Making the Most of Your Qualities - RBC

VOL.51,No.4

HEAD OFFICE:MONTREAL,APRIL 1970

MakintgheMostof YourQualities

HE WHOSUCCEEDSin anyenterprisien whichothers Theyarelearnintghattheircapacittyoconsumtehings failmaybe presumetdo havequalitieosf somesort doesnotdictatwehatsocietsyhallgivethem,andthat

orotherwhichtheydo nothave.

theymustpreparethemselvetso beartheirshareof

Unlessoneisawareof hisqualitiehseislikean acornthatdoesnot knowwhetheritsproperdestiny istobeanoaktreeora cabbage.

Itisa goodquestiont,hen,toask:"Whatqualities haveI as a person,as a worker,as a home-maker

theproductiopnrocessT.heyarebeginnintgo realize thattheyneedto getbusyrowingtheboat,whichis saferandmorehealthfutlhanrockinigt.Theirhappinessdependsuponthis:thattheymakethe bestof whatitis inthemtobecome.

andasa citizen?"

Thereisin everypersona desirefordistinction Thesearcfhoridentity

whichinclinehsimfirstto hopeandthento believe

thatnaturehas givenhimsometalentspeculiatro himselfM.akingthemostofthosequalitieissan end initselforhisownsake:itisalsoa contributtion hisfamilayndtosociety.

Thetransitiosntaalgeofa historicpaelrioidsdifficult.As Dr. RolloMay wrotein Man'sSearchfor Himself":Thebeliefsandtraditionhsandeddownin thesociettyendto becomcerystalliziendtodeadforms whichsuppresisndividuavlitality.T"hen:"Vitality

Thedevelopmeonftqualitieis somethintghatneeds getsdivorcedfromtraditiona,ndtendsto become

to be donewithpatiencev,igilances,agacitya,nd diffusreebelliousness."

determinatioInt.is notan exercisfeoryoungpeople only,butforpeopleofallages.Therearemanynotable exampleosf personswhohavediscovereodrexpanded talentasndqualitielsatein life.Happineastsanyage consistmsainlyin theexercisoef one'svitalpowers alongthelinesofone'stalents.

Today'syoungCanadianshave been born into a developesdocietyT.heydo nothaveto strugglheard tosurvivet,hereforteheyareseekinbgy manymeansto usetheirenergyintheprocessof socialevolution. Theyseetheworldas beingfullofancienrtigidities, butin tryintgo breakthesefixitietsheyareindanger

A maturepersonis alwaysclarifyinhgisideas, ofindulginigndirectionlesnsdeavour.

modifyinhgisbeliefse,nlarginhgiscapabilitieasn,d adaptinhgislifeplantoa changinegnvironmenTth.is adaptabilitsynotonlydesirablfeoradvancemenbtu,t isnecessatroysurvival.

Parentnseedto realiztehevastnesosfthedifference betweetnheirchildhooadndthelivesof youngpeople today.Thirtyyearsago youngpeoplewerenot embroileidn theworld'asffairst:odaytheyhavetheir

ChangeisinevitablTeh.efirstindustriraelvolution earsandeyesassailebdyeverydisastere,verywar,

substitutemdachinerfyormen'smusclest;hesecond everyrevolutioenv,erycropfailuree,verythreatof

industriarlevolutiono,wunderway,issubstituting deathbypollutionT.heyfeelpersonalliynvolvedA.ll

machinerfyormen'smindsinroutinework.Therehave thesorrow,sadnessandfrustrationf peoplevery-

alsobeenthreecommunicatiornesvolutionTsh.efirst whereisforceduponthembytelevisiorna,dioandthe

waswhenmeninventedwriting;thesecondwasth~ press.Bothyoungandoldareconfusedby thecom-

inventionfprintingt;oday'isstheappearanocfethe plexitieosflifeandthepresenwtorld-widiesorder.

massmedia,radio,television,ewspaperasndmagazinesthroughwhicheveryonehasaccessto allthe informatioan d knowledgoef the world.

Itwouldbe unjustodepreciattoeoharshltyhepast whichhasledup to thisstateof affairsT.herewere manygoodqualitieisn thatpast,andnoneof us would

The changeswroughtby theserevolutionhsave beheretodayexceptforthecareofpeoplewholived

specialmeaningforyoungpeople.As theygraduate beforeus. Anyonewhocensuresthe contemporary

fromschoolanduniversityt,heyhavegrownbeyond worldshouldhavea clearideaofwhathebelieveas

theeasychallengeasndsimplechoiceosf childhood. goodworldshouldbe.Happinesasndcontentmenatre

notgeneratebdypeoplewhocriticiztehingsas they

Thiskeepingsensitizetdo theworldaroundyouby

are withoutproposingvalidwaysof makingthem givingofyourqualitiewshilecontinuitnoglearnisa

better.

rewardingexperienceI.t encourageysouto spread

Toinflamdeisordehrasnovirtueormeritinitself, yourthoughtandactivityintoareasthatarenot

anditmaydeterioraitnetomeremindlespsrovocation. directlcyonnectewdithyourjob.

