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Unit 6
Success
After-Class Reading
PASSAGE I Success Means Never Feeling Tired
Failure is probably the most fatiguing experience a person ever has. There is nothing more frustrating than not succeeding — being blocked, not moving ahead. It is a vicious circle. Failure breeds fatigue, and the fatigue makes it harder to get to work, which compounds the failure.
We experience this tiredness in two main ways: as start-up fatigue and performance fatigue. In the former case, we keep putting off a task that we feel we are obliged to do. Either because it is too tedious or because it is too difficult, we shy away from it. And the longer we postpone it, the more tired we feel.
Even if it is not actually physical, this start-up fatigue is very real. The remedy is obvious, though perhaps not easy to apply: an exertion of willpower. The moment I find myself turning away from a job, or putting it under a pile of other things I have to do, I clear my desk of everything else and attack the objectionable item first. To prevent start-up fatigue, always tackle the most difficult job first.
Years ago, when editing Great Books of the Western World, I undertook to write 102 essays, one on each of the great ideas discussed by the authors of those books. The writing took me two and a half years, working at it — among my other tasks — seven days a week. I would never have finished if I had allowed myself to write first about the ideas I found easiest to explain. Applying my own rule, I determined to write the essays in strict alphabetical order, from ANGEL to WORLD, never letting myself skip a tough idea. And I always started the day's work with the difficult task of essay-writing. Experience proved, once again, that the rule works.
Performance fatigue is more difficult to handle. Here we are not reluctant to get started, but we cannot seem to do the job right. Its difficulties appear impossible to overcome. No matter how hard we work, we fail again and again. That mounting experience of failure carries with it an ever-increasing burden of mental fatigue. In such a situation, I work as hard as I can — then let the unconscious[1] take over.
When I was planning the fifteenth edition of Encyclopaedia Britannica[2], I had to create a topical table of contents for its alphabetically arranged articles. Nothing like this had ever been done before, and day after day I kept coming up with solutions that fell short. My fatigue became almost overwhelming.
One day, mentally exhausted, I put down on paper all the reasons why this problem could not be solved. I tried to convince myself that what appeared insoluble really was insoluble, that the trouble was with the problem, not me. Having gained some relief, I sat back in an easy chair and went to sleep.
An hour or so later, I woke up suddenly with the solution clearly in mind. In the weeks that followed, the correctness of the solution given to me by my unconscious mind was confirmed at every step. Though I worked just as hard as before, if not harder, my work was not attended by any weariness or fatigue. Success was now as exhilarating as failure had been depressing. Life offers few pleasures more stimulating than the successful exercise of our faculties. It gives us the energy to do additional work.
Sometimes the obstacle is not in the problem itself, but in the social situation — or so[3] it appears. Other people somehow seem to prevent us from succeeding. But, as Shakespeare wrote, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars but in ourselves."[4] Why blame other people and shrug off our own responsibility for misunderstandings? Doing a job successfully means doing whatever is necessary — and that includes winning the cooperation of others.
More often, the obstacle that blocks us is purely personal. Subject to human distractions, we let personal problems weigh on us, producing a fatigue-failure that blocks our productivity in every sphere.
A friend of mine got depressed about a family problem that she had neglected. Her daughter had secretly married a man she thought her father would disapprove of. The daughter told her mother but made her promise to keep silent. Worrying about the problem, and carrying a burden of guilt over the secrecy, exhausted the mother.[5] Her fatigue affected her job and turned her usual success there into failures. She was saved from serious depression only when other people intervened and told the father — who didn't display any of the anticipated negative reaction. It seems incredible that a person can complicate his or her life in this fashion, but this is what can happen to problems if they aren't solved as they come along.
So, our first step should be to use inexplicable fatigue that has no physical base as a radar — an early-warning system — and trace the fatigue to its source; to find the defeat we are covering up and not admitting. Then we must diagnose the cause of this failure. In rare cases, it may be that the task is really too difficult for us. If so, we can acknowledge the fact and give up. Or the block may simply be in refusing to confront the problem. In most cases, it can be solved by patient attention to the task at hand — with all the skill and resolution we can muster. That, plus the inspired help of the unconscious.
I have already given an example of one way of achieving a breakthrough. First, put down all the reasons why the problem is insoluble. Try to box yourself in, like Houdini[6], so no escape appears possible. Only then, like Houdini, can you break out. Having tied yourself up in knots, stop thinking consciously about the problem for a while. Let your unconscious work on untying the knots. Nine times out of ten, it will come up with a solution.
