153.不要去填補(bǔ)前人留下的巨大空缺
不要去填補(bǔ)前人留下的巨大空缺。若你要做,你要確定可以超越你的前任??墒莾H僅與其平分秋色,就需雙倍的成就。讓接任者懷念我們,這招很妙;不讓前任的光彩將你掩蓋,這也是一種策略。填補(bǔ)大空缺很難,因為人們總是厚古薄今。只與前任不相上下是遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不夠的,前任有占先的優(yōu)勢。所以,你要有額外的資格,才能取前人盛名而代之。
153.Beware of entering where there is a great gap to be filled
Beware of entering where there is a great gap to be filled. But if you do be sure to surpass your predecessor; merely to equal him requires twice his worth. As it is a fine stroke to arrange that our successor shall cause us to be wished back, so it is policy to see that our predecessor does not eclipse us. To fill a great gap is difficult, for the past always seems best, and to equal the predecessor is not enough, since he has the right of first possession. You must therefore possess additional claims to oust the other from his hold on public opinion.