The Law of Success. Napoleon Hill

insignificant incident may lead to an important turning-point in one’s career, but there is no denying the fact that these “turning-points” may be more readily recognized by those who have well-rounded-out confidence in themselves.

      One of the irreparable losses to the human race lies in the lack of knowledge that there is a definite method through which Self-confidence can be developed in any person of average intelligence. What an immeasurable loss to civilization that young men and women are not taught this known method of developing Self-confidence before they complete their schooling, for no one who lacks faith in himself is really educated in the proper sense of the term.

      Oh, what glory and satisfaction would be the happy heritage of the man or woman who could pull aside the curtain of fear that hangs over the human race and shuts out the sunlight of understanding that Self-confidence brings, wherever it is in evidence.

      Side note: Love, beauty, joy and worship are forever building, tearing down and rebuilding the foundation of each man’s soul.

      Where fear controls, noteworthy achievement becomes an impossibility, a fact which brings to mind the definition of fear, as stated by a great philosopher:

      “Fear is the dungeon of the mind into which it runs and hides and seeks seclusion. Fear brings on superstition and superstition is the dagger with which hypocrisy assassinates the soul.”

      In front of the typewriter on which I am writing the manuscripts for this Reading Course hangs a sign with the following wording, in big letters:

      “Day by day in every way I am becoming more successful.”

      A skeptic who read that sign asked if I really believed “that stuff” and I replied, “Of course not. All it ever did for me was to help me get out of the coal mines, where I started as a laborer, and find a place in the world in which I am serving upwards of 100,000 people, in whose minds I am planting the same positive thought that this sign brings out; therefore, why should I believe in it?”

      As this man started to leave he said: “Well, perhaps there is something to this sort of philosophy, after all, for I have always been afraid that I would be a failure, and so far my fears have been thoroughly realized.”

      You are condemning yourself to poverty, misery and failure, or you are driving yourself on toward the heights of great achievement, solely by the thoughts you think. If you demand success of yourself and back up this demand with intelligent action you are sure to win. Bear in mind, though, that there is a difference between demanding success and just merely wishing for it. You should find out what this difference is, and take advantage of it.

      Do you remember what the Bible says (look it up, somewhere in the book of Matthew) about those who have faith as a grain of mustard seed?

      Go at the task of developing Self-confidence with at least that much faith if not more. Never mind “what they will say” because you might as well know that “they” will be of little aid to you in your climb up the mountainside of life toward the object of your definite purpose. You have within you all the power you need with which to get whatever you want or need in this world, and about the best way to avail yourself of this power is to believe in yourself.

      “Know thyself, man; know thyself.”

      This has been the advice of the philosophers all down the ages. When you really know yourself you will know that there is nothing foolish about hanging a sign in front of you that reads like this: “Day by day in every way I am becoming more successful,” with due apologies to the Frenchman who made this motto popular. I am not afraid to place this sort of suggestion in front of my desk, and, what is more to the point, I am not afraid to believe that it will influence me so that I will become a more positive and aggressive human being.

      More than twenty-five years ago I learned my first lesson in Self-confidence building. One night I was sitting before an open fire-place, listening to a conversation between some older men, on the subject of Capital and Labor. Without invitation I joined in the conversation and said something about employers and employees settling their differences on the Golden Rule basis. My remarks attracted the attention of one of the men, who turned to me, with a look of surprise on his face and said:

      “Why, you are a bright boy, and if you would go out and get a schooling you would make your mark in the world.”

      Those remarks fell on “fertile” ears, even though that was the first time anyone had ever told me that I was bright, or that I might accomplish anything worth while in life. The remark put me to thinking, and the more I allowed my mind to dwell upon that thought the more certain I became that the remark had back of it a possibility.

      It might be truthfully stated that whatever service I am rendering the world and whatever good I accomplish, should be credited to that off-hand remark.

      Suggestions such as this are often powerful, and none the less so when they are deliberate and self-expressed. Go back, now, to the Self-confidence formula and master it, for it will lead you into the “power-house” of your own mind, where you will tap a force that can be made to carry you to the very top of the Ladder of Success.

      Others will believe in you only when you believe in yourself. They will “tune in” on your thoughts and feel toward you just as you feel toward yourself. The law of mental telepathy takes care of this. You are continuously broadcasting what you think of yourself, and if you have no faith in yourself others will pick up the vibrations of your thoughts and mistake them for their own. Once understand the law of mental telepathy and you will know why Self-confidence is the second of the Fifteen Laws of Success.

      You should be cautioned, however, to learn the difference between Self-confidence, which is based upon sound knowledge of what you know and what you can do, and egotism, which is only based upon what you wish you knew or could do. Learn the difference between these two terms or you will make yourself boresome, ridiculous and annoying to people of culture and understanding. Self-confidence is something which should never be proclaimed or announced except through intelligent performance of constructive deeds.

      If you have Self-confidence those around you will discover this fact. Let them make the discovery. They will feel proud of their alertness in having made the discovery, and you will be free from the suspicion of egotism. Opportunity never stalks the person with a highly developed state of egotism, but brick-bats and ugly remarks do. Opportunity forms affinities much more easily and quickly with Self-confidence than it does with egotism. Self-praise is never a proper measure of self-reliance. Bear this in mind and let your Self-confidence speak only through the tongue of constructive service rendered without fuss or flurry.

      Self-confidence is the product of knowledge. Know yourself, know how much you know (and how little), why you know it, and how you are going to use it. “Four-flushers” come to grief, therefore, do not pretend to know more than you actually do know. There’s no use of pretense, because any educated person will measure you quite accurately after hearing you speak for three minutes. What you really are will speak so loudly that what you “claim” you are will not be heard.

      If you heed this warning the last four pages of this one lesson may mark one of the most important turning-points of your life.

      Believe in yourself, but do not tell the world what you can do—SHOW IT!

      You are now ready for Lesson Four, which will take you the next step up the Ladder of Success.

      DISCONTENTMENT

      An After-the-Lesson Visit With the Author

      The marker stands at the Entrance Gate of Life and writes “Poor Fool” on the brow of the wise man and “Poor Sinner” on the brow of the saint.

      The supreme mystery of the universe is life! We come here without our consent, from whence we know not! We go away without our consent, whither, we know not!

      We are eternally trying to solve this great riddle of “LIFE,” and, for what purpose and to what end?

      That