Thought and Purpose
?詹姆斯·艾伦 / James Allen
Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment. With the majority the bark of thought is allowed to “drift” upon the ocean of life. Aimlessness is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and destruction.
They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pitying, all of which are indications of weakness, which lead, just as surely as deliberately planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot persist in a power evolving universe.
A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being. But whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought-forces upon the object, which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting-point for future power and triumph.
Those who are not prepared for the apprehension of a great purpose should fix the thoughts upon the faultless performance of their duty, no matter how insignificant their task may appear. Only in this way can the thoughts be gathered and focused, and resolution and energy be developed, which being done, there is nothing which may not be accomplished.
Having conceived of his purpose, a man should mentally mark out a straight pathway to its achievement, looking neither to the right nor the left. Doubts and fears should be rigorously excluded; they are disintegrating elements, which break up the straight line of effort, rendering it crooked, ineffectual, useless. Thoughts of doubt and fear never accomplished anything, and never can. They always lead to failure. Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts cease when doubt and fear creep in.
The will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step.
He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. His every thought is allied with power, and all difficulties are bravely met and wisely overcome. His purposes are seasonably planted, and they bloom and bring forth fruit, which does not fall prematurely to the ground.
Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force, he who knows this is ready to become something higher and stronger than a mere bundle of wavering thoughts and fluctuating sensations; he who does this has become the conscious and intelligent wielder of his mental powers.
智慧是思想与目标相结合的产物。大多数人任由他们的思想之舟在生命的海洋中“漂泊”。漫无目的是一种罪恶，这样的漂泊，对于那些想要摒弃灾难和毁灭的人来说，是不能再继续下去的。
那些生命中缺乏中心目标的人，很容易被一些微小的烦恼、恐惧、麻烦和自哀所吞噬，这些都是软弱的暗示，都会因一些不可避免的失误（尽管方式各异）而导致失败、忧愁和损失。因为在这个崇尚力量的世界里，软弱是不可能再继续的。
一个人应该在自己的内心中孕育一个合理的目标，并准备去实现它，还应将其作为自己思想的中心。这个目标或许只是一种精神理想的外壳，又或是一种世俗的目标，这取决于他当时的自然状态。无论是哪一种，他都将为自己设定的这个目标倾注全部精力。他应该将这个目标作为自己至高无上的责任，并完全投身于它的实现中去，绝不允许自己的思想徘徊在过眼云烟般的迷恋、渴求与幻想之中。这是一条通往自制和思想集中的正途。即使他在实现目标的征途中不断跌倒（这是他克服软弱的必经之路），他的人格力量也会成为其成功的度量器，并为将来的力量与成功形成一个新的起点。
对于那些没有准备好伟大目标的人来说，应当将思想完全集中在每日任务的完成上，不管他们的任务看似多么的无关紧要。只有通过这种方法，才能将思想结合、集中起来，决心和能力的作用才能得以发挥。如果做到了这些，就没有什么是不能实现的了。
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一个人如果确定了目标，就应该在心中描绘出一条通往成功的直路，而不是左顾右盼。要摒弃所有的疑惑与恐惧，因为它们极具破坏性，会改变我们努力的方向，使之扭曲、失败、无益。疑虑和恐惧的想法是不会实现任何目标的，永远不会，它们只会导致失败。目标、精力、实践力，以及所有坚定的思想都会被疑虑和恐惧所干扰。
成功的愿望来自我们对自我学识的了解。疑虑与恐惧是我们最大的敌人，那些对其纵容而又不予以扼杀的人，相当于在他们前进的道路上自设了绊脚石。
战胜了疑虑与恐惧的人就等于战胜了失败。他的每一个想法都充满了力量，能勇敢地面对所有困难，并通过聪明才智去征服。他的目标被适时栽植，于是开花结果，而不会过早地死去。
思想勇敢地与目标相结合，就形成了创造力。明白这点的人会随时为成为一个更高更强的人做准备，而不会成为一个思想左右摇摆、感觉时刻变化的人。能做到这一点的人，就是一个有意识、有头脑的精神力量的主宰者。
1. They who have_______central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty_______, fears, troubles, and self-pitying,_______of which are indications of weakness, which_______, just as surely_______deliberately planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness_______persist in a power evolving universe.
2. The_______to do springs from the knowledge that we_______do. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he_______encourages them, who does not slay_______, thwarts himself at every step.
1. 大多数人任由他们的思想之舟在生命的海洋中“漂泊”。
2. 一个人应该在自己的内心中孕育一个合理的目标，并准备去实现它，还应将其作为自己思想的中心。
3. 思想勇敢地与目标相结合，就形成了创造力。
1. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings.
devote oneself to：致力于；献身于
2. ...they are disintegrating elements, which break up the straight line of effort, rendering it crooked, ineffectual, useless.
break up：打碎；破碎；结束
