Steps to Success

Persistence built the great monuments of the centuries. Perseverance built the pyramids on the plains of Egypt, and opened a highway across the watery wastes of the Atlantic. Perseverance cut a path to the peak of Mount Everest after years of toil and tragic failures. But perseverance without proper and adequate planning is sure to end in dismal defeat. This is a point many of us are likely to forget; and most of us overlook its importance.
If Columbus had planned out his voyage hurriedly or haphazardly, or had neglected to provide carefully for any and every emergency; if he had not gone deep into the question of the difficulties he and his sailors were likely to encounter, we may be sure that even the great Columbus would have turned back when all his captains voted for it. They were afraid. But their leader, who had planned everything, had no fear. Both he and his men knew that the goal they were trying to reach existed; but Columbus alone had the courage of his convictions. Planning gave him that courage-courage that was based on self-confidence, which in turn had a firm foundation by proper planning.
So from today, follow the way of Columbus; Success will be yours, if you plan well ahead and persevere long enough.

On the 69th day of his famous voyage, just before midnight, Columbus saw a spark of fire in the west. It was the first sure sign of land. The voyage had been a success: Columbus had discovered a new continent.
This should be a cheering thought to many of us who plan and strive for days and days without getting results. Obstacles go on mounting, and everything seems to go wrong; yet, if we do not weaken and give up, sooner or later, we shall see a spark of hope. Did Columbus give in when his sailors threatened to mutiny? Did he turn back when his cherished hopes failed to materialize? No! He had planned his voyage with care and caution. This made him so confident that he had the courage to see it through to the end.
His was no idle dream. He knew what he wanted, and he had set out to get it. That is the secret of all success. Know what you want; plan well how to get it; and persevere till you succeed.
Success depends on preparation and perseverance. Helen Keller said: We can do anything we want to do, if we stick to it long enough.

Yet when you are building the walls of the Castle of your dreams, what do you do? You snatch at any and everything. You look upon them as experiences, whereas they are only diversions and distractions. Be honest! And call them by their true names.
If you are one of those who take life as it comes. You resemble the person who can never resist buying at a Sale, believing that a bargain is something to buy because it is cheap, hoping to find a use for it someday.
So start right now and make an inventory of the activities of the day-the everyday of your life. They are the bricks with which you are going to build your Dream Castle. So reject those ‘bricks’ which do not suit your plan of life; and retain or include only those activities which fit in with your program.
In doing this, our aim should be to build a castle worthy of our dreams. We must aim high; only then can we reach near the top. If we believe that we are good for nothing, we are likely to do nothing good. Remember that God has created everything with a specific purpose; and every human being has a destiny to fulfill in that Great Plan.

No more the proud, unconquered rood of the world, Everest has at last been conquered by the intrepid courage, perseverance and ingenuity of man. The 80-day epic ascent achieved final success entirely due to the careful planning and excellent equipment carried by Col. Hunt who led his team of thirteen to success, by his grim determination, tremendous energy, and great organizing ability.
Ten thousand pounds of baggage left the Nepalese base at Kathmandu; but you may rest assured that every ounce of that baggage was carefully chosen-not even a superfluous safety-razor blade was included.

The world acclaims this astounding feat of courage, endurance and careful planning; and we too, heartily join in the applause. But let not the occasion pass without our learning something useful from it.
If you were a brick-layer building a wall, you wouldn’t just pile up the bricks, would you? If the coolie handed you a brick larger than the ones you are using, you wouldn’t snap it up and say, “Here’s a nice big one.” You would reject it because it did not suit your purpose. Knowing what you wanted, you would take only that and nothing else.

In your quest for glory, famed and riches, you will find the going hard and difficult; but if you follow the instructions in this blog, you will never find the journey drab or monotonous. In addition to the difficulties to be expected, you will encounter some you least expect. You will expect hostility from your rivals; but be prepared to brave the misunderstanding of your colleagues, the ridicule of your relatives and shallow or envious friends. You will not mind having to stir apathetic people out of their ruts; but don’t be shocked when you discover that some members of your own family are ready to discourage you.
With so many obstacles and hindrances, the average man and woman are tempted to withdraw. But YOU are far above average. YOU are made for greater things, with the world to conquer. Like Christopher Columbus, you will chart a course through unknown seas, and like Hilary and Tensing Norgay, you will mount the unscaled peaks till you stand on the top of Everest-the roof of the world. But zeal, enthusiasm and courage must be harnessed to proper planning if success is to be speedy and secure.

