Majoring in Minors
Counsel to a Leader—I knew that you never should have gone
to Europe alone, for this reason: you devote much time to little par-
ticulars, and the work that you can do which others cannot do you
neglect. You are so very particular to have everything done in a certain
way, and are so determined in the matter, that it is next to impossible
for anyone to work with you. If help should be sent to England, you
would keep them doing unimportant things in the place of taking them
into your heart and teaching them to be useful, so that you could go
out in broader fields. There is much of self in this....
Who will be sent to help you we cannot say, but I will say that
whoever may labor in connection with you, they will have severe trials
to bear for they will feel the want of that confidence and sympathy
they have a right to expect of you. You will let coldness, formality,
and reserve be too distinctly seen and felt. This will hurt them, but
you will hurt yourself far more.
You have, I have been shown, neglected large responsibilities,
while you bring your mind to embrace small matters which others
could and should do equally as well as yourself. But the loss of a
few pennies in any enterprise seems to you so large and would grieve
you so sorely, that you feel that you must have everything under your
inspection; therefore much good and great work is neglected for things
of minor consequence. You should have been engaged in broader plans
and the execution of them, keenly observant of any talent or influence
that you could obtain to bring into service.—
Letter 40, 1879
, pp. 1, 5.
Example To Be Corrector of Little Things—You make a great
account of small things, while things of the utmost importance you
have treated with indifference because every objection was not re-
moved from your mind; and you have unwisely awakened unbelief
in the minds of others who have had confidence in you. You have
interested yourself in things of minor importance in others, noticed
articles of dress, little acts, words, and such things which should not
call forth reproof or remarks from you.
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