INITIATIVE AND SELF-RELIANCE
The late Elbert Hubbard defined the man with initiative as the one who
did the right thing at the right time without being told. At this point
it may be definitely stated that such a man would naturally be
_self-reliant._ Such a man would not lean on his friends. He would
_stand up_ with them.... He would be found fighting his own battles
without crying for help.
Once a cub reporter was ordered by his city editor to go and interview a
certain man. After an awkward pause the youngster inquired: "Where can I
find him?" Smiling scornfully into his eyes the city editor replied:
"Wherever he is."
This would seem to have been the start and finish of this youngster's
newspaper career, but quite the reverse was true. He took the lesson
well to heart, thus starting himself on the road to self-reliance. If
he had repeated the offense it is likely he would have lost his job and
also _his nerve_--thereby spoiling his chances for a successful career.
The fact that he did not, but went on and made of himself a famous
newspaper man, proves that he lost no time in developing _initiative and
self-reliance_.
There is no questioning the vast importance these two words mean to all
of us. Many a man who did not grasp the significance of initiative
became a "_leaner_" for the rest of his life. Many a man also missed his
chances by doing _just as he was told_ and nothing more. His work ended
there. In due course it is inevitable that such a man should become part
of the great army of discontented ne'er-do-wells who help to block the
pavements in front of the loafing places.
Hesitation, vacillation and growing diffidence take the place of
self-reliance. He falls to the bottom like a stone. And there he
rests--a drag anchor in the mire. His job gets the best of him because
he lacks initiative. Once stranded he becomes an arrant
coward--_afraid of his own shadow_.
[Illustration: _A Scene from "In Again--Out Again"_]
We must _make our own opportunities_ otherwise we are children of
circumstance. What becomes of us is a matter of guesswork. We have no
hand in compelling our own future. _Diffidence is a species of
cowardice._ It causes a man's courage to ooze out at his toes faster
than it comes into his heart. _Such men often have big ideas, but having
no confidence in themselves they lack the power to compel confidence in
others._ When they go into the presence of a man of personality they
lose their self-confidence and all of the pent-up courage which drove
them forward flies out at the window. Their weakness multiplies with
each failure until finally "the jig is up"--_their impotency is
complete_.
Very largely those who have big ideas to present expect to be taken in
on them and to be given an opportunity to succeed along with their
scheme. When a man becomes so unfortunate as to be unable through
diffidence to explain himself, his big idea goes into the waste basket
and with it all of the hopes he has built upon it. _Another nail has
been driven into his casket of failures._
To such a man, all pity, but we will not allow him to escape until we
have given him a pat on the back and pointed out the right road to
travel. We mustn't preach to him or undertake to force him to do
anything, but we will at least give him a helping hand and show him that
there is _a royal road to his goal_.
This man needs first of all to build upon his physique. Perhaps he has a
_bad stomach_, and likewise _bad teeth_. Exercise--regular exercise,
should be the first thing on his program. Fresh air, long walks, deep
breathing, dumb bells, boxing, rowing, skating in season--_and wholesome
companionship day by day_. In the long run boxing will become his most
efficient exercise. When a man can take a blow between the eyes and come
back for more he has begun to _fortify his own combativeness_. That is
what he needs in life's battles--the nerve to _come back for more_ after
a slam on the jaw that would lay another man low. And when it's all
said and done and the exercise game has become a feature of his day's
work, he must settle down to _good plain food and plenty of sleep_.
There is nothing in all the world like these things combined for the
upbuilding and upholding of health and courage.
Our success is a matter of our courage. A man who can steel himself to
be knocked down and get up immediately afterwards and hand the other
fellow a ripping punch has added to his own "pep." _All courage is of
the same cloth, whether physical, moral or spiritual._ To build upon one
is to build up the others--the human system being constructed on such a
basis that if one part is affected all the rest follow suit.
A man who isn't afraid of a physical combat will readily match his wits
with his fellow man. Physical training is therefore all important to
_initiative and self-reliance_.
Our natural aim is to make for ourselves a true personality that does
not know defeat. When we come to an obstacle we must be able to hurdle
it. It is all very well to say that the longest way around is the
shortest way across, but it doesn't sound like initiative and
self-reliance. There is one thing about men who rely upon
themselves--they make no excuses, nor do they puff up over victory.
Posing for applause is as distasteful to them as standing for abuse. All
they ask is a square deal and the confidence of their associates. If
they fall down on a proposition they get up and go at it again until
success crowns their efforts. Such men have a way of _turning defeat
into victory_.
How immeasurably inferior to such a spirit is the fellow who whines and
moans at every evil twist of fortune. He has no confidence in himself
and nothing else to do except confide his woes to all who will listen to
his cowardly story of defeat. Such men are least useful in the important
work of this world. They are the humdrum hirelings--the dumb followers.
The pitiful part of it all is that they could have succeeded had they
but taken stock of themselves when the taking was good. But while there
is life there is hope--likewise a chance. _It is up to us._
One of the startling things about men of initiative is the way they
come forward in times of trouble. We don't have to point to Andrew
Jackson in the War of 1812. We can look around us. Take, for example, a
great fire. Haven't we often read of the brave fireman who sprang
forward and by doing the right thing instantly, saved a multitude of
lives? Well, such a man is possessed of self-reliance. He is trained for
the hazardous life he leads. When the emergency arose he was ready in a
jiffy to do the work expected of him.
It is safe to say that without training such men would have botched the
job and instead of being praised to the skies would have sunk into
oblivion under the heap of public scorn. Sometimes it happens that a man
accidentally becomes a hero, but it was no accident that he was _able to
become one_. He must have had initiative--he must have had
self-reliance. Archibald C. Butt was such a man. He went down on the
_Titanic_. The last act of his life was to help women and children into
the boats and calm their minds as they were lowered away. Astor was of
the same metal--_both sublimely oblivious to the terrible fate which
hung over them_. Here was initiative and self-reliance in its highest
form.
And this sort of man is everywhere. The car in which we ride to work
every morning contains one or more of them. Let something happen and we
will see them spring forward with a line of action already formed. At
their word of command we automatically obey--and then when the worst is
over a kindly voice reassures us and we go on our way rejoicing.
What would the world do without these men? History is filled with the
tales of heroes and heroines. And for every Joan of Arc there are
thousands upon thousands who have done heroic things without a word of
praise. Moreover, the really brave soul declines all ovation. No real
hero claims reward. _To have done the right thing at the right time is
reward in itself._
This quality of self-strength and self-dependence is not confined to any
race of people, but in nations where personal liberty survives
initiative is at its best. Somehow, whenever the emergency, _the man
comes forth to do and dare_. The great world war, still raging as these
lines are penned, has furnished untold thousands of examples of
courageous action---enough to last until the end of human affairs, but
they will go on and on in multiplied form, each day's score superseding
those of the day before. It would be bully to know that we are doing our
share in _safeguarding the supply_ of Initiative and Self-reliance
needed in this world.
We must keep moving. The fellow who gets in a rut through lack of
initiative finds that with advancing years it becomes harder and harder
to get out of it, so that the best plan is to make the move now while
there is time to succeed. When we come to think of it, there are plenty
of positions in the world for the right man, and if we have something to
say for ourselves that lends credit to our ability we stand a chance for
the job.