Lesson Thirteen - Cooperation (Part)

[Excerpt: "Law of Success"]

...Lack of action has caused them to slip backward until they got into a "rut", where they will remain unless, through accident, they are forced out into the open road of struggle where unusual action will become necessary.

Don't let yourself get into such a condition.

Every office, and every shop, and every bank, and every store, and every other place of employment has its outstanding victims of procrastination who are doing the goose-step down the dusty road of failure because they have not developed the habit of expressing themselves in action.

You can pick out these fortunates all about you if you will begin to analyze those with whom you come in contact each day. If you will talk to them you will observe that they have built up a false philosophy somewhat of this nature:

"I am doing all I am paid to do, and I am getting by."

Yes they are "getting by" - but that is all they are getting.

Some years ago, at a time when labor was scarce and wages unusually high, I observed scores of able-bodied men lying about in the parks of Chicago, doing nothing. I became curious to know what sort of an alibi they would offer for their conduct, so I went out one afternoon and interviewed seven of them.

With the aid of a generous supply of cigars and cigarettes and a little loose change I bought myself into the confidence of those whom I interviewed and thereby gained a rather intimate view of their philosophy. All gave exactly the same reason for being there, without employment. They said: "The world will not give me a chance!!!"

Think of it - the world would not "give them a chance."

Of course the world wouldn't give them a chance.

It never gives anyone a chance. A man who wants a chance may create it through action, but if he waits for someone to hand it to him on a silver platter he will meet with disappointment.

I fear that this excuse that the world does not give a man a chance is quite prevalent, and I strongly suspect that it is one of the commonest causes of poverty and failure.