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ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldpracticeperseverancemoreoften,andnevergiveupathingbecauseitwasorinconvenient.ifwewantlight,wemustconquerdarkness.perseverancecansometimesequalgeniusinitsresults.“thereareonlytwocreatures,”saysaproverb,“whocansurmountthepyramids—theeagleandthesnail.” ifiwereaboyagain,iwouldschoolmyselfintoahabitofattention;iwouldletnothingcomebetweenmeandthesubjectinhand.iwouldrememberthatagoodskaternevertriestoskateintwodirectionsatonce.thehabitofattentionbecomespartofourlife,ifwebeginearlyenough.ioftenheargrownuppeoplesay“icouldnotfixmyattentiononthesermonorbook,althoughiwishedtodoso”,andthereasonis,thehabitwasnotformedinyouth. ifiweretolivemylifeoveragain,iwouldpaymoreattentiontothecultivationofthememory.iwouldstrengthenthatfacultybyeverypossiblemeans,andoneverypossibleoccasion.ittakesalittlehardworkatfirsttorememberthingsaccurately;butmemorysoonhelpsitself,andgivesverylittletrouble.itonlyneedsearlycultivationtobecomeapower.