01

《The secret to success》

A young man asked Socrates the secret to success, Socrates told the young man to meet him near the river the next morning.

They met. Socrates asked the young man to walk with him toward the river. When the water got up to their neck, Socrates took the young man by surprise and ducked him into the water. The boy struggled to get out but Socrates was strong and kept him there until the boy started turning blue.

Socrates pulled his head out of the water and the first thing the young man did was to gasp and take a deep breath of air.

Socrates asked, “What did you want the most when you were there?” The boy replied, “Air.” Socrates said, “That is the secret to success. When you want success as badly as you wanted the air, then you will get it！”

《成功的秘密》

一个年轻人向苏格拉底询问成功的秘诀,苏格拉底让年轻人第二天早晨到河边见他。

他们见面后，苏格拉底叫年轻人和他一起走向河里，当河水淹至他们的脖子时，苏格拉底出其不意地抓住年轻人并把其压入水中，那人想要挣出水面，而强壮有力的苏格拉底将他摁在水中直到他变得无力抗争，脸色发青。

苏格拉底将他的头拖出水面，这个年轻人所做的第一件事就是大口喘息后，深吸一口气。

苏格拉底问： “当你闷在水里的时候你最想要的是什么？”年轻人回答说：“空气。”苏格拉底说：“那就是成功的秘诀。当你像渴望空气一样渴望成功，你就能够获得它！”

02

《A spider and three persons》

After the rain， a difficult spider to the wall has been fragmented network， due to damp walls， it must climb the height， it will fall， which one to climb， repeatedly falling and…

A person saw， and he sighed to himself： "my life as this spider is not it? Busy but harvestless ." Thus， he increasingly depressed.

The second person also saw， he said： this spider really stupid， why do not climb up with going around the next dry place? I'll be as stupid as it can not. Thus， he becomes wise up.

The third person also saw， he immediately spiders keep the spirit of war touched. So he has become strong.

Tip： The mentality of those who are successful can be found everywhere the power of success．

《一只蜘蛛和三个人》

雨后，一只蜘蛛艰难地向墙上已经支离破碎的网爬去，由于墙壁潮湿，它爬到一定的高度，就会掉下来，它一次次地向上爬，一次次地又掉下来……

第一个人看到了，他叹了一口气，自言自语：“我的一生不正如这只蜘蛛吗?忙忙碌碌而无所得。”于是，他日渐消沉。

第二个人看到了，他说：这只蜘蛛真愚蠢，为什么不从旁边干燥的地方绕一下爬上去?我以后可不能像它那样愚蠢。于是，他变得聪明起来。

第三个人看到了，他立刻被蜘蛛屡败屡战的精神感动了。于是，他变得坚强起来。

秘诀：有成功心态者处处都能发觉成功的力量。

03

《An uninhabited island》

The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small uninhabited island.

He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.

Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect him from the elements, and to store his few possessions.

But then one day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had happened; everything was lost. He was stunned with grief and anger. “God how could you do this to me!” he cried.

Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that was approaching the island. It had come to rescue him.

“How did you know I was here?” asked the weary man of his rescuers.

“We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.

It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad.But we shouldn't lose heart, because God is at work in our lives, even in the midst of pain and suffering.

Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground it just may be a smoke signal that summons the grace of God.For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.

《一座孤岛》

在一场船难中，唯一的生存者随着潮水，漂流到一座无人岛上。他天天激动地祈祷神救他能够早日离开此处，回到家乡。他还每天注视着海上有否可搭救他的人，但却是除了汪洋一片，什么也没有。

后来，他决定用那片带他到小岛的木头造一个简陋的小木屋，以保护他在这险恶的环境中生存，并且保存他所有剩下的东西。但有一天，在他捕完食物后，准备回小屋时，突然发现他的小屋竟然陷在熊熊烈火之中， 大火引起的浓烟不断向天上窜。最悲惨的是：他所有的一切东西，在这一瞬间通通化为乌有了。悲痛的他，气愤的对天吶喊着：神啊！你怎么可以这样对待我！顿时，眼泪从他的眼角中流出。

第二天一早，他被一艘正靠近小岛的船只的鸣笛声所吵醒。是的，有人来救他了。

到了船上时，他问那些船员说：”你怎么知道我在这里？”

“因为我们看到了信号般的浓烟。”他们回答说。

人在碰到困难时，很容易会沮丧。不过无论受到折磨或者痛苦，都不用因此失去信心，因为上帝一直在我们心里面做着奇妙的工作。

记住：当下一次你的小木屋着火时，那可能只是上帝美妙恩典的表征而已。在所有我们所认为负面的事情，上帝都是有正面答案的。