What most of the young men of this country need is restraint, not stimulant; what this Nation needs is reserve.  The only serious fear I entertain for our future is that the great rapidity of our common lives will make us neurotic.  I prefer a young man to be a little less scintillant, than that his brilliancy should be at the expense of exhausted nerves and enfeebled vitality.

This paper is supposed to be advice which will be practically helpful to young men in their struggle with the world.  Very well, then!  From the low view-point of self-interest, I would advise every young man to cultivate unselfishness.  Do at least one thing every day which helps somebody else, and from which you cannot possibly harvest any profit and advantage.  Do one thing every day that cannot in any way bring you tangible reward, directly or indirectly, now or ever.

I know of no discipline of character equal to this.  After a while a subtle change will come over your nature.  You will grow into an understanding of the practical value of the Master’s words:  “It is more blessed to give than to receive.”  There comes to you an acquisition of power.  Your influence, by a process which escapes any human analysis, reaches out over your associates, and, in proportion to the magnitude of your character, over humanity.

A man cannot select a surer road to character ruin than to have a selfish motive back of every action.  To do all of your deeds, or most of them, with the thought of the advantage they will bring you, will result in paralysis of soul as surely as certain drugs introduced into the nerves for a long period of time will result in physical paralysis.  I do not think that there can be a more valuable suggestion made to a young man facing the world and desiring to increase his powers than to practise unselfishness.

What is it we say of certain men:  “Oh, he is for himself.”  It is a Cain-like label.  Never let it be pinned on your coat.  In politics, note how the power of some leader dissolves when his followers find out that it is all for him and none for them.  And in business we are all on our guard against the man who wants the whole thing, and will take it if he is not watched.  Even when selfishness succeeds, it never satisfies.  It is like the drunkard’s thirst.

No, no, young man, put selfishness from you.  It is not even the method of business profit.  After all, we are living for happiness, are we not?  Very well.  Try to make some one else happy, and experience a felicity more delicate and exalted than you ever imagined in your fondest dreams of joy.  By all means practise unselfishness.  “Get the habit,” as our Americanism has it.  Live for somebody or something besides yourself.  Really none of us amount to enough to live for ourselves alone.  Oh, no! that game is not worth the candle, believe me.