The worst mistake we can make is to regard mental fatigue as if it were physical fatigue. We can recover from the latter by giving our bodies a chance to rest. But mental fatigue that results from failure cannot be removed by giving in to it and taking a rest. That just makes matters worse. Whatever the specific stumbling-block is, it must be cleared up, and fast, before the fatigue of failure swamps us.
Human beings, I believe, must try to succeed. This necessity is built into our biological background. Without trying to define success, it's enough to say that it is related to continuous peak performance, to doing tasks and solving problems as they come along. It is experiencing the excitement and the joy that goes with the exercise of one's human capabilities.
Success, then, means never feeling tired. (1124 words)
Proper Names
Encyclopaedia Britannica
《大不列颠百科全书》
Brutus
（男子名）布鲁特斯
Houdini
（男子名）霍迪尼
Shakespeare
（男子名）莎士比亚（1564-1616，英国剧作家、诗人）
New Words
anticipate
v. expect that something will happen and be ready for it 预料
e.g. I ) We anticipated the storm and brought raincoats.
II) In his speech, Mr Ashdown anticipated that the idea might receive a cool reception.
compound
v. make a difficult situation even worse by adding more problems 增加，加重
e.g. I ) Her misery was compounded by the discovery of a leak in the roof.
II) Severe drought has further compounded the food shortages in the region.
n. a substance containing atoms from two or more elements 化合物
e.g. Salt is a compound of sodium and chlorine.
continuous
adj. continuing to happen or exist without stopping or without any interruptions 连续不断的，接连的
e.g. The weather forecaster predicted continuous rain throughout the day.
cooperation
n. help that is willingly given 合作，配合
e.g. I ) I need your cooperation to get this project done on time.
II) The police have thanked the local community for its cooperation in the search of the missing boy.
diagnose
v. identify the nature of a problem, especially an illness 诊断；判断
e.g. I ) The mechanic diagnosed the cause of the engine's failure.
II) The tumor (肿瘤) was diagnosed as malignant (恶性的).
edit
v. prepare written material for publication by correcting, condensing, or otherwise modifying it 编辑
e.g. Jane edited Anne's writing and suggested changes.
edition
n. a particular version of a book, magazine, or newspaper that is printed at one time 版本
e.g. The third edition of the dictionary contains 3,000 more words than the second edition.
encyclopaedia
n. a book or set of books giving information on many subjects or many aspects of one subject and typically arranged alphabetically 百科全书
essay
n. a short piece of writing on a particular subject 论说文
e.g. The professor refused to mark my essay because it was handed in late.
exertion *
n. strong mental or physical effort 努力，费力
e.g. You must be exhausted after all your exertions.
inexplicable
adj. too unusual or strange to be explained or understood 莫名其妙的
e.g. Her failure in life is inexplicable.
insoluble *
adj. impossible to solve or be dissolved （问题等）不能解决的；不能溶解的
e.g. I pushed the problem aside; at present it was insoluble.
mounting *
adj. gradually increasing or becoming worse 逐渐增加的
e.g. Sally waited for her examination results with mounting anxiety.
objectionable *
adj. unpleasant 讨厌的
e.g. I don't like her tone; in fact I find it highly objectionable.
productivity
n. the rate at which goods are produced 生产力；生产率
e.g. Britain needs to increase its productivity to prosper.
reluctant
adj. unwilling or hesitant 不情愿的，勉强的
e.g. I am reluctant to mention the subject again, but I feel it must be discussed.
sphere
n.
1) a particular area of activity, work, knowledge, etc. 领域
e.g. His main interest is in the sphere of preventive medicine.
2) a ball shape 球（体），球形
e.g. The Earth is not a perfect sphere.
swamp
v. overwhelm with excessive amount of something 难倒，压倒
e.g. In many parts of the world, the rate of the population growth already swamps the ability of society to cope.
n. land that is always very wet or slightly covered with water 沼泽地
e.g. Most coal-fields began life as swamps about 300 million years ago.
tackle
v. make a determined effort to deal with (a difficult problem or task) （着手）对付，（开始）处理
e.g. I ) It's a problem that the government hasn't begun to tackle yet.
II) They have published proposals designed to tackle London's housing problems.
tedious
adj. boring, tiring, and continuing for a long time 单调乏味的，令人生厌的
e.g. John's job at the factory is very tedious.
topical
adj. of, relating to, or arranged by topics 话题的，主题的
e.g. The book has a topical table of contents.
undertake
v. (undertook, undertaken)
1) promise or agree to do something 同意，答应
e.g. I ) He undertook to edit the text himself.
