Chapter 17 of 19

Chapter 14. The Great Dynamic Forces

第十四章　偉大なる動的な力

You have noticed the difference between the successful and strong men in any walk of life, and the unsuccessful weak men around them. You are conscious of the widely differing characteristics of the two classes, but somehow find it difficult to express just in what the difference lies. Let us take a look at the matter.

人生のあらゆる分野における成功者、強者と、その周囲にいる不成功な弱者との違いに気づいたことがあるだろう。二つの種類の広く異なる特徴を意識してはいるが、その違いがどこにあるのかを正確に表現することが難しいと感じるものだ。この問題を見てみよう。

Buxton said: “The longer I live, the more certain I am that the great difference between men, the feeble and the powerful, the great and the insignificant, is energy and invincible determination—a purpose once fixed and then Death or Victory. That quality will do anything that can be done in this world—and no talents, no circumstances, no opportunities will make a two-legged creature a man without it.” I do not see how the idea could be more clearly expressed than Buxton has spoken. He has put his finger right in the center of the subject—his eye has seen into the heart of it.

バクストンはこう言っている。「長く生きれば生きるほど、私はますます確信する。人々の間の偉大なる違い——弱い者と力ある者、偉大な者と取るに足りない者の間の違いは——エネルギーと不屈の決意にある。ひとたび定められた目的に対する——死か勝利かの決意。矮小な決意ではなく、粗削りの決断。放浪する目的ではなく——少年が冬の霜柱を踏みつけるように困難と危険を踏みつけるあの強靭にして不撓不屈の意志。その目と脳に到達不能なものへの誇り高い脈動を灯す意志。この資質は、この世で成し遂げられうることなら何でも成し遂げるだろう——才能も、環境も、機会も、これなしには二本足の生き物を人にすることはできない。」バクストンほど明瞭にこの考えを表現した者があろうか。彼はまさに主題の中心に指を当て——その核心を見抜いたのだ。

Energy and invincible determination—these two things will sweep away mighty barriers, and will surmount the greatest obstacles. And yet they must be used together. Energy without determination will go to waste. Lots of men have plenty of energy—they are full to overflowing with it; and yet they lack concentration—they lack the concentrated force that enables them to bring their power to bear upon the right spot. Energy is not nearly so rare a thing as many imagine it to be. I can look around me at any time, and pick out a number of people I know who are full of energy—many of them are energy plus—and yet, somehow, they do not seem to make any headway. They are wasting their energy all the time. Now they are fooling with this thing—now meddling with that. They will take up some trifling thing of no real interest or importance, and waste enough energy and nervous force to carry them through a hard day’s work; and yet when they are through, nothing has been accomplished. Others who have plenty of energy, fail to direct it by the power of the Will toward the desired end. “Invincible determination”—those are the words. Do they not thrill you with their power? If you have something to do, get to work and do it. Marshal your energy, and then guide and direct it by your Will—bestow upon it that “invincible determination” and you will do the thing.

エネルギーと不屈の決意——この二つは巨大な障壁を押し流し、最大の困難を乗り越えるだろう。しかしこの二つは共に用いられなければならない。決意なきエネルギーは浪費される。多くの者がエネルギーに満ちあふれている——溢れんばかりだ。しかし彼らには集中力が欠けている——適切な箇所に力を集中して働かせる集約された力が欠けているのだ。エネルギーは多くの人が想像するほど稀なものではない。周囲を見渡せばいつでも、エネルギーに満ちた知人を何人も指し示すことができる——その多くはエネルギー過剰だ——しかしどういうわけか前進しない。常にエネルギーを浪費している。今はこのことをいじり回し——今はあのことに首を突っ込む。何の本当の関心も重要性もないつまらないことを取り上げ、骨の折れる一日分の仕事をこなすに十分なエネルギーと神経力を浪費する。それでいて終わった時には何も達成されていない。他の者は十分なエネルギーを持ちながら、意志の力で望む目的に向けてそれを方向づけることをしない。「不屈の決意」——この言葉だ。その力に胸が震えないか？なすべき仕事があるなら、取りかかってやれ。エネルギーを結集し、意志でそれを導き方向づけ——あの「不屈の決意」を与えよ。そうすればことは成し遂げられる。

Everyone has within him a giant will, but the majority of us are too lazy to use it. We cannot get ourselves nerved up to the point at which we can say, truthfully: ”I Will’.’ If we can but screw up our courage to that point, and will then pin it in place so that it will not slip back, we will be able to call into play that wonderful power—the Human Will. Man, as a rule, has but the faintest conception of the power of the Will, but those who have studied along the occult teachings, know that the Will is one of the great dynamic forces of the universe, and if harnessed and directed properly it is capable of accomplishing almost miraculous things. “Energy and Invincible Determination”—aren’t they magnificent words? Commit them to memory—press them like a die into the wax of your mind, and they will be a constant inspiration to you in hours of need. If you can get these words to vibrating in your being, you will be a giant among pygmies. Say these words over and over again, and see how you are filled with new life—see how your blood will circulate—how your nerves will tingle. Make these words a part of yourself, and then go forth anew to the battle of life, encouraged and strengthened. Put them into practice. “Energy and Invincible Determination”—let that be your motto in your work-a-day life, and you will be one of those rare men who are able to “do things.”

