All your previous efforts have been in vain
(前功盡棄).
During the Spring and Autumn Period in
China, there was a famous archer in the Chu Kingdom.
His name is Yang Youji, and there is a
story about him recorded in the history books.
One day, as he was walking down the street,
some people in the capital recognised him and asked him to demonstrate his
archery skills.
He was in a good mood that day, so he
agreed to the people's request and demonstrated his superb archery skills in
front of all the people.
He stood about 100 metres from a willow
tree. Under the willow tree, a commoner randomly picked a willow leaf as a
target.
He raised his bow and took out the arrow,
then he aimed carefully and shot the arrow in his hand.
The arrow hit the leaf that the people had
chosen at random.
The crowd erupted in cheers and he laughed
heartily.
The crowd cheered loudly and asked him to
continue, and he happily shot several more arrows.
These arrows all hit the willow leaves that
the people had chosen at random.
At that moment, he suddenly heard someone
among the onlookers say something.
said the man.
Yang Youji's archery skills are great, but
I think I can teach him some archery skills that will be more useful to him.
After hearing this, he turned to look at
the middle-aged man who said this.
He said to the middle-aged man.
You said you could teach me some archery
techniques that would be useful to me?
I'll lend you my bow and arrows. Can you
show us the archery technique you want to teach me right now?
The man replied with a smile.
What I want to teach you is not the
technique of how to shoot an arrow better, what I want to teach you is your
mentality when you shoot.
I've been standing here watching for a long
time.
You have been shooting arrows non-stop
since just now. You are overwhelmed with pride, so I have noticed that your
breathing has begun to become unstable.
I think if you shoot a few more arrows,
you'll make mistakes.
When those people who are watching go back
home, they will not remember in their minds the many times you successfully
shot the leaves of the willow tree. They will only remember your failure.
If that happens, all your previous
successes will be in vain.
If that happens, I think it will do a lot
of damage to your reputation as an archer.
After hearing these words, Yang Youji was
silent for a few minutes.
He said to the strange middle-aged man
Thank you for reminding me. I really need
to think about my pride and arrogance.
This idiom means that all your previous
successes have been in vain.
This idiom is used to describe a person who
has made a mistake and all his previous efforts have been in vain.
Dear friend, what inspirations or thoughts
do you have after listening to this story?
Have you ever experienced arrogance because
of pride? Have you ever experienced that all your previous efforts were in vain
because you made a mistake?
I hope this story can give you some new
insights.
前功盡棄(All your previous efforts have been in
vain).
中國的春秋時代，楚王國有一個著名的神射手。
他的名字叫做養由基，歷史書上記載了一個他的故事。
有一天他走在路上，有一些首都中的百姓認出他來，這些百姓要求他表演射箭的技巧。
他那一天的心情很好，所以他答應了這些百姓的請求，他當著所有百姓的面表演他高超的射箭技術。
他站在距離一棵柳樹大約100公尺遠的地方，柳樹下有一個百姓隨機的指定了一片柳樹的葉子當作目標。
他舉起弓拿出箭然後仔細的瞄準，接著他把手中的箭射出。
這支箭射中了百姓所隨機指定的那片樹葉。
現場的百姓爆出巨大的喝采聲，他也開心地大笑。
現場的百姓大聲喝采並且要求他繼續表演，他也開心地又射了好幾箭。
這幾箭也都準確的射中百姓們所隨機指定的柳葉。
正當這個時候，他突然聽到圍觀的群眾中有一個人說了一句話。
這個人說。
養由基的射箭技術真棒，但是我認為我可以教他一些對他更有用的射箭技術。
他聽到這句話後，他轉頭看著說這句話的那個中年人。
他對那個中年人說。
你說你可以教我一些對我有用射箭的技巧嗎?
我的弓與箭借你，你可以立刻為我們表演一下你想教我的射箭技術嗎?
那個人笑著回答他。
我要教你的不是如何把箭射得更好的技術，我要教你的是你在射箭時候的心態。
我已經站在這邊看很久了。
你從剛才開始就一直連續不斷地射箭，你被驕傲沖昏頭，所以我發覺你的呼吸已經開始變得不穩定。
我認為你再繼續射幾箭後，你就會發生失誤。
這些圍觀的這些百姓們回到家後，他們的腦海中不會記得你之前多次成功的射中柳樹的樹葉，這些圍觀的百姓們的腦海中只會記得你的那次失敗。
如果發生這種情形，那麼你前面所有的成功都白費了。
如果發生這種情形，對於你的神射手的名譽我認為會有很大的損傷。
養由基聽完這些話後，他沉默了幾分鐘。
他對這個陌生的中年男子說。
謝謝你的提醒，我的確要反省自己的驕傲與自大。
這句成語的意思是你之前的所有成功都白費了。
這句成語被用來形容一個人因為犯了一個錯誤所以導致這個人之前的努力全部都白費了
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你是否曾經因為驕傲而導致自大的經驗呢?你是否曾經因為犯了一個錯誤而導致自己過往的努力都白費的經驗呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為戰國策-西周策-蘇厲謂周君