在平凡的学习、工作、生活中，大家都经常看到美文的身影吧？在各种竞争日益激烈的今天，在网络中，很多人都会喜欢一些比较伤感的美文，人们通过阅览这种文章来对自己的心情进行调解，以此为一种精神上的寄托。你所见过的美文是什么样的呢？下面是小编收集整理的经典励志英语美文阅读，欢迎大家借鉴与参考，希望对大家有所帮助。
The sun has begun to set and I hang up the smile I’ve worn all day, though I will make sure it is the first thing I put back on in the morning just in case it is “that day.” I want her to see me at my very best.
I do the normal routine, eat dinner, clean the house, write—the usual stuff. And then I lay down hoping to fall asleep quickly so my new day will hurry up and arrive. A new day with a brand new sun. But as I lay there and wait for the world to turn half way around, I think about her. And sometimes I smile, and sometimes that smile will turn into asnicker, and then often that snicker will turn into a burst of laughter.
And then there are times I get that lump in my throat and that tight feeling in my chest, and sometimes that feeling overwhelms me and begins to turn into a tear, and often that tear multiplies itself and I can no longer fight the feeling and I lose the battle. Then somehow through either the joy or the sadness I drift and find myself asleep. Then the dreams begin and keep me company until my new day arrives.
When I awake it’s with such excitement because I tell myself this could be the day that every other day has led up to and the first day of the rest of my life. I quickly don my smile because I do so want her to see me at my very best. Then I look out the window because, even though I know it’s dawn, I still have to confirm I’ve been given another chance to find her.
And there it is…the sun, even when it’s cloudy; somehow I still see it. And it smiles at me and I say, “Thank you,” and I smile I ask myself, “Is this the day?” And the excitement rushes over me again. And then I ask myself, “Where’s it going to be?”
Maybe it’ll be at the water fountain, and, unexpectedly, there I’ll find her, and much more than my thirst will be quenched. Maybe it’ll be at the grocery store and there she’ll appear as I’m picking out fruit, and she’ll show me the difference between fresh and spoiled. Then, from that moment, nothing that I eat will ever taste the same because she’ll bring out the simplest beauties in everything I see, taste, smell, hear, or touch.
Or maybe today will be the day when my angel brings an item up to the cash register without its price tag. And as I wait behind this angel with all the frustrated people who are in such a hurry with their busy lives, I will find myself with such blessed extra time. Just enough time to start a conversation with this beautiful vision standing in front of me that I might not otherwise have noticed, but, because of a “price check on register 5,” I was able to find her.
Thank you for the sun, which began my new day. Thank you for granting me the faith when I arose this morning that I would find her in this new day. But most of all, thank you for me not having to ever wait on another sunrise because whenever I want to see it, I will look at her and there it shall always be, in her eyes; she will forever hold it for me.
She is my sunrise, my dawn, my new day.
Years ago a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.
Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farmhand？" the farmer asked him.
"Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.
Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the mans work.
Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hands sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up！ A storm is coming！ Tie things down before they blow away！"
The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."
Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm. To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down. Nothing could blow away.
The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.
He was 11 years old and went fishing every chance he got from the dock at his familys cabin on an island in the middle of a New Hampshire lake.
On the day before the bass season opened, he and his father were fishing early in the evening, catching sunfish and perch with worms. Then he tied on a small silver lure and practiced casting. The lure struck the water and caused colored ripples in the sunset,then silver ripples as the moon rose over the lake.
When his peapole doubled over, he knew something huge was on the other end. His father watched with admiration as the boy skillfully worked the fish alongside the dock.
Finally, he very gingerly lifted the exhausted fish from the water. It was the largest one he had ever seen, but it was a bass.
The boy and his father looked at the handsome fish, gills playing back and forth in the moonlight. The father lit a match and looked at his watch. It was 10 P.M.-- two hours before the season opened. He looked at the fish, then at the boy.
"Youll have to put it back, son," he said.
"Dad!" cried the boy.
"There will be other fish," said his father.
"Not as big as this one," cried the boy.
