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It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions.
年轻人应该从头学起，担当最基层的职务，这是件好事。
Andrew Carnegie
（安德鲁·卡内基）
“一个有钱人如果到死还是很有钱，那就是一件可耻的事情。”说出这样一句振聋发聩的警世明言的人就是世界钢铁大王安德鲁·卡内基。虽然他出生于贫民窟，但最终却成为了美国最有权势的人之一。这都是他自己奋斗而来的，他没有因为出身贫穷而自卑，也没有因后来的富可敌国而自负。我们常羡慕为什么成功人士的人格魅力如此之强，因为他们都是在克服困境中逐渐成长起来的，而决非只靠运气去闯下一片天。贫穷并不可怕，可怕的是失去追求梦想的野心和动力。
卡内基将自己的人生经历浓缩到演讲中，用自身经历来警醒世人。“把所有的鸡蛋放在一个篮子里，然后小心地看好它”；“除了你自己没人能真正阻止你成功”。来吧，让我们静心聆听这位世界伟人的声音。
在美国，“钢铁大王”卡内基的名字是个传奇，也令人百思不得其解。他与“石油大王”洛克菲勒、“金融巨头”摩根等大财阀一样，曾经影响着整个美国的金融状况。但让世人为之惊讶的是，他在自己事业的最巅峰，放弃了所有的一切，追求另一种恬淡、无私的生活，并为慈善事业做出了巨大的贡献。他在美国工业史上写下永难磨灭的一页。他征服钢铁世界，成为美国最大钢铁制造商，跃居世界首富。而在功成名就后，衣锦还乡他又将几乎全部的财富捐献给社会。他生前捐赠款额之巨大，足以与死后设立诺贝尔奖奖金的瑞典科学家、实业家诺贝尔相媲美，成为美国人民心目中永远的英雄和奋斗学习的楷模。
Andrew Carnegie, the King of Steel, philanthropist
It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions. Many of the leading businessmen of Pittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust upon them at the very threshold of their career.
They were introduced to the broom, and spent the frst hours of their business lives sweeping out the office. I notice we have janitors and janitresses now in offices, and our young men unfortunately miss that salutary branch of a business education.
But if by chance the professional sweeper is absent any morning, the boy who has the genius of the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his hand at the broom.
It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was one of those sweepers myself.Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is“aim high”.
I would not give a fg for the young man who has not already seen himself the partner or the head of an important firm. Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as head clerk, or foreman, or general manager in any concern, no matter how extensive.Say to yourself，“My place is at the top.”Be king in your dreams.
And here is the prime condition of success, the secret：concentrate your energy, thought and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. Having begun in one line, resolve to fght it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have the best machinery and know the most about it.
The concerns which fail are those which have scattered their capital, which means that they have scattered their brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here, there and everywhere.“Don't put all your eggs in one basket”is all wrong.
I tell you“put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket”. Look round you and take notice；men who do that do not often fail.It is easy to watch and carry the one basket.It is trying to carry too many baskets, that breaks most eggs in this country.
He who carries three baskets must put one on his head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up. One fault of the American businessman is lack of concentration.
To summarize what I have said：Aim for the highest, never enter a bar room；do not touch liquor, or if at all only at meals；never speculate；never indorse beyond your surplus cash fund；make the frm's interest yours；break orders always to save owners；concentrate；put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket；expenditure always within revenue；lastly be not impatient, for, as Emerson says，“no one can cheat you out of ultimate success but yourselves.”
