以下这个故事证明了古人说的"有志者事竟成"的哲理。这个故事是已故的受人爱戴的教育家与传教士弗兰克·根绍鲁士告诉我的。根绍鲁士在大学里念书时，就看出教育制度中有许多缺陷。他相信，如果他是一校之长，他便能改正这些缺陷。
This story proves the truth of that old saying, "where there's a will, there's a way." It was told to me by that beloved educator and clergyman, the late Frank W. Gunsaulus, who began his preaching career in the stockyards region of South Chicago.
他决心要成立一所新的大学，在这所大学里他要实现他的主张，而不受传统教育方法的约束。
While Dr. Gunsaulus was going through college, he observed many defects in our educational system, defects which he believed he could correct, if he were the head of a college. His deepest desire was to become the directing head of an educational institution in which young men and women would be taught to"learn by doing."
为实现这个计划，需要100 万美元!这样的巨款他到哪去找?这位有抱负的青年传教士的思想，大部分都放在这个问题上。然而很久了，他筹款的事似乎毫无进展。
He made up his mind to organize a new college in which he could carry out his ideas, without being handicapped by orthodox methods of education.
每天晚上，怀着这一思想上床；每天早晨，他又怀着这一思想起床。无论他到哪里，这个思想总是和他形影不离。他在心中想了又想，直到这个思想成为他魂牵梦索的"意念"。
He needed a million dollars to put the project across! Where was he to lay his hands on so large a sum of money? That was the question that absorbed most of this ambitious young preacher's thought.
身为哲学家兼传教士的根绍鲁士，正如所有成功的人一样，深知"明确的目标"才是一个人的出发点；他也了解，一个人若能以炽烈的欲望作后盾，明确的目标才会产生出生命和力量。
But he couldn't seem to make any progress.
这些真理他都知道，但是他不知从何处以及如何把这100 万美元拿到手里。对于大多数人而言，渐渐地就会放弃或者根绝这一念头，并对自己说："嗯，我的主意是好的，但是我毫无办法，因为我永远不能得到自己所需要的100 万美元。"但根绍鲁士却不是这样。他说出了在这之后的经历：
Every night he took that thought to bed with him. He got up with it in the morning. He took it with him everywhere he went. He turned it over and over in his mind until it became a consuming obsession with him. A million dollars is a lot of money. He recognized that fact, but he also recognized the truth that the only limitation is that which one sets up in one's own mind.
在一个星期六的下午，我坐在房间时思索着筹集这笔钱以实现我的计划的方法。
Being a philosopher as well as a preacher, Dr. Gunsaulus recognized, as do all who succeed in life, that DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE is the starting point from which one must begin. He recognized, too, that definiteness of purpose takes on animation, life, and power when backed by a BURNING DESIRE to translate that purpose into its material equivalent.
我一直在想，想了快两年了，但是我除了想之外，并无任何行动!
He knew all these great truths, yet he did not know where, or how to lay his hands on a million dollars. The natural procedure would have been to give up and quit, by saying, "Ah well, my idea is a good one, but I cannot do anything with it, because I never can procure the necessary million dollars." That is exactly what the majority of people would have said, but it is not what Dr. Gunsaulus said. What he said, and what he did are so important that I now introduce him, and let him speak for himself. "
行动的时候到了......
One Saturday afternoon I sat in my room thinking of ways and means of raising the money to carry out my plans. For nearly two years, I had been thinking, but I had done nothing but think! "
那一瞬间我下了决心，我要在一周之内得到所需的百万美元。
The time had come for ACTION! "
如何得到？这我并不关心。最重要的是，在一个确定的时间里得到钱的这个"决定"。我还要告诉你，我在作了这一决定之后，心里出现了一种前所未有的安定的感觉，这是我在以前所不曾体验过的。在我的心里好像有人说："很久以前你为何不作这个决定?钱始终在等着你!"
