Taming Tribulation Podcast

By George Matthew Adams (1913)

Somewhere in every busy city is a Stenographer that is Wanted. Young, neat, of good family, educated, she dicks away at her type keys with evenness and with care. Accurate, attentive, enthusiastic, she works through the hours with speed in her work and joy in her heart, and all backed by a good level head.

This young lady uses her Brains as well as her Fingers. She is making good. She would make good anywhere. That is why she is Wanted to-day by scores of Business Men. She takes an interest not only in her own work at hand but in the work of her Employer. She constantly seeks for new chances to help and to grow.

Her Character is felt in the office and it radiates its influence of strength wherever she goes and in whatever she does. She is not the Girl-here-to-day, Girl-there-to-morrow sort. That is another reason why she is Wanted by dozens of other Concerns.

Prompt at her duties in the morning, she has no concern for the Clock at night. Courteous, cheerful, thoughtful of the interests of others, she demands respect — and gets it.

Of the Gum chewing, Candy eating, Vanity box, office Cult she is not a part. Work to her is a Business and a Training. Also, it’s a Development that she guards and takes pride in. She sees Visions and Value and Personal Growth that no pay envelop could possibly hold.

As stated, this young lady is Wanted — Wanted badly. Every Business house in every city is in imperative need of her. Her services are Wanted TO-DAY! She will need no further qualifications than those named as already having. But will she kindly — without fail — call TO-DAY? She may call at any Business house in any city for she is Wanted by them ALL.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

Real Strength does not show its full force on all occasions. Often it only pokes its head out. Real Strength has Reserve power. The strongest part of great buildings is under ground — in rock and steel and mortar — where eyes cannot see.

Success Power is in the Reserve.

Reserve is the law of Nature and of Life. When the Reserve is gone, all is gone. The greatest battles are won with Reserve forces; Banks are kept steady and safe by their Reserve funds; Business goes on, healthy and vigorous because of its Reserve capital. The character of a man or woman — YOUR character — is kept from being swept easily into oblivion, through the safe Reserve that you lock securely away in the shape of stores of Honor, Courage, Faith, Backbone — all ready for emergencies.

Success Power is in the Reserve.

Reserve is what keeps the Smile from fading into the frown. Reserve is what makes possible the next trial after the last one failed. Success Power is in the Reserve. The Human failure begins by being too proud to work for six dollars a week. The Human Success is ANXIOUS and glad of the chance to work for three dollars a week at the start, tor Reserve is also the knowledge of sure future — concealed from the general view, yet known to the individual.

Success Power is in the Reserve.

Do every detail of your day’s work as though it was to be viewed by a Master eye. Make every job a great job. Put Dignity and Joy and Enthusiasm into everything attempted, forgetting not for the shortest minute that —

Success Power is in the Reserve.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

The Thank habit is one of the best habits that you can form. Think for a moment. Did you ever regret a “Thank you,” received from anybody? Did it ever make you feel mean, dissatisfied, out of sorts? Has it ever brought to you a feeling of remorse for service rendered? Alright, then —

Get the Thank habit.

It is not necessary to express in mere words at all times your feeling of Thankfulness. Once get the habit thoroughly and you will LIVE it unconsciously. Thankful men and women show in their very eyes and attitude that they have the habit. It’s the most “showy” quality possible. It’s contagious, too.

Get the Thank habit.

You meet a gruff, inhuman being. He performs some service as though he were a sort of mechanical device. You Thank him. He at once becomes Human! Thankfulness acts like a powerful stimulant both on yourself and upon other people. It transforms. All days are fine days, all people are square people, all happenings are for the best to the one who has thoroughly mastered the “Thank Habit.”

Get the Thank habit.

Get it by always acknowledging a service with a Thank you. If your Clerk, or Waiter, or Secretary, or Partner, or Friend does a service — no matter how small — hand over the Thanks — freely, with a broad, healthy Smile. It’s a great investment. The Dividends simply roll back to you.

Get the Thank habit.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

Have a definite purpose — Aim.

The secret of all Winning is the unyielding fight toward a definite Ideal or Plan. A man with a set Aim and the courage to follow in its path cannot Fail. In fact, what you Aim to be, you already are — potentially.

Have a definite purpose — Aim.

