行动起来改善生活

 　Many people think that they have to accept whatever life throws at them. They'll say, "This is my fate, my destiny. I cannot change it."

　　Of course not!

　　You don't have to suffer needlessly. Your destiny depends on you, not on any other external factors.

　　I know someone who says she just accepts what life gives her because she has done everything she can to improve it.

　　Guess what her lifestyle is?

　　She wakes up in the morning, goes to work, comes back home, relaxes, chats with people, watches TV, then goes to sleep. Next day, the same routinary cycle ensues.

　　Huh?!? Is this what she calls "doing her best?"

　　She believes she has tried her best and just accepts it in her heart that this is the life that God has intended for her to live; that her luck can only change if God wills it.

　　Of course God wants us to be happy and live our life to the fullest, but we have to do our share of exerting the effort to live the life of our dreams.

　　You reap what you sow.

　　You just don't sit around and wait for a million dollars to fall from the sky. You have to get off the couch, get your eyes off the TV screen, get your hands off the phone (unless it contributes to your success), and get your mind and body to work!

　　If your life is not meant the way you want it to be, don't just say: "Our time will come." or "Things will get better some day."

　　Don't expect your luck to change, unless you do something about it. If something goes wrong, don't just regard it as a temporary setback¹; but use it as feedback. Learn your lesson, make the most of the situation, and do something to resolve the problem.

　　It's not enough to think positive; you also have to act positive.

　　If someone's life is in trouble, do you just hope and pray that things will turn out fine? Of course not! You got to do anything you can to save the person.

　　So it is with your own life. It is not enough to hope for the best, but you have to DO your best.

　　In other words, don't just stand (or sit) there, do something to improve your life!

　　[参考译文]

　　许多人认为人应该认命接受生活跑给自己的一切。他们会说：“这就是我的命运，是命中注定的。要改变它我无能为力。”

　　当然不是这样！

　　你不必委曲求全。你的命运取决于你自己，而不是其他外在的因素。

　　我认识的一个人说她只不过是接受生活所给予的一切，因为她已经尽全力去改善生活了。

　　大家猜猜她过的是一种怎样的生活？

　　她早上醒来，去上班，回家，休息，和别人聊天，看电视，然后上床休息。第二天，这种生活重复循环着。

　　哈，这就是她所谓的“竭尽全力”？

　　她认为她已经尽了力，在心里接受了这种想法，即这就是上帝为她安排的生活，只有上帝愿意，她的运气才会改变。

　　当然，上帝希望我们幸福快乐，生活圆满，但我们也要尽力为过上我们梦想的生活而努力。

　　一份耕耘，一份收获。

　　你不能坐着不动，巴望着天上会掉下百万美元来。你必须从沙发起身，把眼睛从电视屏幕移开，放下手中的电话--除非它有助于你获得成功，然后全身心投入工作中！

　　如果你的生活并不称心如意，不要只说：“我们的时机会来的。”或“总有一天情况会好转的。”

　　别指望运气会改变，除非你对其有所行动。如果出现问题，不要紧紧将其视为暂时的挫败，而是把它当成是一种反应。吸取教训，充分利用当时的情况，并采取行动来解决问题。

　　积极地思考是不够的，你还需要积极地行动。

　　如果某个人的生活陷入麻烦，你只是希望和祈祷事情好转起来吗？当然不是。你应该尽你所能去解救这个人。

　　对于自己的生活也是这样。仅仅抱有乐观的态度是不够的，而是要尽力做到最好。换句话说，不要只是站（坐）在那儿，要行动起来改善你的生活！

1 setback   

n.退步，挫折，挫败

参考例句：

• Since that time there has never been any setback in his career.从那时起他在事业上一直没有遇到周折。
• She views every minor setback as a disaster.她把每个较小的挫折都看成重大灾难。