II) She undertook not to publish the names of the people involved.
2) start doing something and accept responsibility for it 承担
e.g. A firm of builders undertook the construction work.
vicious
adj.
1) acting or done with evil intentions; cruel, violent or dangerous 恶毒的，恶意的，凶残的
e.g. I ) It is a deliberate, nasty and vicious attack on a young man's character.
II) He made up a vicious story about me to get even.
2) violent and severe 剧烈的，严重的
e.g. I ) The blow was so sudden and vicious that he dropped to his knees.
II) I got a vicious headache.
vicious circle
a continuing situation in which one problem or need leads to another and the new problem makes the first problem worse 恶性循环
e.g. Crime leads to prison, which leads to unemployment, which leads to crime. It's a vicious circle.
weariness *
n. the state of being very tired, because one has been doing something for a long time 疲倦
e.g. He showed absolutely no signs of weariness.
willpower
n. determination or the ability to control one's will 意志力，毅力
e.g. I lacked the willpower to stay on my diet.
Phrases and Expressions
box somebody in
keep in or as if in a box; to block or prevent 闭锁，把......围住，困住
e.g. I ) They boxed her in.
II) He was too canny (精明而谨慎的) to let himself be boxed in.
clear up
settle something or to find a satisfactory explanation for it 澄清，解决
e.g. There should be someone to whom you can turn for any advice or to clear up any problems.
come along
1) appear or arrive by chance 偶然出现，产生
e.g. I haven't got another job; I'll wait till something comes along.
2) be developing or improving, especially in education 进展，进步
e.g. How's our young trainee coming along?
come up with
think of an idea, plan, reply, etc. 想出
e.g. I hope to come up with some of the answers.
disapprove of
have an unfavorable opinion of someone or something, especially for moral reasons 不赞成，反对
e.g. Her mother disapproves of her working in a pub.
fall short
fail to reach a desired result, standard, etc. 达不到标准（或要求）
e.g. The council planned to build 100 houses this year but they have fallen short of their target.
put down
1) write something, especially a name or number on a piece of paper or on a list 写下
e.g. Never put anything down on paper which might be used in evidence against you at a later date.
2) pay part of the price of something as a deposit 付（定金）
e.g. He bought an investment property for $ 100,000 and put down $ 2,000.
3) stop a revolution, especially by force 镇压，取缔
e.g. Police used tear gas to put down the riot (骚乱).
4) criticize someone and to make them feel stupid 奚落
e.g. She evidently enjoyed putting her husband down in public.
shy away from
avoid doing something because one is not confident enough or one is worried or nervous about it 回避，退缩
e.g. I've never shied away from hard work.
shrug off
1) rid oneself of 摆脱
e.g. The city is trying to shrug off its industrial image and promote itself as a tourist center.
2) treat as unimportant or easily dealt with 对......不予理会，对......满不在乎
e.g. She just shrugs off the pain and goes on with the job.
take over
take control of something 接管，接手，接任
e.g. Who do you think will take over now that the governor has been dismissed?
tie oneself (up) in knots
become very confused when one is trying to explain something 使自己紧张；困惑
e.g. The press agent tied himself (up) in knots trying to apologize.
turn away from
stop facing or looking at somebody/something 转过脸不面对或不再看着某人、某物
e.g. Europe cannot in good conscience turn away from these refugees. 欧洲不应该拒绝对这些难民提供援助。
weigh on
cause worry or great difficulty 使烦恼，使担忧
e.g. The burden of debt weighs heavily on these developing countries.
PASSAGE II A Triumph of the Spirit
A paralyzed French journalist dies just days after the publication of his memoir celebrating life.
If the 1995 stroke that paralyzed Jean-Dominique Bauby was cruelly premature, at least death had the courtesy to wait until the 45-year-old French journalist finished his last assignment.[1] Less than 72 hours after readers and critics alike praised his memoir of living with locked-in syndrome — a state of virtually total paralysis that leaves the victim, in Bauby's words, "like a mind in a jar" — the former editor in chief of French Elle magazine died.[2] Bauby's book Le Scaphandre et le Papillon (The Bubble and the Butterfly) is a celebration of life written by a man incapable of speech or movement.
