雙語(yǔ) ● What Does Success Look Like For You?　什么才是你的成功？

What Does Success Look Like For You?　什么才是你的成功？

◎ Kevin miller

If you asked most entrepreneurs for five reasons why they got into business, making money would probably be close to number one. If so, that makes John Roise, owner of Lindsay Windows, something of an anomaly. When the former banker decided to enter the window business several years ago, he had four main goals in mind and none of them included the word “money”.

如果你讓成功的企業(yè)家給出從商的五個(gè)理由，賺錢(qián)很可能位列第一。這樣的話，林賽窗戶的老板約翰·羅齊就是奇人一個(gè)。幾年前，當(dāng)這位銀行家決定轉(zhuǎn)行進(jìn)入門(mén)窗產(chǎn)業(yè)的時(shí)候，他懷揣著四個(gè)夢(mèng)想，而“錢(qián)”這一詞未在其中。

“The first thing I wanted to do was share my faith,” says John. “Second, I wanted to be able to hire people who needed a second, third or fourth chance; people like ex-prisoners and drug addicts. Third, I wanted to speak out on social issues. And finally, I wanted to be able to take short-term mission trips.”

“我第一件要做的事情是分享我的信仰?！奔s翰說(shuō)道，“第二，雇用那些需要第二、第三個(gè)甚至更多機(jī)會(huì)的人，比如坐過(guò)牢和吸過(guò)毒的人。第三，就社會(huì)問(wèn)題發(fā)表我的觀點(diǎn)。最后，參加教會(huì)短期宣講會(huì)。”

In fact, John’s original goal was to build a business to the point where he had to spend only one day per week at work and the rest of his time in Christian ministry. However, as every entrepreneur knows, rarely do the demands of even a small business afford such luxuries, especially when you’re just starting out. It wasn’t that John felt money was unimportant. He realized the only way to reach his other goals was to make his company profitable. Echoing in his head were the words of famed evangelist Dwight L. Moody:

實(shí)際上，約翰最初的目標(biāo)是創(chuàng)立一家企業(yè)，直到他可以每周只上一天班，剩下的時(shí)間在基督教部度過(guò)。不過(guò)，每個(gè)企業(yè)家都知道，即使是小企業(yè)，工作需求也不少，如此奢侈的想法實(shí)在難以滿足，尤其在它剛剛起步的時(shí)候。這并非是約翰認(rèn)為錢(qián)不重要。他認(rèn)識(shí)到能實(shí)現(xiàn)其他夢(mèng)想的唯一途徑，就是讓公司贏利。著名的福音傳道者德懷特·穆迪的話縈繞在他腦海當(dāng)中：

“Make as much as you can, save as much as you can, so you can give as much as you can.”

“盡可能地獲取，盡可能地節(jié)約，這樣你才能盡可能地給予。”

John set out to do just that.

約翰也的確是這樣做的。

Here’s the Story

約翰的故事

Why was John so concerned about giving rather than gaining? Back in college, John made a decision that changed his life: He had become a Christian. Having grown up in a Christian home, John thought he had all the bases covered when it came to God. He went to church, he was baptized, he was nice to his parents and he lived a decent life. But when he met his future wife Susan, she showed him that just going through the motions of faith was not enough. If he really wanted to call himself a Christian, he had to become “born again”.

為什么約翰如此關(guān)注給予而非索取呢？早在大學(xué)時(shí)代，約翰作了一個(gè)改變他一生的決定：成為一個(gè)基督信徒。從小在基督教家庭長(zhǎng)大的約翰，認(rèn)為上帝為他安排了一切。他經(jīng)常到教堂去，并接受洗禮。他對(duì)父母很好，過(guò)著一種體面的生活。但是當(dāng)他遇到他未來(lái)的妻子蘇珊時(shí)，她告訴他僅僅情感上感覺(jué)到的信仰是不夠的。如果想成為一名真正的基督教徒，他必須要“重生”。

“And I said, ‘what do you mean, born again? How I can be born again?’” says John. “And she pointed out some Scripture to me and I said ‘Wow, I’d never heard that before.’ No one had ever challenged me like that.”

