Evening star., 1924-05-11
WHAT is SUCCESS?
Developing Success Qualities

cause they do not concentrate on
one task and stick to that one task.
bundles-one more than ne can pos
stbly hold. He is always dropping
one, and as he picks that up he drops
another. This brings us to an illus
tration Of intensity.
Developing Intensity.
The most successful business men
are those who concentrate on pro-
ducing, manufacturing. or selling
only one product; men who merchan-
disc but do not MANUFACTURES, or men
who manufacture and let some one
else merchandise are the most sue
cessful. AS we spread out we become
thinner and thinner until our efforts
in any one direction are of little avail.
So long as all goes well a man can
swing many different things; but
when one or more of them goes
wrong, or should the man himself be-
come ill, then comes trouble Many
failures of brilliant men are due TO
the fact that they were i'll when
something went wrong, or some
thing went wrong because they
were i'll. Hence, intensity of conccn-
tration is most surely one of the
necessary qualities for success 1t is
watched by both young and old. The
young man can get a successful start
only by concentrating all of his time,
thought and energy on one line Of
business, and by knowing that busi-
ness thoroughly.
This temptation to spread out" can
be met and conquered only through
prayer. Constant and fervent prayer
is the only antidote for this poison;
it is the only way successfully to
. ir%
tempting speculation, but deliver US
from going into that new enterprise.
should be the prayer of many men.
If this is our prayer, we should keep
away from all people who have new
propositions 10 offer and avoid pro
moters" as one would avoid smallpox
or drugs.
Intelligence and Interest.
This same reasoning applies to tho
remaining qualities-intelligen in
terest in ones work and a general
sympathy for and interest in others
Teachers and business men are cor
rect in saying that these six qualities
cannot be taught in books. They are
spiritual qualities, and as such must
become a part of our lives and ex-
perIenceS. As one cannot measure
electricity with a quart measure, so
one cannot estimate or teach spirit
ual qualities by mathma teal form
ulas. The great mistake of many
writer's on success has been their fail
ure to recognize the close relation
ship between success and spiritual
development.
!. Success is true happiness. Sue
cess and happiness are spiritual
rather than material. Hence, success
can Sanabe be lost Or or won. ,o1 but cannot be
neither can 1t be weighed or measur-
ed. The sooner this fact is understood
by all classes-rich and poor-the
better off the world will be.
prosperity is necessary to happiness
under modern conditions. This type
OF success varies, however, with the
age and the community in which one
lives. An excess of material pros
perity is a detriment rather than a
help. So long as the acquiring of
material prosperity aids one in de-
veloping spiritually SO long do these
material things serve as an aid; but
when they begin to retard spiritual
growth, then they are detrimental to
true success.
3. The fundamental law of sue
cess and happiness is: For every ac-
ton there is an equal and opposite
reaction 1nlS means that we can
succeed only as we help others to
succeed. 1t means that, our own char
acters, health and prosperity are de-
pendent upon having others righteous.
healty and prosperous. 1t means that
we all reap what we SOW
4. The structure which we call
success is based upon a religious
foundation which requires a clear
conscience, good health, a righteous
employer or business associates, and
a helpful wife; but the structure it
self is built of such qualities as in
tegrity, industry, intelligence, intens-
lty, initiative and interest
.. These six success qualities are
spiritual in nature and cannot be
learned from books nor purchased
with money. They can be developed
and acquired only through PRAYER
Thus it is evident that this Who'll
question of success is most intimately
pound up with mans religion. In
the last analysis, true success is
really the reaction of true religion in
our lives, our homes and our business
Copyright. 1923, Fleming H. Reven Ccmpany.
rlrst published in this newspaper Inv
ARA Dgement with Babson Institr,o