關(guān)于如何不斷提高的自己不斷激勵自己前行，有一段流傳很久的故事，現(xiàn)摘錄如下并做簡單翻譯：

英文來源：斯坦福大學(xué)網(wǎng)站

https://bookhaven.stanford.edu/2021/09/martha-graham-no-artist-is-ever-pleased/

中文翻譯由釋迦果翻譯完成

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The legendary Martha Graham’s memorable advice to the young dancer and choreographer Agnes de Mille comes to us courtesy of the poet Katherine Levy. Since what would have been Ms. de Mille’s 116th birthday is tomorrow, let this mark the moment with her words:

詩人凱瑟琳·利維（Katherine Levy）向我們介紹了傳奇人物瑪莎·格蕾姆（Martha Graham）對年輕舞蹈家和編舞家艾格尼·米勒（Agnes de Mille）的建議，很是難忘。既然明天是米勒女士（Ms. de Mille）的116歲生日，那么用她的話來紀(jì)念這一刻吧：

The greatest thing she ever said to me was in 1943 after the opening of Oklahoma! when I suddenly had unexpected, flamboyant success for a work I thought was only fairly good, after years of neglect for work I thought was fine. I was bewildered and worried that my entire scale of values was untrustworthy. I talked to Martha. I remember the conversation well. It was in a Schrafft’s restaurant over a soda. I confessed that I had a burning desire to be excellent, but no faith that I could be.

那是在1943年俄克拉何馬州的活動開幕后，在她給我說過的話里，那是最偉大的內(nèi)容！當(dāng)我突然意外地發(fā)現(xiàn)一項工作取得了輝煌成功時，而我本以為只是稀松平常，把它忽視了多年，一直覺得只是剛好。我很困惑，擔(dān)心自己的整個價值觀都不可信。我和瑪莎（Martha）談過了。我清晰記得那次談話。那是在施拉夫特的一家餐館里，喝著蘇打水。我承認(rèn)，我極其渴望成為優(yōu)秀，但不相信自己可以。

Martha said to me, very quietly: “There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ?As for you, Agnes, you have so far used about one-third of your talent.”

瑪莎（Martha）非常平靜地對我說：“有一種活力，一種生命力，一種能量，一種加速通過你轉(zhuǎn)化為動能，因為在所有的時間里只有你一個人，這種表達(dá)是獨一無二的。如果你阻止它，它將永遠(yuǎn)不會通過任何其他介質(zhì)存在，它將消失。世界不會擁有它。你不應(yīng)該決定它有多好，它有多少價值，或者它與其他表達(dá)怎么比較。你的職責(zé)是讓它清晰、直接屬于你，保持渠道暢通。你甚至不必相信自己或你的工作。你必須保持開放，并意識到那些激勵你的強(qiáng)烈愿望。保持通道暢通。至于你，艾格尼（Agnes），到目前為止，你已經(jīng)使用了大約三分之一的天賦?！?/span>

“But,” I said, “when I see my work I take for granted what other people value in it. I see only its ineptitude, inorganic flaws, and crudities. I am not pleased or satisfied.”

“但是，”我說，“當(dāng)看到我的作品時，我認(rèn)為別人對它應(yīng)當(dāng)重視，這是理所當(dāng)然的。可我只看到了笨拙、無生命的缺陷以及粗糙。我不高興也不滿足?！?/span>

“No artist is pleased.”

“沒有藝術(shù)家感到高興?！?/span>

“But then there is no satisfaction?”

“那就都沒有滿足感了？”

“No satisfaction whatever at any time,” she cried out passionately. “There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive than the others.”

“任何時候都不滿足，”她激動地喊道。“只有一種奇怪且絕妙的不滿足感，一種神圣的躁動，促使我們繼續(xù)前進(jìn)，使我們比其他人更有活力。”