The first efforts of John Keats were laughed to scorn by his critics, but he paid no attention to them, for he was certain of his ability and hardly was the ink on their criticisms dry before he handed them his marvelous poem Endymion. “I was never afraid of failure,” said he, “for I would sooner fail than not be among the greatest.” Keats was but twenty-six years of age when he died — a mere boy! But he had a world fame — he had achieved his Aim.

Have a definite purpose — Aim.

Washington lost more battles than he won. But his Aim for Independence was achieved. People marvel at the election to the Presidency of Woodrow Wilson — a Schoolmaster. But those who know the man, know that he has been preparing for this exalted office for a quarter of a century — not Aiming at the Office merely — but the ability to FILL it. His Aim was to merit the Task — not the Honor alone.

Have a definite purpose — Aim.

There are no “Lucky Dogs.” Winners are just the Workers with an Aim — that’s all. The Successful business men of every city — the largest number of them — had nothing to begin with but a single Aim. What is their story now? The magnificent blocks, and great enterprises that make each city what it is. Have you an Aim? You only need ONE big central Aim. Get it without delay. Then follow it consistently and courageously. For it is better to Aim at one great task and complete it acceptably and with Honor, than to split your Aims into a dozen different Aims and win in none.

Have a definite purpose — Aim.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

To some Courtesy may seem a Lost Art, little worth bringing back. But it is not. Courtesy is one of the Old Time Arts that dies only with the Man or the Business. For the rise of many a Man and Business has started with it.

Take time to be Courteous.

Emerson once wrote: “Give a boy address and accomplishments, and you give him the mastery of Palaces and Fortunes wherever he goes.” Courtesy is of more value to a man than a thousand letters of written recommendations. Courtesy is an asset of more power than Money or Influence.

Take time to be Courteous.

A few years ago, a young man by the name of Wallace stood behind a Railroad office window in Oil City, Pennsylvania, as a Ticket Agent. But he didn’t stay there ALL the time. When he saw a chance to render a Courteous favor by delivering tickets direct to a customer, he delivered the tickets. Also, he sought out new ways of giving service. Business grew. A bigger job came after him. Then a bigger one. To-day, still a young man, he is General Passenger Agent for the entire Erie Railroad. He may be its President some day. He owes his career to Courtesy.

Take time to be Courteous.

Courtesy lightens the burdens of toil. Courtesy demands respect. Courtesy is a little brother to Opportunity and follows her around through the hours of the busy day. Courtesy always leads a man higher up.

Take time to be Courteous.

The Courteous Office Boy, the Courteous Clerk, the Courteous Stenographer, the Courteous Manager, the Courteous Leader at heavy tasks — whoever heard of such a one not growing, not climbing into greater things? Think over these truths. For it is tremendously worthwhile to —

Take time to be Courteous.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

The most useful body in the heavens is the Sun. It keeps the world out of continual darkness. It Radiates its greatest gift — Light. Also it Radiates its heat — keeps this old Earth warm. Take a lesson from the Sun —

Radiate you Influence.

Make it worth Radiating. Radiate it to your Friends. Radiate it to your Office Helpers. Radiate it in your Public Position. Radiate it through your own approval, and take to heart the responsibility that gives you the chance to make your Influence.

Radiate your Smiles.

For Smiles and Cheer are the greatest stimulators in the world. You don’t have to speak to Radiate Smiles and Cheer. They shoot their rays of warmth and healing and encouragement from the very lines of your Face and the very movements of your body.

Radiate your Knowledge.

Do it to a high purpose. Knowledge kept is of no value whatever. The only Knowledge worth having is what you give away. What Knowledge you get, Radiate.

Radiate your Money.

Earn it honestly and well. Then Radiate it to useful ends. Divide it with the faithful workers who helped you make it. Money is a most useless thing in itself. Its total value lies in what it Radiates in hopeful enterprises and noble works.

Radiate your Success.

There is nothing so stimulating, to a real Winner as to hand out the secrets and formulas of Success that he has learned. Nature works in rotation. So does a man’s Success. What is yours to-day is the other fellow’s to-morrow. Your service is to keep the law — to Radiate to-day what came to you yesterday. For the whole rule of life and Success is to Radiate —

To Radiate.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

Find out what Books your Friend reads and you’ll know what manner of man or woman you have for a Friend. Books contain the wisdom — as well as the foolishness of the ages. The greatest thoughts, the deepest experiences, the results of the most profound and prolonged experiments, are all embalmed in books.

Grow useful from Books.