We recallthewitchesc'hantin Macbeth":Fairis foul

Itishighlpyleasintgoescapoeutofthecomplexities

andfoulisfair."Tothemallgoodwasrepugnanatnd ofeverydalyifeintoitssimplicitiaensd,thenfindthat

allevilattractivSet.ormandfoulweathearnddis- itssimplicitiheasvesolveditscomplexitieRso.bert

organizatiomnadethemostfavourablseettingfor Burnshad thisquality.Theploughman-poewtasat

theirvexatiouwsork.

homein anysocietfyromtheAyrshirceottageto the

Whatarethepositivaeimsto whichpeopleneedto applytheirqualiti?esAllthreegeneratio-n-stheone

nowold,theonenowmature,andtheonenowadolescentm wouldliketousetheirbestqualitietsoattain

EdinburgphalaceB.uthisspeciaqlualitwyashislove forallcreaturese,venthelowlymouseandthedaisy, and thisgavehim understandionfghumanbeingsand theirmotivations.

happinesss,omethinwgorthworkingfor,recognition Youmay,likeBurns,havelimitedresourcesb,ut

aspersonsa,ndhopeforthefuture.

you neednot havenarrowhorizons.Everywherei,n

Everypersonis worthjustso muchas thethings fields,workshopsa,ndeventst,hereis somethintgo

areworthaboutwhichhebusieshimselfT.oquotethe explores,omethinwgorthwhiletodiscoverb,eautyand

greatRomanEmperorMarcusAurelius:"A man's truth,poetryandsciencea,ndbestofall,wideunder-

lifeiswhathisthoughtmsakeofit."Whatevevralues standingA.cquaintanwcieththesebasicthingshelps

youprofessa,ndwhateveqrualitieysouhave,youare tomakeplainthecomplicattehdingsbuiltuponthem.

onlyas good,in workjustthesameas insport,as

It is outof wideknowledgtehatyoudevelopthe

youractualperformanpcreovesthatyouare.

qualityofmakinggoodchoicesH.ere,indeed,is the

Tobe rationaalndrealistiacboutthisisto give truestfreedomof thehumanrace:thefreedomof

discriminatiantgtentiotnothingsastheyareandto choice.Butyoucannotchoosesomethingyouhave

usediligenicnemakintghebestofourqualitietsoim- neverheardof.

provethem.Itisrealisttiocrelatwehatisstrategically

desirabtloewhatistacticalployssibwlieththeforceast

ItisnotdesirabtloefilllifewithoneactivitIyn.a

one'scommandT.hisiscommonsense,or motherwit, rapidlcyhanginwgorldversatiliitsya priceleassset.

orgoodjudgmenItt.applieqsualitiefsficientilnythe The samearrayof qualitiescanbe usedformany

rightendeavours.

purposesL.eonardoda Vincicouldbe,on different

days,a paintera,sculptoar,musiciaan,scientisatn,

Knowledge is needed

inventoarndan engineerH.e employeiddenticablasic

qualitiienseverycapacity.

Thekeytorealistiucseof qualitieiss knowledge

obtainedby research,experiencaendexperiment. Knowledggeivestheonlysoundbasisforconfident Ingredientsof success

planningI.t is therawmateriaflromwhichyoumanu-

Onemustbe enthusiastiEcn.thusiasims interest

facturreightopinionasbout hings.

plusenergy,andthiscombinatiopnrovidetshemost

The~ abilitytodiscriminatbetweenonepieceof dynamicof allhumanqualitiesA.nyonewhodoesnot

knowledgaendanothewrithregardtoitssignificance haveitnaturallcyancultivatietbyapplyinaglittle

foryourpurposceanbelearnedT.hebrillianycoeusee auto-suggestiMoenr.eldyecidintghata jobisgoingto

ina courtrooomr,laboratoroyr,operatintgheatreo,r beinterestihneglpstomakeitso.

a pieceofwritingi,stheendresultofaccumulating OnemusthaveambitionW.hatpartdo youwishto knowledgaendcheckinigtforitsvaliditiynsuch-and- playontheworldstage? Whatdoyouwanttomakeof

suchcircumstanceIst.is theoutcomeof weeks,and yourselfM?anypeopleareworriedin thefinalthird

sometimemsonthso,f grindinagndoftenboringwork. of thismemorablceenturyby emptinesst:heywant,

Gettinkgnowledgies partofcontinuinegducation. withoutknowingwhattheywant.

