MEN WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 1993, 21 June 1919, Page 4

MEN WHO ARE SUCCESSFUL.

Only a very limited amount of the success of life comes to persons possessing genius. The average man who is successful —the average statesman, the average public servant, the average soldier, who -wins what we call great success —is not a genius. He is a man who has merely the ordinary qualities that he shares with his fellows, but who has developed those ordinary qualities to a more than ordinary de-

It is just so in public life. It is not genius, it is not extraordinary subtlety or acuteness of intellect, that is important. The things that are important are the rather commonplace, the rather humdrum, virtues, that in their sum are designated as character. If you have in public life men of good ability, not geniuses, but men of good abilities, with character —and, gentlemen, you must include as one of the most important elements of character common sense —if you possess such men, the Government will go on very well.

I have spoken only of the great successes; but what I have said applies just as much to the success that is within the reach of almost every one of us. I think that any man who has had what is regarded in the world as a great success must realise that the element of chance Ims played a great part in it. Of course, a man Ims to take advantage of his opportunities; but the opportunities have to come.

Formally the man who makes the great success when the emergency arises is the man who would have made a fair success in anv event.