Search Your Own Treasure
Look up to the heavens and imagine the stars and planets are sparkling jewels dancing across the night sky. Your potential is like those jewels with a dazzling array of facets. Put another way, your human potential is virtually unlimited.①
Problems arise from a perspective that “potential is a taboo or code word for failure.” It is for fear of failure that we are sometimes afraid to try new things. Realizing that we will not become an instant expert, we sometimes choose to cop out and not even make an attempt to be or try something new.② Perhaps worse yet, sometimes perfunctory efforts are made, unsatisfactory results are obtained, and an “I knew I couldn’t do it and I know I can’t do it” attitude is reinforced and seemingly justified.
Refresh yourself from the perspective that so-called “mistakes” do not constitute failure; they are only new lessons to be learned. Failure is really giving up and quitting, as juxtaposed to persevering and persisting. There is universal law that states, “Practice precedes excellence.” Myth and history are filled with stories of individuals who had struggled against all odds and obstacles and just kept after what they truly wanted until they reached their goals successfully.
Naturally, we all have our limitations, and prudence dictates that we respect them. However, wisdom encourages us to stretch beyond and transcend our limitations. Keep going on，your treasure is waiting for you.
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行文点评
本文按照总分总的顺序进行阐述。开篇引出主题，第二段和第三段分别从正反两方面论述，思维的局限性对人们发掘潜能，走向成功所带来的不同影响。最后一段进行总结，第一句话以退为进，先承认人的局限性。然后呼吁人们突破局限，发掘潜能。特别是最后一句的点睛之笔，呼应首段，点明主题。
好文妙译
找寻宝藏
抬首仰望天空，想象一下，日月星辰仿佛是夜空中闪烁跳跃的宝石。而你的潜能就像那些各个钻面上闪烁着眩目光彩的宝石一般。换句话说，你的潜力实际上是无穷无尽的。
振作起来，那些所谓的“错误”并不是失败；它们只不过是你需要吸取的新的教训罢了。真正的失败是“放弃”或“舍弃”，这和“坚忍不拔”或“坚持不懈”正好相反——“成功需要苦练”是一条普适的法则。不管是在神话故事还是在历史当中，到处可见这样的人物：他们追求自己的理想，努力和困阻抗争，不胜利达到目的，决不罢休。
词汇斟酌
sparkle v. 发光，闪烁
dazzling a. 令人眼花缭乱的，耀眼的
facet n. 面，刻面，平面
taboo n. 禁忌
perfunctory a. 马马虎虎的，敷衍
juxtapose vt. 并排，并置
persevering a. 坚韧的，不屈不挠的
odds n. 不平等，差异，可能性
prudence n. 审慎
佳句临摹
①【注释】put another way换句话说
【临摹】He soon found what he did had already been done by others，put another way, he was wasting his time. 他很快发现他所做的事情是别人已经做过的。换句话说，他在浪费自己的时间。
②【注释】cop out 是一个含有贬义的俚语，意思是逃避、推诿、临阵退缩。
【临摹】Don’t try to cop out of it by telling me you’re too busy!别告诉我你太忙来推脱责任。
思如泉涌
Once we stop growing, our end is near.一旦我们停止成长，那么我们的末日也就为时不远了。
Wonders are many, and nothing is more wonderful than man.天下奇迹无数，却无一比人更奇妙。
