在年輕人的辭典中，根本沒有「失敗」這個字。 －蒲韋爾蘭頓
我不知道這句堅定人心的老話，每年在各個學校畢業典禮的演講中被提到過多少次了，這句話使我想起了我自己念高中的日子，那時我才初曉人事也不知道傷心和害怕為何物。
這句話使我想起了自己念高中的日子 那時我才初曉人事也不知道傷心和害怕為何物
顯然 在我們的一生中都曾一度有過這樣的信心 雖然大部分人隨著年齡的漸增 這種信心也跟著消失了。或許由於我所從事的工作比較特別而幸能保持著一部份這種年輕人的氣質。可是有時候我回顧自己所經歷過的多少艱辛，真不敢自信能夠在同樣的情況下再一次通過考驗呢。但願我們有面對困難的勇氣。
在我大約二十一歲的時候，我第一次嚐到了失敗的滋味，那時候我睡的是我在坎薩斯市的畫室中的靠背椅子，吃的是罐裝的冰冷豆子。但是我對我的夢想另有看法，便決定啟程到好萊塢去碰碰運氣。
你說笨嗎？對一個年輕人來說這並不算什麼。年輕人不像年紀大的人常常依據他所得到的很多「人情世故」來做事。有時候我懷疑所謂「常識」只不過是害怕的另一種說法而已，而害怕又經常和失敗很接近。
在年輕人的辭典裡根本沒有「失敗」這個字。你還記得那個孩子加入馬戲團的事嗎？當馬戲團到城裏來表演的時候，樂隊指揮要找一個喇叭手，所以這個孩子就看中了這個機會去應徵了。在街上遊行時，還沒有走完一條街，他喇叭中吹出來的怪調就把二個上了年紀的女人嚇得暈倒在地，馬戲團中的一匹馬也給嚇得溜之大吉了。樂隊領班責問那孩子說：「你為什麼不告訴我，你根本不會吹喇叭？」那孩子卻回答說：「我以前又沒有試過，怎麼知道會不會吹呢！」
許多年前，我的作法和那孩子差不了多少。而現在我當了祖父，頭上的白髮也長了好多，也懂了不少一般人所說的「人情世故」。雖然我在年紀上已經不能保持年輕了，但是我願我仍能保持年輕人的氣概，永不懼怕失敗，並足以在行列中邁步前進，找機會貢獻自己。
Take a Chance
“In the lexicon of youth…there is no such word as fail!”-EDWARD BULWER-LYTTON
I wonder how many times these sturdy old words have been used in graduation speeches each year. They take me back to my own high school days, when I had my first pair of white flannel trousers and the world ahead held no heartbreak or fear.
Certainly we have all had this confidence at one time in our lives, though most of us lose it as we grow older. Perhaps,because of my work, I’ve been lucky enough to retain a shred of this youthful quality. But sometimes, as I look back on how though things were, I wonder if I’d go through it again. I hope I would.
When I was about twenty-one, I went broke for the first time. I slept on chair cushions in my “studio” in Kansas City and ate cold beans out of a can. But I took another look at my dream and set out for Hollywood.
Foolish? Not to a youngster. An older person might have had too much “common sense” to do it. Sometimes I wonder if “commonsense” isn’t another way of saying “fear.” And “fear” too often spells failure.
In the lexicon of youth there is no such word as “fail.” Remember the story about the boy who wanted to march in the circus parade? When the show came to town, the bandmaster needed a trombonist,so the boy signed up. He hadn’t marched a block before the fearful noises from his horn caused two old ladies to faint and a horse to run away. The bandmaster demanded, “Why didn’t you tell me you couldn’t play the trombone?” And the boy said, “How did I know? I never tried before!”
Many years ago, I might have done just what that boy did. Now I’m a grandfather and have a good many gray hairs and what a lot of people would call common sense. But if I’m no longer young in age, I hope I stay young enough in spirit never to fear failure-young enough still to take a chance and march in the parade.
BY WALT DISNEY
MOTION PICTURE PRODUCER
