• Author: Unknown
• Editor: B-7413
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume 6
• Page Number:
• Date: 11 7 1917
• Tags:
• advice

A FORMULA OF SUCCESS

“Enthusiasm is one of the qualities which make for success in any undertaking,’’ said a well-known business man the other day.

"It is not like water, that can be turned on a spigot; but rather it must be spontane- ous to be wild and effective. What gives us enthusiasm for our work? The recognition of the worth-whileness of the work we are to perform; and ‘‘the worth-whileness’’ of the work must wholly depend upon the amount of service that that work will render to our fellowman.” Contending that the true measure of success in life depended on a man's mental attitude toward his work, the speaker went on to say that he had evolved a formula which if followed would eventually lead anyone to the highest possible success of which an individual was capable. It was as follows:

“Constructive development of self plus persistent intelligent activity equals success.

“The development, first of the physical, keeping the body clean and wholesome, as the foundation upon which all the rest depends. The development of the intellectual side, of the spiritual side. The development of the humanitarian side, of the sympathy with —not for—the other fellow. Not the constructive development of these qualities from a few angles, but from the spherical, rounded development which makes the perfect rounded whole. An undertaking so great that no man has yet begun to attain it.

“Plus persisent activity—not consistent, for that is on the level; not insistent, because that is impertinence,but with that persistent upward, outward and onward force, with an intellectual integrity of purpose that sees clearly the vision to be attained and drives steadily for it, not allowing itself to be diverted into the blind alleys which lead nowhere.

“There is an old saying that ‘‘Keeping everlastingly at it brings results.” This is not true, for you can set a hen on china eggs and she will keep everlastingly at it without attaining the results. So the persistent effort must be intelligent effort. And when you have all of these, of what use are they unless you actively apply them? But if you have all of these and do actively apply them, you will attain the highest success of which you as an individual are capable, but that success must always be measured in terms of service rendered.’’