Expect Great Things of Yourself

"Why," asked Mirabeau, "should we call ourselves men, unless it be to succeed in everything everywhere?" Nothing else will so nerve you to accomplish great things as to believe in your own greatness, in your own marvelous possibilities. Count that man an enemy who shakes your faith in yourself, in your ability to do the thing you have set your heart upon doing, for when your confidence is gone, your power is gone. Your achievement will never rise higher than your self-faith. It would be as reasonable for Napoleon to have expected to get his army over the Alps by sitting down and declaring that the undertaking was too great for him, as for you to hope to achieve anything significant in life while harboring grave doubts and fears as to your ability.

"Why," asked Mirabeau, "should we call ourselves men unless we succeed in everything, everywhere?" Nothing else will give you as much courage to accomplish great things as believing in your own greatness and marvelous possibilities. Consider anyone an enemy who shakes your faith in yourself and your ability to do what you have set your heart on. For when your confidence is gone, your power is gone. Your achievements will never rise higher than your belief in yourself. Suppose Napoleon had sat down and declared that getting his army over the Alps was too great a task for him. It would have been just as reasonable for him to expect to get his army across anyway as for you to hope to achieve anything significant in life while harboring grave doubts and fears about your ability.

The miracles of civilization have been performed by men and women of great self-confidence, who had unwavering faith in their power to accomplish the tasks they undertook. The race would have been centuries behind what it is to-day had it not been for their grit, their determination, their persistence in finding and making real the thing they believed in and which the world often denounced as chimerical or impossible.

The wonders of civilization were created by men and women with great confidence in themselves. They had unwavering faith in their ability to accomplish the tasks they undertook. Without their grit, determination, and persistence, humanity would be centuries behind where it is today. They persisted in discovering and making real what they believed in, even when the world called it fanciful or impossible.

There is no law by which you can achieve success in anything without expecting it, demanding it, assuming it. There must be a strong, firm self-faith first, or the thing will never come. There is no room for chance in God's world of system and supreme order. Everything must have not only a cause, but a sufficient cause—a cause as large as the result. A stream can not rise higher than its source. A great success must have a great source in expectation, in self-confidence, and in persistent endeavor to attain it. No matter how great the ability, how large the genius, or how splendid the education, the achievement will never rise higher than the confidence. He can who thinks he can, and he can't who thinks he can't. This is an inexorable, indisputable law.

You cannot succeed at anything without expecting success, demanding it, and assuming it will come. You must first have strong, firm faith in yourself, or success will never come. There is no room for chance in God's world of system and supreme order. Everything must have not only a cause, but a sufficient cause, one as great as the result. A stream cannot rise higher than its source. Great success must come from great expectations, self-confidence, and persistent effort to achieve it. No matter how much ability, genius, or education a person has, achievement will never rise above confidence. Those who think they can, can. Those who think they can't, can't. This is an absolute, undeniable law.

It does not matter what other people think of you, of your plans, or of your aims. No matter if they call you a visionary, a crank, or a dreamer; you must believe in yourself. You forsake yourself when you lose your confidence. Never allow anybody or any misfortune to shake your belief in yourself. You may lose your property, your health, your reputation, other people's confidence, even; but there is always hope for you so long as you keep a firm faith in yourself. If you never lose that, but keep pushing on, the world will, sooner or later, make way for you.

It doesn't matter what other people think of you, your plans, or your goals. They may call you a visionary, a crank, or a dreamer, but you must believe in yourself. When you lose confidence, you abandon yourself. Never let anyone or any misfortune shake your belief in yourself. You may lose your property, your health, your reputation, or even other people's confidence in you. But there is always hope for you as long as you keep believing firmly in yourself. If you never lose that belief and keep pushing forward, the world will sooner or later make way for you.

A soldier once took a message to Napoleon in such great haste that the horse he rode dropped dead before he delivered the paper. Napoleon dictated his answer and, handing it to the messenger, ordered him to mount his own horse and deliver it with all possible speed.

A soldier once rushed a message to Napoleon so quickly that his horse dropped dead before he delivered it. Napoleon dictated his reply and handed it to the messenger. He ordered the soldier to take Napoleon’s own horse and deliver the reply as quickly as possible.

