Because I Was Told I Can

因为有人告诉我可以

about six months ago, I joined a gym.

大约六个月前，我在一家健身房报名。

Every morning, there is one personal trainer（私人教练） there who works out at the same time that my little group does our workout.

每天早上，在我们小组训练的时候，一位私教在做着他自己的训练。

He does his "routine" with such a quiet determination that he makes it all look very easy, although I know all too well how hard he is working.

他充满决心和毅力地进行日常训练，仿佛一切都很轻松的样子，然而我深刻地知道他做的训练是多么辛苦。

Whenever I tend to complain and quit, I watch him push himself to his own limits, and I find myself motivated to work as hard and without complaint.

每当我快要抱怨、放弃的时候，我总是会看着他一次次地突破自己的极限。于是我总是能重新找到努力训练、不再满腹怨言的动力。

A couple of weeks ago, I was watching him do chin-ups（引体向上）. He made them look effortless. I broke away from my group and asked him if I could try a chin-up.

几周前，我看着他毫不费力地做着引体向上，于是离开队伍，跑过去问他，我是否可以尝试一下引体向上。

I had never tried before, but he just made it look so easy. He eagerly stepped aside and encouraged me to step up to the bar.

我从没做过引体向上，但教练做起来非常轻松的样子。他热情地走到一边，让我站上去试试。

I pulled myself up without thinking… once… then twice. That was all I had in me. I had no strength left.

我想都没想便做了起来，一个，两个。我只能做这么多了，我再也没有力气了。

I told him that was all I had, so he stepped up behind me and pushed me up for a third and fourth "pull." It felt so good.

我告诉教练我只能只做这么多了，于是他走到我身后，推着我做了第三个、第四个。做完之后，我感觉真的很棒！

The next day when I was done with my workout, I asked him to spot me again. Again, I did two. Again on day three and so on.

第二天，我做完自己的训练之后，让他再看看我做引体向上。我还是只做了两个，第三天、第四天仍是如此。

I thought it was pitiful that I could only do two, but when I came to the gym at the end of the week, he was standing there just shaking his head.

我很不满意自己只能做两个引体向上，但周末当我去到健身房时，偶然看到教练站在那儿摇着头。

When I asked him what was up, he said he was impressed with my chin-ups.

我问他发生什么事了吗，他却说他被我做的引体向上震惊了。

He told me that when they are training firefighters, the men are required to do five chin-ups, and women are required to do one or two.

他告诉我，消防员的训练要求男性做五个引体向上，女性则需要做一个或两个。

He explained that most people can't do them at all, and that he was amazed that I could.

他解释道其实很多人根本一个也做不了，他很惊讶我竟然可以做到。

He further told me that if I practised every day, I would be doing five or six in no time.

他还告诉我如果我坚持每天训练，很快能完成五个或六个引体向上。

At this point I should probably add that I am 50 years old… and female.

到了这个时候，我或许应该告诉你，我是个已经五十岁的女人了。

Had he told me at the very beginning how difficult it was, I more than likely would not have tried at all.

假如教练一开始就跟我说引体向上是这么困难，我很可能完全不会尝试。

Or I might have tried, but given it only half an effort, because failure would have been the expectation.

或者即使我尝试了，也只会用上一半的力气，毕竟失败是预料之中的。

I applaud him for letting me believe that for me, it was not only a possibility, but that success was a realistic expectation.

我称赞教练让我相信，对我来说，成功不仅仅是一个可能性，而是一个可以达成的期待。