File:Architects of fate - or, Steps to success and power - a book designed to inspire youth to character building, self-culture and noble achievement (1895) (14744925196).jpg

Identifier: architectsoffate00mard (find matches)
Title: Architects of fate : or, Steps to success and power : a book designed to inspire youth to character building, self-culture and noble achievement
Year: 1895 (1890s)
Authors: Marden, Orison Swett, 1848-1924
Subjects: Success
Publisher: Boston : Houghton Mifflin
Contributing Library: University of Connecticut Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of Connecticut Libraries

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y more than ten talents scattered. A thimblefulof powder behind a ball in a rifle will do more execu-tion than a carload of powder unconfined. The rifle-barrel is the purpose that gives direct aim to the pow-der, which otherwise, no matter how good it might be,would be powerless. The poorest scholar in school orcollege often, in practical life, far outstrips the classleader or senior wrangler, simply because what littleability he has he employs for a definite object, whilethe other, depending upon his general ability and bril-liant prospects, never concentrates his powers. •A sublime self-confidence, says E. P. Whipple,springing not from self-conceit, but from an intenseidentification of the man with his object, lifts him alto-gether above the fear of danger and death, and commu-nicates an almost superhuman audacity to his will. It is fashionable to ridicule the man of one idea, butthe men who have changed the front of the world havebeen men of a single aim. No man can make his mark
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RICHARD ARKWRIGHTWhat a sublime spectacle is tliat of a man going straight to his goal, cutting hisway through difficulties, and surmounting obstacles wliich dishearten others, asthough they were stepping-stones. ONE UNWAVERING AIM. 113 on this age of specialties who is not a man of one idea,one supreme aim, one master passion. The man whowould make himself felt on this bustling planet, whowould make a breach in the compact conservatism ofour civilization, must play all his guns on one point.A wavering aim, a faltering purpose, has no place inthe nineteenth century. Mental shiftlessness is thecause of many a failure. The world is full of unsuc-cessful men who spend their lives letting emptybuckets down into empty wells. Mr. A. often laughs at me, said a young Americanchemist, because I have but one idea. He talks abouteverything, aims to excel in many things; but I havelearned that, if I ever wish to make a breach, I mustplay my guns continually upon one point. This greatchemist, when

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