We all need words of motivation and encouragement from time to time, and B.J. Palmer was a great source of both. So here is the master himself, giving all of us his words of wisdom from Volume I – The Science of Chiropractic. Enjoy!
“It is no easy matter, indeed, when one has reached maturity, especially if there are others dependent on him, to change his occupation or profession. One must think many times before giving up a certainty for an uncertainty, a salary or sure income for an expectation. It calls for moral courage and strength of will and purpose to brave criticism and ridicule and the risk of failure, but for the one who is sure he has discovered his real bent—if he would do his best in life—there is no choice but to make a change.—Success.”
“Stick to your own gifts; insist upon your own talent; be absolutely loyal to yourself; don’t let others tempt or persuade you to abandon the calling your soul tells you is yours. Be true to your own convictions if you hope to develop the progress in life. The thought, dreams and inspirations that come to you are yours—they belong to you by the law that governs your particular existence. The dreams and aspirations someone else has for you do not belong to, you if they conflict with what your intuition tells you is your calling. Don’t try to adjust your eyes to another; you can’t do it.”
“It takes courage to strike out into new fields on a mere conviction that one can do a certain thing, or is fitted for it. It takes courage to get out of one’s beaten track and launch into untried paths, no matter how tempting they may be. If the new field is more pretentious than the one we are already in, and presents more difficult problems and duties, it requires especial courage to make the change. It takes courage to start out even when one hears the call, when there is a possibility of having to turn back and be laughed at, or to receive stinging criticism. It takes courage to give up a salary which enables one to support an aged parent, or to help a dependent brother or sister, and to enter untried fields which for some time may not offer any reward, while one must still struggle to fulfill his moral obligations.”
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Dr. Harshe, this is exactly what I needed to read. Thank you for posting such a great BJ quote. I truly enjoy reading your blog, your FB comments and challenging myself with your ideas and questions. Keep up the good work, I look forward to many years as colleagues, driving the profession forward, upward and to greatness. Be well fellow ChiropracTOR.
Believe me Dr. Schultz, when I read this I was floored. This completely sums up how I’ve been feeling about a lot of things lately and couldn’t have verbalized it any better. I’m glad it helped you.
This is excellent, thanks for sharing it! It reminds me a little of something another chiropractic pioneer, Dr. MB DeJarnette wrote in 1958 about his path to developing SOT: Had I known the roughness of the road that lay ahead, the cost of this research and its many hundreds of heartbreaks, I believe I would have given up in 1928.”
But he didn’t! Someone else said the best things are the hardest ones to achieve, or something to that effect. Keep your chins up!
This one is a really great quote of BJ. It serves as a great reminder for everyone. Thanks Brandon!