A noted teacher has said that the propensities and habits are as teachable as Latin and Greek， while they are infinitely more essential to happiness. We are very largely the creatures of our wills. By constantly looking on the bright side of things， by viewing everything hopefully， by setting the face as a flint every hour of every day toward all that is harmonious and beautiful in life， and refusing to listen to the discord or to look at the ugly side of life， by constantly directing the thought toward what is noble， grand and true， we can soon form habits which will develop into a beautiful character， a harmonious and well-rounded life. We are creatures of habit， and by knowing the laws of its formation we can， in a little while， build up a network of habit about us， which will protect us from most of the ugly， selfish and degrading things of life. In fact， the only real happiness and unalloyed satisfaction we get out of life， is the product of self-control. It is the great guardian of all the virtues， without which none of them is safe. It is the sentinel， which stands on guard at the door of life， to admit friends and exclude enemies.
當醉漢的妻子反複催促他保證戒酒時，醉漢回答說：“我過一會兒就保證，但我不想現在就戒，最好是慢慢來。”妻子說：“非常好，沒準兒你哪天會掉進坑裏，沒人會救你出來。”
不久之後，那個人喝醉了，真的掉進一口很深的井裏，不過幸運的是，他的呼救聲被他的妻子聽到了，妻子說：“我警告你的事情真的發生了吧？幸好我聽到了，要不然你就被淹死了。”他抓住水桶，妻子用力搖動轆轤，但是當他快要到達井口時，妻子卻鬆開手，他又掉進了水裏。這種情形反複了好多次，最終他忍不住大叫：“喂，我知道你是故意的。”他的妻子承認道：“是的，我就是故意的。你忘了你曾跟我說過，凡事要慢慢來嗎？我怕讓你突然上來，你會不適應。”他別無他法，於是馬上保證要戒酒。他的妻子立刻把他救了上來，不過警告他說，如果他再喝醉掉進井裏，她是不會再理睬他的。