eacher and up to the outbreak of
the War had an instructorship in a western state university. The
elimination of German lost her the position.

"Why did you ever choose German, anyhow, Ruth?" we asked her. "Your
abilities lie in such a different direction."

"Because my favorite teacher in high school taught German," she replied.

Enemies and Engineering

An opposite case is that of a friend of ours who has worked in an
uncongenial profession for thirty years. "You were meant for
engineering, Tom," we told him. "With all the leanings you had in that
direction, how did it happen you didn't follow it?"

"Because the man who cheated my father out of all he had was an
engineer!" he said.

Never choose a new vocation just because you are _restless_. You will be
more so if you get into the wrong one.

The "Society" Delusion

Never choose a vocation just because it promises _social standing_.
The entree it gives will fail you unless you make good. And social
standing isn't worth much anyhow. When you are in the work for which you
were born you won't worry about social standing. It will come to you
then whether you want it or not. And when it does you will care very
little about it.

The Entering Wedge

Never take a certain job _for life_ just because people are
_dependent_ upon you. Save enough to live one month without a job,
preparing yourself meanwhile for an entering wedge into a vocation you
do like. Then take a smaller-paying place if necessary to get started.
If you really like the work you will do it so well you will promote
yourself. You owe it to those who are dependent upon you to do this.

Jack of All Trades

Never do anything just to show you _can_. Don't let your versatility
tempt you into following a number of lines of work for the purpose of
demonstrating your ability. Versatility can be the greatest handicap of
all; it tempts you to neglect intensive study, to flit, to become a
"jack of all trades and master of none."

Only Three Kinds of Work

There are but three general classes of work. They are:

WORK WITH PEOPLE;
WORK WITH THINGS;
WORK WITH IDEAS.

Each individual is fitted by nature to do one of these _better_ than the
others and there will be one class for which he has the _least_ ability.
In the other one of the three he might make a mediocre success. Every
individual should find a vocation furnishing that one of these three
kinds of work for which he has the _greatest_