A career journalist whose wit, talent and savoir vivre became personal trademarks, Bauby saw his fast-paced life come to an abrupt end on Dec. 8, 1995, with the stroke that left him paralyzed.[3] Though Bauby was dependent on hospital staff and machinery for all his bodily functions, his brain remained in perfect condition. He soon discovered that the only muscle still under his control was his left eyelid. By telegraphing a series of blinks, Bauby let his nurses know that his mind was alive and well inside its immobile frame.[4] They responded by reciting a special alphabet to him with the understanding that Bauby would blink at letters he wanted written down. Repeating the process resulted in words, sentences and entire discussions.
In June 1996, Bauby blinked out a letter to some 60 friends and associates to reassure them that his state was not vegetative. Editors at French publisher Robert Laffont[5], who had worked with Bauby before his stroke, were so impressed that they proposed he use the method to write a book about his condition. Bauby accepted and, composing and editing his prose before dawn, dictated entire sections of the book from memory, letter by letter, to Laffont employee Claude Mendibil.
The result is a remarkable 137-page account of the tedium and difficulties — and sometimes even joys — of the locked-in life. Complaining about his fruitless "physical rehabilitation" sessions, for example, Bauby writes, "I would be the happiest man in the world if I could just properly swallow the saliva that permanently invades my mouth ." He lets his readers know that his celebrated wit survived the stroke by pointing up the ironic aspects of his condition. Bauby recalls a contract he signed before his illness to write an updated version of the Alexandre Dumas[6] classic The Count of Monte Cristo — a tale involving a paralyzed individual who communicates by blinking. "The gods of literature and neurology decided otherwise," Bauby laments, adding a twist. "To reverse the decrees of fate, I now have in mind a story whose main character is a runner instead of a paralytic. Who knows? It might work."
The book is not, of course, all playful reflections. Bauby writes movingly of the suffering and depression his condition induced. He describes painful bedsores, and flies walking with impunity across his face. He tells of his 93-year-old father's phone calls to "a son he knows too well will not reply." Most agonizing are the moments when Bauby realizes that his loved ones will never feel his affection again.[7] During one Father's Day[8] visit from his children, he relates the unbearable feeling of being sealed in his bubble: "Théophile, my son, is calmly sitting there, his face 20 inches from my own, and I, his father, do not have the simple right to touch his thick hair ... To hold tight his warm little body ... Suddenly, that fact begins killing me."
But Le Scaphandre et le Papillon underlines Bauby's determination to deny locked-in syndrome total victory.[9] His condition may have defined the rules, but he was still able to play the game.[10] And play he did. Not content to wink out one book, he proposed other book projects before his death, founded an association for victims of locked-in syndrome and their families and participated in a film aired[11] on French TV about his struggle. "He loved life, and he lived it intensely — both before and after his accident," says Susanna Lea, a spokeswoman for Laffont who worked with Bauby. "He has left a legacy that will not be soon forgotten." French readers certainly don't seem ready to forget. The book's initial run of 25,000 copies has sold out, and it seems certain to land[12] near the top of France's best-seller list. An English-language translation has been commissioned, and negotiations for US publication are under way.
In the end, Bauby's spirit proved stronger than his heart. He died as he lived: with dignity, on his own terms and in accord with his own words.[13] "Is there a key out in the cosmos that can unlock my bubble?" Bauby asks at the end of his book. "A currency valuable enough to buy my freedom? I have to look elsewhere. I'm going there." (806 words)
--From TIMES, March 24, 1997
Proper Names
Alexandre Dumas
（男子名）亚历山大.大仲马
Claude Mendibil
（男子名）克劳德.门第比尔
Jean-Dominique Bauby
（男子名）让-多米尼克.包比
Monte Cristo
基度山
Robert Laffont
（男子名）罗伯特.拉丰
Susanna Lea
（女子名）苏姗娜.李
Theophile
（男子名）西奥非尔
New Words
alphabet
n. the set of letters used in writing any language, especially when arranged in order 字母表
e.g. Children learn the alphabet in kindergarten.
bedsore
n. a sore place on the skin caused by lying in bed for a long time 褥疮
blink
v. shut and open the eyes quickly 眨眼
e.g. The bright light made her blink.
bubble
n. a ball of air in liquid 水泡，气泡
e.g. The children blew bubbles all day long.
celebrated
adj. known or admired 著名的
e.g. A celebrated artist died last week.
cosmos
n. the universe 宇宙
decree
n. one of eternal purposes of God, by which events are foreordained 天命，天意
dignity
n. quality that earns or deserves respect 尊严
e.g. He behaved with dignity in the party.
