ADVICE TO YOUNG MEN
In every profession and trade it is a common thing to hear beginners
say: I know, I know. No matter what you tell them, they will always
answer, I know. Such an answer is never given by an old, learned or
experienced man, because, as we grow older and wiser we know that there is
no such thing as knowing it all. Besides this we know that there might be
a better way than the way we have learned of doing the work. It is only in
few cases that we can say that this is the best way, therefore we should
never say, I know: first, because no young man ever had an experience wide
enough to cover the whole thing; second, it is neither sensible nor
polite. Better not say anything, but simply do what you have been told to
do.
Every young man thinks, of course, that he has learned from the best
men. This is selfish and foolish. You may have learned from the biggest
botch in the country. Besides this, no matter how clever your master was,
there will be things that somebody else has a better way of doing. I have
heard an old good blacksmith say, that he had never had a helper but what
he learned some good points from him.
Don't think it is a shame, or anything against you, to learn. We will
all learn as long as we live, unless we are fools, because fools learn
very little. Better to assume less than you know than to assume more.
Thousands of journeymen go idle because many a master would rather hire
a greenhorn than hire a "knowing-it-all" fellow. Don't make yourself
obnoxious by always telling how your boss used to do this or that. You may
have learned it in the best way possible, but you may also have learned it
in the most awkward way. First find our what your master wants, then do
it, remembering there are sometimes many ways to accomplish the same
thing. Don't be stubborn. Many mechanics are so stubborn that they will
never change their ways of doing things, nor improve on either tools or
ideas.
Don't be a one-idea man; and remember the maxim, "A wise man changes
his mind, a fool never."
Be always punctual, have the same interest in doing good work and in
drawing customers as you would were the business yours. Be always polite
to the customers, no matter what happens. Never lose your temper or use
profane language. Don't tell your master's competitors his way of doing
business, or what is going on in his dealings with people. You are taking
his money for your service, serve as you would be served
