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Speaker 1: Thoroughness. Thoroughness consists in doing little things as though they

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were the greatest things in the world. That the little

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things of life are of primary importance is a truth

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not generally understood, and the thought that little things can

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be neglected, thrown aside, or slurred over is at the

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root of that lack of thoroughness which is so common,

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and which results in imperfect work and unhappy lives. When

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one understands that the great things of the world and

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of life consist of a combination of small things, and

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that without this aggregation of small things, the great things

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would be nonexistent, then he begins to pay careful attention

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to those things which he formerly regarded as insignificant. He

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thus acquires the quality of thoroughness and becomes a man

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of usefulness and influence. For the possession or non possession

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of this one quality may mean all the difference between

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a life of peace and power and one of misery

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and weakness. Every employer of labor knows how comparatively rare

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this quality is, how difficult it is to find men

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and women who will put thought and energy into their

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work and do it completely and satisfactorily. Bad workmanship abounds.

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Skill and excellence are acquired by few. Thoughtlessness, carelessness, and

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laziness are such common vices that it should cease to

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appear strange that, in spite of social reform, the ranks

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of the unemployed should continue to swell. For those who

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scamp their work to day will another day, in the

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hour of deep necessity, look and ask for work. In vain.

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The law of survival of the fittest is not based

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on cruelty. It is based on justice. It is one

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aspect of that divine equity which everywhere prevails. Vices be

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and with many stripes. If it were not so, how

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could virtue be developed. The thoughtless and lazy cannot take

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precedence of, or stand equally with, the thoughtful and industrious.

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A friend of mine tells me that his father gave

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all his children the following piece of advice. Whatever your

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future work may be, put your whole mind upon it,

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and do it thoroughly. You need then have no fear

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as to your welfare, for there are so many who

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are careless and negligent that the service of the thorough

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man are always in demand. I know those who have

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for years tried, in almost Vain to secure competent workmanship.

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In spheres which do not require exceptional skill, but which

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call chiefly for forethought, energy, and conscientious care, they have

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discharged one after another for negligence, laziness, incompetence, and persistent

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breaches of duty, not to mention other vices which have

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no bearing on this subject. Yet the vast army of

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the unemployed continues to cry out against the laws, against society,

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and against heaven. The cause of this common lack of

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thoroughness is not far to seek. It lies in that

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thirst for pleasure, which not only creates a distaste for

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steady labor, but renders one incapable of doing the best

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work and of properly fulfilling one's duty. A short time

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ago a case came under my observation, one of many such,

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of a poor woman who was given, at her earnest appeal,

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a responsible and lucrative position. She had been at her

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post only a few days when she began to talk

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of the pleasure trips she was going to have now

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she had come to that place. She was discharged at

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the end of a month for negligence and incompetence. As

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two objects cannot occupy the same space, at the same time,

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so the mind that is occupied with pleasure cannot also

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be concentrated upon the perfect performance of duty. Pleasure has

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its own place and time, but its consideration should not

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be allowed to enter the mind during those hours which

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should be devoted to duty. Those who, while engaged in

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their worldly task, are continually dwelling upon anticipated pleasures, cannot

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do otherwise than bungle through their work or even neglect

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it when their pleasure seems to be at stake. Thoroughness

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is completeness, perfection. It means doing a thing so well

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that there is nothing left to be desired. It means

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doing one's work, if not better than any one else

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can do it, at least not worse than the best

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that others do. It means the exercise of much thought,

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the putting forth of great energy, the persistent application of

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the mind to its task, and the cultivation of patience, perseverance,

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and a high sense of duty. An ancient teacher said,

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if anything has to be done, let a man do it,

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Let him attack it vigorously. And another teacher said, whatsoever

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thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might.

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He who lacks thoroughness in his worldly duties will also

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lack the same quality and spiritual things. He will not

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improve his character, He will be weak and half hearted

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in his religion, and will not accomplish any good and

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useful end. The man who keeps one eye on worldly

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pleasure and the other on religion, and who thinks he

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can have the advantage of both conditions, will not be

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thorough either in his pleasure seeking or his religion, but

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will make a sorry business of both. It is better

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to be a whole, souled worldling than a half hearted religionist,

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better to give the entire mind to a lower thing

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than half of it to a higher. It is preferable

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to be thorough, even if it be in a bad

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or selfish direction, rather than inefficient and squeamish in good directions.

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For thoroughness leads more rapidly to the development of character

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and the acquisition of wisdom. It accelerates progress and unfoldment.

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And while it leads the bad to something better, it

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spurs the good to higher and ever higher heights of

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usefulness and power.