Some men make excellent bookkeepers, but can never become expert accountants because they lack the necessary mental quality. No man likes to ad mit that his mental powers are limited or below the average. As an English philosopher once remarked: "We are all willing to admit that our memories are defective, but no man will admit that his judgment is not sound." So, doubtless, many bookkeepers who have not been promoted to positions of responsibility feel that they have not been appreciated. The busi ness world, in fact, is full of men in subordinate posi tions who sincerely believe that their superiors do not realize what fine minds they have. If any reader of this chapter feels that Nvay about himself, I wish to assure him that the chances are ten to one that he is mistaken. His associates have probably formed a more correct estimate of his mental power than he has himself. He should not cease to be ambitious to make the most of himself, nor should Ile stop trying to climb up, but he must not be discontented or discour aged because he cannot keep pace with men of keener intellect. His opportunities lie not far above him, but just barely beyond his reach.
T. Opportunity always near at have just received a letter from a young engineer in a western state who wants to come to New York. He thinks there must be an opportunity in that great city for a man of his education and experience. I have written him that he had better stay in the West and seek a connection where he has friends and is known. For him there is greater opportunity in a single western town or city than in all the East.
It is a familiar human weak-ness to think of our selves as not beivag in just the right place. -Many a country boy feels certain that he could do great things if he could only get into a city. Doubtless many ob scure country physicians feel that their genius for medicine has never had a chance for development be cause of the narrow scope of their practice. We are prone to think that opportunity, like happiness, lies in some distant place, and that if we only could get there we should be successful and content.
As a matter of fact, the secret of opportunity, like that of happiness, lies in ourselves. No youth who wishes to become a business man need travel far to make a start. For him the very best opportunities are at his elbow. Many of our biggest business men got their first training in their home towns or vil lages—by clerking in a country store, by selling news papers, by taking subscriptions to magazines, by act ing as agents for manufacturers of farm implements, etc. After a youth has discovered opportunity near at home and has profited by it, then he will be fit for larger opportunities in other places, but as a rule a man's next opportunity lies not far from him: This is naturally and logically the case, for we are familiar with near-at-hand conditions and know their possi bilities. The glittering opportunities beckoning to
us in the distance are unreal. They are sisters of the sirens who sought to charm Ulysses from his true course. As Thomas Carlyle has said: "Our grand business is not to see what lies dimly at a distance, but to do what lies clearly at band." It does not follow that ,a youth should never come from the country to the city, or that a business man should never than& his location. The fact that op portunity always lies near at band does not mean that, a man will not change from place to place, or from business to business. A change of location is often exceedingly desirable and advisable, but a man should make the change, not because be is looking for op portunity, but because opportunity has made the change practicable and profitable.
8. The will for old proverb, "Where there's a will there's a way," receives abundant Veri fication in the business Nvorld. Any man can get what he really wants in business, whether riches, po sition or honor. That statement, doubtless, looks very extravagant to many readers. It may be read by a man of fifty who has been in business thirty five years, and is now barely able to support him self and family. "Surely," he may say, "I wanted a fortune and I set out to make it. I have worked ha.rd for thirty-five years, but here I am just able to hold down an ordinary position. The writer of this , book does not know what he is talking about." The man who talks that way does not know what I mean by "really wants." In the thirty-five years of his business life has he ever voluntarily gone with- „..e out food or sleep in order to further the interests of his employer or of himself? Has he turned his back on all pleasures which killed time that might have been profitably devoted to the study of his business, or -to the seeking of opportunities to increase his business or his own usefulness in business? Has he spent his money foolishly, or has he saved every penny possible in order that he might increase his capital, being content with the simplest and plainest manner of living? Has he deliberately sought the friendship of men who could be helpful to him in his business ? In short, has lie given his whole energy, body and soul, night and day, to business? He may think he really wanted a fortune, but if' he did not do all these things and many more, he is mistaken. Like many thousands of people he merely wanted to be rich, but was not willing to pay the price.