——安德鲁·卡内基，钢铁大王，慈善家
年轻的一代们应该从头学起，从担任基层职务开始，这是一件好事。匹兹堡的许多大企业家们都曾在创业之初从基础开始做起。
他们曾与扫帚为友，在清扫办公室中度过了企业生涯的最初时光。我注意到，现在的办公室都配备专业的保洁人员，这使我们这代的年轻人丧失了一个重要的企业教育环节。
不过，如果哪一天早晨清洁工刚好请假没来，而恰好有某位具有未来合伙人气质的青年就会毫不犹豫试着拿起扫帚。
如果有需要，新人到室外打扫对他也没有什么坏处。我本人就曾经是打扫的人。所以我对你们的忠告就是“要胸怀大志”。
对于那些尚未把自己当成某重大公司的合伙人或领导人的年轻人，我会不屑一顾。不要满足于担任任何企业的首席员工、领班和总经理的想法，不管这家企业的规模有多大。你们需要对自己说“我的位置要在最高处”。
你们梦想着要达到登峰造极的地步，但想要获得成功的首要条件和最大秘诀就是：把精力和财力完全集中于所干的事业上。一旦开始从事那一行，就要决心干出个名堂，一定要出类拔萃，要点点滴滴地改进，要采用最好的机器，要尽力熟知这一行。
任何失败的企业都是因为分散了财力，这意味着分散了企业的精力。他们到处投资，方方面面都要投资。“别把所有的鸡蛋放进一个篮子”的说法就是大错特错。
我要告诉你们的是，“要把所有的鸡蛋放进一个篮子，然后看护好那个篮子。”环顾周围并留点心，能这样做的人往往不会失败。管好并拿好那个篮子其实很容易，在我们这个国家，想提多个篮子而打碎鸡蛋的人也很多。
有三个篮子的人就需要把其中一个顶在头上，这样就很容易摔倒把鸡蛋跌烂。美国企业家们有个共同的错误就是缺乏专注力。
接下来将我的话归纳一下就是：要立志高远；千万不要流连于酒吧，不要沾酒，或者只是在用餐时喝点；千万不要有投机心理；在签署支付的款项时，千万不要超过盈余的现金储备；取消订货的目的永远是要挽救货主；集中精力，把所有鸡蛋放进一个篮子并照管好那个篮子；支出永远小于收入；最后，不要失去耐心，正如爱默生所说：“除了你自己以外，没有人能骗你而让你偏离成功的航道。”
·It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions.年轻的一代们应该从头学起，从担任基层职务开始，这是一件好事。
·Concentrate your energy, thought, and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. Having begun in one line, resolve to fght it out on that line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement, have the best machinery, and know the most about it.
把精力和财力完全集中于所干的事业上。一旦开始从事那一行，就要决心干出个名堂，一定要出类拔萃，要点点滴滴地改进，要采用最好的机器，要尽力熟悉这一行。
·Put all your eggs in one basket, and then watch that basket.
要把所有的鸡蛋放进一个篮子，然后看好那个篮子。
·He who carries three baskets must put one on his head, which is apt to tumble and trip him up.
有三个篮子的人就需要把其中一个顶在头上，这样就很容易摔倒而跌烂鸡蛋。
·Aim for the highest, never enter a bar room；do not touch liquor, or if at all only at meals；never speculate；never indorse beyond your surplus cash fund；make the firm's interest yours；break orders always to save owners；concentrate；put all your eggs in one basket, and watch that basket；expenditure always within revenue；lastly be not impatient.
要立志高远；千万不要流连于酒吧，不要沾酒，或者只是在用餐时喝点；千万不要有投机的心理；在签署支付的款项时，千万不要超过盈余的现金储备；取消订货的目的永远是要挽救货主；集中精力，把所有鸡蛋放进一个篮子并照管好那个篮子；支出永远小于收入；最后，不要失去耐心。
在美国，与“汽车大王”福特、“石油大王”洛克菲勒等大财阀的名字列在一起的，还有“钢铁大王”卡内基。卡内基通过白手起家建成一个生产钢铁的大型钢铁联合企业而获得优势，且数十年保持世界最大钢铁厂的地位，几乎垄断了美国钢铁市场。卡内基与洛克菲勒、摩根并立，是当时美国经济界的三大巨头之一。从不名一文的移民到堪称世界首富的“钢铁大王”，而在功成名就后，他又将几乎全部的财富捐献给社会。
但让世人为之惊讶的是，他在自己事业的最巅峰，放弃了所有的一切，追求另一种自由、无拘束的生活，并为慈善事业做出了巨大的贡献。纽约著名的卡内基音乐厅是他捐资修建的，匹兹堡的卡内基大学是他建立的，还有遍布在世界各地的卡内基图书馆。这就是卡内基，财富对于他而言，不是第一位的，享受人生，为社会做出贡献才是他生命的真谛。