He looked around the lake. No other fishermen or boats were anywhere around in the moonlight. He looked again at his father. Even though no one had seen them, nor could anyone ever know what time he caught the fish, the boy could tell by the clarity of his fathers voice that the decision was not negotiable. He slowly worked the hook out of the lip of the huge bass and lowered it into the black water.
The creature swished its powerful body and disappeared. The boy suspected that he would never again see such a great fish.
That was 34 years ago. Today, the boy is a successful architect in New York City. His fathers cabin is still there on the island in the middle of the lake. He takes his own son and daughters fishing from the same dock.
And he was right. He has never again caught such a magnificent fish as the one he landed that night long ago. But he does see that same fish-again and again-every time he comes up against a question of ethics.
For, as his father taught him, ethics are simple matters of right and wrong. It is only the practice of ethics that is difficult. Do we do right when no one is looking? Do we refuse to cut corners to get the design in on time? Or refuse to trade stocks based on information that we know we arent supposed to have?
We would if we were taught to put the fish back when we were young. For we would have learned the truth. The decision to do right lives fresh and fragrant in our memory. It is a story we will proudly tell our friends and grandchildren. Not about how we had a chance to beat the system and took it, but about how we did the right thing and were forever strengthened.
It seems to me a very difficult thing to put into words the beliefs we hold and what they make you do in your life. I think I was fortunate because I grew up in a family where there was a very deep religious feeling. I don’t think it was spoken of a great deal. It was more or less taken for granted that everybody held certain beliefs and needed certain reinforcements of their own strength and that that came through your belief in God and your knowledge of prayer.
But as I grew older I questioned a great many of the things that I knew very well my grandmother who had brought me up had taken for granted. And I think I might have been a quite difficult person to live with if it hadn’t been for the fact that my husband once said it didn’t do you any harm to learn those things, so why not let your children learn them? When they grow up they’ll think things out for themselves.
And that gave me a feeling that perhaps that’s what we all must do—think out for ourselves what we could believe and how we could live by it. And so I came to the conclusion that you had to use this life to develop the very best that you could develop.
I don’t know whether I believe in a future life. I believe that all that you go through here must have some value, therefore there must be some reason. And there must be some “going on.” How exactly that happens I’ve never been able to decide. There is a future—that I’m sure of. But how, that I don’t know. And I came to feel that it didn’t really matter very much because whatever the future held you’d have to face it when you came to it, just as whatever life holds you have to face it exactly the same way. And the important thing was that you never let down doing the best that you were able to do—it might be poor because you might not have very much within you to give, or to help other people with, or to live your life with. But as long as you did the very best that you were able to do, then that was what you were put here to do and that was what you were accomplishing by being here.
And so I have tried to follow that out—and not to worry about the future or what was going to happen. I think I am pretty much of a fatalist. You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.
How often do you hear people say“I will be happy when…”sucha s“When I get that thing,I will be happy .”“I will be happy when I pass the exam”and“I would be happy if I had more money”.I have heard these things before and I am sure that I will hear the magain.
Many people want to believe that finding happiness is all about finding or gettings omething that they ver,not many people have ever foundlong-termhappiness bya chieving a e will always bean other thing that they e will always bean other exam or another dollar.
To breakth is vicious cycle,we must find our happiness somewhereelse—with other words,happiness is pletely an inside key to finding happiness is to understand that happiness is achoice rather than the resul to fan have be engiven everything
We need to be w yourself to choose l few asperfect,would you behappy?Life is perfect because we create it withour
e we can create life,we can create happiness and choose how much better our lives can get!
Only when we can accept that life is perfect as it is,and that our lives are the sum total of everything that has happened up to this moment,can we accept the joy and the happiness we deserve.
The Eagle and the Raven
An eagle was trying to break open a nut in his beak when a raven landed on a branch beside him. The raven eyed the nut hopefully, "Youll never break it like that,"he said. "If I were you I would fly up in the sky as high as I could, then drop the nut onto the rocks. Its the only way youll get at the kernel."
flew up into the sky, then let the nut fall down, down, down to the ground. The raven hopped quickly from his branch and seized the nut in his beak. By the time the eagle had found his way back to the right place, all that was left was a broken piece of shell.
The first day of school our professor introduced a little old lady to us.
