Once upon a time a tortoise and a hare had an argument about who was faster. They decided to settle the argument with race. They agreed on a route and started off the race. The hare shot ahead and ran briskly for some time. Then seeing that he was far ahead of the tortoise , he thought he’d sit under a tree for some time and relax before continuing the race. He sat under the tree for some time and soon fell asleep. The tortoise plodding on overtook him and soon finished the race, emerging as the undisputed champ. The hare woke up and realized that he’d lost the race.

The moral: slow and steady wins the race. This is the version of the story that we’ve all grown up with.

The story doesn’t end here. There are few more interesting things. It continues as follows.

The hare was disappointed at losing the race and he did some soul-searching. He realized that he’d lost the race only because he had been overconfident, careless and lax. If he had not taken things for granted, there is the no way the tortoise could win beaten him. So he challenged the tortoise to another race. The tortoise agreed. This time, the hare went all out and ran without stopping from start to finish. He won by several miles.

The moral: East and consistent will always beat the slow and steady. It’s good to be slow and steady; but it’s better to be fast and reliable.

The story doesn’t end here.

The tortoise did some thinking this time, and realized that there’s no way he could beat the hare in a race the way it was currently formatted. He thought for a while, and then challenged the hare to another race, but on a slightly different route. The hare agreed. They started off. In keeping with his self-made commitment to be consistently fast, the hare took off and ran at top speed until he came to a broad river. The finishing line was a couple of miles on the other side of the river. The hare sat there wondering what o does. In the meantime the tortoise trundle along, got into the river, swam to the opposite bank, continued walking and finished the race.

The moral: First identify your core competency and then change the playing field to suit your core competency.

The story still hasn’t ended.

The hare and the tortoise, by this time, had because pretty good friends and they did some thinking together. Both realized that the last race could have been run much better. So they decided to do the last race again, but to run as a team this time. They started off, and this time the hare carried the tortoise till the riverbank. There, the tortoise took over and swam across with the hare on his back. On the opposite bank, the hare again carried the tortoise and they reached the finishing line together. They both felt a greater sense of satisfaction than they’d felt earlier.

The moral: It’s good to be individually brilliant and to have strong core competencies; but unless you’re able to have strong core competencies, you’ll always perform below par because there will always be situation at which you’ll do poorly and someone else does well.

Note that neither the hare nor the tortoise gave up after failures. The hare decided to work harder and put in more effort after his failure. The tortoise changed his strategy because he was already working as hard as he could.

In life, when faced with failure. Sometimes it is appropriate to work harder and put in more effort. Sometimes it is appropriate to change strategy and try something different. And sometimes it is appropriate to do both. The hare and the tortoise also learnt another vital lesson. When we stop competing against a rival and instead start competing against the situation, we can do it far better.

To sum up, the story of the hare and tortoise has much to say: chief among them are fast slow and steady; wok to your competencies; pooling resources and working as a team will always beat individual performers; never give up when faced with failure; and finally, compete against the situation—not against a rival.      

想一想

Today we have higher buildings and wider high-ways, but shorter temperaments and narrower points of view.当今，我们的大楼越建越高，我们的道路越修越宽，但是我们的性情却越来越暴躁，我们的视野也越来越狭窄。

We spend more but enjoy less.我们花钱多了，而得到的快乐却少了。

We have bigger houses but smaller families.我们的房子越来越大了，可家庭却越来越少了。

We have more knowledge but less judgment.我们的知识越来越多了，可我们的判断力却越来越少了。

We have more medicine but less health.我们的药越来越多了，可健康却越来越少了。

We have multiplied our possessions but reduced our values.我们的财富成倍增加了，可我们的价值观却降低了。

We talk much, we love only a little, and we hate too much.我么说的多，爱的少，恨的太多。

We reached the Moon and came back, but we find it troublesome to cross our street and meet our neighbor.我们登上了月球又返回了地球，可是我们去街对面看看邻居却感到困难。

We have conquered the outer space, but not our inner space.我们征服了太空，但却征服不了自己的内心世界。

We have higher income, but less morals.我们的收入高了，可我们的道德低了。

These are times with more liberty, but less joy.这是人们拥有更多自由的时代，但人们拥有的快乐却少了。

We have more food, but less nutrition.我们的食品多了，可我们的营养却少了。

These are the days in which it takes two salaries for each home, but divorces increase.这些年来，每户人家都有双份工资，可是离婚却越来越多了。

These are the times of finer houses but more broken homes.这就是这个年代房子越住越好了，可是破碎的家却越来越多了。

That’s why I propose that as of today:所以我提议，从今天开始：

You do not keep anything for a special occasion, because every day that you live is a special occasion.你不要为今后某个重要场合留着什么，因为你现在活着的每一天都是重要时光。

Search for knowledge, read more, sit on your front porch and admire the view without paying attention to your needs.探索知识，读更多的书，坐在房门前走廊上，欣赏眼前的景色，不要去管你的需求。

Spend more time with your family and friends, eat your favorite foods, and visit the places you love. 多跟爱人和朋友在一起，吃你喜欢吃的东西，去你喜欢去的地方游览。

Life is a chain of moments of enjoyment, not only about survival.生活是一连串享受快乐的时刻，不是仅仅为了生活。

Use your crystal goblets. Do not save your best perfume and use it every time you feel you want it.使用你的水晶酒杯饮酒。不要舍不得用最好的香水，每当想用时，就用。

Remove from your vocabulary phrases like “one of these days” and “someday”.讲话中甭提“最近某一天”、“将来某一天”。

Let’s tell our families and friends how much we love them.让我们告诉家人和朋友我们是多么的爱他们。

Do not delay anything that adds laughter and joy to your life.不要耽误能够给你的生活带来笑声和欢乐的任何事情。

Every day, every hour, and every minute is special.每天、每时、每刻都市特别重要的。

And you don’t know it will be your last.而且你不知道那可能会成为你的最后时刻。

Cherish what you have and be happy every day.珍惜你现有的东西，快乐度过每一天。