--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Clawson, Samuel collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 18 number: 11 published: 1915-09 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Clawson, Samuel, "Choosing a Vocation," *Improvement Era* 18, no. 11 (September 1915): 982–985.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera18011unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera18011unse start_page: 982 end_page: 985 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-09) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera18011unse publication_year: 1915 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Choosing a Vocation Choosing a Vocation^ BY SAMUEL CLAWSON, OF THE ENSIGN STAKE An absorbing problem that forever faces a boy is his future. Probably the biggest question mark of boyhood is, "What shall I be when I'm a man?" Rather early in youth he has to forsake his fond hopes of becoming a pirate or a highway robber. After the wreck of these air castles he confronts the problem in a new light. He faces now the neces- sity of choosing his vocation once and for all. And inas- much as it involves his future success or failure, his happi- ness and his usefulness in so- ciety, it should be to him a se- rious question. He should give careful thought to its consideration. But perhaps the parents of a boy have chosen his voca- tion for him and he, like a dutiful son, has acceded to their wishes. To that boy I have nothing to say. Perhaps like a great number of others he is drifting with the winds and tide of circumstances into his vocation. To them also I have nothing to say. But to the boy who has the freedom of choice, the strength of mind and the earnestness of purpose to determine seriously for himself what his life's work shall be, I have a message. And if I succeed in being of any help to that boy my desire will be realized. The deciding factor with many boys is the money considera- tion. The seeming promise of a large income in a vocation is the great inducement to a boy, for boys, like all of us, are human. But even aside from that defense, we must recognize the fact that the comforts of this world were made for man's enjoyment. With society at present, the greater part of these comforts is rep- SAMUEL CLAWSON *This oration won second place in the Senior M. I. A. public speaking contest, June, 1915. resented by a large income. And if a man seek to gain these satisfactions he is surely justified in so doing, provided, he shall give value received and tread no fellow creature in the dust. We can then hold him guilty of no moral wrong. Shall we say then that the question of income should be the primary consideration in choosing a vocation? No, indeed not. At the summit of every vocation — law, teaching, business, jour- nalism, engineering — stand out prominently in every community a handful of men who are highly skilled and large-salaried in pro- portion. One of these men could not undertake the vocation of another and succeed equally well in it. Lower down in these same vocations are large numbers who are inferior in skill and ill-paid in consequence. In this class, unlike the others, there is a constant movement of men from one vocation to another. The man who fails as a teacher experiments with law, and the man who fails in both law and teaching enters into a business project. With these men society pays for efficiency and skill and for noth- ing else. Do not be deceived into supposing that the law or med- icine are roads to greater wealth and success than teaching or journalism ; it is not so. The sooner that a boy can have engraved deeply on his mind the truth that society pays for the quality of the work done, regardless of the kind of vocation, the greater will be his ultimate success. There should be but one consideration in choosing a voca- tion. It is fundamental, it is simple, it is natural. I am con- vinced that is the way God intended us to find our places in soci- ety. One should choose the vocation that best fits his type of character. Isn't this the way that we presage the future of our companions ? When we see a quiet, hard-working, young fellow, who cares little for social functions but who is fond of nature and takes delight in working in his garden, we immediately say, "What an excellent farmer he would make!" When we see a boy with a striking personality, who is a clear thinker and a fear- less speaker in public, we say at once, "There's our future court lawyer or legislator." The sympathetic boy about whom the chil- dren delight to gather is the coming teacher, in our eyes. These boys seem to have been born to their work. At least during youth they have apparently grown to fit these vocations. But these conclusions are the result of observation. How can a boy judge for himself what vocation his character will best suit? This is not an insurmountable difficulty. Remember, char- acter expresses itself in natural inclinations and desires. Every boy has some useful kind of work which he performs, not be- cause duty demands it or because a reward will be forthcoming, but just because he enjoys doing that kind of work. This repre- sents his inclination, this is the expression of his character voca- tionally. I know a young man who is reasonably successful with his books and who, therefore, persuades himself that his greatest success will be in the school room. Yet the moment his school work is finished he dons an old pair of overalls and absorbs him- self for hours in tinkering with an automobile or bicycle. He is not required to do this. Thus, you see, his natural inclination makes of him a mechanic. Tom Jones works his way through school by reporting for a newspaper. But his lessons receive half the attention they should and his newspaper twice the attention necessary to earn his money. With reluctance he leaves his re- porting for his books and with alacrity he forsakes his studies to write up a piece of news. He is a journalist by nature. Let this be your motto : the boy's hobby is the man's vocation. But suppose a boy be unskilful in his hobby? is he then to make it his vocation ? Yes, even in that case a boy should make his favorite pastime his vocation. The presence of that very in- clination indicates a latent ability. And his interest in the work will lend the necessary impetus to his endeavor that will develop the faculty. Do you know, O. Henry worked for seven years before he was able to write a story that an editor would publish ? So long was he excluded from print that his friends pronounced him a failure as an author. And yet he developed an ability to write that made him America's greatest short story writer. Genius has but two qualities, a whole-souled inclination for a certain work and unflagging energy in doing that work. But let me add a caution. Be sure that the inclination is the most natural expression of your character. Do not be deceived by some idle fancy. This mistake was made by a young man of our community. He imagined himself arguing cases of national interest before the Supreme Court of the United States with such unanswerable logic that the public were amazed at his intellect. So fascinating were those pictures that he persuaded himself that his inclination was for the practice of law. But after he had hopelessly tangled his brains with technical details and broken his fighting spirit with several severe defeats, his interest in law left him and he drifted into other vocations. In contrast with this, another young man of our community early acquired an aptitude for playing an old organ. His long-suffering relatives were soon compelled to relegate him and his ancient organ to the barn. In spite of derision he continued to play that old instrument, without danger now to anybody's health. His was not an idle fancy, for out of his boyish inclination he developed excellent musical ability. This man is our own Evan Stephens. He has been for years con- ductor of the world's most famous choir, and has commanded the admiration not only of the people of this intermountain region, but of the nation at large. And now, boys, I ask you to consider this matter carefullv, for yours alone is the ultimate decision. Remember that on your selection of a vocation may depend in great measure not only your own happiness and success but also the happiness and comfort of those who will look to you for support. You may never be able to estimate the consequences of a wrong choice. When you con- sider this, bear in mind that every vocation offers a good chance for wealth and that your income will depend largely on the de- gree of your efficiency. For this reason do not make wealth a vital consideration. Choose, rather, the vocation that will best develop your strongest natural tendencies, and that will expand your character into its fulness of power. Then will you have found the road that leads to that great goal of vocational endeavor — success. Yellow Clover Blossoms Little yellow clover blossom, Shining on your stem, I would know, from you, your secret, Prize it as a gem. Busy bees around you flutter Sipping nature's sweet, Feeding thousands with your nectar, Making life complete. Tell me, little clover blossom, In your language clear, How you gather all your sweetness, Breathing love and cheer? You must surely hold communion With the courts above, Quaffing wisdom from that fountain, Flowing out with love. Spake the little clover blossom, Told her story true, Told of love and joyous service 'Neath the sky so blue. Said, if man would learn her secret And in truth be free, He must drink from nature's fountain In humility. Said, with God no fear nor favor, (Love and law are one) Naught but joy and choicest blessings Where his will is done. They who will may gather sweetness And through life, forsooth, They who will may hold communion With the God of truth. M. A. Stewart. MESA, ARIZONA