Somepeoplesaytothemselvetshatata certainage,

Ambitioins basedupondiscontentb,utbeingdis-

say18or25,theywillconsidetrhemselvesducated. satisfiewdithwhatyouhaveis notenough.Youneed

Theybelievec,onfidentltyh,atat thesametimeasthey

arefull-groiwneducatiotnheywillcontinuteohave a positivep,urposefuclr,eativaendenergetiacim,the

youngthoughtsT.hegreatattractioanboutcontinuing attainmenotf whichwillmakeuseof allyourgood

tofeelyoungis thevitalittyhatsays"Go...go... qualitiesT.hisisverydifferenftromthedesireof go."Ifyoustoplearninagtyourmid-twentiyeosuwill SanchoPanzain DonQuixoteto belordof an island

ina fewyearsfindnewsprintercsominugptopassyou.

ifit wereofferetdo him"withlittlteroublaendless danger".

Whateveryourage,applyyourknowledgtehought-

fullyandreasonabilnytermsof whatyoualreadayre,

Ambitioncan be a malignantmistressunless

andusetheserviceosfacademicp,rofessioncahlu,rch, properlwyooed.Nopersonisridiculofuosrbeingwhat

businessand governmentdepartmentsto helpyou he reallyis, but he can makehimselfabsurdby

presson.

affectintgo be whatheis not,or byattemptintgo

climbheightsbeyondhisqualitieso,r bytryingto

Beingcreativreequiretshatwe putmoreeffortinto

appearin everything.

buildinugp thanintoknockindgown.It cautionuss to

Neuroticambitionrevealsa persondrivenby a gad-flyl:ikeCaesar,forwhomthemapof theworld

hadno boundarieasndthewords"journey'esnd"no meaningo,r likeCyranode Bergeracf,ulminatianngd

havetheblue-prinrtesadyfora bettebruildinbgefore tearindgowntheoldone.It demandtshatwe studythe jobaheadsothatwebecomequalifietdodo itwell, withcompetenmtindsandskilledhands.

freneticasle,ekinagwholearmyhecouldputtoflight.

Thesaddesthingto happento an overreachinagm- Knowthyself

bitioinstherealizatoifoinnabilittoyfulfiilt.

Couragies anothenreededingredienotf successI.t is truethatto venturceauseasnxietyb,utnotto ventureis notto findoneselfY.ourequirtehequalitoyf beingableto go to workon a tasktheoutcomeof whichcannotbe assured.The volunteerisn small boatswho weresettingoutto rescuetheBritish

soldiersfromthebeachat Dunkirkweretold:"Now offyougo andgoodluckto you-- steerforthesound of theguns."

A healthyself-examinatiosnneededin orderto developotentiaqlualitieasndto correcftaultsT.he machinedsevelopebdy electronitcechnolognyotonly do theirjobsbutrunsimultaneocuhseckson theirown equipmenttoeliminatehepossibiliotfyerror.

The Greekprecept"KnowThyself"was not designedto lowerourpride,buttohelpusto understand our worth.Beliefin yourselafnd yourqualitieiss necessartyo successb,uthowcanyoubelievuenless you know?

Creativeworkmanship

Thisseekinogf self-knowledhgeelpsyouto tidyup

Havingambitione,nthusiasamndcouragey,oumust work.Idlenesissa desolatdeoctrinea,ppropriaotnely to thosewhohavegivenup tryingto makethemselves adequatteolife.Thehopeof thehumanraceforimprovemewnotuldbe futiliendeeidfit werein thehands of peoplceaperinfgorjoyat thethoughtthattheycan throwoffAdam'scurseandceaseworkwhilelivingon

anddrawyourqualitietsogether.Makean orderly arrayof whatyoualreadyknow.Thengrouptheelementsaccordintgotheir elativiemportancSe.lecthe featurteo whichyouproposteo payspeciaalttention. Unlessyoudo thispreparatowroyrkyouwilldissipate energyby livinugndercompulsivuen,directaecdtivity.

