English Original
Abraham Lincoln, the 16th President of the United States, is often remembered for his leadership during the Civil War and his role in abolishing slavery. His path to the presidency, however, was marked by a series of profound failures and setbacks.
Before being elected president, Lincoln experienced numerous defeats:
- He lost his job in 1832.
- He was defeated in his run for the Illinois State Legislature the same year.
- He failed in business in 1833.
- His sweetheart died in 1835.
- He had a nervous breakdown in 1836.
- He was defeated in his run for Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives in 1838.
- He was defeated in his run for elector in 1840.
- He was defeated in his run for Congress in 1843.
- He was defeated again in his run for Congress in 1848.
- He was defeated in his run for the Senate in 1855.
- He was defeated in his run for Vice President in 1856.
- He was defeated again in his run for the Senate in 1858.
Despite this long and daunting list of failures, Lincoln never gave up. He famously said, "My great concern is not whether you have failed, but whether you are content with your failure." His resilience and unwavering determination eventually led him to the presidency in 1860, where he faced the nation's greatest crisis and preserved the Union.
Lincoln's story is a powerful testament to the idea that perseverance in the face of repeated failure is often the key to ultimate success.
中文翻译
亚伯拉罕·林肯，美国第16任总统，常因其在内战期间的领导作用和废除奴隶制的贡献而被铭记。然而，他的总统之路却布满了一系列重大的失败与挫折。
在当选总统之前，林肯经历了无数次失败：
- 1832年，他失去了工作。
- 同年，他竞选伊利诺伊州议会议员失败。
- 1833年，他经商失败。
- 1835年，他的恋人去世。
- 1836年，他精神崩溃。
- 1838年，他竞选伊利诺伊州众议院议长失败。
- 1840年，他竞选选举人失败。
- 1843年，他竞选国会议员失败。
- 1848年，他再次竞选国会议员失败。
- 1855年，他竞选参议员失败。
- 1856年，他竞选副总统失败。
- 1858年，他再次竞选参议员失败。
尽管面对这一长串令人气馁的失败清单，林肯从未放弃。他有一句名言："我最关心的不是你曾经失败过，而是你是否满足于自己的失败。" 他的坚韧不拔和毫不动摇的决心最终让他在1860年当选总统，并在任期内面对国家最大的危机，维护了联邦的统一。
林肯的故事有力地证明了一个道理：在屡次失败面前坚持不懈，往往是最终取得成功的关键。