The Character of a man is shown by the Books he selects. The Character of a Nation is largely determined by the Books that its men and women read. The wealth of the world is in its Books, not in its Gold and Silver and precious Stones and Structures and Lands.

Grow useful from Books.

Good books are real. They are cross sections of life. They tell the truth and conceal nothing. You take or leave what such a book teaches. You know, without asking, its true value. You think, act, walk, work — live with it. For the time you are of it — a part. You live over the thought that the writer lived. Though long years in his grave — again he breathes, and warmth is in his blood again. How marvelous is a Book!

Grow useful from Books.

Good Books make sympathy a world trait. Progress is but the accumulation of Book power. With books gone the world would rot away. Good Books will put Poetry and Music into your smallest efforts.

Grow useful from Books.

The world’s greatest doers have been the world’s greatest readers. “Read again,” said Napoleon to an officer on board the ship that was taking him into exile forever, “read again the poets; devour Ossian. Poets lift up the soul, and give to man a colossal greatness.”

Grow useful from Books.

Read Good Books regularly and systematically. Learn Books. Love Books. LIVE Books.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

Wanted — at once — one thousand men of all ages, up to 90, who are experienced in the art of Smiling.

We want men who have learned the value of a Smile not only when everything goes along smoothly but those who have learned to Smile when everything goes dead wrong and when it seems as though nothing on earth is worthwhile.

That’s the kind of Smilers we want. We want TRAINED Smilers. We want habitual Smilers — confirmed Smilers, Smilers that have the knack of giving away Smiles. We want Smilers who know how to produce Smiles on the faces of people where no Smiles ever played before.

We don’t care anything about where you come from or what your business is or how many Ancestors you may have had. You must have the business of Smiling absolutely mastered. And we don’t want Smilers who have learned to Smile but a part of the day or on “set” occasions.

We want the Chronic Smilers. We have a job for you. We ask for One Thousand. We really want every one that we can get. We ask for MEN Smilers. But we actually want just as many WOMEN Smilers.

When do we want them? Now. Where do we want them? Everywhere. Who wants them? Everybody. What for? To make this world the best possible world in which to live. APPLY — at your own Home or living Place, your Office, or on the Street — wherever your Face takes you.

But keep your SMILE with you. For without it — none need apply.

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Isms are a part of the progress of the race.

Here’s the best of all—

Humanism.

Humanism, we will say, is the art of just being Human. Get back to being Human. To be Human is to be Yourself, through and through. And anybody that tries to be Human usually tries a lot of things that turn out to be, in the eyes of others who never think of being Human, very silly and very blundering. But that is the delight of it all! The big, strong people are those who are unusually Human.

Get back to being Human.

The Man of Affairs that can see the feeling side of the fellow who puts his coat on; the Woman of Wealth and Society who is able to be Human in the presence of her kitchen girl — they are following out the teaching of Humanism.

Get back to being Human.

Evil Prosperity makes the Snob. Adversity and Catastrophe make the Human.

Get back to being Human.

There are fewer Human beings in Business than there should be. Because men forget that their helpers are not machines, but Blood and Bone and Brain and Heart — and Feeling. If every person who reads this little talk would enter upon his or her work to-day determined to act like a Human being, think what Happiness would be added to this day!

For to be Human is to be Kind, Considerate, Generous, Forgiving, Helpful, Inspiring, as well as to make Mistakes and Err.

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By George Matthew Adams (1913)

Do you want to DOUBLE your Efficiency, your Influence, your Results — your very Life? Here’s a Secret —

cut out the NON-essentials.

Give your Time to Things that Count. Half the “Faithful” Employees, the “Always-to-be-depended-upon” people that fill the Offices and Shops of the land, are nothing more nor less than just “Putterers,” and their Employers are too blind to see it. They do their work from day to day — but they take twice the Time necessary and thus WASTE for their Employers one-half.

Give your Time to Things that Count.

Did you ever watch the Doer, the Executive, the Leader — at his job? He instantly sees the BIG things in his Correspondence; immediately he sees the LARGE side of an Employee or of a Problem. Then he dismisses the NON-essentials, and sees that the Essentials are DONE — carried out according to his orders. Such a man is usually the one, too, that does the most and yet always has TIME — for things Worth While.

Give your Time to Things that Count.

Try to pick out the things in your Work To-day that really look Essential. Then push aside and away, the useless details. Concentrate on Essentials. For you will never Count in this world unless you —

Give your Time to Things that Count.

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