If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on.
Sometimes, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.
Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch.
“What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors.
“We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers
volunteered excitedly.
The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible.
After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide assortment of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors.
Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look what we have found along the way!”
Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for—to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen; in other words, to set us to digging!
But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavor will be completed. Not every dream will be realized.
But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I have found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!”
It is in the digging that life is lived. And I believe it is joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters.
【助读词汇】
-volunteer v.（常与to连用）自愿去做，主动请求去
-assortment n. 种类，花色品种
-scoff v. 嘲笑，嘲弄，嘲笑
-endeavor n. 努力，尽力
【参考译文】
如果你曾经因为失败而气馁，请往下读。
有时候完成你的目标并不重要。且听我的解释。
两兄弟决定在他们房子后面挖个大洞。在他们挖的时候，两个年长的男子正巧路过，并停了下来看热闹。
其中一个看客问：“你们在干嘛呢？”
兄弟中的一个兴奋地回答说：“我们打算挖个洞，挖到地球另一头去。”
两个年长的男子笑了起来，告诉这对兄弟，要挖穿地球是不可能的。
一阵沉默之后，一个挖洞的人拾起一个装满蜘蛛、蠕虫和其他各种昆虫的罐子。他把盖子掀开，把里面的有趣的小生命展示给嘲笑他们的看客看。
接着他平静满足地说：“即使我们不能挖穿地球，看看我们找到了什么！”
他们的目标不切实际，但是却让他们行动了起来。这就是目标的作用——让我们朝自己选定的方向前行；换句话说，让我们挖起来！
但是不是每个目标都能圆满实现，不是每份工作都能成功完成，不是每份感情都能永垂不朽，不是每个希望都能如愿以偿，不是每段恋情都能天长地久，不是每次行动都能善始善终，不是每个梦想都能最终成真。
但是当你不能达成目标的时候，也许你可以这样说：“是的，我没做到，但是看看我沿途的收获吧！看因为我坚持不懈的努力，我发现了多少以前从未知晓好东西啊！”
只有不断挖掘，才不枉此生。我相信到头来真正重要的是旅途中那份愉快的心情。
【人生启迪】
成功的第一步永远是行动。开始行动了，就算结果却不如人意，你也会有所收获。但是如果你脚都不愿意踏出去，那么你将永远与成功绝缘。