Kahlil Gibran - The Prosperity & Wealth Bible

U. S. U. S. In the private office of the President of one of the greatest of American concerns are these two letters in big, black type on a framed card — U. S. These letters might stand for a great many things. But this is what they actually abbreviate — Universal Spirit. They also mean to — Co-operate. The Universal Spirit makes men Trust each other, makes you want to be Loyal to yourself, to your friends, to your ideals and to your business connections. And, after all, the Universal Spirit is but the great desire to help make things run along smoothly — to get things done without a lot of useless bickering. Co-operate. Fear, Friction, Discouragement, Distrust, Disloyalty — each is but the backfiring of a lack of the Universal Spirit. You won’t have any strikes in your shop if its motto is the Universal Spirit. To get it, start with the Golden Rule. Co-operate. Believe that you have a composite part in what goes to make up the finest part of happiness and you won’t need to use the dictionary to define the meaning of the Universal Spirit. It is just to — Co-operate.

Eliminate Eliminate One of the greatest gifts of use in the bringing on of Success is the ability to Eliminate. The ability to Eliminate every thought, habit, action that does not contribute and construct toward some useful purpose. Carry no Dead Wood. The soldier entering upon his long campaign straps to his back nothing but the lightest equipment — yet he carries everything necessary and every article figures one hundred per cent Efficient. Carry no Dead Wood. Why fume and fret and fuss over little annoyances? They are not worth it. Eliminate them. Then step ahead and you will be surprised at your increased agility through lighter equipment. Carry no Dead Wood. Here are a few things to Eliminate to-day — Time Wasting, Bitter Words, Worry over things that never happen, useless spending of Money, the memory of Unintentional Mistakes. Carry no Dead Wood.

Thoroughness Thoroughness This world is saturated with Human Beings, Jobs, Businesses, Works of Art, Enterprises of Machinery — that are ragged and frayed at the edges, so to speak, because somebody is constantly blundering. Whatever you Do — Do it Well — to the Finish. Failure starts to germinate when you first begin to slight your work. The slight may be ever so small — but be not deceived — at that point your Success begins to die. Whatever you Do — Do it Well — to the Finish. Have Sense and Courage enough to realize that you will make Mistakes right along. The big thing to Master is the Art of Learning from these Mistakes so that you never make the same ones twice. Conquer every Obstacle that gets in front of you. Win and pass on. Be Thorough. Whatever you Do — Do it Well — to the Finish. Nothing that is Worth While is unimportant. And nothing that is important can you afford to neglect or do in a slipshod way. The Employer IS an Employer because he was once a good Employee. Thoroughness is at the bottom of Winning. No structure ever stood — built upon half sand and half stone. Be Thorough — stamping daily upon your very Brain, as a Motto, this thought — Whatever you Do — Do it Well — to the Finish.

Use Use Use! This is one of the most inspiring little words in all the languages of words. Think of what this great America was before men began to use it! A marvelous area, true, but so unhelpful to mankind. But as soon as Thinking Men came and began to Work its Dirt — a Miracle flashed into the face of a sleepy Old World. For — Use is Growth. Hang your arm to your side and let it remain there over a long period and it will wither away. Non-use always means Decay, Starvation — Death. Use is Growth. You have a Brain — may be as wonderful and as great as any that ever worked. But unless you set to work the little Cells that ache for something to Do, your whole existence will become but an ordinary affair. Use is Growth. Do you realize that Distinction which comes to people is simply a matter of Brain Cell Opportunity worked to a Finish — merely taking advantage of every single Chance for advancement — no matter how small the Chance? Use is Growth. Your Minutes Used, your Chances Used, your Legs, Arms, Muscles — every Power of Your Body and Brain USED, means a sweeping toward your Purpose that nothing can stop. Those who use what they have and what they get, are the men and women whose names spot History. Do you want to be Somebody? Well, then, remember this — Use is Growth.

Environment Environment Environment is Self-Atmosphere. Also, it’s the invisible Power of Circumstance that always stays around within call. Which is to say, that Environment is the Servant of every man. You can BE Somebody right where you are. Environment is a personal affair. So, if your present Environment hinders you, walk away from it. Hunt out a new Environment. Men and Women who form the habit of getting things done, make their own Environment, hour by hour — day by day. You can DO Something right where you are. Bunyan, in Jail, writing the immortal “Pilgrim’s Progress’’; Milton, blind and domestically all out of kink, penning “Paradise Lost’’; John Brown, walking up to the Gallows, smiling, a Prophet of Freedom; Helen Kellar, blind, deaf, dumb, yet the embodiment of Sunshine and Light; these are Masters of Environment! You can BE Somebody right where you are. People worthwhile to this world, make their own Environment so attractive that it draws human beings their way. You, who Employ, surround yourself with Cheerful Workers. You, who are Employed, keep your mind saturated with Cheerful Thoughts. Your Environment is what you choose it to be. Add to your Worth Stature. You can DO Something right where you are.

Worry Worry If you realized just what Worry is you would stop using it in your business. For Worry is the name given by the Devil to his choicest brand of smelling salts and the more you get into the habit of using them the more you come to know what Hell is really like. Here’s an antidote for Worry — Smile, Smile, Smile — Smile! For where Smiles are, Worry is not. Worry is just plain poison. It is the most treacherous of poisons for it not only eats into the finest powers of your mind and life but it spreads and radiates like a contagious disease. Worry can do no harm in the atmosphere of cheer, great faith, hope — Work. Work, Work, Work — Work. How useless Worry is — how foolish! Realize but this and you will very soon banish it and forever abhor it. Can you think of a single instance where Worry rendered you a service? Well, then, get rid of it. Smile, Smile, Smile — Smile! Worry never did and never will bring anything to pass. It never earned a cent and it never helped a human being. But if you keep busy, if you are continually seeking to render some service, you will never have time nor inclination to Worry. Work, Work, Work — Work.

Grouchers Grouchers Who are they that are the chief Hinderers and Obstructors of the Race — Thieves? No. Anarchists? No. Idlers? No. Grafters? No. Who then? Just these — the Men and Women with a Grouch. Be too Busy for a Grouch. Par the Fellow with the Grouch is the Fellow with a glass of Prison in his hand who will pour it down your throat if you let him. But you will escape him if you will only — Be too Busy for a Grouch. A Grouch never helped anything or anybody. And he never failed to do Harm. The Big Man with a Grouch becomes at once a Little Man. Be too Busy for a Grouch. Suppose the Grouch does irritate you, suppose he does try to get you off your Guard, suppose he does try to make you “Look Cheap,” suppose he does attempt to “Get your Goat.” Look him in the eye. Then knock him into smithereens with a 60 h. p. 20th Century model Smile — and Pass On to your Work and your Business. Be too Busy for a Grouch.