The Whole Man to the Task
If you have to drive yourself to your task, if you have to drag yourself to your work every morning because of exhausted vitality, if you feel fagged or worn-out, if there is no elasticity in your step or movements, your work will partake of your weakness. Make it a rule to go to your work every morning fresh and vigorous. You can not afford to take hold of the task upon which your life's success rests with the tips of your fingers. You can not afford to bring only a fraction of yourself to your work. You want to go to it a whole man, fresh, strong, and vigorous, so that it will be spontaneous, not forced; buoyant, not heavy. You want to go to your work with creative energy, and originality,—possessed of a strong, powerful individuality. If you go to it with jaded faculties and a sense of lassitude, after a night's dissipation or loss of sleep, it will inevitably suffer. Everything you do will bear the impress of weakness, and there is no success or satisfaction in weakness. This is just where a great many people fail,—in not bringing all of themselves to their task. What would you think of trying to win the prizes in a number of athletic contests by entering half fed, tired out, exhausted from overwork, and without preparation? You would say, “There is no chance for me to win under such conditions.” How can you expect to win in your great life-contest, when you are in competition with giants, if your nerve-cells are exhausted, poisoned with nicotin and soaked in alcohol, or impaired by any kind of dissipation? A poorer horse with a better trainer will beat a better horse half-fed and half-cared for. One talent kept in prime condition will beat ten talents demoralized by vicious or careless living. If there is no iron in your blood, no reserve in your constitution, you will go down in the first battle.—Success.