文章：The prime condition great secrets of success
It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions. Many of the leading businessmen of Pittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust upon them at the very threshold of their career. They were introduced to the broom, and spent the first hours of their business lives sweeping out the office. I notice we have janitors and janitresses now in offices, and our young men unfortunately miss that salutary branch of business education. But if by chance the professional sweeper is absent any morning, the boy who has the genius of the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his hand at the broom. The other day a fond fashionable mother in Michigan asked a young man whether he had ever seen a lady sweep in a room so grandly as her Priscilla. He said no, he never had ,and the mother was gratified beyond measure, but then said he ,after a pause, “What I should like to see her do is sweep out a room” It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was one of those sweepers myself.
Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is “aim high”。 I would not give a fig for the young man who does not already see himself the partner or the head of an important firm. Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as head clerk, or foreman, or general manager in any concern, no matter how extensive. Say to yourself ，“My place is at the top.” Be king in your dreams.
And here is the prime condition of success, the great secret: concentrate your energy, thought, and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. Having begun in one line, resolve to fight it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have the best machinery, and know the most about it.
The concerns which fail are those which have scattered their capital, which means that they have scattered their brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here there, and everywhere. “Don't put all your eggs in one basket.” is all wrong. I tell you to “put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket.” Look round you and take notice, men who do that not often fail. It is easy to watch and carry the one basket. It is trying to carry too many baskets，which break most eggs in this country. He who carries three baskets must put one on his head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up. One fault of the American businessman is lack of concentration.
To summarize what I have said: aim for the highest; never enter a bar room; do not touch liquor, or if at all only at meals; never speculate; never indorse beyond your surplus cash fund; make the firm's interest yours; break orders always to save owners; concentrate; put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket; expenditure always within revenue; lastly, be not impatient, for as Emerson says, “no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourselves.”
年青人应当从头学起，担负最基层的职务，这是件好事。匹兹堡有很多大企业家在之初都肩负过重担。他们与扫帚结伴，以打扫办公室渡过了企业生活的最初时间。我注意到当初的办公室都装备了工友，这使我们的年轻人可怜丢掉了这个有利的企业教导的一个内容。不外，假如哪一天凌晨扫除工碰劲没来，某位存在将来合伙人气质的青年就会绝不迟疑试着拿起扫帚。有一天，认为宠爱孩子的，时兴的密歇根母亲问一位男青年，是否见过像她的女儿普里希拉那样的年轻女郎如斯洒脱地在房间里进行打扫。男青年说从未见过，那位母亲愉快的乐不可支。但男青年顿了顿又说： “我想看到的是她能在室外进行扫除”。如果有必要，新来者在办公室外进行打扫并不什么丧失。我自己就曾经是打扫人之一。
假设你们都已就业了，并干的相称杰出，我对你们的忠告是要“襟怀大志”。对那些尚未把自己看成是某主要公司的合伙人或引导人的年轻人，我会不屑一顾。你们在思维上一刻也不要满意于充任任何企业的首席人员，领班或总经理，不论这家企业的范围有多大。你们要对自己说：“我的地位在最高处”你们要梦寐以求至高无上。
取得的重要前提喝最大秘诀是：把精力跟财力完选集中于所干的事业上。一旦开端干那一行，就要信心干出个花样，要超群绝伦，要点点滴滴地改良，要采取最好的机器，要努力精通这一行。
失败的企业是那些疏散了资力，因此象征着分散了精神的企业。他们向这件事投资，又向那件事投资，在这里投资，又在哪里投资，方方面面都有投资。“别把所有的鸡蛋放进一个篮子”之说大错特错。我告知你们，“要把所有的鸡蛋放在一个篮子，而后照管好那只篮子。”留神走位并留点神，能这样做的人往往不会失败。管好并提好那只篮子很容易。在咱们的国度，想多提篮子的人打坏的鸡蛋也多。有三只篮子的人就得把一只篮子顶在头上，这样很轻易摔倒。美国企业家的一个过错就是缺乏集中。
我把所说的话演绎如下：要志在高峰，千万不要涉足酒吧，不要沾酒，或者仅在用餐时喝点酒；千万不要投契，签订支付的款项时，千万不要超过盈余的现金贮备，把公司的好处当成本人的利益，撤消订货的目标永远在于抢救货主，集中精力，把所有的鸡蛋放进一个篮子，支出永远小于收入，最后不要失去耐烦，由于正如爱默生所说，“除了你自己以外，没有人能哄骗你分开最后的胜利。”（）
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