The Man and the Opportunity
奥里森·马登 / Orison Marden
The lack of opportunity is ever the excuse of a weak， vacillating mind. Opportunities！ Every life is full of them.
Every lesson in school or college is an opportunity. Every examination is a chance in life. Every business transaction is an opportunity—an opportunity to be polite， an opportunity to be manly， an opportunity to be honest， an opportunity to make friends. Every proof of confidence in you is a great opportunity.
Every responsibility thrust upon your strength and your honor is priceless. Existence is the privilege of effort， and when that privilege is met like a man， opportunities to succeed along the line of your aptitude will come faster than you can use them.
Young men and women， why do you stand here all the day idle？ Was the land all occupied before you were born？ Has the earth ceased to yield its increase？ Are the seats all taken？ The positions all filled？ The chances all gone？ Are the resources of your country fully developed？ Are the secrets of nature all mastered？ Is there no way in which you can utilize these passing moments to improve yourself or benefit another？
Don’t wait for your opportunity. Make it， make it as Napoleon made his in a hundred “impossible” situations. Make it， as all leaders of men， in war and in peace， have made their chances of success. Make it， as every man must， who would accomplish anything worth the effort， Golden opportunities are nothing to laziness， but industry makes the commonest chances golden.
意志脆弱优柔寡断的人，总是以缺乏机会作为借口。机会！在每个人的生活当中，无处不在。
学校里的每一节课都是一次机会。每一场考试都是人生的契机。每一次商务往来都是一次机会——一次礼貌待人的机会，一次果敢行事的机会，一次诚实守信的机会，一次广交朋友的机会。每一份对你的信任，对你都是一次莫大的机会。