The messenger looked at the magnificent animal, with its superb trappings, and said, "Nay, General, but this is too gorgeous, too magnificent for a common soldier."

The messenger looked at the magnificent animal and its splendid gear. He said, "No, General, this is too gorgeous, too magnificent for a common soldier."

Napoleon said, "Nothing is too good or too magnificent for a French soldier."

Napoleon said, "Nothing is too good or too grand for a French soldier."

The world is full of people like this poor French soldier, who think that what others have is too good for them; that it does not fit their humble condition; that they are not expected to have as good things as those who are "more favored." They do not realize how they weaken themselves by this mental attitude of self-depreciation or self-effacement. They do not claim enough, expect enough, or demand enough of or for themselves.

The world is full of people like this poor French soldier. They think that what others have is too good for them and does not suit their humble circumstances. They believe they are not expected to have things as good as those who are "more favored." They do not realize how much they weaken themselves by thinking so little of themselves and holding themselves back. They do not claim enough, expect enough, or demand enough of or for themselves.

You will never become a giant if you only make a pygmy's claim for yourself; if you only expect small things of yourself. There is no law which can cause a pygmy's thinking to produce a giant. The statue follows the model. The model is the inward vision.

You will never become a giant if you make only a pygmy's claim for yourself and expect only small things of yourself. No law can make a pygmy's thinking produce a giant. The statue follows the model. The model is your inner vision.

Most people have been educated to think that it was not intended they should have the best there is in the world; that the good and the beautiful things of life were not designed for them, but were reserved for those especially favored by fortune. They have grown up under this conviction of their inferiority, and of course they will be inferior until they claim superiority as their birthright. A vast number of men and women who are really capable of doing great things, do small things, live mediocre lives, because they do not expect or demand enough of themselves. They do not know how to call out their best.

Most people have been taught to think that the best things in the world were not meant for them. They believe that the good and beautiful things in life are reserved for those especially favored by fortune. They have grown up believing they are inferior. And of course they will remain inferior until they claim superiority as their birthright. Many men and women who are capable of great things do little and live mediocre lives. They do this because they do not expect or demand enough of themselves. They do not know how to bring out their best.

One reason why the human race as a whole has not measured up to its possibilities, to its promise; one reason why we see everywhere splendid ability doing the work of mediocrity; is because people do not think half enough of themselves. We do not realize our divinity; that we are a part of the great causation principle of the universe.

One reason humanity as a whole has not lived up to its potential and promise is that people think too little of themselves. That is also why we see people of great ability doing mediocre work everywhere. We do not realize our divinity, or that we are part of the universe’s great creative principle.

We do not think highly enough of our superb birthright, nor comprehend to what heights of sublimity we were intended and expected to rise, nor to what extent we can really be masters of ourselves. We fail to see that we can control our own destiny: make ourselves do whatever is possible; make ourselves become whatever we long to be.

We do not value our magnificent birthright enough. We do not understand the great heights we were meant and expected to reach, or how fully we can master ourselves. We fail to see that we can control our own destiny. We can make ourselves do anything possible and become whatever we long to be.

"If we choose to be no more than clods of clay," says Marie Corelli, "then we shall be used as clods of clay for braver feet to tread on."

"If we choose to be nothing more than lumps of clay," says Marie Corelli, "then braver feet will trample us like lumps of clay."

The persistent thought that you are not as good as others, that you are a weak, ineffective being, will lower your whole standard of life and paralyze your ability.

Constantly thinking that you are not as good as others, and that you are weak and ineffective, will lower your overall standard of living and cripple your ability.

A man who is self-reliant, positive, optimistic, and undertakes his work with the assurance of success, magnetizes conditions. He draws to himself the literal fulfilment of the promise, "For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance."

A man who is self-reliant, confident, and optimistic attracts favorable conditions. He approaches his work certain of success. He draws to himself the literal fulfillment of the promise: "For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have abundance."

There is everything in assuming the part we wish to play, and playing it royally. If you are ambitious to do big things, you must make a large program for yourself, and assume the part it demands.

Everything depends on taking on the role you want to play and playing it magnificently. If you want to do big things, you must make big plans for yourself. You must also take on the role those plans demand.

