A DAILY MESSAGE

Hokitika Guardian, 16 February 1929, Page 1

A DAILY MESSAGE

AIM HIGH! It has boon said that success is the attainment of one’s objective. Surely hen; is a fallacy, for measured by this standard, many of the world’s greatest men have failed. Is not “ high ” failure a greater achievement than “low” success-' Is it not better to fail in a. cause that is great than to triumph in a cause that is small ? Judas and Jezebel are names that will never lie forgotten, hut they will not be remembered for their fame, but for their infamy. Scott and Cavell are names that will never he forgotten either—not because they attained to their objective, but because they aimed high—(fared grandly and failed so gloriously. , Captain Scott failed to roach the Pole ahead of his rival. Edith Cavell failed in her plan to serve her country. But each of them has left us an imperishable example of high failure, which, as an inspiration to the generations that follow them, will always he a greater incentive to noble action til'll a thousand mean successes. And so, in every walk of life, the man who plans nobly, dares grandly, and fails gloriously, will always make a greater contribution to the sum total •of human good than they who can claim to have succeeded well in a little cause. The world has often been .slow to recognize her geniuses, but she has never denied immortality to her splendid failures. In the long run men only hit what they aim at; so lot your aim bo high, and then, even though you fail, the world may still be in your debt. _M. PRESTON STANLEY.