Parkins went through a regular set of exercises in developing the will every morning as ordinary men—now and then, when it is not too late, or too cold or too warm—go through setting-up exercises.
“I will get up and shut the window,” he would say the first thing his eyes opened in the morning. Then Spartan-like he would hop out, take three deep breaths and close the window.
“I will take a cold shower,” he would say next. And soon to the breakfast table.
“I will eat only one three-minute egg and one slice of unbuttered toast.... I will catch the 8:16 express, although it is 8:12 now.... I will keep smiling no matter if I must wait for the next train. Not failure, but low aim is crime.... I will get through with my dictation by 10, write my speech by 11 and get through the committee meeting by 12.”
“It’s the little things that count,” said Parkins to Robert with a smile. “To succeed in the big undertakings of life, you must succeed in the smallest undertakings. I constantly exercise my will. ‘Shall’ is the weakest word in the English language. Always say ‘I Will,’ which is the strongest word. The second strongest word is ‘Boost.’ Will to Boost! Boost yourself! Boost your community! You know what Emerson said about the mouse trap. If you construct a better mouse trap or cause two blades of grass to wax where only one grew before, the world will beat a highway to your portal. The sublimest poem in the English language, second perhaps to the Psalm of Life and, of course, the poetry of the King James version of the Scriptures, is Invictus. It means Unconquerable and is unquestionably one of the greatest poems ever written by an American! It ends with the immortal lines:
‘Under the buffetings of Fate
My head is bloody, but unbound.’
Sublime! By the power of the will man is the captain of his soul!”
“Yes, it’s wonderful,” agreed Hamilton, seizing an entering wedge. “And don’t you think that just as the individual should be the captain of his soul, the superior element, the element of society that corresponds to the will, should be the captain of the nation’s soul?” He had hit out blindly at a figure of speech and it had come out surprisingly smooth.
“That’s exactly right! I must make a mental note of that thought. I will use it in my next address.”