eyelid
n. the two pieces of skin that cover one's eye when it is closed 眼皮
e.g. Mary wore blue eye shadow (眼影) on her eyelids.
fruitless *
adj. producing little or no result; unsuccessful 不成功的，无结果的
e.g. It was a fruitless search.
immobile *
adj. unable to move or to be moved 不能动的
e.g. A riding accident left him immobile.
journalist
n. someone who writes news reports for newspapers, magazines, television, or radio 新闻工作者，记者
e.g. The Watergate scandal was exposed by two investigative journalists working for the Washington Post.
lament
v. feel or express great sorrow or regret for 哀悼，痛惜
e.g. The whole country lamented the death of their great leader.
legacy
n. something passed on or left by someone 遗产
memoir
n. an account written by someone, especially a famous person, about his/her life and experiences 回忆录
e.g. In his memoirs, De Gaulle wrote that he had come to London determined to save the French nation.
movingly *
adv. in a way that makes one feel strong emotions 动人地，感人地
e.g. You wrote very movingly of your sister Susan's death.
neurology
n. the study of the nervous system and its diseases 神经病学
paralysis *
n. the loss of the ability to move all or part of one's body or feel things in it 瘫痪
e.g. Doctors believe a drug overdose caused paralysis of the central nervous system.
paralytic *
adj. suffering from paralysis 瘫痪的
e.g. We were unable to reverse paralytic disease in laboratory animals.
n. a person who is paralytic 瘫痪病人
prose
n. written language in its usual form, as opposed to poetry 散文
e.g. There were long sections of prose between the poems.
recite
v. say aloud from memory, especially to an audience 背诵，朗诵
e.g. Laura's father began by reciting a few lines from Shakespeare.
rehabilitation *
n. the act of improving or restoring to good condition 恢复，复原
e.g. I work in the rehabilitation center for blind people.
saliva
n. the liquid that is produced naturally in the mouth 口水，唾液
seal
v. close or fasten tightly 密封住
e.g. The parcel was sealed with tape.
n. a mark that has a special design and shows the legal or official authority of a person or organization 印章，图章
e.g. The document carries the royal seal.
swallow
v. cause to go down the throat 吞咽
e.g. You should chew your food before swallowing it.
syndrome
n. a set of symptoms which together indicates a particular disease or abnormal condition 综合病症，综合症状
e.g. Often, a syndrome is named after the doctor who first detects it.
tedium *
n. the quality or state of causing somebody to feel tired or bored 厌倦，乏味
e.g. Soldiers say that the worst thing about fighting is not the moments of terror, but all the hours of tedium in between.
trademark
n.
1) a special name, sign, or word that is marked on a product to show that it is made by a particular company 商标
e.g. A trademark can only be used by its owner.
2) a particular way of behaving, dressing, etc. by which someone can be easily recognized 识别标志
e.g. The striped T-shirt became the comedian's trademark.
triumph
n. an important victory or success, especially after a difficult struggle 胜利
e.g. Our team celebrated its triumph over our rival.
twist
n.
1) an unexpected change in the meaning of a situation or in a series of events （形势、故事等的）意想不到的转折
e.g. The battle of the sexes also took a new twist.
2) a twisting action or movement 转动
e.g. She gave her ankle a nasty twist when she fell.
v. turn a part of one's body around or change one's position by turning （使）转动，（使）旋动
e.g. The body was twisted, its legs at an awkward angle（角度）.
underline
v.
1) draw attention to something and to emphasize its importance 强调，使突出
e.g. The decision to keep him in hospital for a second night underlines the seriousness of his injury.
2) draw a line under a word or a sentence to make people notice it or give it extra importance 在......下画线
e.g. All the technical words have been underlined in red.
updated *
adj. new and modern 更新的
vegetative
adj. in medicine, unable to move or voluntarily use bodily organs or functions 植物人状态的
Phrases and Expressions
in accord with
in agreement with 与......一致
e.g. What they achieved is not in accord with what they had expected.
on one's own terms
according to the condition that one asks for 根据自己的主张或条件
e.g. It's difficult to do the work on your terms.
point up
make something seem more important or more reasonable 强调
e.g. In his speech he pointed up the importance of the relationship between the two countries.
sell out
sell all one's stock of a particular article （货物）全部卖完
e.g. I'm sorry, we've sold out the brand you want. Please come next week.
under way
making progress 在进行中
e.g. Preparations for the coming Christmas were under way.