There is something in the atmosphere of the man who has a large and true estimate of himself, who believes that he is going to win out; something in his very appearance that wins half the battle before a blow is struck. Things get out of the way of the vigorous, affirmative man, which are always tripping the self-depreciating, negative man.

A man with a high and accurate opinion of himself believes he will succeed. There is something about his presence, even his appearance, that wins half the battle before it begins. Obstacles move out of the way of a vigorous, positive man. Those same obstacles are always tripping up a self-deprecating, negative man.

We often hear it said of a man, "Everything he undertakes succeeds," or "Everything he touches turns to gold." By the force of his character and the creative power of his thought, such a man wrings success from the most adverse circumstances. Confidence begets confidence. A man who carries in his very presence an air of victory, radiates assurance, and imparts to others confidence that he can do the thing he attempts. As time goes on, he is reenforced not only by the power of his own thought, but also by that of all who know him. His friends and acquaintances affirm and reaffirm his ability to succeed, and make each successive triumph easier of achievement than its predecessor. His self-poise, assurance, confidence, and ability increase in a direct ratio to the number of his achievements. As the savage Indian thought that the power of every enemy he conquered entered into himself, so in reality does every conquest in war, in peaceful industry, in commerce, in invention, in science, or in art add to the conqueror's power to do the next thing.

We often hear people say of a man, "Everything he undertakes succeeds," or "Everything he touches turns to gold." Through the strength of his character and the creative power of his thought, he draws success from the worst circumstances. Confidence inspires confidence. A man who carries an air of victory radiates assurance. He gives others confidence that he can do what he attempts. Over time, he draws strength not only from his own thoughts but also from the thoughts of everyone who knows him. His friends and acquaintances affirm his ability to succeed again and again. They make each new triumph easier to achieve than the one before it. His composure, assurance, confidence, and ability grow in direct proportion to the number of his achievements. The savage Indian thought that the power of every enemy he conquered entered into him. In the same way, every victory truly adds to the victor's power to accomplish the next task. This is true in war, peaceful industry, commerce, invention, science, and art.

Set the mind toward the thing you would accomplish so resolutely, so definitely, and with such vigorous determination, and put so much grit into your resolution, that nothing on earth can turn you from your purpose until you attain it.

Focus your mind firmly and clearly on what you want to accomplish. Commit yourself with such determination and grit that nothing on earth can turn you from your purpose until you achieve it.

This very assertion of superiority, the assumption of power, the affirmation of belief in yourself, the mental attitude that claims success as an inalienable birthright, will strengthen the whole man and give power to a combination of faculties which doubt, fear, and a lack of confidence undermine.

Assert your superiority, assume power, and affirm your belief in yourself. Regard success as your inalienable birthright. This attitude will strengthen your whole being and give power to the combined abilities that doubt, fear, and lack of confidence undermine.

Confidence is the Napoleon of the mental army. It doubles and trebles the power of all the other faculties. The whole mental army waits until confidence leads the way.

Confidence is the Napoleon of the mental army. It doubles and triples the power of every other mental ability. The whole mental army waits for confidence to lead the way.

Even a race-horse can not win the prize after it has once lost confidence in itself. Courage, born of self-confidence, is the prod which brings out the last ounce of reserve force.

Even a racehorse cannot win the prize once it has lost confidence in itself. Courage comes from self-confidence and spurs us to use our last ounce of reserve strength.

The reason why so many men fail is because they do not commit themselves with a determination to win at any cost. They do not have that superb confidence in themselves which never looks back; which burns all bridges behind it. There is just uncertainty enough as to whether they will succeed to take the edge off their effort, and it is just this little difference between doing pretty well and flinging all oneself, all his power, into his career, that makes the difference between mediocrity and a grand achievement.

Many men fail because they do not commit themselves to winning at any cost. They lack the superb confidence that never looks back and burns every bridge behind it. They have just enough doubt about their success to weaken their effort. And this small difference between doing fairly well and putting all their energy into their careers makes the difference between mediocrity and a great achievement.

