in itself. Courage, born of self-confidence, is the prod which brings
out the last ounce of reserve force.

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.

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.

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.

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

_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._

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.

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.

"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.

The very intensity of your confidence in