Self-analyshieslpsyouto useallyourequipmenitn

thecharitoyf others.

youreffortto becomeall thatyoucan become.A

Workis morethananindividuaalctivityi:tis a socialactivityb,ecausewhetherhighor lowon the wagescaleit contributetsosatisfyintghewantsof mankindI.tisa culture-creataicntgivityf,oritbe-

singlqeualitiysseldosmufficietnotbuilda successful life.LordBeaverbrooak,hard-headebdusinesmsan, said:"Hewhosucceedswillbe he who,throughthe

totalitoyfhisqualitiedse,servetsosucceed."

lieveisna bettefruturei:dlenesis reactiofno,rits

Gettoknowwhatis involvedW.henyoureyelights

idealasreinthepastanditistheimagoefa deatwhish. upona positiotnhatattractysou,therearetwothings

Theambitioupsersonwilldevelopan instincftor craftsmanshAinpa.rtistortechniciaonr businesmsan maybefillewdithnobleideasandfineinspiratiobnu,t if hishandsrefuseto obeythepromptinogf hismind,

youneedto considert:hefitnesosf thepositiofnor youandyourfitnesfsorthepositionT.hiswillavoid thedangerof wastingtimeandefforton unsuitable

work.

hisgoodintentiocnasnneverbeworkedintosatisfying Dispersiofneffortcanbea fatalflaw.Concentra-

realityW.henitcomestojudginagpieceofwork,your tion,whichisa habitnecessatroysuccesisnbusiness,

ownorthatofsomeoneelse,ofthisbesure:itisbad sciencaendpersonallife,meansbringintghingstoa

ifitis shoddoyrunsuitetdo itspurpose.

focus.Theweakestlivingcreatureb,y concentrating

Theambitioupsersownilltrytopickupsomepartic- hispowerson a singleobject,canaccomplisshomeularpieceoflifeandleaveitinbettesrhapeH.elooks thing;thestrongestb,y scatterinhgispowersover creativelayt thecommonplaceh;e seeksa newuse; many,mayfailtoaccomplsiahnything.

he bringsalivesomethinhgiddento others.Keats

heardthesongof a nightingaleb,utwhileothers A songunsung

listeneadbstractehdellyistenewdithallhishearta,nd

composedhis"Odeto a Nightingale".

Thenextthingis to getbusy.Ambitiohnasno real

Theactofcreatiodnoesnotbringintobeingsome- efficienucnylesspressefdorwarbdyactivityC.reative

thingoutofnothingI.tuncovers,electsr,eshuffles, efficienciysasdependenutponourqualitoyfdriving

combineasndsynthesizaelsreadeyxistinfgacts,ideas, poweras itis uponknowledgaendtalent.Twolines

facultieasndskills.Themusicologiswtascreative fromtheIndianpoetSirRabindranatThagoresound

whosepersistenstearchthroughmonasterayftermon- thewarning:"ThesongthatI cameto singremains

asteryuncovereadlostHaydnmass.Thatdiscovery unsung..I.havespentmy daysin stringinagndin

gavehimhisopportunittyo enrichtheworldwith unstringinmgy instrument."

somethingnew to it. SimilarlyS,hakespearteook

Noonecanmakethebestof hisqualitieisf heputs

themesandwordsfrommanynowforgottensources themin coldstorage.Whathasbeenlearnedcanbe

andwovethemintoplaysthatthrill,exciteandin- forgottena,ndwhathasbeenfrozenhasnoflexibility

formus.

to meetnewsituationasndtoembraceopportunities.

Donotpigeon-hoolrefilea goodidea.Ifyoucannot The qualityof character

putitintoexecutioantonce,makea noteinyourdiary

Characteirs whatyouarewhenthereis no oneelse

todigouttheideaandlookatitagain.

around.Many preachersand teachersemphasize

When you have started,developmentof your varioursequiremenotfslife:sociarlightsh,oneswtork,

qualitiedsemandsthatyoukeepgoing.Youhaveto cultures,anitya,ndoptimismb,utnotonegreateacher

overcomheumaninertiaT.heinabilittyosustainin- hasplayeddowntheneedforhavingcharacter.

terestuntila taskis completeids unmistakablay childisthraitwhichbelongtsothetimeoflifewhenthe immediatmeomentis stilltheonlyrealmomentI.t is importainftweareto useourqualitiefsfectivetlhyat we learnthedisciplinoef finishinwghatwe start.

Thecorner-stonfecharacteirs integritTyh.isdoes notask"Whatwillpeoplethink?" but"WhatwillI thinkofmyseliffI dothisorfailtodothat?I"thas

principlewsh,icharequalitieosf theunderlyisnogrt: lawsandideas,controllicnognceptasndbasicfacts.

Theyenablea persontoplayhispartwithequalcome-

Get out of your depth

lineswshethehreisdresseidnoverallosrdinnejracket.

