how to live on 24 hours a day(一天24小时如何过活)-第4章
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which； therefore； that haunting； unpleasant； daily disappointment of things
left undone will be got rid of！
I have found no such wonderful secret。 Nor do I expect to find it； nor
do I expect that anyone else will ever find it。 It is undiscovered。 When you
first began to gather my drift； perhaps there was a resurrection of hope in
your breast。 Perhaps you said to yourself； 〃This man will show me an easy；
unfatiguing way of doing what I have so long in vain wished to do。〃 Alas；
no！ The fact is that there is no easy way； no royal road。 The path to Mecca
is extremely hard and stony； and the worst of it is that you never quite get
there after all。
The most important preliminary to the task of arranging one's life so
that one may live fully and comfortably within one's daily budget of
twenty… four hours is the calm realisation of the extreme difficulty of the
task； of the sacrifices and the endless effort which it demands。 I cannot too
strongly insist on this。
If you imagine that you will be able to achieve your ideal by
ingeniously planning out a time…table with a pen on a piece of paper； you
had better give up hope at once。 If you are not prepared for
discouragements and disillusions； if you will not be content with a small
result for a big effort； then do not begin。 Lie down again and resume the
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
uneasy doze which you call your existence。
It is very sad； is it not； very depressing and sombre？ And yet I think it
is rather fine； too； this necessity for the tense bracing of the will before
anything worth doing can be done。 I rather like it myself。 I feel it to be the
chief thing that differentiates me from the cat by the fire。
〃Well；〃 you say； 〃assume that I am braced for the battle。 Assume that I
have carefully weighed and comprehended your ponderous remarks； how
do I begin？〃 Dear sir； you simply begin。 There is no magic method of
beginning。 If a man standing on the edge of a swimming…bath and wanting
to jump into the cold water should ask you； 〃How do I begin to jump？〃
you would merely reply； 〃Just jump。 Take hold of your nerves； and jump。〃
As I have previously said； the chief beauty about the constant supply
of time is that you cannot waste it in advance。 The next year； the next day；
the next hour are lying ready for you； as perfect； as unspoilt； as if you had
never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your career。 Which fact
is very gratifying and reassuring。 You can turn over a new leaf every hour
if you choose。 Therefore no object is served in waiting till next week； or
even until to…morrow。 You may fancy that the water will be warmer next
week。 It won't。 It will be colder。
But before you begin； let me murmur a few words of warning in your
private ear。
Let me principally warn you against your own ardour。 Ardour in
well…doing is a misleading and a treacherous thing。 It cries out loudly for
employment； you can't satisfy it at first； it wants more and more； it is
eager to move mountains and divert the course of rivers。 It isn't content till
it perspires。 And then； too often； when it feels the perspiration on its brow；
it wearies all of a sudden and dies； without even putting itself to the
trouble of saying； 〃I've had enough of this。〃
Beware of undertaking too much at the start。 Be content with quite a
little。 Allow for accidents。 Allow for human nature； especially your own。
A failure or so； in itself； would not matter； if it did not incur a loss of
self… esteem and of self…confidence。 But just as nothing succeeds like
success； so nothing fails like failure。 Most people who are ruined are
ruined by attempting too much。 Therefore； in setting out on the immense
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
enterprise of living fully and comfortably within the narrow limits of
twenty…four hours a day； let us avoid at any cost the risk of an early failure。
I will not agree that； in this business at any rate； a glorious failure is better
than a petty success。 I am all for the petty success。 A glorious failure leads
to nothing； a petty success may lead to a success that is not petty。
So let us begin to examine the budget of the day's time。 You say your
day is already full to overflowing。 How？ You actually spend in earning
your livelihoodhow much？ Seven hours； on the average？ And in actual
sleep； seven？ I will add two hours； and be generous。 And I will defy you to
account to me on the spur of the moment for the other eight hours。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
IV THE CAUSE OF THE
TROUBLES
In order to come to grips at once with the question of time…expenditure
in all its actuality； I must choose an individual case for examination。 I can
only deal with one case； and that case cannot be the average case； because
there is no such case as the average case； just as there is no such man as
the average man。 Every man and every man's case is special。
But if I take the case of a Londoner who works in an office； whose
office hours are from ten to six； and who spends fifty minutes morning and
night in travelling between his house door and his office door； I shall have
got as near to the average as facts permit。 There are men who have to work
longer for a living； but there are others who do not have to work so long。
Fortunately the financial side of existence does not interest us here； for
our present purpose the clerk at a pound a week is exactly as well off as
the millionaire in Carlton House…terrace。
Now the great and profound mistake which my typical man makes in
regard to his day is a mistake of general attitude； a mistake which vitiates
and weakens two…thirds of his energies and interests。 In the majority of
instances he does not precisely feel a passion for his business； at best he
does not dislike it。 He begins his business functions with reluctance； as
late as he can； and he ends them with joy； as early as he can。 And his
engines while he is engaged in his business are seldom at their full 〃h。p。〃
（I know that I shall be accused by angry readers of traducing the city
worker； but I am pretty thoroughly acquainted with the City； and I stick to
what I say。）
Yet in spite of all this he persists in looking upon those hours from ten
to six as 〃the day；〃 to which the ten hours preceding them and the six
hours following them are nothing but a prologue and epilogue。 Such an
attitude；
unconscious though it be； of course kills his interest in the odd sixteen
hours； with the result that； even if he does not waste them； he does not
count them； he regards them simply as margin。
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How to Live on Twenty…Four Hours a Day
This general attitude is utterly illogical and unhealthy； since it formally
gives the central prominence to a patch of time and a bunch of activities
which the man's one idea is to 〃get through〃 and have 〃done with。〃 If a
man makes two…thirds of his existence subservient to one…third； for which
admittedly he ha
