Shrinking Assignments to Our Size

From an ancient Greek account we recall the story of Procrustes, who was said to cut men shorter or to stretch them longer to fit the length of his bed. This has been cited often as an example of trying to force people into certain places or patterns. The person is primarily important, not the bed, not the arbitrary measurement of an individual, not what someone else supposes should be so. But there is yet another application of this much cited subject: We may sometimes let ourselves settle into small places, into small positions, or attempt to shrink an assignment to our size, rather than grow with it. We may think too much of comfort, or convenience instead of growing to fill a certain assignment. The moment a man limits a job his own comfort or convenience, he does much more than limit his job; he limits himself; he stifles talents and potentialities, and shrivels inside. To realize the fullest measure of life men must be willing to stretch themselves, to take on more responsibility, more opportunity. Little progress was ever done by people who put their personal comfort and convenience first. While many “drop out” and many are reluctant to extend themselves in service, the world is crying for more competent students, more competent teachers, more dedicated parents, more competent professional people, more competent young people who are willing to serve. And the person who scales himself down is surely going to shrink both the assignment and himself, whereas the person who extends himself is going to enhance both his own size and the size of his assignment. The world is moved forward by people who are willing to progress and to improve in output and capacity. Neither students, nor workers, nor managers, nor professional people should put a ceiling on what they are willing to become. To go back to Procrustes and his bed: Let’s not cut ourselves down to size. Stretching ourselves would be better. To increase power and capacity and ability would be a wonderful commitment for every man to make.