The early issues of Electrical Wholesaling's pre decessor, The Jobber's Salesman, contained an inspirational department called "Thought Stimulators."
The monthly department offered readers inspirational advice on being better business people. It is interesting how much of the advice still applies to business today - 80 years later. Here's an excerpt from a 1920 issue:
It is always difficult to muster courage to undertake new tasks.
Some months ago I resolved to walk half way home every night. I was tired out for the first few nights, but today it no longer tires me. On the other hand it refreshes - rests me. I can now easily walk all the way home without fatigue.
All along I have had the ability to walk half way home - all the way home. But I did not do it because I dreaded the task; I had not brought my ability up to the task.
The same is true of a business opportunity or problem.
We dread to approach a business problem; we fail to take advantage of a business opportunity - we have the ability, but we dread the task. After it has been approached and accomplished it can be done again - even a greater task - without dread or fatigue, or even any particular consideration. Our ability has been brought up to the task.
This seems to be the reason so many of us need a boss to furnish a spur to our ability.
The best job of bossing is bossing ourselves - forcing ourselves to use the reserve, the latent ability which we possess but which we seldom use.