“我當(dāng)時(shí)問(wèn)她：‘你說(shuō)的重生，是什么？我怎樣才能重生？’”約翰這樣說(shuō)道，“她說(shuō)了一些經(jīng)文，然后我說(shuō)：‘哇，我從來(lái)沒(méi)聽(tīng)過(guò)。’沒(méi)有人那樣向我示威過(guò)?！?

Although his pride prevented him from letting Susan convert him on the spot, the seed was planted. A short time later while John was in his room watching television, he finally accepted the fact that:

盡管出于自尊，他沒(méi)讓蘇珊在這個(gè)問(wèn)題上轉(zhuǎn)變自己的觀點(diǎn)，不過(guò)一粒種子卻埋在了他心里。不久之后，當(dāng)約翰在臥室里看電視時(shí)，這個(gè)種子最終生根發(fā)芽，他終于接受了現(xiàn)實(shí)：

He wasn’t as good a person as he thought he was and

他并沒(méi)有他曾經(jīng)認(rèn)為的那么好，

The only solution was to ask Jesus for forgiveness.

唯一的解決之道是向上帝尋求寬恕。

John did exactly that, and his new, personal relationship with Jesus began.

約翰的確這么做了，于是他和基督的私人關(guān)系悄然開(kāi)始。

“No bells went off, and no whistles rang. But I knew there was a difference,” John says.

“沒(méi)有鐘聲響起，沒(méi)有哨聲回蕩，但我知道，我已經(jīng)不同?！奔s翰說(shuō)道。

For one thing, John realized it wasn’t enough to live life just for himself. To be a true follower of Christ, he had to devote his life to serving others.

首先，約翰意識(shí)到只為自己活著是不夠的。要成為上帝真正的追隨者，他必須傾其一生服務(wù)他人。

A Sign from God

上帝的旨意

John’s faith grew over the next several years as he graduated from college and found work in the banking industry. An entrepreneur at heart, John also ran a few other businesses on the side, including real estate development and an oyster shell chicken feed company. While John always seemed to do well, he still hadn’t found the company that would allow him to fulfill his dreams.

之后幾年，他從大學(xué)畢業(yè)并進(jìn)入銀行業(yè)工作，他的信念也與日俱增。他內(nèi)心里是一名創(chuàng)業(yè)家，所以他同時(shí)還在其他幾家公司做兼職，包括房地產(chǎn)開(kāi)發(fā)和牡蠣殼制雞飼料公司。雖然他工作出色，仍然沒(méi)有找到一家公司能讓自己實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想。

Oddly enough, John’s golden opportunity came in the form of a business he knew nothing about: window manufacturing. He wasn’t even interested in purchasing the company at first. Not only did he lack experience, buying the company would require him to borrow several million dollars and leave his comfortable, six-figure job in the banking industry.

奇怪的是，約翰的絕佳機(jī)會(huì)出現(xiàn)在一個(gè)他幾乎一無(wú)所知的行業(yè)：門(mén)窗制造。他開(kāi)始甚至根本無(wú)意買(mǎi)進(jìn)那家公司。他沒(méi)有經(jīng)驗(yàn)，而且要買(mǎi)下這個(gè)公司，他還要負(fù)債幾百萬(wàn)美圓，并且辭掉他年薪六位數(shù)的無(wú)比舒適的銀行工作。

John decided to put the decision before God. Seeing as it was unlikely that any bank would loan him so much money, John decided to let that be the determining factor. If he managed to secure the financing, he would take it as a sign that God wanted him to take this leap of faith. If not, then he would forfeit the deal and keep looking for another business opportunity.

約翰決定讓上帝來(lái)抉擇。約翰以為不會(huì)有銀行肯借給他那么多錢(qián)，所以干脆先拿這個(gè)行業(yè)開(kāi)刀。如果他設(shè)法融資成功，那么這就是上帝的旨意，表明要他升華這一堅(jiān)定的信仰。否則的話，他甘愿放棄交易，接著在別的行業(yè)尋找機(jī)遇。

Rather than seek a loan from his own bank and risk the embarrassment of being turned down, John decided to approach another bank three hours away. He fully expected his application to be rejected, but,”Within 24 hours, I had a commitment to do the whole deal,” says John.

約翰不向自己的公司貸款，那樣會(huì)被尷尬拒絕。他決定找車(chē)程三小時(shí)之外的一家銀行。他早已作好申請(qǐng)被駁回的準(zhǔn)備，但是：“24小時(shí)之內(nèi)，我得到了所有款項(xiàng)的批準(zhǔn)?！奔s翰說(shuō)道。

Still not convinced that this was the way to go, John decided to try his luck at yet another bank.

