THE HABIT OF DOING MORE THAN PAID FOR 589I am going to ask you to approach this experiment with full faith
that it will mark one of the most important turning points of your
entire life. I am going to ask you to make the object of this experi-
ment the removal of a mountain that is standing where your success
should stand, but where it can never stand until you have removed
the mountain.
You may never have noticed the mountain to which I refer, but it
is standing there in your way just the same, unless you have already
discovered and removed it. And what is this mountain? It is the feeling
that you have been cheated unless you receive material pay for all
the service you render. That feeling may be unconsciously expressing
itself and destroying the very foundation of your success in scores of
ways that you have not realized.
In its basic form, this feeling usually seeks outward expression in
terms something like, "I am not paid to do this and I'll be damned if
I'll do it:' You know the attitude to which I refer. You have met with
it many times, but have you ever found a single person of this type
who was successful? I don't expect that you ever will.
Success must be attracted through understanding and application
of laws that are as immutable as is the law of gravity. For this reason
you are requested to enter into the following experiment with the
object of further familiarizing yourself with the all-important law of
increasing returns.
During the next six months make it your business to render useful
service to at least one person every day, for which you neither expect
nor accept monetary pay.
Do this experiment with faith that it will reveal one of the most
powerful laws of achieving success, and you will not be disappointed.
The rendering of this service may take any form you choose.
For example, it may be rendered personally to one or more specific
persons. Or it may be rendered to your employer as work that you