すべての人間は内に巨大な意志を持っているが、我々の大多数はそれを使うのを怠っている。「我は意志す」と真に言えるところまで自分を奮い立たせることができないのだ。もしその一点にまで勇気を奮い起こし、それが後退しないようにしっかり留めることができれば、あの驚異的な力——人間の意志を行使に呼び出すことができるだろう。人間は一般に意志の力について最もかすかな観念しか持っていないが、オカルトの教えに沿って研究した者は、意志が宇宙の偉大な動的な力の一つであり、適切に繋ぎ、方向づければ、ほとんど奇跡的なことを成し遂げる能力があることを知っている。「エネルギーと不屈の決意」——壮大な言葉ではないか。暗記せよ。心の蝋に刻印のごとく押しつけよ。必要の時に恒常的な霊感となるだろう。これらの言葉を存在の中で振動させることができれば、侏儒の中の巨人となるだろう。これらの言葉を何度も繰り返せ。いかに新しい生命で満たされるかを見よ——血がいかに巡るかを——神経がいかに震えるかを。これらの言葉を自分自身の一部とし、勇気づけられ強められて、人生の戦いに新たに出発せよ。実践に移せ。「エネルギーと不屈の決意」——それを日々の仕事の生活における座右の銘とせよ。そうすれば「物事を成し遂げる」ことのできるあの稀な人々の一人となるだろう。

Many persons are deterred from doing their best by the fact that they underrate themselves by comparison with the successful ones of life, or rather, overrate the successful ones by comparison with themselves.

多くの人々は、自分を人生の成功者と比較して過小評価する——というよりも、自分と比較して成功者を過大評価することによって、最善を尽くすことを妨げられている。

One of the curious things noticed by those who are brought in contact with the people who have “arrived” is the fact that these successful people are not extraordinary after all. You meet with some great writer, and you are disappointed to find him very ordinary indeed. He does not converse brilliantly, and, in fact, you know a score of everyday people who seem far more brilliant than this man who dazzles you by his brightness in his books. You meet some great statesman, and he does not seem nearly so wise as lots of old fellows in your own village, who waste their wisdom upon the desert air. You meet some great captain of industry, and he does not give you the impression of the shrewdness so marked in some little bargain-driving trader in your own town. How is this, anyway? Are the reputations of these people fictitious, or what is the trouble?

「到達した」人々と接触する機会のある者が気づく奇妙なことの一つは、これらの成功者が結局のところそれほど非凡ではないという事実だ。偉大な作家に会えば、彼がまことに平凡であることに失望する。見事な会話をするわけでもなく、実際には、その書物で読者を眩惑する彼よりも遙かに華やかに見える日常の人を二十人は知っている。偉大な政治家に会えば、あなたの村の古老で無駄に知恵を砂漠の空気に散じている者たちほどには賢く見えない。偉大な産業界の重鎮に会えば、あなたの町の小さな値切り商人に著しい抜け目なさほどの印象を与えない。これは一体どういうことか？これらの人々の名声は虚構なのか、何が問題なのか。

The trouble is this: You have imagined these people to be made of superior metal, and are disappointed to find them made of the same stuff as yourself and those about you. But, you ask, wherein does their greatness of achievement lie? Chiefly in this: Belief in themselves and in their inherent power, in their faculty to concentrate on the work in hand, when they are working, and in their ability to prevent leaks of power when they are not working. They believe in themselves, and make every effort count. Your village wiseman spills his wisdom on every corner, and talks to a lot of fools; when if he really were wise he would save up his wisdom and place it where it would do some work. The brilliant writer does not waste his wit upon every comer; in fact, he shuts the drawer in which he contains his wit, and opens it only when he is ready to concentrate and get down to business. The captain of industry has no desire to impress you with his shrewdness and “smartness.” He never did, even when he was young. While his companions were talking and boasting, and “blowing,” this future successful financier was “sawin’ wood and sayin’ nuthin’.”

問題はこうだ。あなたはこれらの人々を優れた素材でできていると想像し、自分や周囲の人々と同じ素材でできていることに失望するのだ。しかしあなたは問う。彼らの偉大な業績はどこにあるのかと。主に次のことにある。自分自身と内なる力への信念、仕事をしている時には手元の仕事に集中する能力、そして仕事をしていない時には力の漏洩を防ぐ能力。彼らは自分を信じ、あらゆる努力を結実させる。あなたの村の賢者はあちこちの角で知恵をまき散らし、愚か者の群れに語りかける。本当に賢ければ知恵を蓄え、それが何か仕事をなす場所に投入するだろう。華やかな作家は来る者ごとに才気を浪費しない。実際、才気を収めた引き出しを閉め、集中して仕事に取りかかる準備ができた時にだけそれを開ける。産業界の重鎮はあなたに抜け目なさや「賢さ」を印象づけたいとは思わない。若い時もそうだった。仲間たちが話し、自慢し、「吹聴」している間に、この未来の成功した資本家は「黙って木を挽いていた」のだ。