"Why are you in college at such a young age?" I asked later. She jokingly replied, " Im here to meet a rich husband, get married, have a couple of children, and then retire and travel."
"No seriously," I asked. I was curious what may have motivatedher to be taking on this challenge at her age. "I always dreamed of having a college education and now Im getting one!" she told me.
We became instant friends. Every day for the next three months we would leave class together and tolk nonstop. I was always listening to this "time machine" as she shared her wisdom and experience with me.
At the end of the semester we invited Rose to make a speech to our football team. Ill never forget what she taught us. As she began to deliverher prepared speech, she dropped her note card on the floor. A little embarrassed she simply said, "Im sorry. This whiskey is killing me! Ill never get my speech back in order so let me just tell you what I know." As we laughed she cleared her throat and began:" We do not stop playing because we are old; we grow old because we stop playing. There are only four secrets to staying young, being happy, and achieving success. You have to laugh and find humor every day. Youve got to have a dream. When you lose your dreams, you die. We have so many people walking around who are dead and dont even know it! There is a huge difference between growing older and growing up. If you are nineteen years old and lie in bed for one full year and dont do one productive thing, you will turn twenty years old. Anybody can grow older. That doesnt take any talentor ability. The idea is to grow up by always finding the opportunity in change. Have no regrets. The elderly usually dont have regrets for what we did, but rather for things we did not do. The only people who fear death are those with regrets."
At the years end Rose finished the college degree. One week after graduation Rose died peacefully in her sleep. Over two thousand college students attended her funeral to honorthe wonderful woman who taught by example that its never too late to be all you can possibly be.
People often wonder why historians go to so much trouble to preserve millions of books, documents and records.
Why do we have libraries? What good are these documents and history books? Why do we record and save the actions of men, the negotiations1 of government officials and the events during wars?
We do it because, sometimes, the voice of experience can cause us to stop, look and listen. Sometimes, past records, when understood in the right way, can help us decide what to do and what not to do. If we are ever to create lasting peace, we must seek its origins in human experience and in the records of human history.
From the stories of courage and devotion of men and women, we create the inspirations of youth. History records the suffering, the self-denial2, the devotion, and the heroic deeds of people in the past. These records can help us when we are confused and when we really need peace.
The main purpose of history is to create a better world. History gives a warning to those who promote war, and inspiration to those who seek peace.
In short, history helps us learn. Yesterday’s records can keep us from repeating yesterday’s mistakes. And from the pieces of mosaic4 assembled5 by historians come the great murals6 which represent the progress of mankind.
As you slowly open your eyes,look around,notice where the light comes into your room;listen carefully,see if there are new sounds you can recognize;feel with your body and spirit,and see if you can sense the freshness in the air.
Yes,yes,yes,it’s a new day,it’s a different day,and it’s a bright day!And most importantly,it is a new beginning for your life,a beginning where you are going to make new desicisions,take new actions,make new friends,and take your life to a totally unprecedented level!
In your mind’s eye,you can see clearly the things you want to have,the paces you intend to go,the relationships you desire to develop,and the positions you aspire to reach.
You can hear your laughters of joy and happiness on the day when everything happens as you dream.
You can see the smiles on the people around you when the magic moment strikes.
You can feel your face is getting red,your heart is beating fast,and your blood is rushing all over your body,to every single corner of your being!
You know all this is real as long as you are confident,passionate and committed!And you are confident,you are confident,passionate and committed!
You will no longer fear making new sounds,showing new facial expressions,using your body in new ways,approaching new people,and asking new questions.
You will live every single day of your life with absolute passion,and you will show your passion through the words you speak and the actions you take.
You will focus all your time and effort on the most important goals of your will never succumb to challenges of hardships.
You will never waver in your pursuit of r all,you are the best,and you deserve the best!
The world is changing rapidly and most people are very anxious about it. In fact, I think it mighteven be stronger and more accurate to say that most people are downright fearful of whatthey see going on around them.
Technological change and innovation are completely altering many aspects of our lives and itdoesn’t stop there. Economic changes, social changes, scientific changes, political changes…the list is endless. However, the big question we all face is how are we going to respond tothese changes?