不相信事情會(huì)這么簡(jiǎn)單，約翰決定再到另一家銀行試試運(yùn)氣。

Once again, his loan application was approved almost instantly. John finally accepted the fact that God might be telling him to go for it.

和上一次一樣，他的貸款申請(qǐng)立即神奇地被批準(zhǔn)。無(wú)奈，約翰最終接受了“事實(shí)”：去做吧，這是上帝的旨意。

Fulfilling his Goals

夢(mèng)想實(shí)現(xiàn)

Building the company was far from easy. Desperation was a common feeling during that first year, John says. But as he learned the business, he was able to turn Lindsay Windows into a highly successful manufacturer of custom windows.

創(chuàng)立一家公司絕不是一件容易的事。第一年，絕望是他最常有的感覺(jué)，約翰說(shuō)。但是當(dāng)他不斷了解這個(gè)行業(yè)后，最終將林賽窗戶變成傳統(tǒng)門(mén)窗制造的行業(yè)巨頭。

More importantly, John’s financial success meant he could finally fulfill the four goals he had stated at the outset. Today, Lindsay Windows regularly employs ex-prisoners, the mentally challenged, and individuals with chemical dependency problems.

更重要的是，這讓約翰賺了一大筆錢(qián)，好讓他完成最初的其他四個(gè)夢(mèng)想。今天，林賽窗戶經(jīng)常雇傭前囚犯、有精神智障和有藥物依賴問(wèn)題的人。

“I’ve seen some people that have just walked away from drugs, gotten off alcohol and become good, productive individuals. Some people fall back and that’s to be expected... But I have seen quite a few successful stories.”

“我看有人剛剛走出毒品的陰影，戒掉酗酒的毛病，他們成為了好人，有用之人。當(dāng)然有些人還是舊病重犯……但是我看過(guò)不少成功的故事?！?

As for John’s own success, his definition is rather simple:

至于約翰自己的成功，他的定義頗為簡(jiǎn)單：

“I measure success according to what I’ve done compared to what I’m capable of doing. You could have millions of dollars, but that doesn’t matter. What matters is what you’ve done on this earth with the opportunities you’ve been given.”

“我衡量成功的辦法是，比較我有能力做多少和我真正做了多少。你賺了幾百萬(wàn)，但那不是重點(diǎn)。重點(diǎn)是在這個(gè)世界上，在上帝給你的機(jī)會(huì)面前，你做了些什么?！?

So, does John consider himself a success on those terms?

那么，約翰自己達(dá)到了那些標(biāo)準(zhǔn)嗎？

“I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to wait and see if I hear those famous words from the Lord when I get to heaven, ‘well done my good and faithful servant.’”

“我不知道，我想這還要等等看。如果我到天堂里，聽(tīng)到主說(shuō)：‘我優(yōu)秀而忠實(shí)的仆人，你做得很好?！俏也攀钦嬲龅煤??！?

How do you measure success? Why not ask Jesus what success looks like for you? If you do not know Jesus, we encourage you to pray the following:

你如何衡量成功？問(wèn)問(wèn)上帝吧，什么才是你的成功？如果你不認(rèn)識(shí)上帝，我們鼓勵(lì)你這樣祈禱：

Lord Jesus, I want to know you personally. Thank You for dying on the cross for my sins. I open the door of my life and receive you as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Take control of my life. Make me be the person you want me to be.

“耶穌，我的主。我想認(rèn)識(shí)您。您釘死在十字架上為我贖罪，我萬(wàn)分感激。我打開(kāi)我的生命之門(mén)，接受您為無(wú)上的救世主。感謝主寬恕我的罪過(guò)，并賜予我永生。我的生命交給您，請(qǐng)將我塑造成你眼中的我?！?

Is it the desire of your heart to make this prayer yours?

你的祈禱是出自于真心嗎？

If yes, pray now and according to his promise, Jesus Christ will come into your life.

如果是，現(xiàn)在就祈禱上帝的保佑，上帝就會(huì)融入你的生活。

超多雙語(yǔ)閱讀，盡在聽(tīng)力課堂