ENCOURAGE OTHERS
When you encourage others to go ahead with what they are doing, with a cheery word or a pleasant smile, you are laying up treasure for yourself. For the man you encourage will encourage you, and heaven knows we all need encouragement.
Many men stand on the verge of a precipice of indecision, not being able to decide whether they should draw back or fall over.
It is not help these men want so much as it is encouragement. They are able to help themselves but they haven’t the nerve, and you give them a word of cheer or encouragement, and they get right with themselves and their work.
If a man starts into business and you can trade with him, do so, and that will encourage him to go ahead and strive to be successful.
He may be a beginner at manufacturing something for the use of others. Tell him how his work or productions are well received, or take one yourself and use it even if you do not want it. You encourage him to go on, and by and by you may be in a position where you will need a little encouragement, then he will remember you.
It is customary for the unthinking to imagine that they must do something big or great in order to expect returns, but this is a mistake. We show our greatness in little things, because we know that many little things make up a great thing. The more small things we do the greater will be the accumulation in the end.
Do not patronize any man or he will repulse your approach; you must encourage, which is far different from patronizing. By assuming a patronizing air you assume a superiority which is disliked.
This is an age of small things that go to make up big things, and we must fall in with the conditions of the age in which we live and expect to do business.