Progress and Achievements of the Colored People: Containing the Story of the Wonderful Advancement of the Colored Americans—the Most Marvelous in the History of Nations—Their Past Accomplishments, Together With Their Present-day Opportunities and a Glimpse Into the Future for Further Developments—the Dawn of a Triumphant Era. A Handbook for Self-improvement Which Leads to Greater Success
John Stuart Mill · en
=Save your money. But do not become a miser. You must live among others
and you can not afford to be considered small or mean. But you do not
have to squander money for any reason. If you are considered mean
because you refuse to squander money, let it go at that, and some day
you will be better understood. Such things are small details not worth
noticing.=
=Keep in touch with the outside world. Read newspapers and magazines and
learn to discuss or talk over the various topics of the day, whether you
understand them or not. Somebody will give you the keynote and then you
will add to your stock of knowledge. You can not learn too much, you may
fail by not knowing enough. Please remember this, no man is turned down
because he knows too much.=
=Learn to master yourself. Don’t let anything ruffle your temper, and
think seriously before starting a fight. You may win the fight but lose
your own self-respect and gain enmity. A man can not afford to throw
away a friend. He needs all he can get.=
=Don’t be afraid to work. Take work as it comes to you. Do not select
the easiest jobs, or you will get tired of the hard ones before you
reach them. Accustom yourself to work easily, and with your whole heart
and skill.=
=Give your imagination full swing as to the uses of the work you are
doing, and imagine how you could better it. This is efficiency and leads
to invention.=
=Don’t brag about what you can do. Do it and there will not be any need
to brag. Everybody will see what sort of a man you are and give you
credit for common sense and for knowing more than you really do.=
=Surround yourself with good influences, a club, a church, or some
society where you will be in touch with other men. Nobody who dares can
afford to be a hermit, and the man who gets disheartened at the
obstacles in his way, is a fool and ought not to and will not succeed.=
=Keep away from small vices and the large ones will not trouble you.
This will make your sailing on a smooth sea, where there are no rocks or
concealed reefs to wreck you.=