THE MAN OF BUSINESS

THERE

Decision of Character

By HENRY HARDWICKE

HERE is a difference of opinion as to whether decision of mind is an inborn or acquired quality. The better opinion seems to be that it is a gift of God. Every man, however, has the germ of this quality which may be cultivated under favorable circumstances. The best way to cultivate and bring it to perfection is for him to observe the greatest method and order in the prosecution of his duties. He should not despair because he has often broken his resolutions. Nothing is more destructive of character than for a man to lose faith in his own resolutions, because he has often failed to do what he has resolved.

Definiteness of aim is indispensable to success. Every young man should decide, early, what he wishes and for what his talents fit him, and then he should bend every energy to the accomplishment of his purpose. But what Carlyle says is true of many men: "We long for the merchandise, yet would fain keep the price, and so stand chaffering with fate in vexatious altercation till the night comes and our fair is over." Lack of decision, of concentration, of power to choose some one object to be accomplished, and to sacrifice to its attainment all interfering inclinations, is the fatal defect in the character of the large majority of unsuccessful men.

Goethe well says: "I respect the man who distinctly knows what he wishes. The greater part of all the mischief in the world arises from the fact that men do not sufficiently understand their own aims. They have undertaken to build a tower,

and spend no more labor on the foundation than would be necessary to erect a hut."

Promptness, also, as well as decision is necessary. When Ledyard was asked by the African Association when he would be ready to start for Africa, he replied: "To-morrow morning." Sir Colin Campbell returned a similar answer when asked when he would set out to lead the British army to India. Blucher won for himself, by his promptness, the cognomen of "Marshal Forward."

One of the golden rules for the man of business is the old and well-tried one, "Never put off till to-morrow what can be done to-day." Whatever present difficulties urge to procrastination, delay will increase them. The man of decision does the present work at the present time, and consequently is as ready for the next call of duty as is the day laborer for his appointed task after the midday meal or the night's repose. He should not, however, hurry through his work. He should adopt the famous German motto, which is the subject of one of Goethe's poems, "Haste not, rest not.”

The man of decision carefully plans before he executes. He decides in fact on what he is to do, and having done so he proceeds with deliberation, unless the circumstances demand prompt action. Instead of following the safe and practicable rule of doing one thing at a time, the procrastinator is always in a hurry, with a dozen things in hand at once-to finish_today what should have been done yesterday, and to gather up the residue of many delays—that he never has time to do anything well. The first cure for this is to learn to be self-dependent. While we will be necessarily controlled by circumstances to some extent, we must also learn to make them subservient to our plans, and to do what should be done in spite of obstacles. Foster says: "You will often see a person anxiously hesitating a long time between different or opposite determinations, though impatient at the pain of such a state and ashamed of its debility. A faint impulse of preference alternates toward the one, and toward the other; and the mind, while thus held in a trembling balance, is vexed that it cannot get some new thought, or feeling, or motive, that it has not more sense, more

resolution, more of anything that would save it from envying even the decisive instinct of brutes. It wishes that any circumstance might happen, or any person might appear, that could deliver it from the miserable suspense.

"In many instances, when a determination is adopted it is frustrated by this indecision. A man, for example, resolves to make a journey to-morrow, which he is not under an absolute necessity to make, but the inducements appear this evening so strong that he does not think it possible he can hesitate in the morning. In the morning, however, these inducements have unaccountably lost much of their force. Like the sun that is rising at the same time, they appear dim through a mist; and the sky lowers, or he fancies that it lowers; the fatigue appears formidable; and he lingers, uncertain, till an advanced hour determines the question for him by the certainty that it is now too late to go."

When acquired, unfortunately, such a condition of mind is not easily overcome. The elements which make it so susceptible of training make it as easily molded by evil as by good influences.

