The Meeker herald., 1907-01-19
MAKE FOR SUCCESS
cHAMcEs AND OPPORTUNITY s
IN LIFE.
Actions That lead 10 Wealth and pe-
sttIen Almost Always . Mat
ter Of Dsvslspsnsnt-Tims
Lest In Nsgests.

Lest In Rseests.
when I was boy" said An elderly
gentleman who has done well in the
world. In discussing the contributing
elements to success. II used to have
drummed into me by benevolent and
kindly disposed people. that II
wished to succeed should take ad-
vantage Of my opp0rtunitieL.
| And this same advice goes to-day.
and 1t IL good advice. too. though !
am Of the opinion that too much Of
this sort Of treacle IL worse In Its
effects than none at all. Come peo-
pie go all through life unconsciously
taking advice. and that IL about all
they do take. have given this sub
ject of opportunities considerable
study from practical standpoint.
and my results are these:
THE word Opportunities should be
shifted to Chances There Is vast
amount Of distinction in this matter.
which will make clear to you.
Wherever you go. and In all callings
and stations in life. you win hear
men say: oh. II had only taken
advantage Of that opportunity would
have been rich.' and = lot of similar
talk. which. Is matter Of fact,
means nothing. II they really had
their lives to live over again they
would do precisely the same ~ In the
first instance.
AN opportunity 10 an evolution. 1t
Is matter Of developr ,ent. 1t is not
an initial instance or event, but 1t is
of subsequent development. In other
words. 1t does not become an oppor-
tunity until the particular crisis
which makes Of 1t an opportunity has
elapsed or passed. Until that period
1t Is merely chance.
This is not as refined = distinction
as the casual reader would imagine.
A familiar Illustration, In the realms
Of speculation. as in the stock market,
will sufllce to prove this statement. A
man follows the market closely for.
say, three weeks. During this time
the Opportunity he had Of making
successful turns make you tired to
listen to. They have cone up every
u&ys ~ hO A0u VOuAAS knk& RSl tlVu-
lar stock he would have done 10 and
SO. 'lf' he had sold another stock he
would have made enough to have re-
tired. But as he didn't do either. he
goes around singing hts ta:s Of lost
opportunities.' Y5
"As a matter Of fact. almost pre-
ciseIy the same. or very similar OPP
portunities' exist for him IN the en-
suing three weeks. But tho distinction
is this: All in the future II but
chance-the passing Of the day, or Of
the crucial moment in speculation
and In business transactions devel-
ops or shows what the opportunity
may have been. Until then It lies
hidden. and human foresight does not
discern 1t. II man makes q move
he strikes at the chance and not at
the opportunity. Thus. II he sells his
stock short. and the turn OF the mar
ket shows that he should have held
| on to 1t, he cries about missing his
opportunity when the opportunity
could not possibly have been devel-
oped until he had taken whatever &C.
ton he was destined to take.
at is the same where q man moves
from one town to another to engage
In business. when subsequent develop
ments show that he would have bet
tered himself had he remained In the
first town. But he had to make the
! move. and 90 through 1t all, to prove
that there was really an opportunity
/ for him In the first place. and he
couldn't have developed this fact. or
Opportunity as he calls It, unless he
had actually made the move in ques-
tion.
And thus. many men pass their
lives regretting what they term lost
opportunities when they had simply
been confronted by chances and sub
seQuent developments showed that
these chances were unfavorable to
them when actually taken. The man
who really 'grasps an opportunity. ID
he who discerns the possibility Of q
chance evolving or eliminating In
what subsequently reveals itself to be
an opportunity. II men, especially
those who are called the unfortunate
sort. will digest this Illustration and
what 1t proves. they will save them
selves a lot Of retrospective, unhap-
py thoughts. They will also be en-.
abled to discern in future steps and
business transactions what the pos.
sible chances Of their acts may be,
and will thus develop what we are all
looking for and 80 few nad-so-called
golden opportunities
Judge Gave Thieves a Tip.