If you doubt your ability to do what you set out to do; if you think that others are better fitted to do it than you; if you fear to let yourself out and take chances; if you lack boldness; if you have a timid, shrinking nature; if the negatives preponderate in your vocabulary; if you think that you lack positiveness, initiative, aggressiveness, ability; you can never win anything very great until you change your whole mental attitude and learn to have great faith in yourself. Fear, doubt, and timidity must be turned out of your mind.

You may doubt your ability to do what you set out to do. You may think others are better suited to do it than you are. You may be afraid to give your all and take chances, or you may lack boldness. You may be timid and easily discouraged. You may use more negative words than positive ones. You may think you lack confidence, initiative, drive, or ability. If any of this is true, you can never achieve anything very great until you completely change your mindset and learn to have great faith in yourself. You must drive fear, doubt, and timidity from your mind.

Your own mental picture of yourself is a good measure of yourself and your possibilities. If there is no out-reach to your mind, no spirit of daring, no firm self-faith, you will never accomplish much.

The picture you have of yourself is a good measure of who you are and what you can achieve. If your mind does not reach beyond its limits, if you lack courage and firm faith in yourself, you will never accomplish much.

A man's confidence measures the height of his possibilities. A stream can not rise higher than its fountain-head.

A man's confidence measures how much he can achieve. A stream cannot rise higher than its source.

Power is largely a question of strong, vigorous, perpetual thinking along the line of the ambition, parallel with the aim—the great life purpose. Here is where power originates.

Power comes largely from strong, vigorous, constant thinking focused on your ambition and your great purpose in life. This is where power begins.

The deed must first live in the thought or it will never be a reality; and a strong, vigorous concept of the thing we want to do is a tremendous initial step. A thought that is timidly born will be timidly executed. There must be vigor of conception or an indifferent execution.

A deed must first exist in thought, or it will never become reality. A strong, clear idea of what we want to do is a tremendous first step. An idea formed timidly will be carried out timidly. The idea must be vigorous, or the execution will be mediocre.

All the greatest achievements in the world began in longing—in dreamings and hopings which for a time were nursed in despair, with no light in sight. This longing kept the courage up and made self-sacrifice easier until the thing dreamed of—the mental vision—was realized.

All the world's greatest achievements began with longing, with dreams and hopes nurtured in despair when no light was in sight. This longing sustained courage and made self-sacrifice easier until the dream became reality.

"According to your faith be it unto you." Our faith is a very good measure of what we get out of life. The man of weak faith gets little; the man of mighty faith gets much.

“Let it be done for you according to your faith.” Our faith is a good measure of what we get out of life. A person with little faith gets little. A person with great faith gets much.

The very intensity of your confidence in your ability to do the thing you attempt is definitely related to the degree of your achievement.

How strongly you believe in your ability to do what you attempt is directly related to how much you achieve.

If we were to analyze the marvelous successes of many of our self-made men, we should find that when they first started out in active life they held the confident, vigorous, persistent thought of and belief in their ability to accomplish what they had undertaken. Their mental attitude was set so stubbornly toward their goal that the doubts and fears which dog and hinder and frighten the man who holds a low estimate of himself, who asks, demands, and expects but little, of or for himself, got out of their path, and the world made way for them.

If we examined the remarkable successes of many self-made men, we would find something they had in common. When they began their working lives, they believed confidently and persistently that they could accomplish what they set out to do. They were so firmly focused on their goals that doubts and fears got out of their way. Such doubts and fears pursue, hinder, and frighten a man who thinks little of himself and asks, demands, and expects little from or for himself. The world made way for these self-made men.

We are very apt to think of men who have been unusually successful in any line as greatly favored by fortune; and we try to account for it in all sorts of ways but the right one. The fact is that their success represents their expectations of themselves—the sum of their creative, positive, habitual thinking. It is their mental attitude outpictured and made tangible in their environment. They have wrought—created—what they have and what they are out of their constructive thought and their unquenchable faith in themselves.

We often think that men who have been unusually successful in any field have been greatly favored by fortune. We try to explain their success in all sorts of ways except the right one. The fact is that their success reflects what they expected of themselves. It is the sum of their creative, positive, habitual thinking. Their mental attitude has taken visible, tangible form in their surroundings. Through constructive thought and unshakable faith in themselves, they have created what they have and what they are.

