to keep up his
youthful pace in his mature age, for, as we have frequently observed,
you can't go fast far.

One of the principal elements in Marshall Field's success was that he
got enthusiastic, hard workers around him. The moment he saw signs of
laxity in any of these individuals, he let them out and got new
material.

Laxity means loss of power, and with loss of power the machine does not
do as good work.

Laxity in business is a waste.

Enthusiasm

In these days of keen competition and wonderful activity it is
necessary for the business man to have enthusiasm. If he lacks in this,
his business will be at a stand-still, while his enthusiastic
competitor goes forward.

Enthusiasm should not be carried to an extreme any more than any other
good thing should be carried to an extreme, but at that it is better to
be over-enthusiastic than not enthusiastic enough. No one can be truly
enthusiastic who does not believe in his business. Enthusiasm is a form
of advertising. It shows the people you deal with that there is
something going on and that you believe in your own medicine.

Catching Up

Nearly every one in this business world seems to be engaged in the
occupation of "catching up." Nearly everyone is a little behind in the
matter of finances.

As soon as one gets across the stream and is on dry land and has his
bills all paid, then he takes on new responsibilities and goes deeper
in debt.

It is a very hard game, this catching up. The game of existence is very
easy to play when you are caught up.

We have tramped through the forests of the great West, and we have
invariably found that the pace-makers or leaders are the least tired at
night, while the followers or those who are behind trying to catch up,
are the ones who are most fatigued.

Some people are habitually behind "with their hauling," as the
Missourians say. No matter how their salaries may increase they are
proportionately behind with their hauling all the time. When an employe
gets $50.00 a month he is owing $75.00, he is working hard at the
catching-up game all the time. He figures that if he only got $75.00 a
month, he could apply the $25.00 extra and could catch up in three
months. The theory is all right but the practice is not, for when this
individual gets $75.00 a month, instead of applying that $25.00 extra
to catching up, he finds that he wants better neckties and better
underwear, and makes greater expenditures a