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The most important preliminary to the task of arranging one's life so that
one may live fully and comfortably within one's daily budget of twenty…
four hours is the calm realisation of the extreme difficulty of the task； of
the sacrifices and the endless effort which it demands。 I cannot too strongly
insist on this。
If you imagine that you will be able to achieve your ideal by ingeniously
planning out a time…table with a pen on a piece of paper； you had better
give up hope at once。 If you are not prepared for discouragements and
disillusions； if you will not be content with a small result for a big effort；
then do not begin。 Lie down again and resume the uneasy doze which
you call your existence。
It is very sad； is it not； very depressing and sombre？ And yet I think it
is rather fine； too； this necessity for the tense bracing of the will before
anything worth doing can be done。 I rather like it myself。 I feel it to be
the chief thing that differentiates me from the cat by the fire。
〃Well；〃 you say； 〃assume that I am braced for the battle。 Assume that
I have carefully weighed and comprehended your ponderous remarks；
how do I begin？〃 Dear sir； you simply begin。 There is no magic method
of beginning。 If a man standing on the edge of a swimming…bath and
wanting to jump into the cold water should ask you； 〃How do I begin to
jump？〃 you would merely reply； 〃Just jump。 Take hold of your nerves；
and jump。〃
As I have previously said； the chief beauty about the constant supply of
time is that you cannot waste it in advance。 The next year； the next day；
the next hour are lying ready for you； as perfect； as unspoilt； as if you
had never wasted or misapplied a single moment in all your career。 Which
fact is very gratifying and reassuring。 You can turn over a new leaf every
hour if you choose。 Therefore no object is served in waiting till next week；
or even until to…morrow。 You may fancy that the water will be warmer next
week。 It won't。 It will be colder。
But before you begin； let me murmur a few words of warning in your private
ear。
Let me principally warn you against your own ardour。 Ardour in well…doing
is a misleading and a treacherous thing。 It cries out loudly for employment；
you can't satisfy it at first； it wants more and more； it is eager to move
mountains and divert the course of rivers。 It isn't content till it perspires。
And then； too often； when it feels the perspiration on its brow； it wearies
all of a sudden and dies； without even putting itself to the trouble of saying；
〃I've
had enough of this。〃
Beware of undertaking too much at the start。 Be content with quite a little。
Allow for accidents。 Allow for human nature； especially your own。
A failure or so； in itself； would not matter； if it did not incur a loss of self…
esteem and of self…confidence。 But just as nothing succeeds like success；
so nothing fails like failure。 Most people who are ruined are ruined by
attempting too much。 Therefore； in setting out on the immense enterprise
of living fully and comfortably within the narrow limits of twenty…four
hours a day； let us avoid at any cost the risk of an early failure。 I will not
agree that； in this business at any rate； a glorious failure is better than a
petty success。 I am all for the petty success。 A glorious failure leads to
nothing； a petty success may lead to a success that is not petty。
So let us begin to examine the budget of the day's time。 You say your
day is already full to overflowing。 How？ You actually spend in earning
your livelihoodhow much？ Seven hours； on the average？ And in actual
sleep； seven？ I will add two hours； and be generous。 And I will defy you
to account to me on the spur of the moment for the other eight hours。
IV
THE CAUSE OF THE TROUBLES
In order to come to grips at once with the question of time…expenditure in
all its actuality； I must choose an individual case for examination。 I can
only deal with one case； and that case cannot be the average case； because
there is no such case as the average case； just as there is no such man as the
average man。 Every man and every man's case is special。
But if I take the case of a Londoner who works in an office； whose office
hours are from ten to six； and who spends fifty minutes morning and night
in travelling between his house door and his office door； I shall have got as
near to the average as facts permit。 There are men who have to work longer
for a living； but there are others who do not have to work so long。
Fortunately the financial side of existence does not interest us here； for our
present purpose the clerk at a pound a week is exactly as well off as the
millionaire in Carlton House…terrace。
Now the great and profound mistake which my typical man makes in regard
to his day is a mistake of general attitude； a mistake which vitiates and
weakens two…thirds of his energies and interests。 In the majority of instances
he does not precisely feel a passion for his business； at best he does not dislike
it。 He begins his business functions with reluctance； as late as he can； and he
ends them with joy； as early as he can。 And his engines while he is engaged
in his business are seldom at their full 〃h。p。〃 （I know that I shall be accused
by angry readers of traducing the city worker； but I am pretty thoroughly
acquainted with the City； and I stick to what I say。）
Yet in spite of all this he persists in looking upon those hours from ten to
six as 〃the day；〃 to which the ten hours preceding them and the six hours
following them are nothing but a prologue and epilogue。 Such an attitude；
unconscious though it be； of course kills his interest in the odd sixteen
hours； with the result that； even if he does not waste them； he does not
count them； he regards them simply as margin。
This general attitude is utterly illogical and unhealthy； since it formally
gives the central prominence to a patch of time and a bunch of activities
which the man's one idea is to 〃get through〃 and have 〃done with。〃 If a
man makes two…thirds of his existence subservient to one…third； for which
admittedly he has no absolutely feverish zest； how can he hope to live fully
and completely？ He cannot。
If my typical man wishes to live fully and completely he must； in his mind；
arrange a day within a day。 And this inner day； a Chinese box in a larger
Chinese box； must begin at 6 p。m。 and end at 10 a。m。 It is a day of sixteen
hours； and during all these sixteen hours he has nothing whatever to do but
cultivate his body and his soul and his fellow men。 During those sixteen
hours he is free； he is not a wage…earner； he is not preoccupied with monetary
cares； he is just as good as a man with a private income。 This must be his
attitude。 And his attitude is all important。 His success in life （much more
important than the amount of estate upon what his executors will have to
pay estate duty） depends on it。
What？ You say that full energy given to those sixt