Man's Influence

1902

The only responsibility that a man cannot not evade in this life is the one he thinks of least — his personal influence. Man's conscious influence, when he is on dress parade, when he is posing to impress those around him — is woefully small. But his unconscious influence, the silent, subtle radiation of his personality, the effect of his words and acts, the trifles he never considers — is tremendous. Every moment of life he is changing to a degree the life of the whole world. Every man has an atmosphere which is affecting every other. So silently and unconsciously is this influence working that man may forget that it exists. — W. G. Jordan.