While it is true that in the present state of society life is chiefly made up of small daily duties and drudgeries, each within his sphere is able to distinguish himself in some way or other-if only for being courteous, honest, temperate, and trustworthy. The want of earnestness of purpose is not the least conspicuous deficiency in the age in which we live. Men are apt to look on their own abilities and possible efforts with too much indifference, and so lapping themselves in self-indulgent complacency, and trusting to fortune dream away existence. On being installed lord rector of the University of Glasgow, in 1857, Sir E. B. Lytton took occasion to notice this want of earnestness and its consequences.

"And first," said he in addressing the students, "let me impress upon you the value of definite purpose. Having once chosen that calling which then becomes your main object in life, cling to it firmly-bring to bear on it all your energies, all the information you are elsewhere variously collecting. All men are not born with genius, but every man can acquire pur

pose, and purpose is the backbone and marrow of genius-nay, I can scarcely distinguish one from the other. For what is genius? Is it not an impassioned predilection for some definite art or study, to which the mind converges all its energies, each thought or image that is suggested by nature or learning, solitude or converse, being habitually and involuntarily added to those ideas which are ever returning to the same central point, so that the mind is not less busily applying when it seems to be the most released from application? That is genius and that is purpose-the one makes the great artist or poet, the other the great man of action. And with purpose comes the grand secret of all worldly success, which some men call will, but which I would rather tall earnestness. If I were asked, from my experience of life, to say what attribute most impressed the minds of others or most commanded fortune, I should say earnestness, in which the great secret of success is. The earnest man wins way for himself, and earnestness and truth go together. Never affect to be other than you areeither richer or wiser. Never be ashamed to say, ‘I do not know.' Men will then believe you when you say, 'I do know.' Never be ashamed to say, whether as applied to time or money, 'I cannot afford it'-'I cannnot afford to waste an hour in the idleness to which you invite me-I cannot afford the guinea you ask me to throw away.' Once establish yourself and your mode of life as what they really are, and your foot is on solid ground, whether for the gradual step onward, or for the sudden spring over a precipice. From these maxims let me deduce another-learn to say 'No,' with decision; 'Yes,' with caution 'No' with decision whenever it resists a temptation; 'Yes' with caution whenever it implies a promise. A promise once given is a bond inviolable. A man is already of consequence in the world when it is known we can implicitly rely upon him. I have frequently seen in life a person preferred to a long list of applicants for some important charge which lifts him at once into station and fortune, merely because he has this reputation, that when he says he knows a thing he knows it, and when he says he will do a thing he will do it."

That a person of inferior character and purpose may by a

resolution of circumstance be so roused as to display extraordinary energy, and in a certain sense become a new man, is exemplified by Foster in his famous essay on "Decision of Character." He says:

"I have repeatedly, in conversation, remarked to you the effect of what has been called a ruling passion. When its object is noble, and an enlightened understanding regulates its movements, it appears to me a great felicity; but whether its object be noble or not, it infallibly creates, where it exists in great force, that active, ardent constancy which I describe as a capital feature of the decisive character. The subject of such a commanding passion wonders, if indeed he were at leisure to wonder, at the persons who pretend to attach importance to an object which they make none but the most languid efforts to secure. The utmost powers of the man are constrained into the service of the favorite cause by this passion, which sweeps away, as it advances, all the trivial objections and little opposing motives, and seems almost to open a way through impossibilities. This spirit comes on him in the morning as soon as he recovers his consciousness, and commands and impels him through the day, with a power from which he could not emancipate himself if he would. When the force of habit is added, the determination becomes invincible, and seems to assume rank with the great laws of nature, making it nearly as certain that such a man will persist in his course as that in the morning the sun will rise.

"You may recollect the mention in one of our conversations of a young man who wasted in two or three years a large patrimony, in profligate revels with a number of worthless associates calling themselves his friends, till his last means were exhausted, when they of course treated him with neglect or contempt. Reduced to absolute want, he one day went out of the house with an intention to put an end to his life; but wandering a while almost unconsciously, he came to the brow of an eminence which overlooked what were lately his estates. Here he sat down, and remained fixed in thought a number of hours, at the end of which he sprang from the ground with a vehement exulting emotion. He had formed his resolution, which