A man's achievement depends on four things, the native stuff he is made of, the training of that native stuff, the amount of physical vigour, and the spirit that animates and dominates his life. These same four things enter very largely into the making of character, too, though not so much as into his achievements. Heredity supplies the native stuff, what a man is in himself, apart from all training.
One should never find fault with the stuff he finds in himself; for he has had nothing to do with it being himself; though he has everything to do with what shall be done with it, and by it. The training, the physical vigour, and the controlling spirit decide the part a man shall play in life. With these his parents first of all, and then the growing child, have everything to do.
The physical vigour decides the amount of driving power at command, and so influences greatly the results. The spirit that controls will decide the moral bent of both character and career. The training will affect what shall be done, and especially the quality of work. It will also affect the length of time it takes a man to strike his pace. Untrained talent always takes longer time to get down to its work, and to get results.
Unusual native gift, even though untrained, will forge to the front and make itself felt. But it would do so yet more and better and sooner with training, always provided the training is not of the sort that spoils the native gift. Men of only average ability give much better account of themselves when well trained.
Physical vigour plays a great part. The average man with a good stomach and a strong back can accomplish far more than the more-than-average fellow with a poor stomach and weak back. Though so often a little fellow with poor digestion and wabbly nerves, but with a giant will tied up in his poor equipment, makes everybody and everything stand by and bend to his will; but he does in spite of heavy odds. How is it that big wills and little bodies go together so frequently?
The ruling spirit really decides a man's worth. One man is selfish, self-centred, concerned wholly with getting every stream to run by his door, and grind the grist of his own mill. The selfishness may be covered up by culture or polish, and not show so much, and have the uglier edges rubbed off where it does show. Or, its ugly face may stand plainly out in full view.
Another man is really gripped, underneath all his transactions, by a wholesome, earnest desire to serve, to be of help to others. All men group up under one of these two. Selfishness carried out to its full logical end spells Satan. Unselfishness followed up to its source always leads straight to God. This is what is meant by the spirit of the man. It determines, not his achievement in action, but his worth to the world.
These things radically affect a man's character, as well as his career. For the stronger his body, the better his training, and the more nearly unselfish his spirit, other things being equal, the better and stronger the character he will grow, and the better work he can do. There can be character without training, and without a strong body, but it has a bigger fight for life, and most times goes down in the fight.
It's an immense gain in character-making, and in the service one can do for his fellows, to be strong in body, and well trained mentally. Training, in the broader meaning, has to do with these three things. The gripping purpose in, and under, and through all thought of training should be to get physical strength, a clear, well-stored vigorous mind, and an unselfish spirit.