PASSAGE III How to Succeed at Failing
John F. Budd, Jr.[1]
On the eve of my 50th year in public relations, I was asked to speak at a Phoenix Award[2] ceremony.
Is there a signal here?
I've got to admit this Phoenix business confuses me a bit.
I know the historical roots about Atlanta being torched[3] and arising from the ashes better than ever and so on, but I come from Brooklyn and we've never been set on fire.
I can only assume that a no doubt well-meaning "friend," recognizing my half century in this business, decided that I be given an opportunity to reinvent myself, rise from my own ashes, so to speak![4]
I accept the challenge.
We all know that a life not worth examining is not worth living.
Thus prompted[5] I have looked back on a life misspent in public relations.
I admit it, I have missed the boat, have single-mindedly been focusing on the wrong goal.[6]
I have directed myself towards success, neglecting failure.
Yet failure is of great importance; believe it or not, Soichero Honda, who founded and built the Honda Motor Car Company[7] once said, "Success is 99 percent failure."
If I had known those odds[8] twenty years ago, things may have turned out differently.
Perhaps I've overlooked the benefits of failure because I early came under the influence of my father, a true Horatio Alger-type[9], a true entrepreneur. He was the star Saturday Evening Post junior salesman who won watches and ponies[10]. He was a scoutmaster; he was an ambitious man who started a small publishing business with a 25 cent booklet, building one of his properties into a heavy, 2,000 page foreign trade guide that sold for $400 per. He was a successful New York businessman, but he never went to college.
So, I inherited this fixation with success, never knew there was a better way. The Declaration of Independence guarantees us among our inalienable rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The smart men who wrote that knew that happiness was the race or the chase... not the cup handed the winner.
Happiness, I've learned, is racing madly after something that you have a remote chance of gaining. Success is supposed to be in getting it, only we often realize it isn't what we wanted in the first place.
So I became an account executive, only to find that clients were unreasonable. I became a corporate public relations officer, little realizing that the company didn't want my activism; they were perfectly content to live out the status quo.[11]
We all want to get at the table, above the salt.[12] We want that big title, corner office[13], parking space and the 6 or 7 figure salary.
We achieve this ambition, only to discover that the chief executive officer wants a spin doctor[14], someone to deal with the consequences of his irrational decisions which he calls strategies.
We want to talk about policy; he wants to discuss how we propose to quiet those rebellious employees, those fussy shareholders, the noisy politicians and the curious media.
I'm reminded of this because some 30 years ago a very perceptive gentleman, Charles H. Brower, then chairman of a well-known ad agency, gave a commencement address on "how to fail." I thought it was stupid and I ignored it, but I saved it. Coming across its yellowed pages recently I now wished I had paid it more heed.
You see, success, whether it's in the arts, science, or public relations, takes a great deal of work and sweat. For years.
Failure hardly ever sweats!
Successes get so worried about their job that sometimes they can't sleep: always plotting tomorrow's actions. There's no insomnia amongst failures. Their problems are small and personal. No one worries about them, except, perhaps their wives.
Be a success and you've got a mountain of people dependent on you, looking to you for guidance, your co-workers, maybe the chief executive officer and other senior officers, your peers, community leaders, not to mention your accountant, lawyer, investment broker, wife and family. There's no end to the problems success can heap on you.
What's worse, you're all alone. Nobody cares about your problems. There's no government agency set up to help success.
Ahhh, but fail at anything, your job, your marriage, your investments and there's an army of folks, government agencies, community, church groups who'll worry with you and rush to help.
You see we live in a society that cherishes the underdog. Who's there for the overdog, the success? A few people who give you a trophy in return for your contribution of your money or your time.[15]
Now then, how can smart people like you become a failure?
To be a real failure you first have to have a job. Better yet, have a series of them.
So you start by finding something to fail at.
My mistake was that I ignored opportunities to fail, didn't recognize, then, its potential, so I tried too hard and was, unfortunately, good at whatever I was doing, so I kept getting better jobs and more responsibility. I suppose it was because I always did more than I was asked to do.
Foolishly, I now realize looking back, that I even suggested new ideas and better ways to do things when there was no call for[16] me to do so.
Obviously my bosses could not see that I was desperately trying to fail, even I didn't know it then.
Samuel Goldwyn[17] (who once said, "include me out") lamented that what this country needs is a new set of clichés.
He is right. The old sayings have been used so much that they aren't as meaningful as they used to be.
