A number of years ago, I had the rather unique experience of being backstage in Madison Square Garden, in New York, during the Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus. To say the least, it was a fascinating experience. I was able to walk around looking at the lion tiger giraffes and all the other circus animals. As I was passing the elephant I suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chain no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at any time, break away from their bonds but for some reason, they did not. I saw a trainer near by and asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.
多年前，在紐約的麥迪遜廣場(chǎng)花園里，我走進(jìn)了林林兄弟與巴納姆貝利馬戲團(tuán)，擁有了一次相當(dāng)獨(dú)特的幕后經(jīng)歷。至少可以這樣說(shuō)，那是一次迷人的經(jīng)歷。我可以四處走動(dòng)，看看獅子、老虎、長(zhǎng)頸鹿和其他所有的馬戲團(tuán)動(dòng)物。當(dāng)我走過(guò)那群大象時(shí)，我突然停了下來(lái)。這些龐然大物只是被一根小繩綁著它們的前肢，這事讓我困惑不已。沒(méi)有鏈條，沒(méi)有籠子。顯然，那群大象隨時(shí)都能掙脫這種束縛，然而出于某種原因，它們并沒(méi)有這樣做。我看見附近有一位馴獸師，于是問(wèn)他為何這些美麗的龐然大物只是站在那兒，一點(diǎn)也沒(méi)有要逃跑的意圖。

“Well,” he said, “when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They think the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.”
“噢，”他說(shuō)道，“當(dāng)它們還很年幼且個(gè)頭比現(xiàn)在小得多的時(shí)候，我們就用同樣大小的繩子綁住它們。在那個(gè)年齡，這樣的繩子足以拴住它們。而隨著年月增長(zhǎng)，它們出于慣性而深信自己無(wú)法逃跑，仍然認(rèn)為那根繩子能夠拴住它們，于是便不再試圖掙脫了。”

I was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they could not, they were stuck right where they were.
我很是驚訝。這些動(dòng)物隨時(shí)都能掙脫他們身上的束縛，但卻因?yàn)樗鼈兿嘈抛约簺](méi)有那個(gè)能力，結(jié)果讓自己一直受困其中。

Like the elephant how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before? How many of us are being held back by old, outdated beliefs that no longer serve us? Have you avoided trying something new because of a limiting belief? Worse, how many of us are being held back by someone else's limiting beliefs? Do you tell yourself you can't sell because you're not a salesperson?
我們中有多少人何嘗不像這些大象那樣一輩子將自己禁錮于一種認(rèn)為自己做不到的信念，而僅僅因?yàn)槲覀冊(cè)?jīng)失敗過(guò)？我們中又有多少人被那些陳舊過(guò)時(shí)、不再對(duì)我們有所幫助的信念所阻攔？你是否曾經(jīng)因?yàn)橐环N自我束縛的觀念而避免嘗試一些新事物？更糟的是，我們中有多少人因?yàn)樗说莫M隘觀念而固步自封？你是不是告訴過(guò)自己你無(wú)法推銷因?yàn)槟悴皇莻€(gè)天生的推銷員？

Particularly in starting or running a busines we are cautioned not to take risk usually by well intentioned friends and family. How many of us have heard, “You can't do that”? These are the dream stealers who, due to their own limiting belief will attempt to discourage you from living your dreams. You must ignore them at all cost! I am not suggesting that you should not seek advice from qualified individuals and mentor but that you avoid like the plague being swayed by the limiting beliefs of other especially people who are not in their own business.
尤其是在創(chuàng)業(yè)初始或是經(jīng)營(yíng)某項(xiàng)生意時(shí)，我們會(huì)被警告不要冒險(xiǎn)，而這些警告通常來(lái)自我們那些出于好意的朋友和家人。我們中有多少人曾經(jīng)聽到過(guò)諸如“你不能那樣做”的話？這些都是偷走夢(mèng)想的人，他們出于個(gè)人的狹隘觀念，會(huì)試圖打擊你實(shí)現(xiàn)夢(mèng)想的壯志。你必須不惜任何代價(jià)來(lái)忽視他們！我并非說(shuō)不去咨詢請(qǐng)教于那些夠資格給你意見的人或?qū)?，但你就該像躲避瘟疫似地避免被那些想法局限的人所?dòng)搖，特別是那些并非自己創(chuàng)業(yè)營(yíng)商的人。