While the specific answers about what to do take time and thought to uncover, the best wayto approach the future and all of the changes it will bring can be summed up in one word:Confidence.
Personal confidence is one of the greatest assets we all possess. Certainly some people seemto have much more of it than others but I believe that confidence is a skill that we can alldevelop. In some ways, it is undoubtedly the most important skill we can develop.
With confidence, all things are within the realm of possibility. Without confidence, even thesmallest challenges seem insurmountable.
What I find fascinating is that people with confidence always seem to end up on top. Theyseem to overcome the obstacles that stand in their way. It’s as if problems and challenges runfrom the person who has confidence.
I think what’s so difficult for most people is the belief that confidence has to be based onhaving a specific solution at hand but that’s just not true.
What we all respect and admire is the person who can stand up against overwhelmingdifficulties and persevere without an answer.
Here’s the secret that most people never get. Life’s challenges are no match for the person withunstoppable confidence. While the problems or challenges might seem too big to beovercome, the person with confidence always finds a way to win regardless of thecircumstances.
Ultimately, life’s challenges run and hide from the person that maintains confidence.
This is hard lesson to learn. The problems of life seem so big and scary and we often think ofourselves as so small and fragile. But that’s not the way it is. That’s the illusion that mostpeople by into, but it’s not the truth.
The truth is that we are bigger than anything that can ever happen to us in life. We have thepower and ability to overcome any obstacle in our path. And the most important tool wepossess is personal confidence, believing in your ability to overcome the current challengejust like we have done so many times in the past.
Whatever challenge is currently in your life, know that it’s there to help you grow and the problems you encounter to help you build your personal confidence. Remember, youwouldn’t have the problem if you didn’t have the power to overcome it. Expanding yourpersonal confidence will allow you to take on whatever you need to in order to fulfill yourpersonal mission.
As you lie down in your bed,close your eyes and relax. Take a deep breath and hold it for a count of 3（1,2,3）,then slowly body is in a comfortable position and you eyes are closed . Take another deep breath,even deeper than before,and hold the air for a count of 5（1,2,3,4,5 ）. Again,slowly let your breath out. Notice how relaxed and loose your body feels inhale again ,from the center of your body,and hold your breath for a count of 8（1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8）.
Picture yourself standing in an observation ugh the glasses you can see the doors to all the building and the children playing on the ground between the buildings and the elevator.
Slowly, you begin to sense the elevator is moving,it’s going it goes up, you begin to notice the windows and the people behind the windows.
The buildings are tall,and it takes a little while to get to the top. Just as the elevator reaches over the buildings,a beautiful lake emerges in your sight, the water is clear and peaceful,ducks are playing on the lake and ripples are spreading.
Beyond the lake is a grass covered mountain slope with sheep easily enjoying their meals.
The elevator keeps going up,when it reaches over the top of the mountain,a beautiful harbor appears on the horizon the harbor sailboats are easily cruising on the blue and peaceful water.
Around the harbor,large areas of trees and flowers and magnificent houses spread themselves regularly along the coast.
You are struck by the beauty of the environment and harmony between nature and design.
You begin to imagine yourself living in that harbor,having all the thing you ever desire,enjoying all the friendships you ever dream,and achieving all the accomplishment you ever aspire.
You know all these beautiful things will be your to keep,to cherish and enjoy,because you have found a clear purpose for your life,you have developed a sound strategy,and you have taken all the actions necessary：You got up as promised everyday；you listened to the recordings and practiced as thought often and critically；you always wrote down your thoughts the inspirations；you pushed yourself beyond your comfort zone when it comes to making new friends and seizing every learning opportunity. Now,with 100% certainty you are moving in the right direction and at the right pace,you can be at ease going into your eyes relax,then your head,your neck,your shoulder,your chest,your waist,your thighs,your knees,your feet,your toes and your whole body. Go,slowly,go sleep！Have a sweet dream！
I find it wholesome to be alone the greater part of the time. To be in company, even with the best, is soon wearisome and dissipating. I love to be alone. I never found the companion that was so companionable as solitude. We are for the most part more lonely when we go abroad among men than when we stay in our chambers. A man thinking or working is always alone, let him be where he will. Solitude is not measured by the miles of space that intervene between a man and his fellows. The really diligent student in one of the crowded hives of Cambridge College is as solitary as a dervish in the desert. The farmer can work alone in the field or the woods all day, hoeing or chopping, and not feel lonesome, because he is employed; but when he comes home at night he cannot sit down in a room alone, at the mercy of his thoughts, but must be where he can :see the folks,:” and recreate, and, as he thinks, remunerate himself for his day’s solitude; and hence he wonders how the student can sit alone in the house all night and most of the day without ennui and :the blues:; but he does not realize that the student, though in the house, is still at work in his field, and chopping in his woods, as the farmer in his, and in turn seeks the same recreation and society that the latter does, though it may be a more condensed form of it.
