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The Man Who Achieved Everything He Could
Once upon a time, there lived a man who wanted to achieve everything he was capable of achieving.He was obsessed with this desire-he ate, slept, and walked with one and only dream:to die, having accomplished every single thing he was able to accomplish.
There were so many things he could do.He felt like the whole world could be his, 1 he set his mind to it.
He knew that his 2 had no limits.He knew that he could accumulate 3 that would dwarf(使相形见绌)that of ancient kings; he knew that he could 4 books that would shake the minds of generations; he knew that he could 5 things that would forever change the lives of millions of people.He lived, constantly feeling the power within-and that power knew no bounds.
There was only one problem:having such a potential, but only one 6 , he had to make a choice.He had to decide where to 7 all of his ability.Making that decision was extremely hard, for any 8 meant cutting off some future achievements.In the meantime, he went to school, graduated, found a job, married, and 9 children.And he spent every minute of his spare time trying to decide 10 he should bring his potential into full play.
Time went by, and he grew 11 .Some roads he used to dream about became closed to him.But there was still so much he could accomplish.
One day, a sudden chest pain made him come home early.He dragged his feet to the bathroom.There, feeling 12 , he looked in the mirror.A worn-out, gray-haired man stared back at him.He looked 13 into these eyes and, all of a sudden, 14 one simple truth.The next moment, the pain came again, and his heart stopped 15 forever.
The truth that came upon him was rather simple:People only flatter themselves(自以为是,自鸣得意)by thinking that they could have 16 this or that if not for such-and-such circumstances.Yet this is nothing but 17 .You simply lack something that is 18 for achieving that goal you've never reached-a talent, a skill, willpower, 19 something else.In fact, 20 you don't achieve is something you're not capable of achieving.