We must not only believe we can succeed, but we must believe it with all our hearts.

We must not only believe we can succeed, but we must believe it with all our hearts.

We must have a positive conviction that we can attain success.

We must be certain that we can succeed.

No lukewarm energy or indifferent ambition ever accomplished anything. There must be vigor in our expectation, in our faith, in our determination, in our endeavor. We must resolve with the energy that does things.

Halfhearted energy or indifferent ambition has never accomplished anything. We must bring energy to our expectations, our faith, our determination, and our efforts. We must make up our minds with the energy to get things done.

Not only must the desire for the thing we long for be kept uppermost, but there must be strongly concentrated intensity of effort to attain our object.

We must keep our desire for what we long for foremost in our minds. But we must also make a strongly focused effort to achieve it.

As it is the fierceness of the heat that melts the iron ore and makes it possible to weld it or mold it into shape; as it is the intensity of the electrical force that dissolves the diamond—the hardest known substance; so it is the concentrated aim, the invincible purpose, that wins success. Nothing was ever accomplished by a half-hearted desire.

Intense heat melts iron ore, making it possible to weld or shape it. And intense electrical force dissolves diamond, the hardest known substance. In the same way, a focused aim and an unshakable purpose bring success. Nothing was ever accomplished by a half-hearted desire.

Many people make a very poor showing in life, because there is no vim, no vigor in their efforts. Their resolutions are spineless; there is no backbone in their endeavor—no grit in their ambition.

Many people do poorly in life because they put no energy or vigor into their efforts. Their resolutions are weak. Their efforts lack backbone, and their ambition has no grit.

One must have that determination which never looks back and which knows no defeat; that resolution which burns all bridges behind it and is willing to risk everything upon the effort. When a man ceases to believe in himself—gives up the fight—you can not do much for him except to try to restore what he has lost—his self-faith—and to get out of his head the idea that there is a fate which tosses him hither and thither, a mysterious destiny which decides things whether he will or not. You can not do much with him until he comprehends that he is bigger than any fate; that he has within himself a power mightier than any force outside of him.

You must have a determination that never looks back and knows no defeat. You must have the resolve to burn every bridge behind you and risk everything on the effort. When a man stops believing in himself and gives up the fight, you cannot do much for him. You can only try to restore his self-belief. You can also try to rid him of the idea that fate tosses him back and forth. He must let go of the belief that a mysterious destiny decides things whether he wants them or not. You cannot do much for him until he understands that he is bigger than any fate. He has a power within him that is stronger than any force outside him.

One reason why the careers of most of us are so pinched and narrow, is because we do not have a large faith in ourselves and in our power to accomplish. We are held back by too much caution. We are timid about venturing. We are not bold enough.

One reason most of us have such limited careers is that we don't have much faith in ourselves or our ability to succeed. Too much caution holds us back. We are afraid to take risks. We are not bold enough.

Whatever we long for, yearn for, struggle for, and hold persistently in the mind, we tend to become just in exact proportion to the intensity and persistence of the thought. We think ourselves into smallness, into inferiority by thinking downward. We ought to think upward, then we would reach the heights where superiority dwells. The man whose mind is set firmly toward achievement does not appropriate success, he is success.

We tend to become what we long for, strive for, and persistently hold in our minds. We do so in exact proportion to the intensity and persistence of our thoughts. We make ourselves small and inferior by thinking downward. We should think upward instead. Then we would reach the heights where superiority lives. A man whose mind is firmly set on achievement does not acquire success, he is success.

Self-confidence is not egotism. It is knowledge, and it comes from the consciousness of possessing the ability requisite for what one undertakes. Civilization to-day rests upon self-confidence.

Self-confidence is not egotism. It is knowledge. It comes from knowing you have the ability to do what you undertake. Civilization today rests on self-confidence.

A firm self-faith helps a man to project himself with a force that is almost irresistible. A balancer, a doubter, has no projectile power. If he starts at all, he moves with uncertainty. There is no vigor in his initiative, no positiveness in his energy.

Strong faith in himself helps a man move forward with almost irresistible force. A man who wavers and doubts has no power to propel himself forward. If he starts at all, he moves uncertainly. He shows no vigor in taking the initiative and no decisiveness in his energy.

