In the Orient young bulls are tested for the fight arena in a certain manner. Each is bought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks them with a lance. The bravery of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade. Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like manner. If I persist, if I continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I will succeed. I was not delivered onto 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 lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. I will not hear those who weepand complain, for their disease is contagious Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.
Nor will I allow yesterday's success to lull me into today's complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day this is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life.
So long as there is breath in me, that long I will persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win.
译文:
在古老的东方,挑选小公牛进竞技场格斗有一定的程序:它们被带进场地,向手持长矛的斗牛士攻击,公牛的勇敢程度是根据它对着刀锋进攻的次数来评定的。从今往后。我须承认,我的生命每天都在接受类似的考验,如果我坚韧不拔,勇往直前,迎接挑战,那么我一定会成功。我不是为了失败才来的这个世界上的,我得血管里也没有失败的血液在流动。我不是任人鞭打的羔羊,我是猛狮,不与羊群为伍。我不想听失意者的哭泣,抱怨着的牢骚,这是羊群中的瘟疫,我不能被它传染。失败者的屠宰场不是我命运的归宿。
我不因昨日的成功而满足,因为这是失败的先兆。我要忘却昨日的一切,是好是坏,都让它随风而去。我信心百倍,迎接新的太阳,相信“今天是此生最好的一天。”
只要我一息尚存,就要坚持到底,因为我已深知成功的秘诀:只要坚持到底,我就会成功。