Prepare a strip poster or card for your desk with this motto: A JOB WORTH DOINGS IS WORTH DOING WELL-FIRST TIME.
It is quite as important to budget leisure time too. We need a large part of that for relaxation; but don’t confuse relaxation with idleness. To relax means to relieve tension. You can relax even by doing work, provided this work is something you like to do.
Add Profit to Pleasure: If we plan well and budget our time shrewdly we can make time for self-improvement activities. Choose pastimes that add profit to pleasure. Erle Stanley Gardner’s Counterfeit Eye and Backward Mule offer a good detective story and increase your general knowledge immensely. Instead of a mere romance, choose a historical novel. The short stories of O. Henry titillate your sense of humor and provide a clever twist at the end.
In using leisure hours, it is always better to actively participate in some sport or recreational pastime, rather than be a passive spectator. You can profit more by playing table-tennis for half an hour than by watching a cricket or tennis match for two hours. Playing a musical instrument for 15 minutes, yields more pleasure through self-expression than seeing a two-hour film show. Better take a ten-minute brisk walk on the sand than sit on the beach munch peanuts. Build your body by joining a gymnasium. Building your body by joining a gymnasium can bolster your ego faster than joining a gymkhana.

I could have told him the story of the young man who sat by a stream dreaming of the delicious fish that could be caught. A School teacher, passing that way, advised him to stop wishing and start fishing. So next day, the young man bought a complete set of fishing tackle-rod, bait and even eye-shade.
But when he didn’t get a single bite in the first half hour, he fell asleep. When he woke up, the sun was overhead, the fish had left for shadier waters, and even his bait had disappeared. He had failed to realize that buying fishing tackle is not enough, if the proverbial patience of the fisherman does not go with it.
So also, if you, dear reader, imagine that you can win SUCCESS by merely buying this blog and reading it, you are in for bitter disillusionment.

Then check your notes and make a summary of the productive or profitable, and non-productive time periods you have spent. The results will speak for them selves.
You will notice certain periods which are “do-nothing” or waiting periods-waiting for some one to come or something to happen. Use these periods for relaxing the body, eye-exercises, or jotting down what has to be done at the approaching appointment, or planning notes for the rest of the day.
Of the “wasted” time, check if it has been used to waste the time of others by idle gossip, futile discussions and arguments, or harmful criticism.
You may find that the time you spend in office is better used; but even here, you can discover “leaks” if you search for them. Every job can be done in two ways: Mr. Success uses the planned way, done carefully and efficiently. Mr. Failure starts a job without a plan or preparation. The result: Mistakes, repetition, lost time, wasted effort, spoilt material, worry, reprimands, etc, It always pays to do a job well the first time. Proper planning can do it.

AFTER a lecture at an Efficiency Course an executive of the Bombay Port Trust asked me if I would undertake to train his two sons in public speaking. “I shall pay whatever you ask, “he concludes. “That is not enough, “I told him; and noticing his eyebrows arching I remarked, “Are your sons prepared to pay the price?”.
Then I went on to explain how my public speaking skill was not bought with money but through sweat and stoutness of hear. “I joined a college group in Bandra, called the VARSITY CIRCLE. We held debates every Sunday, for eight long years. “I told him, “Rainor shine we never failed to hold a debate. One day, only my elder brother-once a popular preacher-and I were present. He took the chair while I addressed the empty benches; then I took the chair, while he led the opposition.”
My eyes were misty as I narrated this incident, which had proved to me that oratory, though encouraged by the thunderous applause of an appreciative audience, has its source in the zeal and enthusiasm of the speaker. Anthony of Padua had preached to the fished; Francis of Assisi had sung joyous canticles to the sun with no one to hear him. “That is price your sons will have to pay!” I Warned the man...
He left the room in dismay.