The Gavelyte, October 1910

I 111 1111 \ I.I, I'!\ Co c ntr ti n !Ht, \\ , H 1'1 •11,·,. f· ) , l'onn•ntrnl1011 uf 'IH'l)!, 111 tlw k 'Y to H\l<'Cl'H. in t>Ve ry undc•rtaking. It I to bring- all our rwc 'SRary pow 'rH lo hl' ~tr upon orw ohJ<·ct a th· Hnm · lim • i nrl k Pp them lhl'r, unlil th purpose in vit>w is al'compli:-; hPcl. It r 'qtttl'C'S a purpos ', n plan and x r iH of th will ThPHC an· th f' 8 •n- liul racton, to concenLration. lack f cone ntrnt1on HhowHn lnck of on1• or all of lh s prim fa tors and a lack of any of h'm ind,cal s , by Ho much, a vital w ak1ws . la k of purpos d not<>s a la k of ambition. la k of plans shows a lack of sy tern. A lack of will pow r d not •s a lack of goism, per on– ulit., indi iduality. prop r purpos plus an adPqual plan plu1:1 a w 11 -bal – anc cl will giv s the lead r among his f llow-men. Thcs I m n s cons titute, too, the ground-work for concentration. Purpos gives th aim to cone ntra– tion and th reby draw our energies to one thing. Plan furni shes th path for concentration and ther by keeps systematic and economiz s both lime anrl ener– gy. Will gives choice and det rmination and th reby enable us o rej ct all thing unnecessary to the accomplishment of our ta k and to choo only tho e . which are serviceable; but it bends persistently al1 n d d pow rs which we pos ess to the execution of our plan and the attainment of our purpose. The greatest foe to concentration, and consequently to succe s, i di sipa– tion, or the scatte ring or spreading out of our en rgie at the same time. One purpo e, one plan combined with all the energy we possess at a given tim is the recipe for success. On the other hand, several purposes, with as many plans at the sam time will dissipate attention, weaken the will, confu ' e the energies, discourage the spirit. and end in fail ure. The moral of the foregoing to the students is, Get a purpose commensurate with your powers, and worthy of a human being. Plan to carry it out. Bend all your powers to its accomplishment. While in college, your prime business is to study and develop your mental powers, to cultivate your social powers and until you are naturally polite and courteous to all classes of humanity, and to traio your spiritual powers until you uncon ciously give God fir t place m all things. In other words, tudy, discipline, and growth in grace are. at lea t, the three important lines along which you should concentrate your energies to be– come a well rounded human being. Their fruits are a trained mind, a winning disposition , and a Christlike character. I make no reference to the physical part of your nature, not because it i not important, for it is; but because it is emphasized by so many writers that I think it unnecessary. Whatever else you learn from the foregoing, learn this Ge t a single purpose, an adequate plan; then go to work and keep working till the morning bell of eternity ring you out.