I made up my mind, then and there, that I would get the necessary million dollars within a week. How? I was not concerned about that. The main thing of importance was the decision to get the money within a specified time, and I want to tell you that the moment I reached a definite decision to get the money within a specified time, a strange feeling of assurance came over me, such as I had never before experienced. Something inside me seemed to say, 'Why didn't you reach that decision a long time ago? The money was waiting for you all the time!' "
事情就这样匆忙地开始了。我打电话给报纸宣布我要在第二天的早晨讲演，题目是《如果我有百万美元我会做什么?》。
Things began to happen in a hurry. I called the newspapers and announced I would preach a sermon the following morning, entitled, 'What I would do if I had a Million Dollars.' "
我立即起草讲稿，但是我必须坦白地告诉你，起草工作并不难，因为我准备这次讲演几乎有两年了。
I went to work on the sermon immediately, but I must tell you, frankly, the task was not difficult, because I had been preparing that sermon for almost two years. The spirit back of it was a part of me! "
午夜之前，我已完成了讲演的草稿，并带着自信情绪安稳地上床睡觉了，因为我看见我已经有了百万美元。
Long before midnight I had finished writing the sermon. I went to bed and slept with a feeling of confidence, for I could see myself already in. possession of the million dollars. "
第二天清晨起身，我进入浴室淋浴。之后，又念了一遍讲演稿，并跪下来祈祷我的讲演能引起愿意提供这笔钱的某人的注意。
Next morning I arose early, went into the bathroom, read the sermon, then knelt on my knees and asked that my sermon might come to the attention of someone who would supply the needed money. "
在祈祷时，我再度产生了这笔钱即将来到的神秘感觉。在情绪的兴奋中，我出门时竟忘了带讲演稿。当我站到讲台上，正要开始讲演时，方才发现了自己的疏忽。
While I was praying I again had that feeling of assurance that the money would be forthcoming. In my excitement, I walked out without my sermon, and did not discover the oversight until I was in my pulpit and about ready to begin delivering it. "
回去取讲稿已经来不及了。所幸的是，我还好没有回去取讲稿。当我站在那里开始我的讲演时，我闭着眼睛把自己心灵深处所有的话都倾吐了出来。我感觉自己不仅是在对听众说话，而且还是在对神说话。我讲述了如果有了100 万美元放在我手里时我会做什么。我描绘着我心中的计划，我说要成立一个伟大的教育机构，让青年人能够学习一些实用的东西，并陶冶他们的心灵，启发他们的智慧。
It was too late to go back for my notes, and what a blessing that I couldn't go back! Instead, my own subconscious mind yielded the material I needed. When I arose to begin my sermon, I closed my eyes, and spoke with all my heart and soul of my dreams. I not only talked to my audience, but I fancy I talked also to God. I told what I would do with a million dollars if that amount were placed in my hands. I described the plan I had in mind for organizing a great educational institution, where young people would learn to do practical things, and at the same time develop their minds. "
当我讲完坐下来以后，从后咐第三排的座位上，有一个男子慢慢地站了起来，并走向讲台。我不知道他要做什么。他来到讲台上并伸出手说："牧师，我喜欢你的讲演。我相信如果你有百万美元的话，你是能做到你所说的事的。为了证明我相信你和你的讲演，如果你明天早晨能到我的办公室来，我会给你100 万美元。我的姓名是菲利浦·亚莫尔。"
When I had finished and sat down, a man slowly arose from his seat, about three rows from the rear, and made his way toward the pulpit. I wondered what he was going to do. He came into the pulpit, extended his hand, and said, 'Reverend, I liked your sermon. I believe you can do everything you said you would, if you had a million dollars. To prove that I believe in you and your sermon, if you will come to my office tomorrow morning, I will give you the million dollars. My name is Phillip D. Armour."'
年轻的根绍鲁士次日前往亚莫尔的办公室，得到了他渴望的百万美元。他用这笔钱创办了"亚莫尔理工学院"，也就是现在的"依利诺州理工学院"。
Young Gunsaulus went to Mr. Armour's office and the million dollars was presented to him. With the money, he founded the Armour Institute of Technology.
这100 万美元的到来，产生于一个意念。意念的背后是一种欲望，年轻的根绍鲁士在心中把这个欲望孕育了两年。
That is more money than the majority of preachers ever see in an entire lifetime, yet the thought impulse back of the money was created m the young preacher's mind in a fraction of a minute. The necessary million dollars came as a result of an idea. Back of the idea was a DESIRE which young Gunsaulus had been nursing in his mind for almost two years.
这是一个重要的事实：他在心里下了要获得这笔钱的决心，在制订了行动计划之后的36 个小时，百万美元就到手了!
Observe this important fact... HE GOT THE MONEY WITHIN THIRTY-SIX HOURS AFTER HE REACHED A DEFINITE DECISION IN HIS OWN MIND TO GET IT, AND DECIDED UPON A DEFINITE PLAN FOR GETTING IT!
年轻的根绍鲁士迷迷糊糊地想着百万美元，以及想获得它的微弱希望，这一切并没有什么独特之处。以前有人这样想过，以后也还会有人这样想。但他独特的地方在于，他在那个值得纪念的星期六，决心把所有的想置于脑后，而断然地说："我一定要在一周内得到这笔钱!"
There was nothing new or unique about young Gunsaulus' vague thinking about a million dollars, and weakly hoping for it. Others before him, and many since his time, have had similar thoughts. But there was something very unique and different about the decision he reached on that memorable Saturday, when he put vagueness into the background, and definitely said, "I WILL get that money within a week!"
根绍鲁士获得百万美元的这个原则，如今仍然是有用的，它可以为你所用！这个普遍的法则在今天的效用正如青年传教士在当年使用它时的效用一样。
God seems to throw Himself on the side of the man who knows exactly what he wants, if he is determined to get JUST THAT! Moreover, the principle through which Dr. Gunsaulus got his million dollars is still alive! It is available to you! This universal law is as workable today as it was when the young preacher made use of it so successfully. This book describes, step by step, the thirteen elements of this great law, and suggests how they may be put to use.