There is a great difference between a man who thinks that "perhaps" he can do, or who "will try" to do a thing, and a man who "knows" he can do it, who is "bound" to do it; who feels within himself a pulsating power, an irresistible force, equal to any emergency.

There is a great difference between two kinds of men. One thinks he "perhaps" can do something, or says he "will try" to do it. The other "knows" he can do it and is "bound" to do it. He feels a pulsing power within himself, an irresistible force that can meet any emergency.

This difference between uncertainty and certainty, between vacillation and decision, between the man who wavers and the man who decides things, between "I hope to" and "I can," between "I'll try" and "I will"—this little difference measures the distance between weakness and power, between mediocrity and excellence, between commonness and superiority.

There is a difference between uncertainty and certainty, between hesitation and decision. There is a difference between a man who wavers and a man who decides. There is a difference between "I hope to" and "I can," between "I'll try" and "I will." These small differences measure the distance between weakness and power, between mediocrity and excellence, between being ordinary and being superior.

The man who does things must be able to project himself with a mighty force, to fling the whole weight of his being into his work, ever gathering momentum against the obstacles which confront him; every issue must be met wholly, unhesitatingly. He can not do this with a wavering, doubting, unstable mind.

A man who gets things done must be able to drive himself forward with great force. He must throw his whole being into his work, building momentum against the obstacles he faces. He must meet every challenge fully and without hesitation. He cannot do this with a wavering, doubtful, unstable mind.

The fact that a man believes implicitly that he can do what may seem impossible or very difficult to others, shows that there is something within him that makes him equal to the work he has undertaken.

A man may firmly believe he can do what seems impossible or very difficult to others. This belief shows that something within him makes him capable of doing the work he has undertaken.

Faith unites man with the Infinite, and no one can accomplish great things in life unless he works in oneness with the Infinite. When a man lives so near to the Supreme that the divine Presence is felt all the time, then he is in a position to express power.

Faith unites us with the Infinite. No one can accomplish great things in life without working in oneness with the Infinite. When a person lives so close to the Supreme that they feel the divine Presence at all times, they can express power.

There is nothing which will multiply one's ability like self-faith. It can make a one-talent man a success, while a ten-talent man without it would fail.

Nothing increases a person's ability like self-belief. It can help a man with one talent succeed, while a man with ten talents but no self-belief would fail.

Faith walks on the mountain tops, hence its superior vision. It sees what is invisible to those who follow in the valleys.

Faith walks on mountaintops, so it sees farther. It sees what is invisible to those who walk in the valleys.

It was the sustaining power of a mighty self-faith that enabled Columbus to bear the jeers and imputations of the Spanish cabinet; that sustained him when his sailors were in mutiny and he was at their mercy in a little vessel on an unknown sea; that enabled him to hold steadily to his purpose, entering in his diary day after day—"This day we sailed west, which was our course."

Columbus's powerful faith in himself sustained him through the mockery and accusations of the Spanish cabinet. It sustained him when his sailors mutinied and he was at their mercy in a small ship on an unknown sea. It also kept him focused on his purpose. Day after day, he wrote in his diary: "This day we sailed west, which was our course."

It was this self-faith which gave courage and determination to Fulton to attempt his first trip up the Hudson in the Clermont, before thousands of his fellow citizens, who had gathered to howl and jeer at his expected failure. He believed he could do the thing he attempted though the whole world was against him.

This belief in himself gave Fulton the courage and determination to attempt his first trip up the Hudson in the Clermont. Thousands of his fellow citizens had gathered to shout and jeer when he failed, as they expected him to. He believed he could succeed, though the whole world was against him.

What miracles self-confidence has wrought! What impossible deeds it has helped to perform! It took Dewey past cannons, torpedoes, and mines to victory at Manila Bay; it carried Farragut, lashed to the rigging, past the defenses of the enemy in Mobile Bay; it led Nelson and Grant to victory; it has been the great tonic in the world of invention, discovery, and art; it has won a thousand triumphs in war and science which were deemed impossible by doubters and the faint-hearted.

