I do not choose to be a common person.
It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.
I seek opportunity—not security.
I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.
I want to take the calculated risk, to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.
I refuse to barter incentive for a dole; I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of Utopia.
I will not trade my freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout.
I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.
It is my heritage to stand erect, proud, and unafraid; to think and act for myself; to enjoy the benefit of my creations; and to face the world boldly and say:‘This, with God’s help, I have done.’
All this is what it means to be an entrepreneur.
我是不会选择去做一个普通人的,如果能够做到的话,我有权成为一位不寻常的人。我寻找机会,但我不寻找安稳,我不希望在国家的照顾下成为一名有保障的市民,那将被人瞧不起而使我痛苦不堪。
我要做有意义的冒险,我要梦想,我要创造,我要失败,我也要成功!我拒绝用刺激来换取施舍,我宁愿向生活挑战,而不愿过着有保证的生活,宁愿要达到目的的激动而不要乌托邦或毫无生气的平静。
我不会拿我的自由去与慈善作交易,也不会拿我的尊严去与发给乞丐的食物作交易,我决不会在任何一位大师面前发抖,也不会为任何恐吓所屈服。
我的天性是挺胸向前骄傲而无所畏惧,我勇敢地面对这个世界,自豪地说:在上帝的帮助下,我已经做到了。
所有这些就是作为企业家的意义。