• Author: Unknown
• Editor:
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume V
• Page Number:
• Date: 4 10 1918
• Tags:
• advice

THE WILL TO KEEP MOVING

Not long ago a prominent social worker addressed the inmates of a penal institution in another state, giving his experience with a considerable number of men who had run counter to the law, saying that there were altogether too many persons who had an idea that ‘‘after they had committed an offence of some kind, all they had to do was to holler for someone else to come and get them out of their difficulty.” How they came to imbibe such a notion seemed a puzzle to the speaker. Then he started in to illustrate the necessity of self-control and personal effort as the essential factors necessary for any well planned accomplishment.

“Take notice,” said he, your own efforts will ever advance you per- manently in any sphere. A man is never taken from the ranks and placed in a position of importance and power by sheer force.” You have got to make the effort yourself if you succeed in handling any place of importance before others will begin to take notice of you.

Initiative, as you know, is not confined to age, creed, class or calling; every one who uses the inherent instinet within him, aided by genuine sincerity of purpose, and is willing to apply himself, can make a showing that is bound to attract the attention of some one higher up the scale, and when this comes about, you will begin to get the attention you merit. But note that you have got to make the start yourself.

There is no set rule whereby a man can travel the royal road to victory, and there is no need of comparison in the ways of advancement. Just how leng you should keep everlastingly at it is a matter no one can advise, but you must develop the very best that is in you in order to expect satisfactory results from your work. A famous general was once asked how long a soldier’s legs should be in order to get over the ground well?. His reply was, ‘‘Length of leg is not as important as the will to keep moving.” And so it must be with our efforts to reach nothing save an objective point. We must have the will to keep going until we reach the goal of our desire.