Here you will learn Developing Self Confidence, Self Confidence Quote, Gaining Self Confidence,
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Our estimate of a person may completely be
reversed by some untoward circumstance. A slight money transaction has been
known to destroy a lifelong friendship. A trifling criticism, made in an
offensive tone of voice, may turn good-will into deadly hate. It is a canon of
good form in conversation that only pleasant things be said of any one.
Argument, pedantry, inquisitiveness, and interruption are alike forbidden by
tact and considerateness.
Every man is more or less conscious at the close of day of duties unfulfilled,
of work neglected, or of opportunities lost. He realizes sometimes how much
more and better he might have done. He may well ask himself the cause of these
repeated failures. Is it lack of will? Is it want of energy, definiteness, or
initiative? If he would take conscious possession of the powers within him, all
these faculties might quickly be developed. It is not surprising that men fall
so far short of their ideal when they make so little effort to attain it.
Avoid the hat-in-hand attitude, the habit of seeking favors, and especially that
of wishing something for nothing. Independence is a quality of greatness. A
letter of introduction easily may be an acknowledgment of weakness. A man who
succeeds with such a letter would succeed just as well without it. The important
thing after all is the man himself. Senator Beveridge tells young men to give
heed to little matters commonly neglected. He says: '' Use clean linen. Wear
good and well-fitting clothes. Take care of your shoes. Look after all the
details of your personal grooming." Who will doubt that Senator Beveridge
himself owes his distinction in considerable degree to this careful attention to
little things!
Courage is admired; fear never is. Courage is dignified; fear is repulsive. A
particularly good story is told of a dog named "Jerry." No one knew where he
came from, nor what kind of a dog he was, but from the beginning he was kicked
and abused as an absolutely worthless animal. His very attitude invited the
treatment he invariably received. One could see that he expected to be kicked,
and kicked he was. When his farmer-master went to town this dog would slink
under the wagon and run along half-scared. The dogs along the route spied him
out, however, chased him and fought him until he closely resembled the losing
side of the fiercest kind of a dog fight. Altogether he was a very miserable
and unhappy dog, and one day, chased by his fellow canines, fell into a trap
that had been skillfully arranged by some boys, and down he went into the pit.
A little later a young bear of an investigating turn of mind dropt into the pit
too, and Jerry at once scented trouble. A series of fights ensued in which the
dog seemed to be getting the worst of it, and the bear was putting the final
touches on him, when suddenly, Jerry appeared to wake up and to take on a new
lease of life. He jumped at the bear's throat and gave him reason for retiring
to a corner to reflect a little. From this time on Jerry displayed a large set
of teeth not unlike those seen on the top of dentists' sign. He also gave an
occasional snarl which caused the bear to remain quietly in his corner. Next
morning the boy shot the bear and lifted the dog out of the pit alive. Jerry had
completely changed in character, poise and self-respect. He ran toward home
with a new self-confident air. His old dog friends did not at first recognize
him; when they did the first chased him as usual, but received a surprise that
made it necessary for him to be sent to the dog hospital. From this time on
Jerry gradually came to be regarded as the biggest dog in town, and he gained
the respect and good-will of every dog for miles around.
Many a man is like Jerry. "With fear written across his face, he is denied even
before he asks. He is taken advantage of at every turn, for people quickly see
what manner of man he is. He applies for a position, but another applicant, with
half his ability but twice his self-confidence, wins the preference. At church
he is placed in the back pew; at the theater he secures a ticket for a seat
behind a pillar; at the hotel he gets the smallest room on the top floor; in the
restaurant he gets the toughest steak; in every store the clerks cut him off
short or sell him things he does not wish to buy.
Every man should cast out this mental fear and take his proper place in the
world. He should hold himself erect, and look at the world strongly and bravely.
His outward bearing should constantly express the inward realization of true
manhood. When such a man becomes the ' self-confident, self-respecting, strong,
manly man he ought to be, the world will appraise him as such.
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