Why People Don't Amount to Anything
Why People Don't Make the Most of Themselves? The great good is not in the prize but in the struggle after it.
WHY don't more men and women "make the most of themselves ?” Because there is too much work in it; they do not take to work naturally. Human nature is easygoing and does not buckle down to hard work except under the stress of circumstances. Most people are content with the commonplace. Perhaps many could be nothing else if they should try, but some could, and all could reach a higher type of the commonplace.
"If any would not work, neither should he eat ” — this is the law, divine, necessary, inexorable! Work or starve! But for this, the human race would present a spectacle of indolence baffling description. A man would rather work than die of hunger, and so he works. For this reason God put the matter irrevocably clear and strong in His word — work or starve.
The average boy does not love to bring in wood, even for his mother; but he does it rather than be punished. The average girl does not wash the dishes or darn her stockings because she delights in this needful service, but it is the least of two evils with her — do it, or suffer the consequences. The average pupil does: not love to study; he does it because both parental commands and civil law compel him to do it. Indeed, there are many families in which the parental mandate would not exist but for the compulsory statute. Hence, compulsory education has become a law of the land. It is the only way to build up a prosperous and enduring republic. Experience with human laziness has driven thinkers and legislators to this method of dealing with it.
There are exceptions, of course, but they are few. They are the hard workers, who never clamor for eight hours a day, nor depend upon their wits to make their way in the world. They are men and women who, like Walter Raleigh, "can toil terribly." They believe with William Von Humboldt that "work is as much of a necessity to a man as eating and sleeping.” They follow the example of Webster, who said, "I have worked for more than twelve hours a day for fifty years, on average.” They accept the testimony of Walter Scott, "There is nothing worth having that can be had without work.”
The men referred to, and others like Franklin, Henry, Jackson, Lincoln, Garfield, and Grant, possessed genius; but they were prodigious workers. They believed that even genius cannot achieve without constant labor. The old Latin maxim is true — "Labor omnia vincit"— labor (not genius,) conquers all things.
Genius cannot make a way to the goal, but labor can.
Learn to Love Work
The faculty for work is acquired; and here is hope fez our indolent race. They who love éase more than > can establish the habit of work even for its own sake. With willpower enough to enforce the purpose to do the best possible, the love of ease is conquered. A machinist of sixty-two years, still at his daily task, says: — ‘‘I never should have learned my trade if poverty had not driven me to it at fifteen, but the habit of work has been so strong for many years that I have labored from choice, and would not feel at ease if obliged to quit.”
Now his work is not a means to an end, but it is an end in itself. With work, his health is better; he enjoys life more. Just here is an important factor in doing one’s best; the highest success is achieved where the labor is not performed merely as a means to an end, Educators make use of this factor; they offer a gold medal or the prize of a scholarship for the best record. It is done to secure the mental discipline that the labor assures; this is far more valuable than the prize.
The great good is not in the prize, but in the struggle after it. Even if the prize is not won, the object is secured in the effort expended. It is far better to strive for a high mark and miss it, than not to strive at all, because of the discipline of work.
Ideas govern. Garfield, sweeping the schoolroom, ringing the bell, doing odd jobs for a scanty subsistence, and wearing poor clothes because he could not wear good ones and have an education, has inspired more American youths to do noble deeds than Garfield the teacher, scholar, and statesman. There is that in stalwart self-denial for a worthy purpose — sacrificing one’s wardrobe and larder for the sake of higher attainments, — which appeals to the best there is in man. There are successful occupants of pulpits, and other positions of trust and honor, who are there because they were inspired to greater endeavors by reading the lives of men who made the most they could of themselves; and they are the uncrowned Kings and Queens of our day, sharing the freedom of the world.
Why They Don't Amount to Anything
A multitude of young men never ‘‘ get there.” At forty they have about the same sort and degree of intelligence and manhood which they had at twenty. They have made no progress socially, intellectually, or morally.. Ambition never fired their hearts to do better and accomplish more. Content to be ‘‘ hewers of wood and drawers of water,” they labor on with the same old-fashioned edge and dip the same oaken bucket. Invention, progress, and achievement have no lure for them. Dead men have just as much interest in making the world better as they have. Some of them may be graduates of Yale or Harvard, running cattle ranches or herding sheep. Their lives are conspicuous failures. They bring nothing to pass and leave the world no better than they found it, and this is a sin. For the want of inspiration to higher aims and better work, they live and die mere hangers-on in the world’s population, confirming the truth of Montaigne’s remark, ‘‘Men are nothing until they are inspired.”
An idea may decide the history of a household; a fact proves it. A book was read in a family of five boys, from ten to nineteen years of age. The book contained a chapter on the benefits of a debating society.
"Let us organize one,” said the eldest brother, who was learning the trade of a wheelwright; and this was done by rallying the youth of the neighborhood.
Mark the result. The father of the family was a mechanic, and up to the time this new idea entered it, there was no thought of mercantile or professional careers for any one of the sons. But the eldest left his trade for the ministry; the next two became successful and honored merchants; the fourth was educated in one of our Normal schools as a teacher, and today is one of the most popular school superintendents in Massachusetts; while the fifth went to college, looking forward to one of the learned professions, but peculiar circumstances changed his purpose, and he is now one of the most prosperous, respected, and useful young merchants of Boston. This one idea entered the household and revolutionized it, as every member of the family will bear witness. What is equally remarkable, each son worked his own way up to his honorable position, the father not being able financially to assist them.
The faithful college student has won his diploma, but his gain is found in the habit of close application formed, his power to command his trained faculties, his higher thinking and settled purpose, and his large fitness for his life work. He loves mental work now for itself. In getting his diploma he is made a man. His curriculum has become disciplined, which is worth a thousand times more than his degree. The latter only tells what he has done; the former qualifies him to go out into the great world and become its benefactor.
The young man and woman must understand this — grasp the idea and push forward, defying poverty and difficulties, and making a way when none can be found.