Principleisnvolvehonour,"anold-fashionweodrd

Havingcompleteodnepartof yourplan,itis de- whichencompassedsuty,responsibilitayn,drespect

sirablteo progresastoncetoanotherstage.Donot giveanyonetheopportunityo saythatyoureached yourpeakyesterday.

Youholdyoursuccesassa challengceup,andatany timesomeotherplayermaycomealongto contend for it.AlfredNorthWhitehead,thatgiantamong philosopherasnd mathematicianwsa,s asked:"When didyoufirstbegintofeelanadequactyo yourwork?" He replied":I haveneverfeltadequatteo it."Every qualitcyanbe improvedT.heminuteyouareentirely satisfiewdithyourperformantcheefirststeptoward degeneratihoansbeentaken.Perfectioans,Santayana

foreternavlalues.T"hisisnota quotatiofnromsome old-fogeaycademicphilosophebru,t fromthe sonof ThomasAlvaEdison,presidenotf EdisonIndustries andan eminentservantof hiscountryin peaceand in war.

Characteirnvolveas feelingforhumanitayndthe powerof sympathayndthedesireto serve.Thequality

ofchivalriys notdead,andcanberevivedI.t regards courageas splendidf,idelitays noble,andmercyas partofa gentlemanc'osde.Itisa wayoflifeinwhich thebiggeorneslookoutforthelittleornes.Asis said inIrelandi,tis"arelicofanolddecency".

putit,isa synonyomffinitude.

Characteris notsummedup in thatmuch-abused

Ifyoudo notevergetoutof yourdepthyouwill neverlearnto swim.Mostsuccessfumlenhaveat sometimebeenkickedupstairsA.ta criticamloment

concep"tpersonalitbyu"titdoesgivecharm,a quality thathasa wistfualppealwhichaccomplishmeosrethan woulddominanceand force.

intheirlivestheyhavebeenforcedto domorethan theyhad plannedto do, or to accommodatethem- To sum up

selvestoa newsituationa,ndoutoftheirqualities theyprovedtheirabilittyo copewiththechallenge. AbrahamLincolnsuffereodneset-bacakfteranother, buthe becamePresident.

Whenyoutakestockof yourqualitieysouarealreadyaheadofthegreatmassof thepeoplewhonever seriouslcyonsidewrhattalentstheyhavewithwhich to work.No onecanexpecthebestofhimselfifhe

OtherstanzaosfKipling'psoemcalled"If"aremore thinksaimlesslaybouthisqualitieasndselectshis

frequentlqyuotedb,utnoneismoreimportantto the qualittyoolsathaphazarTdh.enucleaprhysicisdtoes

personseekintgodevelohpisqualitietshanthisone: notusea pickaxteosplitatoms.

"Ifyou canwatchthe thingsyou gaveyourlifeto broken,and stoopandbuild'em up withworn-out

tools..,you'llbe a Man!"

No onecan guaranteeyou successin usingyour qualitiebsu,tyoucandeserviet.Whatyouimaginoen a largescalewillberealizedp,erhapson a smaller

Thealternativteoanyplanwhichfailstoworkis scale,dependinguponhow rightyourassumptions alwaysanotherplan.Thereis smallsatisfactiaonnd wereaboutyourqualitieasndhowearnestlyyoutry.

lessbenefiitnjustwalkinagway.Considearlternatives. At any age you may be ableto say "mypresent

Ifyoumakea falsestart,wipeitoutandstartagain. situatioins buta sketchofa picturewhichI must

If thequalitieysouusedo notproducethedesired finish.S"tarteverymorninwgithyourmindsettoward

result,trysomeothersor anothercombination.

teHenride Saint-Simonw,howas

Nobodyshouldexpectto be perfect,or be unduly troublebdy thefactthathe is not.Eventhegreatest artistshavetheircomparativeulnyinspiremdoments. It is notdisgraceftuolfailin anattemptto dosomething.Theonlydisgracies notto seekthequalitiyn

no sluggardin waror businessandwhobecamethe grandfathoefrthepositivipshtilosophiyn,structheids valetto addresshim,firstthingeverymorningw,ith

thereminder:"RememberM,onsieurle Comte,that youhavegreatthingsto do."

youthatwillpromptyouto maketheattemptR.ecall themanin oneof Shakespearep'lsayswhovowedthat he would"Leanupononecrutchandfightwiththe other"ratherthanstayoutof thebattle.

Onewhoseeksto makethemostof his qualities willdohabituallwyellwhathehasto do."According to one'spower":thatwastherefrainandfavourite sayingofSocratesa,sayingof greatsubstance.

Postagpeaidin cashat thircdlassrate. PermitNo.10005in bulk-enombr?.

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