The doctor finished the fig he had been eating and selected another.这位医生吃完了嘴里的无花果，又挑了一个。
• You can't find a person who doesn't know fig in the United States.你找不到任何一个在美国的人不知道无花果的。

4 machinery   

n.(总称)机械，机器；机构

参考例句：

• Has the machinery been put up ready for the broadcast?广播器材安装完毕了吗？
• Machinery ought to be well maintained all the time.机器应该随时注意维护。

5 scattered   

adj.分散的，稀疏的；散步的；疏疏落落的

参考例句：

• Gathering up his scattered papers,he pushed them into his case.他把散乱的文件收拾起来，塞进文件夹里。

6 expenditure   

n.(时间、劳力、金钱等)支出；使用，消耗

参考例句：

• The entry of all expenditure is necessary.有必要把一切开支入账。
• The monthly expenditure of our family is four hundred dollars altogether.我们一家的开销每月共计四百元。