A way of life : An address to Yale students Sunday evening, April 20th, 1913

A recent address to a university audience begins with a quiet challenge: every person carries an unexamined philosophy, whether lofty or modest, that shapes daily choices. The speaker argues that formal lectures can’t teach the practical habits that truly define a life, and he offers a modest “handle”—a simple, adaptable principle—to fit the many small tasks of everyday living. Using vivid analogies of multi‑tool implements and the steady formation of habits, he invites listeners to consider a way of life that is both ancient and refreshingly direct.

The core of his counsel is the notion that character is forged through repeated, day‑by‑day actions, not grand theories. He illustrates this with images of infants learning to walk, musicians mastering difficult passages, and ordinary people mastering routine chores, all through patient, incremental practice. Though he modestly downplays his own academic accolades, he presents this habit‑based approach as a practical compass for anyone seeking steadier purpose in the present moment.