"He that will not work will want." That's not true today. There are so many agencies waiting to throw money at the indigent that Horatio Alger would have to rewrite his classic, "Sink or Swim."[18]
"Sooner or later the truth will come out." But by that time the horse is long gone from the barn.[19] Ask Texaco[20] who paid $176 million to 1,400 black employees for calling them an epithet, only to find out later that the word was never said.
My favorite, maybe yours, too, "Facts speak for themselves." How much of our lives is spent telling chief executive officers that this is naive, that perceptions are often more important than hard facts. Chief executive officers still believe in this empty phrase, making our lives more difficult than need be.
Benjamin Franklin[21] churned out a few aphorisms that deserve examination. Like "early to bed, early to rise makes a man wealthy and wise." In my now nearly 50 years I've gotten to the office by 8∶00 a.m. There's no one to talk to; no one to phone. Besides, it's been seen by some of my bosses as ambition, surely this is the curse of failure.[22]
On the other hand whoever said "don't put all your eggs in one basket" was right. Hold back, don't commit yourself fully to your current jobs, or company. It's the only way to avoid the danger of achievement.
The trick is not to allow yourself to be convinced to do more than your job description calls for, that way you avoid chances of promotion.
Above all else, make sure that you do NOT fall in love with your job! Please!
The real enemy to potential failures is the thrill of achievement. Because they have discovered that achievement can be fun, more promising failures have gone wrong for this reason than for any other one.
It's exciting ... gets into the blood and before you know it you're working on your kid's birthday, or your anniversary.[23]
Socrates[24] said that there is "no happiness where there is no wisdom." Forget it. Study is boring. Besides he didn't have TV.
Samuel Johnson[25] said curiosity is a characteristic of a vigorous mind. Maybe so, but it can lead you into speculation, to some form of intellectual analysis, to taking an initiative. Not for anyone truly committed to becoming a world-class failure.
Franklin would have you worry that "lost time is never found again." But pleasure has no deadline, failure, no agenda, or timetable.[26]
To return to the beginning, we celebrate this noon the award of the Phoenix, that remarkable bird, who according to the Greeks, started a fire in its own nest, reduced itself to ashes, yet reemerged to a new life.
If you've been unconsciously doing some of the things that make a good failure, time to play Phoenix, resurrect yourselves, start a new cycle.[27] (1421 words)
Proper Names
Atlanta
（地名）亚特兰大（美国佐治亚州首府）
Benjamin Franklin
（男子名）本杰明.富兰克林
Brooklyn
（地名）布鲁克林区（美国纽约市行政区名）
Charles H. Brower
（男子名）查尔斯.布劳尔
Horatio Alger
（男子名）霍雷肖.阿尔杰
Samuel Goldwyn
（男子名）塞缪尔.戈尔德温
Samuel Johnson
（男子名）塞缪尔.约翰逊
Socrates
（男子名）苏格拉底
Soichero Honda
（男子名）本田宗一郎
Texaco
一家大石油公司的名字
New Words
activism
n. a doctrine or practice that emphasizes direct vigorous action 行动主义
ambition
n. strong desire, especially over a long period, for success, power, wealth, etc. 抱负，雄心，野心
e.g. She's clever, but she lacks ambition.
aphorism
n. a true or wise saying or principle expressed in a few words 格言，警句
award
n. something, especially a prize or money, given as the result of an official decision 奖；奖品
e.g. I ) The firefighter received an award for saving people's lives.
II) The award went to a British director.
v. give a prize to someone or to give as a result of official decision 授予，给予
e.g. I ) The judges awarded a gold medal to the gymnast from Romania.
II) She was awarded the prize for both films.
barn
n. a farm building for storing crops and foods for animals or keeping animals or equipment 谷仓；牲口棚；库房
e.g. The photo showed an old red barn on a farm.
curse
n.
1) a cause of evil, harm, destruction, etc. 祸因，祸根
e.g. Noise is the curse of modern city life.
2) a magical word or phrase spoken with the aim of punishing, injuring or destroying somebody or something 诅咒，咒骂
e.g. We were joking about the possibility of someone placing a curse upon our computer.
3) a rude or offensive word or phrase used to express violent anger 骂人话
e.g. Where did Jimmy learn that curse?
cycle
n. a number of related events happening in regularly repeated order 循环，周期
e.g. How can we stop the unending cycle of violence?
epithet
n. an adjective or descriptive phrase, especially of praise or blame, used about a person （用于褒贬人物等的）表述形容词，修饰语
e.g. The king was known as Alfred the Great, but in my opinion the epithet was undeserved.
fixation
n. a strong, unhealthy feeling (about) or (love) for 不正常的偏爱
e.g. He has a fixation about cleanness.
heap
v.
