The Road to Success
成功之道
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 sweeping out the office. I notice we have janitors 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. It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was one of those sweepers myself.
青年创业之初，应该从最底层干起，这是件好事。匹兹保有不少商业巨头，在他们创业之初，都肩负过“重任”：他们以扫帚相伴，以打扫办公室的方法度过了他们商业生涯中刚开始的时光。我注意到大家目前办公室里都有工友，于是青年就不幸错过了商业教育中这个有益的环节。假如碰巧哪天上午专职扫地的工友没来，某个具备将来合作伙伴风韵的青年会毫不犹豫地试着拿起扫帚。在必要时新来的职员扫扫地也无妨，不会由于而有哪些损失。我一个人就过去扫过地。
Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is “aim high”. I would not give a fig 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.
倘若你已经被录用，并且有了一个好的开端，我对你的建议是：要志存高远。一个青年，假如不把自己想象成一家大公司将来的老板或者是合作伙伴，那我会对他不屑一顾。不论职位有多高，你的内心都不要满足于做一个总管，领班或者总经理。要对自己说：我要迈向顶尖！要做就做你梦想中的国王！
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 machinery, and know the most about it.
成功的最重要条件和最大诀窍就是：把你的精力，思想和资本全都集中在你正从事的事业上。一旦开始从事某种职业，就要下定决心在那一范围闯出一片天地来；做这一行的领导人物，采纳每一点改进之心，使用最佳良的设施，对专业常识熟稔于心。
The concerns which fail are those which have scattered 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 that breaks 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.
一些企业的失败就是他们分散了资金，由于这就意味着分散了他们的精力。他们向这方面投资，又向那方面投资；在这里投资，在那里投资，到处都投资。“不要把所有些鸡蛋放在一个篮子里”的说法大错特错。我要告诉你：“把所有些鸡蛋都放在一个篮子里，然后小心地看好那个篮子。”看你周围，你会注意到：这么做的人其实极少失败。看管和携带一个篮子并不太难。大家一直试图提不少篮子，所以才打破这个国家的大多数鸡蛋。提三个篮子的人，需要把一个顶在头上，而这个篮子非常可能倒下来，把他一个人绊倒。美国商人的一个缺点就是不够专注。
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; expenditure always within revenue; lastly, be not impatient, for as Emerson says, “no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourselves.”
把我的话总结一下：要志存高远；不要出入夜店；要滴酒不沾，或要喝也只在用餐时喝少许；不要做投机交易；不要寅吃卯粮；要把企业的利益当作我们的利益；取消订货的目的永远是为了挽救货主；要专注；要把所有些鸡蛋放在一个篮子里，然后小心地看好它；要量入为出；最后，要有耐心，正如爱默生所言，“大家都没办法阻止你最后成功，除非你一个人承认自己失败。”
