Years ago, acritical event occurred in my life that would change it forever. I met Kurt Kampmeir of Success Motivation Incorporation for breakfast. While we were1 , Kurt asked me, " John, what is your 2for personal growth?"

     Never at a loss for words, I tried to find things in my life that might3 for growth. I told him about the many activities in which I was4 . And I went into a 5about how hard I worked and the gains I was making. I must have talked for ten minutes. Kurt  6patiently, but then he 7 smiled and said, “You don't have a personal plan for growth, do you?”

    “No, I8.

   “You know,” Kurt said simply, “growth is not a(n)9 process.”

     And that's when it10me. I wasn't doing anything11 to make myself better. And at that moment, I made the 12 : I will develop and follow a personal growth plan for my 13.

    That night, I talked to my wife about my 14 with Kurt and what I had learned. I15her the workbook and tapes Kurt was selling. We16 that Kurt wasn't just trying to make a sale. He was offering a 17 for us to change our lives and achieve our dreams.

     Several important things happened that day. First, we decided to18 the resources. But more importantly, we made a commitment to19 together as a couple. From that day on, we learned together, traveled together, and sacrificed together. It was a  20 decision. While too many couples grow apart, we were growing together.

    The Depression was still going on, but I was in good spirits. I was going to graduate from elementary school, yet my mother 1dressed me in shorts. Most of my classmates had given up 2 shorts. For the graduation ceremony, all the boys were 3 to dress the same way-white shirts and dark-blue wool pants.

   I waited until a week before I told my mother. I 4 I'd better break the news to her as gently as I could.

    "Mom," I said, "about 5……"

    "Yes?" she answered.

    "They're going to give me the first –prize medal," I said.

    She looked 6 her shoulder at me and smiled. "That's wonderful, Babe. Dad and I will both be there, and we'll be the 7parents in the place."

    She must have seen by the look on my face that 8 was wrong. She turned her back and said, "So?"

    "So, I have to get 9 pants," I said.

    "Babe, we don't have the 10 for new pants right now," she said very quietly, "You know that."

    "Ok," I burst out. "Then I won't go to graduation. Plus, I'm 11 away from home!" 

    The following Saturday, when my mother said, "Let's go shopping," I knew she had 12 the problem. We walked a short way and stopped at a place I had never 13 before. My mother said, " 14 here," She entered a storefront that looked like a 15. She came out about ten minutes later, and we went to the pants store. I was holding the new pants 16 under my arm when my mother went to pay for it. I saw her 17 a tiny brown envelope from her purse. There were four 18 new one-dollar bills inside.

    About halfway home, I  19 down at my mother's hands. It was then that I saw the wedding ring that had always circled her ring finger was 20 there.

    With his leg lame and his teeth uneven, the boy thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world. He 1 played with his classmates, and when asked to answer questions, he always2his head without a word.

    One spring, his father brought home some saplings (树苗). 3 of his children would plant a sapling and he promised, “Whoever4his sapling best shall get a gift.” The boy certainly wanted to get the gift. 5 seeing his brothers and sisters watering the trees, he 6 an idea: he hoped the tree he planted would die soon. So watering it once or twice, he never 7 it.

    Several days later, he was 8 to find it not only didn't die, but also grew so many fresh 9. Compared with those of his brothers and sisters, his appeared greener. His father kept his 10, bought the boy a gift and said he would become an outstanding 11 after growing up.

    From then on, the boy slowly became 12 and confident. One evening, he suddenly 13 his biology teacher once said that plants   14grow at night. Why not go to see the tree? 

    When he came to the courtyard, he found his father working near the tree! Instantly he 15: Father had been secretly 16 his tree! He returned to his room, tears 17 in his eyes.

    Decades passed. The boy didn't become a botanist. 18, he became the U.S. President. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.

   19 is the best nourishment (滋养品) of life. 20 it is just a bucket of water, it can make the tree of life grow well!

    At the age of 53, Dr. Holden, a college president, decided to escape from university life for some time. “After being the president for too long,” he later explained, “you begin to 1 yourself and assume you have the power that you don't.” He especially wanted to learn about people who do 2 work. “I wanted to relearn things I'd forgotten.”

