If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on.

For often, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.

Two brothers decided¹ 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 assortment² of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing³ visitors.

Then he said quietly and confidently, "Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!"

Their goal was far too ambitious⁴, 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 fully⁵ achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure⁶. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavor⁷ 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 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.

如果你曾经由于失败而丧失信心,那么请继续读下去.

一般来说,达到了自我设定的标准并不意味着有多么重要,我来给你解释下,究竟为什么我会如此这般说呢.

在小房的后面,两兄弟俩打算挖一个深坑.正当他们为此劳碌的时候,一对年长的二人站在一旁看着他们在那里忙来忙去.

来访的二人说道:"你们在做什么呢?"

兄弟俩中,一位先开口了,他激动的说:"我们俩人打算挖一条打通地球的深洞."

年长的两位仁兄开始嗤笑起来,他们告诉这两个年轻人他们这样的做法简直是无稽之谈.

过了一会后,年轻的小兄弟挖出了一锹土来,上面满是蜘蛛,爬虫以及一大堆叫不出名堂的昆虫.他把这锹满载着小生命的泥土倒在那两位对此嘲笑的来人面前.

然后他静静地又满带着自信地说道:"就算我们所打算的没有真正成功,看看我们忙活着一阵子有多少收获!"

目标太远大,但是我们的确因此而行动.而且正是这个目标,它引导着我们为自己选择的道路而奋斗.换言之,让我们为此而努力.

有了理想不可能完全都会实现.有了努力不可能就事事如意.天下无不散之宴席.怀揣期望不一定会有结果.情爱也不见得天长地久.不是有付出就会有收获.不是有着梦想就会成真.

当你离实现自己的目标太渺茫时,你也许会说:"恩,我的确没有成功,但是看看我一路下来都收获了什么!看由于我坚持不懈的努力,我发现了多少以前从未知晓好东西啊!"

人活着,就需要为一些事情而努力.我意识到:其实有意义的地方并不是结果,而是我们为此而一路走来的身后相随的脚印.