The Dreamer
佚名 / Anonymous
When I was nine years old living in a small town in North Carolina， I found on ad for selling greeting cards in the back of a children’s magazine. I thought to myself I can do this. I begged my mother to let me send for the kit. Two weeks later when the kit arrived， I ripped off the brown paper wrapper， grabbed the cards and dashed from the house. Three hours later. I returned home with no card and a pocket full of money proclaiming， “Mama， all the people couldn’t wait to buy my cards！” A salesperson was born.
When I was twelve years old， my father took me to see Zig Zigler. I remembered sitting in that dark auditorium listening to Mr. Zigler raise everyone’s spirits up to the ceiling. I left there feeling like I could do anything. When we got to the car， I turned to my father and said. “Dad， I want to make people feel like that.” My father asked me what I meant. “I want to be a motivational speaker just like Mr. Zigler，” I replied. A dream was born.
Recently， I began pursuing my dream of motivating others. After a 4-year relationship with a major fortune 100 company beginning as a sales trainer and ending as a regional sales manager， I left the company at the height of my career. Many people were astounded that I would leave after earning a six-figure income. And they asked why I would risk everything for a dream.
I made my decision to start my own company and leave my secure position after attending a regional sales meeting. The vice-president of our company delivered a speech that changed my life. He asked us， “If a genie would grant you three wishes what would they be？” After giving us a moment to write down the three wishes， then he asked us， “Why do you need a genie？” I would never forget the empowerment I felt at that moment.
I realized that everything I had accomplished—the graduate degree， the successful sales career， speaking engagements， training and managing for a fortune 100 company had prepared me for this moment. I was ready and did not need a genie’s help to become a motivational speaker.
When I tearfully told my boss my plans， this incredible leader whom I respect so much replied， “Precede with reckless abandon and you will be successful.”
Having made that decision， I was immediately tested. One week after I gave notice， my husband was laid off from his job. We had recently bought a new house and needed both incomes to make the monthly mortgage payment and now we were done to no income. It was tempting to turn back to my former company， knowing they wanted me to stay but I was certain that if I went back， I would never leave. I decided I still wanted to move forward rather than end up with a mouth full of “if onlys” later on. A motivational speaker was born.
When I held fast to my dream， even during the tough times， the miracles really began to happen. In a short period my husband found a better job. We didn’t miss a mortgage payment. And I was able to book several speaking engagements with new clients. I discovered the incredible power of dreams. I loved my old job， my peers and the company I left， but it was time to get on with my dream. To celebrate my success I had a local artist paint my new office as a garden. At the top of one wall she stenciled， “The world always makes way for the dreamer.”
9岁时，我住在北卡罗来纳州的一个小镇。我在一本儿童杂志的后封看到一则招聘贺卡推销员的广告。我认为自己能胜任。征得妈妈的同意后，我让人把全套货物送来。两周后，货到了，我把棕色包装纸扯开，抓起卡片，就冲了出去。三个小时后，我的卡片卖光了，装了满口袋的钱回来，我高喊着：“妈妈，人们都争先恐后地买我的贺卡！”一个推销员诞生了。
12岁时，父亲带我拜访齐格·齐格勒先生，我记得那时我们坐在昏暗的礼堂里听着齐格勒先生演说，他的话激励了所有人，大家情绪都很高昂。离开时我觉得自己无所不能了。上车后，我对父亲说：“爸爸，我也想让人们有这样的感觉。”爸爸问我是什么意思。“我想成为齐格勒先生那样的动员演说者。”我答道。一个梦想诞生了。
近几年，我开始激励他人以此来朝着实现自己的梦想迈近。此前的四年里，我在一个拥有100家公司的财团工作，从一个销售培训员做到地区销售经理，我在事业达到巅峰时离开了公司。很多人不理解我放弃六位数的高薪，并质问我为何要去冒险实现自己的梦想。
我是在参加了一次地区销售会议后，决定离开“安逸”的职务，开创自己的公司的。那次会议上，公司副总裁做的一次演说，改变了我的命运。他问我们：“如果一个神仙能满足你三个愿望，那你希望得到什么？”他让我们把自己的愿望写下来，然后问我们：“你们为什么需要神仙呢？”那一刻，这句话使我震撼不已，令我永生难忘。
我意识到自己拥有成功所具备的一切条件：毕业文凭、成功的销售经验、无数的演讲经历，在一个拥有100家公司的财团做过销售培训和管理工作。要成为一名动员演说者，我已经准备好了，无需神仙的帮助。
当我含泪把我的计划告诉老板时，这位我所敬重的领导，出乎意料地说：“勇往向前吧！你定会成功。”
我刚决定下来，便遇到了考验，辞职一周后，丈夫也失业了。我们刚买了一栋新房子，需要双方用工资来支付每月的抵押贷款，可现在我们却一分收入都没有。此时我想重返之前的公司，我知道他们仍会接纳我，但我也知道一旦回去就很难再出来了，我下定决心继续前行，决不做一个满口“如果”，却不付诸行动的人。一个动员演说者就此诞生了。
我紧追自己的梦想。即使是在最艰苦的时候也不曾放弃，最终奇迹出现了。丈夫在较短的时间内找到了一份满意的工作，我们如期偿还了抵押贷款，也开始有新客户预约我的演说了。我发现梦想的无穷力量。我喜欢原先的工作、同事和那家公司的工作环境，但我实现梦想的时机已成熟。为了庆贺我的成功，我请当地一位艺术家把我的新办公室改造成一座花园，在其中一面墙的顶端，作者印上了这么一句话：“机会总是垂青有准备的人。”
记忆填空
1. Two weeks when the kit arrived， I ripped off the brown paper wrapper， grabbed the and dashed from the house.
2. we got to the car， I turned to my and said.“Dad， I want to make people feel that.”My father asked me what I .“I want to be a motivational just like Mr. Zigler，”I replied. A dream was .
3. To celebrate my I had a local artist paint my office as a garden. At the of one wall she stenciled，“The world always way for the dreamer.”
佳句翻译
1. 近几年，我开始激励他人以此来朝着实现自己的梦想迈近。
2. 那一刻，这句话使我震撼不已，令我永生难忘。
3. 要成为一名动员演说者，我已经准备好了，无需神仙的帮助。
短语应用
1. I ripped off the brown paper wrapper， grabbed the cards and dashed from the house.
rip off：偷窃；扯掉；欺诈；剥削
2. After a 4-year relationship with a major fortune 100 company beginning as a sales trainer and ending as a regional sales manager， I left the company at the height of my career.
at the height of：在……顶点；在……的顶峰或鼎盛时期