    Dr. Holden started his leave on a farm, 3 thirteen hours a day. After that, he planted trees in Atlanta, washed dishes in a restaurant and during the last ten days 4 a garbage collector. This unusual leave was conducted 5. Holden only telephoned his family once a week, informing them that he was healthy.

    He did have trouble seeking 6, though. He had been on the job washing dishes at the restaurant exactly one hour7 the boss came over and said, “I'm afraid you won't do. It's not your work. Sorry”. Then he 8 him two dollars. That was the first time in more than thirty years as a job 9 that Holden had heard such words. It helped him understand how a man of his age might feel when he suddenly 10 he had lost his job.

    Holden had some things to say. “A lot of my co-workers would complain when the work was too heavy,” he said, “but they'd complain 11 when there was nothing to do.” He found pride and satisfaction came 12 in the form of praise from co-workers. While pay 13, what brought the greatest satisfaction was knowing that your effort had been noticed.

    Dr. Holden returned to his post after two months of working with his hands, 14 that every young person should be required to spend at least half a year in the world of 15 before starting university studies.

    A little boy was visiting his grandparents on their farm. He was given a slingshot (弹弓) to play with out in the woods. He 1 in the woods, but he could never hit anything. Getting a little2, he headed back for dinner. As he was 3 back he saw Grandma's pet 4. Just out of impulse (冲动), he let the slingshot 5, hit the duck right in the head and killed it. He was shocked and 6.

    In a panic, he hid the7duck in the wood pile, only to see his sister watching! Sally had seen it all, but she said 8.After lunch the next day Grandma said, "Sally, let's wash the 9." But Sally said, "Grandma, Johnny told me he10to help in the kitchen." Then she11to him, "Remember the duck?" So Johnny washed the dishes. Later that day, Grandpa asked if the children wanted to go fishing. Before they left, Grandma said, "I'm sorry but I12Sally to help me make supper," Sally just smiled and said, "Well, you needn't worry about it13Johnny told me he wanted to help." She whispered again, "Remember the duck?" So Sally went 14 and Johnny stayed to help. After several days of doing both his15and Sally's, he finally couldn't 16 it any longer. He came to Grandma and admitted that he had 17 the duck.

    Grandma squatted down(蹲下), gave him a 18 , and said, "Sweetheart, I know. You see, I was standing at the window and I saw the 19 thing, but because I love you. I forgave you. I was just wondering how long you would let Sally make a 20 of you. If you make a mistake, just be brave to admit to it and promise not to make it again. In that way, everyone will forgive you."

    There was a businessman who was deep in debt and could see no way out.

    He sat on the park bench, head in hands,1if anything could save his company from bankruptcy.

    Suddenly an old man appeared before him. “I can see that something is2you.” he said.

    After listening to the executive, the old man said: “I believe I can help you.”

    He asked the man his name, wrote out a3, and pushed it into his hand saying: “Take this money. Meet me here exactly one year from today, and you can pay me back at that time.”

    Then he turned and disappeared as4as he had come.

    The businessman saw in his hand a check for $500,000,5by John D. Rockefeller, then one of the richest men in the world!

    “I can6my money worries in an instant!” he realized. But7, he decided to put the uncashed check in his safe. Just knowing it was there might give him the8to work out a way to save his business, he thought.

    With renewed9, he negotiated better deals. Within a few months, he was out of debt and making money once again.

    Exactly one year later, he returned to the10with the uncashed check. At the11time, the old man appeared. But just as the executive was about to12the check and share his success story, a13came running up and grabbed the old man.

    “I'm so delighted I14him!” she cried. “I hope he hasn't been bothering you. He's15escaping from the rest home and telling people he's John D. Rockefeller.”

    And she led the old man away16the arm.

    The businessman just stood there,17.All year long he'd been buying and selling.18he had half a million dollars behind him.

    Suddenly, he realized that it wasn't the money, real or19, that had turned his life around. It was his20self-confidence that gave him the power to achieve anything he went after.