Precept & Practice – JANUARY 29 – Difficulties

There are two kinds of persons in the world:  those who think first of difficulties, and those who think first of the importance of accomplishment in spite of difficulties.   If a thing ought to be done, the presence of severe obstacles to its doing is only a further reason for bringing it to pass.   Yet the trait of instantly showing why a thing cannot be done is keeping down more young men, and older men too, in business than any other factor in their lives.   Anybody can point out difficulties;  it calls for brain and courage to look beyond difficulties to the end.   If you want to stay just where you are in the procession, or fall steadily behind, give obstacles a first place in your life.   If you want to move out from the crowd, and count for something more than ‘average,’ let every obstacle be welcomed as a fresh incentive to action.

Difficulty is only a word indicating the degree of strength requisite for accomplishing particular objects;  a mere notice of the necessity for exertion.

Samuel Warren

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From the Introduction to Precept and Practice

The kindly welcome given to my other little books, ‘Being and Doing’ and ‘Character and Conduct,’ must be my excuse for adding another collection of extracts to the number now in circulation.

The quotations are gathered from the books of many earnest thinkers, and deal with Life in all its length and breadth, with ourselves, our characters, our plain unvarnished faults and weaknesses, our often untoward circumstances, and with all that drags us down;-  with our purposes, our religion, our love and friendships, and with all that uplifts us;-  with our relation to others, our influence and responsibilities, and finally with those stages of our journey which bring us to the Road’s Last Turn and to the Silent Land.

CONSTANCE  M. WHISHAW