Society is commonly too cheap. We meet at very short intervals, not having had time to acquire any new value for each other. We meet at meals three times a day, and give each other a new taste of that old musty cheese that we are. We have had to agree on a certain set of rules, called etiquette and politeness, to make this frequent meeting tolerable and that we need not come to open war. We meet at the post-office, and at the sociable, and about the fireside every night; we live thick and are in each other’s way, and stumble over one another, and I think that we thus lose some respect for one another. Certainly less frequency would suffice for all important and hearty communications. Consider the girls in a factory---never alone, hardly in their dreams. It would be better if there were but one inhabitant to a square mile, as where I live. The value of a man is not in his skin, that we should touch him.
I have a great deal of company in my house; especially in the morning, when nobody calls. Let me suggest a few comparisons, that some one may convey an idea of my situation. I am no more lonely than the loon in the pond that laughs so loud, or than Walden Pond itself. What company has that lonely lake, I pray?
And yet it has not the blue devils, but the blue angels in it, in the azure tint of its waters. The sun is alone, except in thick weather, when there sometimes appear to be two, but one is a mock sun. god is alone---but the devil, he is far from being alone; he sees a great deal of company; he is legion. I am no more lonely than a single mullein or dandelion in a pasture, or a bean leaf, or sorrel, or a horse-fly, or a bumblebee. I am no more lonely than the Millbrook, or a weathercock, or the north star, or the south wind, or an April shower, or a January thaw, or the first spider in a new house.
“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.” ~Henry David Thoreau
Everything about my future was ambiguously assumed. I would get into debt by going to college, then I would be forced to get a job to pay off that debt, while still getting into more and more debt by buying a house and a car. It seemed like a never-ending cycle that had no place for the possibility of a dream.
I want more—but not necessarily in the material sense of personal wealth and success. I want more out of life. I want a passion, a conceptual dream that wouldn’t let me sleep out of pure excitement. I want to spring out of bed in the morning, rain or shine, and have that zest for life that seemed so intrinsic in early childhood.
We all have a dream. It might be explicitly defined or just a vague idea, but most of us are so stuck in the muck of insecurity and self-doubt that we just dismiss it as unrealistic or too difficult to pursue.
We become so comfortable with the life that has been planned out for us by our parents, teachers, traditions, and societal norms that we feel that it’s stupid and unsafe to risk losing it for the small hope of achieving something that is more fulfilling.
“The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.” ~Jawaharlal Nehru
Taking a risk is still a risk. We can, and will, fail. Possibly many, many, many times. But that is what makes it exciting for me. That uncertainty can be viewed negatively, or it can empower us.
Failing is what makes us grow, it makes us stronger and more resilient to the aspects of life we have no control over. The fear of failure, although, is what makes us stagnant and sad. So even though I couldn’t see the future as clearly as before, I took the plunge in hopes that in the depths of fear and failure, I would come out feeling more alive than ever before.
If you feel lost, just take a deep breath and realize that being lost can be turning point of finding out who you truly are, and what you truly want to do.
When a man is ten, he has a boys faith in almost everthing: even Santa Claus is a belief he is not quite ready to give up so long as there is a chance the old gentleman may really live and deliver. When a man is twenty, he is closer to compete disillusion and stronger conviction than he will probably ever be in his life.
