Why Does A Man Who Deserves Success Sometimes Fail?

Life can hold nothing but failure for the ill natured,unsociable, disgusting tramp who is known to be ignorant, lazy, shiftless, aspendthrift, a liar, and an all around crook. Such a worthlessman will make a complete failure of life because he is so disqualifiedto succeed.

On the other hand certain success ought to be achieved by thegood-natured, intelligent, reliable man who continually winsfriends; the truthful man who has a fine reputation for thrift, honesty,neatness, and love for his work. He seems entirely worthy ofsuccess. Yet for reasons that baffle himself and his friends it sometimeshappens that such a man is unsuccessful.

The defeat in life of one who appears so deserving of victoryseems to prove that success cannot be assured by the development ofindividual characteristics and by doing specific things. But such a whollynegative conclusion would be wrong. When a worthy man fails, he loses outbecause he lacks an essential positive factor of certain success--theability to sell his capabilities. By mastering the selling process thisfailure can turn himself into a success.

We are sure of the failure of the man who is utterlydisqualified to succeed; not because he has particular faults, but because theyself-advertise and sell the idea of his disqualifications forsuccess. His characteristics and actions make on our minds an impressionof his general worthlessness. Defects are apt to attract attention,while perfection often passes unnoticed.

Millions of worthy men, otherwise qualified for success, havefailed solely because their merits were not appreciated and rewarded asthey would have been if recognized. Capabilities, like goods, areprofitless until they are sold. Therefore the man who deservesto win out in life can make his victory sure only by learning andpracticing with skill the certain success methods of the mastersalesman.

Down through all the ages has come the duty to succeed. It wasenjoined in the Parable of the Talents. No one has the right todo less than his best. Then only can he claim full justification for hisexistence. The Creator accepts no excuses for failure. Everypersonal quality, and every opportunity to succeed that a man has, mustbe used, to entitle him to the rewards of success. He owes not only tohimself and to his fellows, but also to God, the obligation ofdeveloping his utmost capability. If he does not pay dividends on the divineinvestment in him, his dereliction is justly punished by failurein life. Sometimes he even forfeits the right to live.nn© Oceanroc Web Publishing