1) put a lot of things on top of each other in an untidy way 堆积
e.g. The children heaped the leaves into a large pile and jumped in.
2) give a lot of praise or criticism to 大加颂扬/批语
e.g. The press heaped insults on the team's manager after the team had lost six games in a row.
n. a large pile of things 堆
e.g. The leaves had been swept into huge heaps.
historical
adj. connected with history as a study （有关）历史的，历史学的
e.g. The castle is recent, so of little historical interest.
inalienable
adj. which cannot be taken away 不可分割的，不可剥夺的
indigent
adj. poor, lacking money or goods 贫穷的，贫困的
insomnia
n. habitual inability to sleep 失眠（症）
misspend *
v. (misspent, misspent) spend (time, money, etc.) wrongly or unwisely 浪费（时间、金钱等）
e.g. Much of the money was grossly (全部) misspent.
naive
adj. without experience of social rules or behaviors, especially because one is young 幼稚的，无经验的
e.g. They had a very naive approach to business, which was bound to lead them into trouble.
nest
n. a hollow place built or found by a bird for use as home and a place to keep its eggs 鸟巢，鸟窝
e.g. I can see an eagle's nest on the rocks.
overdog
n. one that is dominant or victorious （斗争中）占优势者，占上风的一方
perceptive *
adj. showing an unusually good ability to notice and understand 感觉灵敏的，有洞察力的
e.g. Her books are full of perceptive insights into the human condition.
politician
n. a person whose business is politics, especially one who has been elected to a parliament or to a position in government 政治家，政客
e.g. The career politician had been in public office for 50 years.
pony
n. a small horse 小马，矮种马
promising
adj. showing signs of likely future success 有希望的，有前途的
e.g. A school has honored one of its brightest and most promising former pupils.
promotion *
n. advancement in rank or position 提升，晋级
e.g. Promotion is the way to get a better salary and a better-sounding job title.
resurrect
v. (often derogative) bring back into use, existence, or fashion 复活，恢复
scoutmaster
n. an adult leader of a group of scouts 童子军领队
shareholder
n. an owner of shares in a business 股东
single-mindedly
adv. having one clear aim or purpose 一心一意地，专心致志地
e.g. He was single-mindedly devoted to the hastening of freedom for the oppressed （受压迫者）.
speculation *
n. (an example of) the act of guessing or predicting 思索，沉思；猜测
e.g. The papers are full of speculation about who is likely to be the next prime minister.
sweat
n. liquid which comes out from the body through the skin when one is hot, frightened, or doing exercise 汗水
e.g. Jack paused, wiping the sweat from his face.
timetable
n. a list of times at which events are scheduled to take place 时间表，日程表
e.g. My boss pushed back the project's timetable by a week.
towards
prep. in the direction of 向，往，朝......方向
e.g. She was walking towards town when I met her.
underdog
n. a person or team not favored to win 处于劣势的人（或一方）
world-class
adj. among the best in the world 世界一流水平的
e.g. He was determined to become a world-class player.
Phrases and Expressions
churn out (infml, usually derogative)
produce in large amounts, by or as if by machinery 大量炮制，粗制滥造
e.g. He began to churn out literary compositions in English.
come across
meet, find or discover, especially by chance （尤指偶然）遇见，碰上，发现
e.g. I came across a letter from Brunel the other day.
live out
1) live till the end of 活到......结束
e.g. Will the old man live out the month?
2) experience in reality 实现
e.g. Her success enabled her to live out her wildest fantasies. 她的成功使她实现了她最大胆的梦想。
look back on
remember, to think about something that happened in the past 记起，回忆起
e.g. I look back on those days as the happiest time of my life.
look to someone for something
depend on for help, advice, etc. 指望，仰仗
e.g. We look to you for support.
not to mention
and in addition there is... 要不用说......
e.g. They have three dogs to look after, not to mention the cat and the bird.
status quo
the existing state of affairs, especially regarding social or political issues 现状
e.g. Habit always forces us to maintain a status quo that is no longer relevant.
turn out
happen to be, or be found to be, in the end 结果（是），原来（是），证明（是）
e.g. To our surprise the stranger turned out to be an old friend of my mother's.
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