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All have the ability to concentrate, but will you? You can, butwhether you will or not depends on you. It is one thing to beable to do something, and another thing to do it. There is farmore ability not used than is used. Why do not more men ofability make something of themselves? There are comparatively fewsuccessful men but many ambitious ones. Why do not more getalong? Cases may differ, but the fault is usually their own. Theyhave had chances, perhaps better ones than some others that havemade good.

What would you like to do, that you are not doing? If you thinkyou should be "getting on" better, why don't you? Study yourselfcarefully. Learn your shortcomings. Sometimes only a mere triflekeeps one from branching out and becoming a success. Discover whyyou have not been making good--the cause of your failure. Haveyou been expecting someone to lead you, or to make a way for you?If you have, concentrate on a new line of thought.

There are two things absolutely necessary for success--energy andthe will to succeed. Nothing can take the place of either ofthese. Most of us will not have an easy path to follow so don'texpect to find one. The hard knocks develop our courage and moralstamina. The persons that live in an indolent and slipshod waynever have any. They have never faced conditions and thereforedon't know how. The world is no better for their living.

We must make favorable conditions and not expect them to shapethemselves. It is not the man that says, "It can't be done," butthe man that goes ahead in spite of adverse advice, and showsthat "it can be done" that "gets there" today. "The Lord helpsthose that help themselves," is a true saying. We climb the roadto success by overcoming obstacles. Stumbling blocks are butstepping stones for the man that says, "I can and I Will." Whenwe see cripples, the deaf and dumb, the blind and those withother handicaps amounting to something in the world, theable-bodied man should feel ashamed of himself if he does notmake good.

There is nothing that can resist the force of perseverance. Theway ahead of all of us is not clear sailing, but all hardpassages can be bridged, if you just think they can andconcentrate on how to do it. But if you think the obstacles areunsurmountable, you will not of course try, and even if you do,it will be in only a half-hearted way--a way that accomplishesnothing.

Many men will not begin an undertaking unless they feel sure theywill succeed in it. What a mistake! This would be right, if wewere sure of what we could and could not do. But who knows? Theremay be an obstruction there now that might not be there nextweek. There may not be an obstruction there now that will bethere next week. The trouble with most persons is that just assoon as they see their way blocked they lose courage. They forgetthat usually there is a way around the difficulty. It's up to youto find it. If you tackle something with little effort, when theconditions call for a big effort, you will of course not win.Tackle everything with a feeling that you will utilize all thepower within you to make it a success. This is the kind ofconcentrated effort that succeeds.

Most people are beaten before they start. They think they aregoing to encounter obstacles, and they look for them instead offor means to overcome them. The result is that they increasetheir obstacles instead of diminishing them. Have you everundertaken something that you thought would be hard, butafterwards found it to be easy? That is the way a great manytimes. The things that look difficult in advance turn out to beeasy of conquest when once encountered. So start out on yourjourney with the idea that the road is going to be clear for you,and that if it is not you will clear the way. All men that haveamounted to anything have cleared their way and they did not havethe assistance that you will have today.

The one great keynote of success is to do whatever you havedecided on. Don't be turned from your path, but resolve that youare going to accomplish what you set out to do. Don't befrightened at a few rebuffs, for they cannot stop the man that isdetermined--the man that knows in his heart that success is onlybought by tremendous resolution, by concentrated andwhole-hearted effort.

"He who has a firm will," says Goethe, "molds the world tohimself."

"People do not lack strength," says Victor Hugo; "they lackWill."

It is not so much skill that wins victories as it is activity andgreat determination There is no such thing as failure for the manthat does his best. No matter what you may be working at, at thepresent time, don't let this make you lose courage. The tides arecontinually changing, and tomorrow or some other day they willturn to your advantage if you are a willing and are an ambitiousworker. There is nothing that develops you and increases yourcourage like work. If it were not for work how monotonous lifewould at last become!

So I say to the man that wants to advance, "Don't look upon yourpresent position as your permanent one. Keep your eyes open, andadd those qualities to your makeup that will assist you when youropportunity comes. Be ever alert and on the watch foropportunities. Remember, we attract what we set our minds on. Ifwe look for opportunities, we find them.

If you are the man you should be, some one is looking for you tofill a responsible position. So when he finds you, don't let yourattention wander. Give it all to him. Show that you canconcentrate your powers, that you have the makeup of a real man.Show no signs of fear, uncertainty or doubt. The man that is sureof himself is bound to get to the front. No circumstances canprevent him.