The Delta independent., 1910-03-04
Cultiuate SeE-Confdence.

self-confidence if you would prosper.
Have faith in yourself Believe i'm
plicitly that you can conquer, and the
battle is half won. Those who make
the world move have confidence in them
selves. Every great achievement owes
its existence to the confidence of some
man or set of men. If you wish to do
a certain thing do not say it is possible
with others but impossible with you;
rather, plan and strive to overcome the
difficulties in your way-and there are
difficulties in the way of everything
worth accomplishing-and do not stop
until the work is finished
You can do anything that can be done
by any other person of the same quail
fications. If there is anything that you
cannot do, it is simply because you have
not prepared yourself for that particu-
lar class of work, or because you lack
the confidence in yourself to go ahead
and perform it. Perhaps at some time
in your life you have had an earnest
desire to accomplish a certain thing,
and all the time doubted your ability to
do SO. Upon trying it, however, you
have found it quite easy. From this
instance you may draw rule of life:
"If you dread any task because of your
backwardness or lack of self-confdence,
think of that task only as a success,
and put forth your best efforts immedi-
ately to make it so." The longer you
stand back and dread duty, the more
difficult its performance becomes and
the less likely you are to succeed.
Almost every man has wished he had
the ability to accomplish certain re-
suits, but it has never occurred to him
that he might readily bring them about
if he would only try inteligently and
energetcally. One is often surprised
at his powers wheA he is forced to at
tempt things he never thought possible
for him-and does them. While travel
ing in the Southwest in his younger
days, the writer often thought of call
ing on banks with certain proposition,
but reasoned: There is no use; they
will not consider my line; besides, those
rich fellows are too big to talk to me. "
Finally, having little extra time at
his disposal one day, he summoned all
his self-confidence and called on one
bank, largely for the experience. To
his surprise, sale was made more
quickly than usual, and not only that,
but deal was afterwards closed with
every bank in the city. 1t is needless
80 La- L., i,
ever afterwards. The power chiefly
responsible for getting the business
was self-confdence and when that man.
ifested itself sufficiently success was
comparatively easy.
While travelling by steamboat on the
Cumberland river some years ago, the
writer was requested to prepare the
weekly report for salesman who had
an abundance of self-confidence, but
did not have sufficient education to fig
ure up his own accounts and write up
his own report This report called for
five dollars day salary and several
dollars more for expenses, and yet this
man, with his training and self-confi-
dence had sold the required quantity of
goods and had earned his money. But
here is the question that appeals to you:
If an illiterate man can do this well,
what possibilities await the educated
man, especially drilled for his work?
If you lack self-confdence and can be
persuaded to Danish your doubts and
fears, now and forever, and to place
alone will prove of more worth to you
than the price of any course of instruc-
tion in existence. This condition of
mind is the keynote of all achievement.
Without it, you can do little and be lit
tie but slave; with it and the neces-
sary preparation, you can carry into
effect any logical enterprise.
Have superior proposition to offer,
and present it in an honest, truthful
way, SO that you may feel justly en-
titled to proper feeling of superiori-
ty. 1t is easy to speak with force and
effect when one feels that his listener
is not his superior. While this feeling
is maintained, ones talk has positive
and convincing effect upon the mind of
the hearer and carries the weight that
brings results. But the moment the
speaker feels inferior, doubtful and
negative, that moment the living force
of his speech is lost. If you are posi-
tive and enthusiastic about your propo-
sition, the man to whom you are talk
ing will readily become enthused too,
but if you are doubtful and lack conf
dence, he will very quickly and proper
ly fix his mind the. same way. While
feeling of superiority should always
be maintained, care should be exer-