The great people of the world—that is, those who have “arrived”—are not very different from you, or me, or the rest of us—all of us are about the same at the base. You have only to meet them to see how very “ordinary” they are, after all. But, don’t forget the fact that they know how to use the material that is in them; while the rest of the crowd does not, and, in fact, even doubts whether the true stuff is there. The man or woman who “gets there,” usually starts out by realizing that he or she is not so very different, after all, from the successful people that they hear so much about. This gives them confidence, and the result is they find out that they are able to “do things.” Then they learn to keep their mouths closed, and to avoid wasting and dissipating their energy. They store up energy, and concentrate it upon the task at hand; while their companions are scattering their energies in every direction, trying to show off and let people know how smart they are. The man or woman who “gets there,” prefers to wait for the applause that follows deeds accomplished, and cares very little for the praise that attends promises of what we expect to do “some day,” or an exhibition of “smartness” without works.

世の偉大な人々——すなわち「到達した」人々は——あなたや私やその他の人々とそう大きく違わない——根底においては皆ほぼ同じだ。彼らに会えば、結局いかに「普通」であるかがわかる。しかし、彼らが自分の中にある素材の使い方を知っているという事実を忘れてはならない。一方、群衆の残りは知らない——それどころか、本物の素材がそこにあるかどうかすら疑っている。「到達する」男女は、通常、自分が聞いているあの成功者たちとそう違わないのだと認識することから始める。これが自信を与え、結果として自分にも「物事を成し遂げる」ことができると発見する。次に口を閉じ、エネルギーの浪費と散逸を避けることを学ぶ。エネルギーを蓄え、手元の課題に集中する。一方、仲間たちはあらゆる方向にエネルギーを散らし、いかに賢いかを見せつけ知らしめようとしている。「到達する」男女は、成し遂げた業績に続く拍手を待つことを好み、「いつか」するつもりのことの約束や、業績なき「賢さ」の展示に伴う賞賛にはほとんど関心がない。

One of the reasons that people who are thrown in with successful men often manifest success themselves, is that they are able to watch the successful man and sort of “catch the trick” of his greatness. They see that he is an everyday sort of man, but that he thoroughly believes in himself, and also that he does not waste energy, but reserves all his force for the actual tasks before him. And, profiting by example, they start to work and put the lesson into practice in their own lives.

成功者と共にいる人々がしばしば自らも成功を顕すようになる理由の一つは、成功者を観察して、その偉大さの「コツを掴む」ことができるからだ。その人が平凡な男であるが自分自身を徹底的に信じ、エネルギーを浪費せず、目の前の実際の課題のためにすべての力を蓄えていることがわかる。そして模範から利益を得て、仕事に取りかかり、その教訓を自らの人生に実践するのだ。

Now what is the moral of this talk? Simply this: Don’t undervalue yourself, or overvalue others. Realize that you are made of good stuff, and that locked within your mind are many good things. Then get to work and unfold those good things, and make something out of that good stuff. Do this by attention to the things before you, and by giving to each the best that is in you, knowing that plenty of more good things are in you, ready for the fresh tasks that will come. Put the best of yourself into the undertaking on hand, and do not cheat the present task in favor of some future one. Your supply is inexhaustible. And don’t waste your good stuff on the crowd of gapers, watchers and critics who are standing around watching you work. Save your good stuff for your job, and don’t be in too much of a hurry for applause. Save up your good thoughts for “copy” if you are a writer; save up your bright schemes for actual practice, if you are a business man; save up your wisdom for occasion, if you are a statesman; and, in each case, avoid the desire to scatter your pearls before—well, before the gaping crowd that wants to be entertained by a “free show.”

さて、この話の教訓は何か。端的に言えばこうだ。自分を過小評価するな。他者を過大評価するな。自分が良い素材でできていること、心の中に多くの良いものが秘められていることを認識せよ。そして仕事に取りかかり、それらの良いものを展開し、その良い素材から何かを作り上げよ。目の前のことに注意を向け、それぞれに自分の最善を与えることによってそうせよ。新たな課題のために十分な良いものがまだ自分の中にあることを知りつつ。手元の事業に自分の最善を注ぎ込め。将来の課題を優先して現在の課題を疎かにするな。あなたの供給は尽きることがない。そして群がるやじ馬、見物人、批評家たちに良い素材を浪費するな——あなたが働くのを見ている彼らに。良い素材は仕事のために取っておけ。拍手を急ぎすぎるな。良い思考は作家なら「原稿」のために蓄えよ。輝かしい計画は実業家なら実際の実践のために蓄えよ。知恵は政治家なら機会のために蓄えよ。そしてどの場合も、真珠を——まあ、「無料ショー」で楽しませてもらいたがっている口を開けた群衆の前にまくことを避けよ。

Nothing very “high” about this teaching, perhaps, but it is what many of you need very much. Stop fooling, and get down to business. Stop wasting good raw material, and start to work making something worth while.

この教えにはおそらく何ら「高尚」なところはないが、あなた方の多くが大いに必要としているものだ。ふざけるのをやめて、仕事に取りかかれ。良い原材料を浪費するのをやめて、何か価値あるものを作り始めよ。