It is well that young men should begin at the beginning and occupy the most subordinate positions.
Many of the leading businessmen of Pittsburgh had a serious responsibility thrust upon them at the
very threshold of their business lives sweeping out of the office.
I notice we have janitors and janitresses now in offices, and our young men unfortunately miss
that salutary branch of business education. But if by chance the professional sweeper is absent
any morning, the boy who has the genius of the future partner in him will not hesitate to try his
hand at the broom. It does not hurt the newest comer to sweep out the office if necessary. I was
one of those sweepers myself.
Assuming that you have all obtained employment and are fairly started, my advice to you is "aim high
". I would not give a fig for the young man who does not already see himself the partner or the
head of an important firm.
Do not rest content for a moment in your thoughts as head clerk, or foreman, or general manager
in any concern, no matter how extensive. Say to yourself, "my place is at the top".
Be king in your dreams. And there is the prime condition of success, the great secret: concentrate
your energy, thought, and capital exclusively upon the business in which you are engaged. Having
begun in one line, resolve to fight it out on the line, to lead in it, adopt every improvement,
have the best machinery, and know the most about it.
The concerns which fail are those which have scattered their capital, which means that they have
scattered their brains also. They have investments in this, or that, or the other, here, there,
and everywhere.