St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1885-08-29
CONCENTRATION.
AnTmportant Element of Success in Every
Occupation.

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Occupation.
Among the powers of the human
mind that seem of themselves to make
life worth living, that of concentration
occupies prominent place. To be able
TO fix the thoughts or the attention ex-
.elusivelY upon one subject, and to keep
them there without wavering as long as
is necessary, is most important ele-
ment of success in every occupation. It
is a common mistake to think that
although this ability is essential in pro-
LESSONS, in literary pursuits, in the
management of large enterprises, or in
any position involving the laying of
plans or the carrying out of systems,
for the ordinary and common place
worker, especially if his work be chiefly
manual, it is of little consequence.
This is one of those fallacies which lie at
the root of much of the poor, inefficient,
and inferior quality of work which is
offered to the world in quantities far
exceeding the demand. It is well
known fact that while hundreds of I'M
servicable men and women stand idle,
waiting for employment which does not
come, every one who is able and ready
to do superior work in any department
is eagerly caught up, and may almost
command his own terms.
One of the most radical differences be-
tween these two classes of workers is this
very power of concentrating the energy
and strength of both body and mind up
on the work Immediately at hand. Two
men, working side by side in the field or
the factory, may be equally competent
as far as knowledge or physical strength
or previous training go, to perform the
labor before them. They begin with
equal promise of good success, but in a
short time, while one is persisting, the
other is relaxing in effort. One pursues
his work with unremltting zeal; the
other spasmodically, with intervals of
wandering thoughts and tagging atten-
ton. It is already an assured fact that
the one who has acquired the habit of
concentration will be the successful
competitor. He will be anxiousiy
sought for and re-engaged, while the
other viii soon go to swell the ranks of
the unemployed. It matters not what
is to be done; from the simplest me-
chanical work to the most abstruse and
complex mental operation, the power
of putting all the thought, energy, and
attention on that and nothing else for
the time being, viii very largely deter
mine the quality and amount Of labor
performed.
To some extent this is natural gift.
We see children at play who, without
other motive that their instructive tend
encies, persist continuously in any effort
they make, or purpose they form, with
perseverance and earnestness which
may well shame many of their elders,
while others will be distracted by every
passing object, and forget their determi-
nations as soon as they are formed.
Yet here, perhaps more than in most
tendencies, culture and practice come
in to strengthen what is lacking. The
discipline of the schools is most valuable
in developing the Commemorative power
in the province of thought, and it would
be a blessing to every child if, in some
way, a like discipline helped him in the
work of his hands. Like every other
faculty, this, too. is strengthened by ex-
ercise. Each time we recall our scat
tering energies and wandering thoughts,
and force them resolutely in one direc-
ton, we increase the power and develop
the habit. and the exertion. at first pain
full and laborlous, becomes in time easy
and agreeable.
Mr.. Thomas A. Edison attributes his
success as an inventor largely to this
faculty, which he gained by steadfast
exertion, once being able only to think
upon given subject for ten minutes
before something else would come into
his mind, but gaining by long practice
the power of continuous and uninter-
rupted thought for hours on a simple
topic. At one time he worked with his
assistants in trying to connect piece of
carbon to wire. Each time it would
break, and they would spend several
hours in making another, until after
working in this way one day and two
nights they finally succeeded.
This habit does not necessarily make
person so absorbed in one thing as to
become narrow and one-sided. Hemay
become so by yielding wholly to a ma
tive impulse of dwelling on one thing;
but the same self-control that concen-
trates his energies at will can also di-
vert them at will into another channel
when the proper time arrives. Many
things rightly claim our attention, but
none of them will receive it Alright if
our thoughts aimlessly wander from one
to another, without compass or guide.
Philadelphia Ledger.
"A resident of Long Island possesses