“Every Man is Skipper of his Destiny”

HAPPINESS (joie de vivre), health, peace of mind, personality, strength of character and success appear to me to be the order of importance in which these blessings might be bestowed upon the most fortunate; the possessor of all is blessed indeed. 

Happiness and health are the gifts of God; although to a degree they would appear to constitute an inheritance brought about by the good, happy and healthy living of one’s forebears.  What a heritage to pass on to those who follow – far greater than riches, power or position!

Peace of mind is arrived at by the working out of one’s own salvation, and by quiet confidence which should naturally ensue.  rinciple based on one’s own conception of God, or good, should produce a self-reliance which cannot be disturbed.  Peace of mind for an intelligent mentality can only be completely reached provided the mind is trained by logic and through sound reasoning achieves harmony.  Correct values make for peace.

Personality is a gift beyond price; those who possess it have indeed been touched by fortune and their path through life has in advance been smoothed.  Learning, natural intelligence, position, power or money cannot produce or procure this gift; and many a brilliant life or career has been limited through lack of it.  A natural leader of men must possess personality; and through this gift, without effort, he attracts to himself service, respect and devotion.  Although personality is born in man, it frequently develops at various stages in his life.  No man should try to create or cultivate a personality; that will only make him appear affected, odd or foolish.

Strength of character may be achieved through self-discipline and imagination.  The line of least resistance does not make for strength; but determination, tenacity and courage to follow one’s instinct, irrespective of obstacles, carries one to this objective.

Some are born with a natural strength of character and make their mental stand without effort.  The less fortunate, however, must replace all forms of weakness by decision, and in so doing can develop a balanced strength.

Success represents achievement, be it mental, practical, or both; and is a question of degree according to one’s development.  Mere man can never obtain complete success, as each achievement opens up new vistas, hence the fascination of this game of life which knows no limitations.

Every worth-while man possesses ambition, either dormant or active, and his natural desire should be to advance according to his standards.  Otherwise he will be under developed, inefficient or lethargic and he will probably take the line of least resistance, often perceiving pity instead of respect.

There are only two main paths to success – one through industry and solid work, tempered with practical imagination, and the other by original mental development, also tempered with practical imagination.  The man who thinks along original lines and does not follow the crowd has the loneliest path to tread, but it is the easier and shorter road to success.  He eliminates at the outset completion and makes for himself opportunity, which is more than half the battle.

I am convinced that complete honesty and integrity, first to oneself and secondly to the world, is the only sound foundation; and to achieve, one must take the offensive in life.  Even more important, it is essential to have the courage to face one’s setbacks and master the art of defence.  One must consolidate each step of the way and exercise patience, tolerance and tact.

The ability to make decisions is a major asset in the development of character, and produces quick action, often the key to success.  Mind and heart must influence decision.  Instinct and judgment must be developed and relied upon.

Impulse is dangerous and decision must be reached only after one has considered a problem or difficult situation from all angles, including trying to see and appreciate the other man’s point of view.

One should not try to get too much for oneself, as apart from all else, this attitude will probably react to one’s own detriment.  The stronger one’s position the more generous one can afford to be.

 In negotiation, self-confidence through experience is an essential; whereas assumed confidence, bluff, and arrogance are dangerous and, in fact, an admission of mental inferiority.

To be trusted by one’s friends and competitors alike is an asset beyond price, and can only be brought about by consistent fairness, straight dealing and integrity. 

The most important and practical outlook in life is to train one’s mind so that when a reverse arises, it can be mentally visualised and the proportion it bears to one’s life realised.

To trust in fate in dangerous, one must always face realities.

He is a clever man who will not let optimism run away with him or pessimism hold him back.

It is surprising how soon one can train the mind automatically to appreciate the relative importance of any situation.  This enables man to remain calm in difficulty and, more important, to carry success with modesty and dignity.

The practical is what counts in life – man should only reflect upon the past to benefit by his experience; live in the present to make provision for the future; and look to the future for inspiration.

EVERY MAN IS SKIPPER OF HIS DESTINY