You fail to carry through what you undertake. You have not disciplined yourself to regularity. System is everything. Do but one thing at a time, and do that well, finishing it before you begin a second piece of work. You should have regular hours for rising, for praying, and for eating. Many waste hours of precious time in bed because it gratifies the natural inclination and to do otherwise requires an exertion. One hour wasted in the morning is lost never to be recovered. Says the wise man: “I went by the field of the slothful, and by the vineyard of the man void of understanding; and, lo, it was all grown over with thorns, and nettles had covered the face thereof, and the stone wall thereof was broken down. Then I saw, and considered it well: I looked upon it, and received instruction. Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: so shall thy poverty come as one that traveleth; and thy want as an armed man.” {5T 181.3}

Du undlader at gennemføre, hvad du påbegynder. Du har ikke oplært dig selv til regelmæssighed. System er af altomfattende betydning. Gør kun én ting ad gangen, udfør den godt og gør den færdig, inden du tager fat på et nyt stykke arbejde. Du bør have en bestemt tid til at stå op, til bøn og til måltider. Mange bortødsler timevis af kostbar tid i sengen, fordi det er behageligt for den naturlige tilbøjelighed og det kræver en anstrengelse at handle anderledes. En time bortødslet om morgenen er uigenkaldelig tabt. Vismanden siger: »Jeg kom forbi en lad mands mark og et uforstandigt menneskes vingård; se, den var overgroet af tidsler, ganske skjult af nælder; stendiget om den lå nedbrudt. Jeg skued og skrev mig det bag øre, jeg så og tog lære deraf: Lidt søvn endnu, lidt blund, lidt hvile med sammenlagte hænder: Som en stimand kommer da fattigdom over dig, trang som en skjoldvæbnet mand."