What miracles self-confidence has accomplished! What impossible deeds it has helped achieve! It took Dewey past cannons, torpedoes, and mines to victory at Manila Bay. It carried Farragut, tied to the rigging, past the enemy defenses in Mobile Bay. It led Nelson and Grant to victory. It has been a great source of strength in invention, discovery, and art. It has won a thousand triumphs in war and science that doubters and the faint-hearted thought impossible.

Self-faith has been the miracle-worker of the ages. It has enabled the inventor and the discoverer to go on and on amidst troubles and trials which otherwise would have utterly disheartened them. It has held innumerable heroes to their tasks until the glorious deeds were accomplished.

Faith in oneself has worked miracles throughout the ages. It has helped inventors and discoverers keep going through troubles and trials that would otherwise have completely discouraged them. It has kept countless heroes at their tasks until they accomplished glorious deeds.

The only inferiority in us is what we put into ourselves. If only we better understood our divinity we should all have this larger faith which is the distinction of the brave soul. We think ourselves into smallness. Were we to think upward we should reach the heights where superiority dwells.

The only inferiority in us is what we put there ourselves. If we better understood our divinity, we would all have the greater faith that sets a brave soul apart. Our thoughts make us small. If we aimed our thoughts higher, we would reach the heights where superiority lives.

Perhaps there is no other one thing which keeps so many people back as their low estimate of themselves. They are more handicapped by their limiting thought, by their foolish convictions of inefficiency, than by almost anything else, for there is no power in the universe that can help a man do a thing when he thinks he can not do it. Self-faith must lead the way. You can not go beyond the limits you set for yourself.

Perhaps nothing holds as many people back as their low opinion of themselves. Their limiting thoughts and foolish beliefs about their own inability hold them back more than almost anything else. For no power in the universe can help a person do something they think they cannot do. Belief in yourself must come first. You cannot go beyond the limits you set for yourself.

It is one of the most difficult things to a mortal to really believe in his own bigness, in his own grandeur; to believe that his yearnings and hungerings and aspirations for higher, nobler things have any basis in reality or any real, ultimate end. But they are, in fact, the signs of ability to match them, of power to make them real. They are the stirrings of the divinity within us; the call to something better, to go higher.

One of the hardest things for a person to do is truly believe in their own greatness, in their own grandeur. It is hard to believe that their longing and aspirations for higher, nobler things have any basis in reality or any real, ultimate purpose. But these longings and aspirations are signs that we have the ability and power to make them real. They are stirrings of the divine within us, calling us to something better, to rise higher.

No man gets very far in the world or expresses great power until self-faith is born in him; until he catches a glimpse of his higher, nobler self; until he realizes that his ambition, his aspiration, are proofs of his ability to reach the ideal which haunts him. The Creator would not have mocked us with the yearning for infinite achievement without giving us the ability and the opportunity for realizing it, any more than he would have mocked the wild birds with an instinct to fly south in the winter without giving them a sunny South to match the instinct.

No man gets very far in the world or shows great power until he begins to believe in himself. He must glimpse his higher, nobler self. He must realize that his ambition and aspirations prove he can reach the ideal that haunts him. The Creator would not have mocked us with a longing for infinite achievement without giving us the ability and opportunity to achieve it. Nor would he have mocked wild birds by giving them an instinct to fly south in winter without giving them a sunny South to match that instinct.

The cause of whatever comes to you in life is within you. There is where it is created. The thing you long for and work for comes to you because your thought has created it; because there is something inside you that attracts it. It comes because there is an affinity within you for it. Your own comes to you; is always seeking you.

The cause of whatever comes to you in life is within you. That is where it is created. What you long for and work for comes to you because your thoughts have created it. It comes because something inside you attracts it. It comes because you have an affinity for it. What is yours comes to you and is always seeking you.

Whenever you see a person who has been unusually successful in any field, remember that he has usually thought himself into his position; his mental attitude and energy have created it; what he stands for in his community has come from his attitude toward life, toward his fellow men, toward his vocation, toward himself. Above all else, it is the outcome of his self-faith, of his inward vision of himself; the result of his estimate of his powers and possibilities.

Whenever you see someone who has been unusually successful in any field, remember that they have usually thought their way into that position. Their attitude and energy have created it. What they stand for in their community comes from their attitude toward life, other people, their work, and themselves. Above all, it comes from their belief in themselves and their inner vision of who they are. It is the result of how they judge their own abilities and possibilities.

