never grown to frogs ... they
just kept swimming around in their muddy puddles and, not having grown
legs with which they could leap out onto the banks and away to other
climes, they continued to swim in monotonous circles until they died. In
other words, the failure is a man who dwells in muddy atmosphere all his
days, who is content to remain a tadpole and who never attempts to take
advantage of any opportunity. He becomes unclean, so to speak. And that
is what we mean by this chapter heading "_Cleanliness of Body and
Mind_." It was not intended to point out the proper way to keep our
faces and hands clean, or as a sermon, but rather to show ourselves that
_the clean body begets the clean mind_, the two together constituting
compelling tendencies toward _the clean spirit_. A move in the direction
of these takes us out of the rut of life.

No matter what cause we dig up with which to explain our success in life
we cannot neglect this most important one--_the careful selection of our
acquaintances_. And this doesn't mean that one must be a snob. Far from
it. It only means that the successful man, the man who wishes to rise in
life, should not spend his days in the company of _illiterate
companions_ who do not possess _ambition of heart or the will to do the
work of the world_. It means that life is too short to hang around the
loafing places with the driftwood of humanity listening to their stories
of failure and drinking in with liquor some of their bitterness against
those who have toiled and won the fruits of their toil. It means that we
will not go out of our way to seek the friendship of men and women who
are simply endeavoring to gain happiness in life without paying for it.
It means that we will do all in our power to win friends who _aspire
nobly_ and by so doing inspire those with whom they come in contact.
Such men are naturally clean of mind and body.

We must remember always to live in a world of clear thought that will
_stimulate our ambitions_. Dwelling in the dark corners of life and
traveling with the debris of humanity will not arouse us to action and
give us that swinging vigor of heart and mind so necessary to the
accomplishment of great things. While we will ever lend the helping hand
to those who need it we will naturally associate with those who have vim
and courage. We will not be _dragged down by our associates_. Until we
meet the right kind we will hold aloof, and we will not be morose and
gloo