This is the age of atheists and agnostics; it is also the age of martyrs. Jesus Christ must have been a very young man when he died on the cross; Joan of Arc, they say, was only nineteen as the flames consumed her. It is in the later years---oh, anywhere from thirty to fifty---that a man at some time stands with the tatters of his hopes and dreams fallen from him and asks himself:"What, indeed, do i believe?"
He is very apt, then, to cling to the words of other men who have written for him the shadow signposts that come as anything to poiting pathways he found best in the past and roads he will trust on the way ahead. These words may be mere copybook maxims: that honesty is the best policy, or haste makes waste. They may be alone from Shakespeare---
"To thine own self be true"---or from the bible---"All things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them"---or from the poets" i myself am Heaven and Hell". They may seem a sort of hodgepodge in a mans mind, yet they can make a pattern not inconsistent and not weak.
So if i believe that i myself am Heaven and Hell, that anything less than honesty to myself and others is a boomerang on them and me; if my translation of the Golden Rule is simple acts of kindness and understanding and compassion, practiced in the hope that they will be shown to me, then i have a way of life that is a sort of unselfish selfishness. The bald statement may sound cynical, but if i can follow that way, i shall not be too unhappy here and i may face death with regret but an untroubled face and a stout heart.
But there are blocks and pitfalls in a way of life, even assuming that a man can adhere to it steadfastly despite his own inclinations to deviate. These obstacles are the work other men who adhere to other ways. Hence kindness and compassion are not enough.
A man, i believe, must have courage and fortitude and a burning sense of justice, too. There are times we should turn the other cheek, but there are likewise times when we must fight the good fight. When? Well, if a fellow cant find the answer on the signposts or in his heart, i guess he has just got to pray.
As you slowly open your eyes, look around, notice where the light comes into your room, listen carefully, see if there are any new sounds you can recognize; feel with your body and spirit, see if you can sense the freshness in the air.
Yes, yes, yes, it’s a new day, it’s a different day, and it’s a bright day! And most importantly, it is a new beginning for your life, a beginning where you are going to make new decisions, take new actions, make new friends and take your life to a totally unprecedented level.
In your mind’s eye, you can see clearly the things you want to have, the places you intend to go, the relationships you desire to develop, and the positions you aspire to reach. You can hear your laughters of joy and happiness on the day when everything happens as you dream! You can see the smiles on the people around you when the magic moment strikes. You can feel your face is getting red, your heart is beating fast, and your blood is rushing all over your body, to every single corner of your being! You know all this is real as long as you are confident, passionate, and committed. And you are confident, you are passionate, you are committed! You will no longer fear making new sounds, showing new facial expressions, using your body in new ways, approaching new people, and asking new questions.
You will live every single day of your life with absolute passion, and you will show your passion through the words you speak and the actions you take. You will focus all your time and effort on the most important goals of your life. You will never succumb to challenges and hardships; you will never waver in your pursuit of excellence. After all, you are the best, and you deserve the best!As your coach and friend, I can assure you the door to all the best things in the world will open to you, but the key to that door is in your hand. You must do your part, you must faithfully follow the plan you make and take the actions you plan, you must never quit, you must never fear! I know you must do it, you can do it, you will do it, and you will succeed! Now stand firm and tall, make a fist, get excited and yell it out: I must do it! I can do it! I will do it! I will succeed!
A little girl—the 20th of 22 children, was born prematurely and hersurvival was doubtful.
When she was 4 years old, she contracted double pneumonia andscarlet fever, which left her with a paralysed left leg. At age 9, she removed the metal leg brace she had been dependenton and began to walk without it. By 13 she had developed a rhythmic walk, which doctors said was amiracle. That same year she decided to become a runner. She entered arace and came in last.
For the next few years every race she entered, she came in yone told her to quit, but she kept on running.
One day she actually won a race, and then another. From then on shewon every race she entered.
Eventually this little girl—Wilma Rudolph, went on to win three Olympic gold medals.
Winner never quit!
A Little Bit More
Today is an excellent day for small improvements. Whatever is working for you, find a way to improve it just a little. There’s no need to make a huge change, just a small one, something you can do right now.
If you called just one additional customer each day, over the course of the next month you would talk to about 20 new people. If you learned just one more new word each day, in the next year you would increase your vocabulary by more than 300 words.
