The experience of other people acquired at second hand has little value,--except, perhaps, as a means of livelihood,--unless it really illuminates a man's personal experience.
Usually a man's ability to profit by his own personal experience depends upon the sincerity and the intelligence which he brings to his own particular occupation.

The rule is not universal, because some men are, of course, born with much higher intellectual gifts than others; and to such men may be given an insight which has little foundation in any genuine personal experience.

It remains true, none the less, for the great majority of men, that they gather an edifying understanding of men and things just in so far as they patiently and resolutely stick to the performance of some special and (for the most part) congenial task.
Their education in life must be grounded in the persistent attempt to realize in action some kind of a purpose--a purpose usually connected with the occupation whereby they live.

In the pursuit of that purpose they will be continually making experiments--opening up new lines of work, establishing new relations with other men, and taking more or less serious risks.

Each of these experiments offers them an opportunity both for personal discipline and for increasing personal insight.