Outline:
- The will to succeed.
- If no will, obstacles to success are magnified.
- If the will feeble, easily discouraged by obstacles.
- The will, here, means a strong determination.
- No such word as “impossible”.
- The story of Pallissy the potter.
“Where there’s a will there’s a way”; that is, if you have really made up your mind to do something, however difficult it may be, and even apparently impossible, you will sooner or later find a way of doing it. The emphasis is on the will to do it; where there’s a will, a way will be found.
IT is lack of will that accounts for failure in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred; lack of will in two degrees. First, though we say we want to do a certain thing, and persuade ourselves we really do, in reality we do not at any rate if doing it means any effort or sacrifice. So, to comfort ourselves for making no attempt, we set to work to find excuses, and make mountains out of mole-hills. “There is a lion in the way!” we cry. We exaggerate every difficulty, and so fill our minds with the obstacles in the way, that we persuade ourselves that attainment is impossible.[the_ad id=”17141″]
Or it may be that we really do want to do something, but our will to do it weak; it is like a thin, feeble stream of water which is turned aside or blocked by every small obstacle in its path. The “will” in the proverb is a strong determination that will never take “No” for an answer, and those preservers in spite of failure, still undaunted. It is a will like a rushing torrent, that sweeps rocks and banks and trees out of its way, and forces itself through or over every obstruction. A fierce desire, a strong determination, that will make light of difficulties-that is the sort of will that finds the way to achievement. This is the spirit that cries:-
“Then welcome each rebuff
That turns earth’s smoothness rough,
Each sting that bids nor sand, but go!
Be our joys three-parts pain!
Strive, and hold cheap the strain
Learn, not account the pang; dare, never grudge the throe!”
Many a men who became famous as a scholar, artist, statesman, inventor, businessman, had to struggle against apparently insuperable obstacles to win success. It was their undaunted will to succeed that in the end found the way to success. Napoleon said the word “impossible” was not found in his dictionary.
There is a story of Pallissy, the French potter. He made up his mind to discover a pure white glaze for china. He was poor man, and had but little education but for twenty years he worked at his task, trying hundreds of experiments and failing in all. He wife and neighbours called him a lunatic, for he ruined himself by his effort. But in the end he succeeded, and became a famous man. He had the will, and he found the way.