Challenge your own limiting beliefs by questioning them. If you begin to question a belief, you automatically weaken it. The more you question your limiting belief the more they are weakened. It's like kicking the legs out from under a stool. Once you weaken one leg, the stool begins to lose its balance and fall. Think back to a time when you “sold” someone on yourself. We are selling all the time. You have to sell your ideas to your spouse, your children, and your employees—even your banker. Maybe, as a child, you sold Girl Scout cookies or magazine subscriptions to raise money for your school team. That was selling too!
對(duì)那些自我束縛的想法提出質(zhì)疑，挑戰(zhàn)那些觀念。當(dāng)你開始質(zhì)疑一種觀念時(shí)，你就是在開始削弱其力量。你越是質(zhì)疑那些狹隘的觀念，就越能削弱其力量。這就像踢掉凳子下面的凳腿。一旦你踢松了其中一條凳腿，整張凳子就開始失去平衡，接而倒塌?；叵胍幌聫那澳闶窃鯓营?dú)自向某人“推銷”一些東西的。我們無(wú)時(shí)不在推銷。你得把自己的想法推銷給你的另一半、你的孩子和你的雇員……甚至是你的銀行經(jīng)理。也許，在孩童時(shí)期，你賣過(guò)女童子軍餅干或是推銷過(guò)雜志訂閱，以此來(lái)為你的校隊(duì)籌集資金。那也是一種推銷！

Once you realize you are, in fact, a capable salesperson, you have weakened that old belief and begun to replace it with a new, empowering one. Look for references to support the new beliefs you want to cultivate. As in the example of the stool, you want to reinforce your beliefs by adding more and more “l(fā)egs” to them. Find people who have accomplished what you want to accomplish, discover what they did and model their behavior. Remember back to times in your past when you were successful and use that experience to propel yourself forward. If your challenge is in sale read sales books and listen to tapes or attend sales seminars. This is a critical area of your busines one that cannot be undermined by limiting beliefs.
一旦你意識(shí)到自己其實(shí)是個(gè)能干的推銷員，你就已經(jīng)削弱了那種陳舊的觀念，而開始以一種嶄新且使你充滿力量的觀念取而代之。查找相關(guān)的資料來(lái)支撐你想培養(yǎng)的新觀念。就像那凳子的比喻，你想加強(qiáng)你的新觀念，那你就給它添加更多的“腿”。尋找那些已經(jīng)達(dá)成你心中目標(biāo)的人，發(fā)掘他們過(guò)去的做法，并且模仿他們的行為?；叵肽切┠阍?jīng)獲得成功的時(shí)光，并以那些經(jīng)歷來(lái)鼓舞自己前進(jìn)。如果你的難題在于銷售，就閱讀有關(guān)推銷的書籍，聽聽有關(guān)銷售的磁帶資料，或是參加一些推銷研討會(huì)。這是你事業(yè)的關(guān)鍵領(lǐng)域，是不能被那些局限的觀念所破壞的。

There is a technique called “fake it until you make it” that works well. I am not suggesting you live in denial, just that you begin to see yourself succeeding. Visualize your successes. See yourself vividly in your mind's eye making the sale and reaching your goals. Affirm, over and over, that you are succeeding.
有一種叫作“先假裝，后實(shí)現(xiàn)”的技巧，效果很好。我并不是在建議你自欺欺人地生活，只是想讓你從一開始就假想自己在邁向成功，想象自己的成功。在頭腦里逼真地想象自己在推銷，達(dá)成目標(biāo)。一次次地確認(rèn)自己正邁向成功。

Write your affirmations daily. Of course, make sure that you take the appropriate actions. As it says in the Bible, “Faith without works is dead.”
每天自我肯定一番。當(dāng)然，得確保自己采取了恰當(dāng)?shù)男袆?dòng)。正如《圣經(jīng)》里所說(shuō)的：“沒(méi)有付諸實(shí)踐的信念是死的?！?/div>

Remember that your subconscious mind does not know the difference between real and imaginary. Before you go on a sales call, take a moment and mentally rehearse the scene, just like actors and athletes do. Tell yourself, “I'm a great salesperson.” Do this over and over, especially just before a sales call. See the sale being made. See and feel the success. You will be pleasantly amazed at the result. Don't take my word for it. Give it a try. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
記住，你的潛意識(shí)并不清楚真實(shí)和幻想之間的差別。在你要打一通推銷電話前，花一點(diǎn)時(shí)間在腦海里預(yù)演一下那情景，就像演員和運(yùn)動(dòng)員所做的那般。告訴你自己：“我是個(gè)偉大的推銷員?！狈磸?fù)地這樣做，特別是在打一通推銷電話前的片刻?；孟朐谶M(jìn)行推銷，幻想成功，感受成功。你將會(huì)為其結(jié)果感到驚訝和欣喜。別光聽我說(shuō)，你去試試。你不會(huì)有任何損失，卻會(huì)收獲一切。

It has been said throughout history that whatever you believe with conviction, you can achieve. Don't be like the poor elephant and go through your life stuck because of a limiting belief you were given or developed years ago. Take charge of your life and live it to the fullest. You deserve the best!
從古至今，人們一直都在說(shuō)，只要你深信不疑，就能達(dá)成所愿。別像那只可憐的大象，一輩子受困于一種多年前別人給予你的狹隘觀念，又或是多年前養(yǎng)成的桎梏信念。掌控你的人生，充分地把握每分每秒。你值得擁有最棒的人生！