The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1916-07-15
KEEP AT 1T.

Stick to it. That is good advice if
you have a task to do, habit to ac-
quire, an education to get, a career
to make, business to follow, an am
bitioh to fulfill. Stick to it. Keep
everlastingly after it until you have
won out Let nothing discourage
you. Let nothing turn you aside.
Let nothing induce you to give up.
Stick to it. Have a purpose in life
and determine to realize it. Keep
plodding, keep advancing, keep get
ting nearer and nearer, and the day
will surely come when you will arrive.
Former President Taft, in a recent
lecture, said that one of the greatest
regrets that even comes to human
being is born of the consciousness of
never having tried to make good, to
do ones best, of never having tried to
the best of ones ability to win out, to
make life glorious victory instead of
a compromise or total defeat.
If there is sad spectacle in the
world it is that of human beings ap-
preaching the end of their career with
nothing worth while to show for all
their years of activity. The thought
that lack of persistence was the cause
of their failure, the consciousness that
they didn't win out in large way
because they had never half tried, had
never put into their work that vim,
that determination and whole-hearted
enthusiasm, that persistent, gritty en-
deavor which characterize all worth
while achievements, embitters life's
close.
1t is terrible thing to look back
upon long life and see these horrible
words hooking one: you did not
persist; you never have tried; you
never did your best" No apologies,
no excuses can remedy things then.
1t is too late to retrieve past mistakes,
to make up for lost opportunities.
Not long ago l asked man if he
were college bred. He said: mo, that
is a very sore spot with me. l quit
during the first month of my freshman
year, because l did not have very
good time. l became homesick, dis
couraged, and went home. / have
blamed myself for this ever since. If
I had only kept on 1 should have been
some success today"
There are 'multitudes of men in this
country today who have been like this
man: when youths they quit school or
college under stress of encouragement
or inconsistencies. If they had waited
just few days more, and gotten lit
tie better acquainted, little more in
terested in their studies, nothing could
have induced them to quit.
How many youths have left medical
and law schools, have given up learn
ing trade, in moment of discour-
agement and inconsistencies, or when
they seemed overpowered with the
newness and strangeness of the situa-
tion, and the way seemed difficult for
them. Many boy with genius for
the thing he attempted has given it up
under discouraging conditions and re-
GREETED it ever after.
Keeping at it as life rule has per-
formed more miracles in the worlds
history by far than have been per-
formed by brilliant talents or genius.
Keeping at it has made multitudes of
well-educated men out of ignorant
ones. Keeping at it perfected inven-
lions and made most of the great for
tunes in existence.
One of the earliest signs that a
youth is made of the stuff that wins
is his propensity to stick, to hang on.
&c Of
runner of talent, predictor which
foretells success. No matter how
many other good qualities you may
have if you cannot stick to your pur-
pose you will not win out
Don't give up. Don't lose heart.
Look ahead and with firm will go
on to final victory.
Catholic Columbian.