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Literary
April 26, 1924
The Broad Ax
Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County County, Utah
What is this article about?
Motivational essay by Jack Smothers emphasizing life's brevity and the need for thorough preparation in a specific skill or field to succeed, using Jesus as an example and advocating diligence over versatility.
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OCR Quality
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Excellent
Full Text
"PREPAREDNESS"
By Jack Smothers
Life is swift and fleeting.
We are living today in health and happiness—in the bloom of youth, and tomorrow another life is flickered out—gone to the great beyond. No longer will it listen to the strains of music and laughter and merriment—it will be cold in death.
Altho this life is short, great preparations should be made to spend the short time that we are granted, to carefully prepare ourselves to do a work, whether it be little or great.
We are told that Jesus spent more than thirty years preparing himself for the short time that was spent in actual work—teaching and preaching.
The man who is most capable for a certain work, is the man who is chosen to perfect it or carry it on. As soon as one falls by the wayside, another and another and so on—until a long, long line is formed, of persons waiting anxiously to get the place made vacant. Who will receive it?
It depends on you whether YOU will get it. If you are the best fitted, of course, you will get the place, and the opportunity to carry on successfully the work which has been so abruptly stopped.
The man who works most zealously, who does the most for the most people, with such means as he has, will live long after he has been placed beneath the sod.
Earnest and thorough preparation should be made in some particular branch or study, with the idea of filling the chair more creditably than your predecessor. It is not the kind of work you do that counts, it is how you do it. The meanest and most menial labor can be dignified, if there is the determination to go one notch higher than the other fellow; to do it just a little bit better than those who have gone before; that is ennobling it and making it dignified regardless of what it is.
The man who has an aim in view, who diligently works toward that aim, and fully qualifies himself, is the man who is always in demand.
When applying for a position, do you think an advertisement which reads like this would mean very much to a man who wanted a first class carpenter or painter?
"I am answering your ad. I can do anything."
Do you think he is likely to get the position offered for a skilled laborer? What does anything mean? Are you in the same position, can you really and truly say that you can do anything? Learn to do some one thing well. If you can do many other things—feel that you know everything about some one thing.
In preparing yourself for some particular work, you may be subjected to many hardships if you are not fixed well financially, or you may have to deny yourself many pleasures, but this matters very little when you know that all these things will be yours in the end. That you will have the consciousness of knowing that you are prepared to offer your service for sale—and to demand a good price for them; this is the time when you receive back your payment for the cost of learning.
Begin today to think this over. Ask yourself the question. What can I do well? If you do this, I am sure you will let nothing get between you and your goal or that will retard your progress of learning something which will prove to be valuable to you all your life.
"If you can build a mouse-trap better than your neighbor, though your house be in the forest, the world will make a beaten path to your door."
By Jack Smothers
Life is swift and fleeting.
We are living today in health and happiness—in the bloom of youth, and tomorrow another life is flickered out—gone to the great beyond. No longer will it listen to the strains of music and laughter and merriment—it will be cold in death.
Altho this life is short, great preparations should be made to spend the short time that we are granted, to carefully prepare ourselves to do a work, whether it be little or great.
We are told that Jesus spent more than thirty years preparing himself for the short time that was spent in actual work—teaching and preaching.
The man who is most capable for a certain work, is the man who is chosen to perfect it or carry it on. As soon as one falls by the wayside, another and another and so on—until a long, long line is formed, of persons waiting anxiously to get the place made vacant. Who will receive it?
It depends on you whether YOU will get it. If you are the best fitted, of course, you will get the place, and the opportunity to carry on successfully the work which has been so abruptly stopped.
The man who works most zealously, who does the most for the most people, with such means as he has, will live long after he has been placed beneath the sod.
Earnest and thorough preparation should be made in some particular branch or study, with the idea of filling the chair more creditably than your predecessor. It is not the kind of work you do that counts, it is how you do it. The meanest and most menial labor can be dignified, if there is the determination to go one notch higher than the other fellow; to do it just a little bit better than those who have gone before; that is ennobling it and making it dignified regardless of what it is.
The man who has an aim in view, who diligently works toward that aim, and fully qualifies himself, is the man who is always in demand.
When applying for a position, do you think an advertisement which reads like this would mean very much to a man who wanted a first class carpenter or painter?
"I am answering your ad. I can do anything."
Do you think he is likely to get the position offered for a skilled laborer? What does anything mean? Are you in the same position, can you really and truly say that you can do anything? Learn to do some one thing well. If you can do many other things—feel that you know everything about some one thing.
In preparing yourself for some particular work, you may be subjected to many hardships if you are not fixed well financially, or you may have to deny yourself many pleasures, but this matters very little when you know that all these things will be yours in the end. That you will have the consciousness of knowing that you are prepared to offer your service for sale—and to demand a good price for them; this is the time when you receive back your payment for the cost of learning.
Begin today to think this over. Ask yourself the question. What can I do well? If you do this, I am sure you will let nothing get between you and your goal or that will retard your progress of learning something which will prove to be valuable to you all your life.
"If you can build a mouse-trap better than your neighbor, though your house be in the forest, the world will make a beaten path to your door."
What sub-type of article is it?
Essay
What themes does it cover?
Moral Virtue
What keywords are associated?
Preparedness
Work Ethic
Self Improvement
Specialization
Diligence
Moral Instruction
What entities or persons were involved?
By Jack Smothers
Literary Details
Title
Preparedness
Author
By Jack Smothers
Subject
On The Importance Of Preparation For Life And Work
Key Lines
Life Is Swift And Fleeting.
We Are Told That Jesus Spent More Than Thirty Years Preparing Himself For The Short Time That Was Spent In Actual Work—Teaching And Preaching.
It Is Not The Kind Of Work You Do That Counts, It Is How You Do It.
Learn To Do Some One Thing Well.
"If You Can Build A Mouse Trap Better Than Your Neighbor, Though Your House Be In The Forest, The World Will Make A Beaten Path To Your Door."