The men who have done the great things in the world have been profound believers in themselves.

The men who have accomplished great things in the world have believed deeply in themselves.

If I could give the young people of America but one word of advice, it would be this—"Believe in yourself with all your might." That is, believe that your destiny is inside of you, that there is a power within you which, if awakened, aroused, developed, and matched with honest effort, will not only make a noble man or woman of you, but will also make you successful and happy.

If I could give young Americans just one piece of advice, it would be this: "Believe in yourself with all your might." Believe that your destiny lies within you. There is a power inside you that can make you a noble man or woman. If you awaken and develop that power and combine it with honest effort, it will also make you successful and happy.

All through the Bible we find emphasized the miracle-working power of faith. Faith in himself indicates that a man has a glimpse of forces within him which either annihilate the obstacles in the way, or make them seem insignificant in comparison with his ability to overcome them.

Throughout the Bible, we find the miracle-working power of faith emphasized. When a man has faith in himself, it shows that he has glimpsed the forces within him. These forces either destroy the obstacles in his path or make them seem small compared with his ability to overcome them.

Faith opens the door that enables us to look into the soul's limitless possibilities and reveals such powers there, such unconquerable forces, that we are not only encouraged to go on, but feel a great consciousness of added power because we have touched omnipotence, and gotten a glimpse of the great source of things.

Faith opens the door to the soul's limitless possibilities. It reveals such power and unconquerable forces within us that we are encouraged to go on. We also feel a great sense of added power because we have touched omnipotence and glimpsed the great source of things.

Faith is that something within us which does not guess, but knows. It knows because it sees what our coarser selves, our animal natures can not see. It is the prophet within us, the divine messenger appointed to accompany man through life to guide and direct and encourage him. It gives him a glimpse of his possibilities to keep him from losing heart, from quitting his upward life struggle.

Faith is something within us that does not guess, but knows. It knows because it sees what our cruder selves, our animal natures, cannot see. It is the prophet within us, the divine messenger sent to guide, direct, and encourage us throughout life. It gives us a glimpse of our possibilities so that we do not lose heart or give up our struggle to rise.

Our faith knows because it sees what we can not see. It sees resources, powers, potencies which our doubts and fears veil from us. Faith is assured, is never afraid, because it sees the way out; sees the solution of its problem. It has dipped in the realms of our finer life our higher and diviner kingdom. All things are possible to him who has faith, because faith sees, recognizes the power that means accomplishment. If we had faith in God and in ourselves we could remove all mountains of difficulty, and our lives would be one triumphal march to the goal of our ambition.

Our faith knows because it sees what we cannot see. It sees resources and powers that our doubts and fears hide from us. Faith is confident and never afraid because it sees a way out. It sees the solution to its problem. It has reached into the realms of our finer life, our higher and more divine kingdom. All things are possible to a person with faith because faith sees and recognizes the power that makes achievement possible. If we had faith in God and in ourselves, we could overcome every mountain of difficulty. Our lives would be one triumphant march toward the goal of our ambition.

If we had faith enough we could cure all our ills and accomplish the maximum of our possibilities.

If we had enough faith, we could cure all our ills and reach our full potential.

Faith never fails; it is a miracle worker. It looks beyond all boundaries, transcends all limitations, penetrates all obstacles and sees the goal.

Faith never fails. It works miracles. It looks beyond all boundaries, rises above all limits, cuts through all obstacles, and sees the goal.

It is doubt and fear, timidity and cowardice, that hold us down and keep us in mediocrity—doing petty things when we are capable of sublime deeds.

Doubt, fear, timidity, and cowardice hold us back and keep us ordinary. They make us do small things when we are capable of great deeds.

If we had faith enough we should travel Godward infinitely faster than we do.

If we had enough faith, we would move toward God infinitely faster than we do.

The time will come when every human being will have unbounded faith and will live the life triumphant. Then there will be no poverty in the world, no failures, and the discords of life will all vanish.

The time will come when everyone will have unlimited faith and live a triumphant life. Then there will be no poverty or failure in the world, and all of life's conflicts will disappear.