1026 THE P R INC I P L E S 0 F PER SON A LIN T E G R I T YIf you are a normal person you long for material success. Success and
power are always found together. You cannot be sure of success unless
you have power, and you cannot have power unless you develop it
through the seventeen essential qualities.
Each of these qualities may be likened to the commanding officer
of a regiment of soldiers. The most important of the commanding
officers in this army is a Definite Chief Aim.
Without the aid of a definite purpose, the remainder of the army
would be useless to you. Find out, as early as possible, what your
major purpose in life shall be. Until you do this you are nothing but
a drifter, subject to control by every stray wind of circumstance that
blows in your direction.
Millions of people go through life without knowing what it is
they want. All have a purpose, but only two out of every hundred have
a definite purpose.
Nothing is impossible to the person who knows what it is that
they want and makes up their mind to acquire it!
Columbus had a definite purpose and it became a reality. Lincoln
had a definite purpose to free the slaves of the South and he turned that
purpose into reality. Roosevelt's definite purpose, during his first term
of office, was to build the Panama Canal. He lived to see that purpose
realized. Henry Ford's definite purpose was to build the best popular-
priced automobile, a purpose which has made him the powerful man
that he is. Burbank's definite purpose was to improve plant life.
COMMENTARY
Horticulturist Luther Burbank, perhaps not as well known to some readers
today as are the others mentioned, at the time was equally famous as
the father of modern plant breeding. In 1871 he developed the Burbank
potato, which was brought to Ireland to help combat the blight epidemic.
He then sold the rights to the potato for $150 and used the money to