The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1914-11-28
DIR. Marden's
Uplift Talks
BY oRIsoN SWEET MARpHN.
THE ENEMIES IN OUR vocAsu.
Larry.

Copyright by Mcclure Newspaper syndicate


Did you ever think that many Of
the words and phrases which you con-
stantly use are your real enemies,
that they leave their hldeous pictures
and black shadows in your mind? I'm
the dictionary of fools we find 4
can't very often, plenty of IFS lots
OF words like luck and destiny and
phrases like If l only had time or a
chance like other people," How many
times have you been kept from doing
a good deed by such phrases as "Oh,
l know l can't do that" Somebody
else can do that a great deal BETTER"
L am afraid to try" 81 haven't the
courage" Il fear / shall take cold or
catch some disease If l do this or
that?
believe that those two words "T
can't" have ruined more prospects
and have kept more ability doing the
work of m~ediocrity than any other
two words in our language.
Did you eve know A. person who
has a great many Il can'ts" in his vo-
~cabulary to accomplish very much?
Some people are always using the
words, "Oh, l cant afford to go there"
i can't undertake such a hard task,
let somebody else do that" 81 am
AFRAID of this or that is a terrible
hlnderer, a terrible Brighter of ambi-
ton, a cooler of enthusiasm. All
achievement and all efficiency depend
upon initiative, and that is easily
Killed by the fear words, the words
which express doubt and uncertainty.
by thy words thou shalt be justi-
fed, and by thy words thou shalt be
condemned" Every person indicates
mis- strength or his weakness by the
preponderance of strong or weak
words in his habitual vocabulary.
Negative, weak words, words of doubt.
uncertainty or hesitation, predomi-
nate In the vocabulary of a negative
man; while the positive, plus. crea-
tive vigorous, progressive words,
which indicate mental dominion, pre-
vail in the vocabulary of a positive.
vigorous, progressive character, as
they did In Webster's vocabulary.
did you ever think that every time
you say 81 can't" you weaken your
c~onhdence in yourself and your
power to do things? Confid snce is
the greatest factor in achievement.
Self-faith is a powerful asset, better
than money capital without II. No
BODY believes in the youth who thinks
ne cannot do things, who has no con-
ndence in himself, no faith in his
aDlllty' because everybody knows
that he cannot do a thing until he
thinks he can. He must first believe
IN himself, must be convinced that he
can accomplish 1t.
l know a young man who seema
very ambitious in a general sort of
way, but when the opportunity which.
perhaps, he had been working a lone
lime for, comes, he willis, his stamina
oozes out, his ambition wavers. and
he does not feel equal to it. He does
not nave faith in himself equal to his
ambition. OF course his life is a dis.
appointment. The man who never
wants to give a decided opinion. who
always wants to reserve his iude.
ment' or who says he doesn't know,
or that he is afraid, the man who does
not dare to begin things, who shrinks
from responsibility, or who ALWAYS
thinks he cannot do this or that is
not the man for great responsibility.
But the man who says, 81 can do the
thing, and WILL" the man who be-
lieves in himself and in his ability to
carry through what he undertakes is
the masterful mantle one who will
do things, not dream about them.