Small improvements can add up over time into big accomplishments. Look around you. Consider the work you do each day. Think about how you could do it just a little bit better.
In a marathon race, each step the winner takes is just a little bit longer and a little bit faster than each stride taken by the 100th place finisher. Yet over the course of the race, that small difference adds up in a big way.
Do just a little bit more today, and tomorrow too, and each day after that. Anyone can make just a small improvement, and that can make a big, big difference.
You do not have to pretend in order to seem more like someone else. You do not have to lie to hide the parts of you that are not like what you see in anyone else.
You were meant to be different. Nowhere, in all of history, will the same things be going on in anyone’s mind, soul and spirit as are going on in yours right now.
If you did not exist, there would be a hole in creation, a gap2 in history, and something missing from the plan for humankind. Treasure your uniqueness. It is a gift given only to you. Enjoy it and share it!
No one can reach out to others in the same way that you can. No one can speak your words. No one can convey your meanings. No one can comfort others with your kind of comfort. No one can bring your kind of understanding to another person. No one can be cheerful and light-hearted3 and joyous4 in your way. No one can smile your smile. No one else can bring the whole unique impact of you to another human being.
Share your uniqueness. Let it flow out freely among your family and friends, and the people you meet in the rush and clutter of living, wherever you are. That gift of yourself was given to you to enjoy and share. Give yourself away!
See it! Receive it!
Let it inform you, move you and inspire you!
You are unique!
Some people go through life standing at the excuse counter.
They say they’d like to do this or that, but then they offer all the excuses in the world for why they can’t do whatever it is. No matter what the excuses are, the only thing that is usually limiting them is their own self-perception.
If I’ve learned anything, I’ve learned that a person —any person —may do anything they set their mind on doing. The things you need are willingness to work for what you want, patience to learn what you need to know and, most important of all, belief in yourself. You only need a seed, and then your faith in yourself will grow with you as you move forward.
If your self-perception is that you can’t accomplish something because you’re not smart enough, then take the time to learn what you need to know, and then your self-perception will change.
If your self-perception is that you can’t accomplish something because you never finish anything you start, then go and finish something and change your self- perception.
If your self-perception is that you’re too lazy, too busy, too unworthy, too unfocused, too depressed, or too dependent on others to accomplish great things, then you’re right. You are that because you believe you are, but in fact, you can change that! Life is change, and the past doesn’t equal the future. Your reality today is the result of your past beliefs and actions. Change your beliefs and actions, and you will change your future. Whether you think you can or you can’t, you’re right. You are what you think.
Think about that the next time you need an excuse.
It seems to me a very difficult thing to put into words the beliefs we hold and what they make you do in your life. I think I was fortunate because I grew up in a family where there was a very deep religious feeling. I don’t think it was spoken of a great deal. It was more or less taken for granted that everybody held certain beliefs and needed certain reinforcements of their own strength and that that came through your belief in God and your knowledge of prayer.
But as I grew older I questioned a great many of the things that I knew very well my grandmother who had brought me up had taken for granted. And I think I might have been a quite difficult person to live with if it hadn’t been for the fact that my husband once said it didn’t do you any harm to learn those things, so why not let your children learn them？ When they grow up they’ll think things out for themselves.
And that gave me a feeling that perhaps that’s what we all must do—think out for ourselves what we could believe and how we could live by it. And so I came to the conclusion that you had to use this life to develop the very best that you could develop.
I don’t know whether I believe in a future life. I believe that all that you go through here must have some value, therefore there must be some reason. And there must be some “going on.” How exactly that happens I’ve never been able to decide. There is a future—that I’m sure of. But how, that I don’t know. And I came to feel that it didn’t really matter very much because whatever the future held you’d have to face it when you came to it, just as whatever life holds you have to face it exactly the same way. And the important thing was that you never let down doing the best that you were able to do—it might be poor because you might not have very much within you to give, or to help other people with, or to live your life with. But as long as you did the very best that you were able to do, then that was what you were put here to do and that was what you were accomplishing by being here.
And so I have tried to follow that out—and not to worry about the future or what was going to happen. I think I am pretty much of a fatalist. You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give.
学识谷
