Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1905-07-05
SECRET OF SUCCESS.
An OyerwOrked Theme Affords Some
New Light.
Rrooklyn Eagle.

This is the season when high school grad
yates throw light on that momentous prob
lem, 1.-The Secret of Success" One boy out
in Des Moines, Ia, really got some light to
throw and thus established the fact that
he is sufficiently different from the average
to have chance for the success he talked
about. He wrote to sixteen men who knew
something about success, including Theo-
dore Roosevelt Grover Cleveland, Secre-
tary Shaw, Governor Cummlns, former
Governor Iarabee, Secretary Wilson, presi-
dents of various colleges, Mr.. Bryan and
Edward Box. First all of these men an
swered except President Roosevelt, who
was hunting in Colorado at the time, That
shows that the disposition to lend hand
an important element in success-is very
genHal. Next, every one of the fifteen
letter writers emphasized work as one OF
the prime factors of success. Some Of them
combined 1t with character, and some OF
them with preparation, which is merely an
other form Of work. But the published
letters could almost be reduced TO the para
grapher's formula which has been going
the rounds lately: There are six requisites
for success. One is the willingness to work
and the other five are work" The man
who put the advice TO the Iowa boy most
tersely was an editor Edward Box. His
OF some OF his associates in the symposium,
but it has taught him not to waste words,
He wrote: THE chief factor in a success
Of any kind is work; if you add to that the
next essential, which is to work for the
works sake. and not for the money II may
bring, you have covered the ground"
Many OF the letter writer's insist upon
honesty. character, perseverance, energy
and not wasting time but the advice fines
down 10 Mr. Bok's working for the sake OF
the work and letting the reward take care
Of itself. There is corollary to that which
applies to parents even more than TO chill
dren. Never put child at a life work
which he does not like. There are some
children without any strongly marked bent
and some are simply lazy. For those, per-
haps. the best discipline is to put them at
the task nearest and keep them at II until
work has become habit, IL not Joy. II
the habit persists, they will be able to be-
come useful. If not distinguished. Eminence
can come to but few in the nature OF
things, but it surely will not come to any
body except the hard worker, and the
surest stimulant to industry is a definite
and strong liking for some particular sort
OF work. II you have a child with such
bent, do not try to make him over. Guilt
vate II, stimulate It, train him for the
thing he likes as we'll as you are able, and
then tell him 10 go ahead. Every ounce OF
enthusiasm for his job is just so much
steam in his boiler. And don't let him
imagine that money or fame are the chief
ends OF life. The best thing in the world is
character, and the next best work we'll
done, which builds character. Fame never
comes save as a reward for such work and
money won in such ways that people hold
meetings TO discuss whether they are will
ing TO associate with you brings more
penalties than rewards. After you have
headed your boy right on those points. en-
thusiasm and work are the two things
which viii place him in the world