If you have ever been discouraged because of failure, please read on. For often, achieving what you set out to do is not the important thing. Let me explain.
Two brothers decided to dig a deep hole behind their house. As they were working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “We plan to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” one of the brothers volunteered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling the younger ones that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a long silence, one of the diggers picked up a jar full of spiders, worms and a wide assortment of insects. He removed the lid and showed the wonderful contents to the scoffing visitors. Then he said quietly and confidently, “Even if we don't dig all the way through the earth, look what we found along the way!”
Their goal was far too ambitious, but it did cause them to dig. And that is what a goal is for—to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen; in other words, to set us to digging!
But not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end successfully. Not every relationship will endure. Not every hope will come to pass. Not every love will last. Not every endeavor will be completed. Not every dream will be realized. But when you fall short of your aim, perhaps you can say, “Yes, but look at what I found along the way! Look at the wonderful things which have come into my life because I tried to do something!”
It is in the digging that life is lived. And I believe it is joy in the journey, in the end, that truly matters.
如果你曾因为失败而泄气，请往下看。因为实现目标常常并不重要。且听我往下解释。
两个小兄弟决定在屋后挖一个深洞。他们干得正欢时，两个大孩子停在一边看热闹。“你们在干嘛呢？”其中一个问道。“我们打算挖一个洞，一直把地球挖穿！”小兄弟中有一个兴奋地主动答腔。大孩子们笑起来，告诉小家伙们把地球挖穿是不可能的。沉默了好一会儿，一个孩子拾起一个装满蜘蛛、蠕虫和各色昆虫的罐子。他拿掉盖子，把里面的精彩内容展现在嘲弄者面前，然后轻声地、自信地说：“即使我们不能把地球挖穿，可瞧瞧我们挖洞时的奇妙发现吧！”
他们的目标过于雄心勃勃，但却促使他们开挖起来。这正是目标的意义所在——促使我们按既定方向进发；换句话说，促使我们真正行动起来！
但是，并非所有的目标都会完满实现。并非所有的工作最终都能成功。并非所有的关系都会持久。并非所有的希望都可以满足。并非所有的爱都能维系永远。并非所有的努力都有圆满的结局。并非所有的梦想都会实现。当你达不到目标时，也许你可以这么说“没错儿，但瞧我这一路上的奇妙发现！看看我的努力带给生活的精彩！”
生活其实也是一个挖掘的过程。我坚信最终真正重要的是乐在其中。