IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldpracticeperseverancemoreoften,andnevergiveupathingbecauseitwasdifficultorinconvenient.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.IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldcultivatecourage.“Nothingissomildandgentleascourage,nothingsocruelandpitilessascowardice,”saysawiseauthor.Wetoooftenborrowtrouble,andanticipatethatmayneverappear.“Thefearofillexceedstheillwefear.”Dangerswillariseinanycareer,butpresenceofmindwilloftenconquertheworstofthem.Bepreparedforanyfate,andthereisnoharmtobefeared.IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldlookonthecheerfulside.Lifeisverymuchlikeamirror:Ifyousmileuponit,itsmilesbackuponyou;Butifyoufrownandlookdoubtfulonit,youwillgetasimilarlookinreturn.Innersunshinewarmsnotonlytheheartoftheowner,butofallthatcomeincontactwithit.“Whoshutsloveout,inturnshallbeshutoutfromlove.”IfIwereaboyagain,Iwouldschoolmyselftosay“No”moreoften.Imightwritepagesontheimportanceoflearningveryearlyinlifetogainthatpointwhereayoungboycanstanderect,anddeclinedoinganunworthyactbecauseitisunworthy.IfIwereaboyagain,Iwoulddemandofmyselfmorecourtesytowardsmycompanionsandfriends,andindeedtowardsstrangersaswell.Thesmallestcourtesiesalongtheroughroadsoflifearelikethelittlebirdsthatsingtousallwinterlong,andmaketheseasonoficeandsnowmoreendurable.Finally,insteadoftryinghardtobehappy,asifthatwerethesolepurposeoflife,Iwould,ifIwereaboyagain,Iwouldstilltryhardertomakeothershappy.