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Show Author of "How to Win Friends and Influence People" DO THE BEST YOU CAN " A girl had a good job with a publisher in New York and everything was going along nicely; and then, suddenly, she didn't have a job at all. Her name was Mabel Thacher Washburn. The reason she didn't have a job was that the publisher had moved his business outside the city. She started in to look for a job; no opening. She heard of a man who did genealogical research re-search which means hunting up your ancestors. She had had no experience in this kind of work ; knew nothing about it. But shei had to have a job. So she talked herself up and finally the man said he would give her a try-out. She was nervous about it, but hoped it would be an easy one; she could make good then and he would have confidence con-fidence in her. But, of course, she did not get that kind at all. One of the best researchers in the office had gone to Virginia to look up the family record for a rich man, but the office researcher had failed; came back empty-handed. The office manager called Miss Washburn Wash-burn in and said he was going to send her. Her first inclination was to tell him she didn't think she was equipped to do that hard kind of work ; and ask him to give her some other assignment. Then she realized that would show a weakness, so she kept quiet. Expense money was drawn and she got on the train. Her heart grew heavier and heavier. What could she hope to accomplish where an expert ex-pert had failed? When she arrived she started in to look up the rich man's family. Nothing. And everywhere she looked she found that the other woman from the office had covered the ground. And done it exceedingly well. She grew more and more discouraged. Time for her to come back to New York. Then she decided she would stay one more clay and try again. She further decided she would try the Land Office records. She began to look through the ancient records and suddenly sud-denly the family name of the rich man popped out. She copied clown all the information and when she got back to the office she showed it to her delighted employer. This gave her confidence; and it was not long until she did another job where someone else had failed. Finally her employer died. Miss Washburn had become so expert in this field that she continued the office and is now the head of her own business, and is regarded an outstanding authority in the field. Mabel Thacher Washburn wouldn't be where she is if she had given up when she had that tough first assignment. She tried and made good. So when you have some job that seems beyond you, don't give up. Don't turn back. Go ahead and do the very best you possibly can. That decision may be the turning point in your life. |