The Washington times., 1933-10-18
Secrets OF
Health
BY DIR. LOUIS E. BISCH
Apply the Principle Of Over.
compensation to Your
Handicaps

OUAuPCAkOdkAOA W 1OuE
Handicaps
1t is a curious fact that the
handicap or handicaps you
know about are not likely to be
the ones that will seriously in.
terfere with either your success
or happiness in life.
First of all, we tend auto
matically to correct any defect,
Of whatever nature. that we
realize exists. Secondly, it must
be remembered that the growth
progress of both body and
mind is distinctly along lines of
health and strength and not
along those of weakness and
disease. If we give ourselves but
half a chance we do not go
backwards but We do distinctly
progress.
Then there is the Principle
of Overcompensation" which
psychology has long since recog~
niZed and which has been re-
Sponsible for some of the worlds
greatest achievements.
DemOsthenes
DemostheneS is classic ex-
ample Of how this principle
works. Here was a man who
Stammered whenever he tried
to talk. But cure this handicap
he would; so he went to the
seaShore every day, filled his
mouth with pebbles, and then
tried to enunciate clearly.
To talk clearly and without
hesitation with pebbles in ones
mouth is, of course, more diff
cult than to accomplish it with.
out the pebbles. However, the"
tremendous energy which he
had to summon to overcome
both the Stammering and the
discomfort of the pebbles made
it comparatively easy for him to
overcome the speech defect,
What is more, it finally enabled
Demosthenes to talk so we'll
that-and here the principle Of
overcompensation came into
play-he finally became one Of
the worlds greatest orators.
Roosevelt
It is said of Theodore Roose.
Velt that, as a boy, he was
physically weak. Accordingly
he went out West to build up
his strength on a ranch. Over
compensation worked so we'll in
his case that later in life his
personality actually symbolized
Vigor, courage, and robustness
of nature.
Therefore, no matter what
your own handicaps may be, do
not be afraid of them and do
not let them conquer you.
Whether they be handicaps Of
health, poverty, lack of oppor.
tunity, or the proverbial bad
break" recognize them for what
they are and fight them to a
finish. !
Say to yourself: mot only
am I going to overcome this
particular handicap but I am
going to excel in the very direc-
ton in which I am supposed to
be backward" And actually
any man, woman or child can
achieve purpose, as the princi.
pie of overcompenSation teaches.
Self Pity
The trouble is that most of us
follow the lines of least resis-
tance and soon begin to pity
ourselves because we think we
are not as we'll equipped for
life as others whom we know
or could name.
AS matter of fact, there is.
always way of getting around,
any difficulty if We but know.
how. And the way to know how
Is to think, and to keep on
thinking, until we find the
answer. =
Likewise must We be careful
lest We follow the lines of least
resistance in secretly being
glad that we have a handicap,
and therefore a ready excuse,
for our failures. For, deep
down, the human being is a bit
lazy and often it seems so much
easier to take a beating than to
go to the trouble of fighting.
IHnnurinhL 1n2, Kinn Enntnrna