| Prosperity and happiness seem to be directly | | | | powerful tactic than accumulating theoretical |
| proportional to self-confidence. Individuals with | | | | knowledge. |
| initiative and persistence tend to achieve more | | | | The first-time investor should simply ignore his |
| than others who, despite possessing larger | | | | fears, open a brokerage account, and make a |
| resources, behave timidly and confusedly. | | | | small purchase of some conservative securities. |
| Childhood experience plays an important role in | | | | During the following weeks, he might tend to |
| building a strong personality, but nobody can do | | | | check the price of his stock ten times a day, but |
| anything to change the past. If you wish to | | | | as time goes by, the neophyte investor will get |
| increase your level of self-reliance, you are going | | | | comfortable with the level of risk and be willing to |
| to have to use your creativity and take action in | | | | purchase shares of other corporations. |
| the present. | | | | [3] Creative persistence: Our self-reliance |
| Methods that recommend repeating encouraging | | | | increases when our accomplishments place us on |
| phrases to yourself seldom produce lasting | | | | a higher plateau of performance and satisfaction. |
| effects. Monotonous messages, whether positive | | | | Creative persistence demands constant exertion |
| or negative, dull the mind. Such practices result in | | | | of effort and economy of energy. Our purpose is |
| boredom, not in a dynamic personality. The | | | | not to repeat unsuccessful attempts, but to |
| systems that work are those that involve our | | | | assess failure, introduce variations in our approach, |
| mind and emotions at the same time. | | | | and progressively improve the outcome and |
| The goal of increased self-assurance should not | | | | reward. |
| be pursued for the needs of the moment, but for | | | | Intelligent perseverance allows us to maintain our |
| permanent improvements in our lives. Changes in | | | | overall goal but modify our strategy as needed. A |
| our fundamental psychological patterns have little | | | | wise man asks himself incessantly how he can do |
| worth if they cannot be stabilized and maintained. | | | | things faster, better, and less expensively. Keep |
| A better future must entail a consolidation of any | | | | your long-term objectives, but show flexibility in |
| gains in self-reliance that we may be able to | | | | your means and time schedule. Your |
| attain. A man cannot become self-confident just | | | | self-confidence will increase at the same speed as |
| for a single day. An isolated incident that provokes | | | | your attempts generate better results. |
| major psychological changes contradicts human | | | | [4] Build on existing strengths: High achievers |
| nature, although it may provide an interesting | | | | seldom possess a well-rounded personality. A |
| story for a film. | | | | person who is able to perform equally well on all |
| The main drivers of our personality are incredibly | | | | areas is a rarity. An even character that is |
| stable. Even minor changes require tremendous | | | | perfectly balanced in all facets should not be |
| effort or sustained external pressure. The only | | | | elevated to a psychological ideal. |
| methods that can effectively increase our | | | | Due to varying background and talents, individuals |
| self-confidence are those that, little by little, realign | | | | tend to excel on a few aspects, perform |
| our thinking patterns according to consistent | | | | acceptably on many others, and prove deficient in |
| principles. | | | | some. If you wish to become more self-reliant, |
| The five practices that, in my own experience, | | | | you should concentrate on developing your |
| have proven to work well are the following: | | | | strengths instead of worrying about your |
| desensitization to danger, risk reduction, creative | | | | weaknesses. |
| persistence, building on existing strengths, and | | | | [5] Working by numbers: People who have low |
| working by numbers. Many people instinctively use | | | | regard for themselves often expect too much. A |
| some of these methods at one time or other. | | | | man who demands to succeed in every |
| Results can be greatly enhanced by applying them | | | | endeavour should be viewed, with good reason, |
| in a conscious and regular manner. | | | | as wildly unrealistic. Such hard-headed attitudes |
| [1] Desensitization to danger: Once you | | | | produce high performance anxiety. |
| acknowledge that you live in fear of a specific | | | | Facts and numbers provide us with the necessary |
| threat, you must decide if you want to invest | | | | perspective to deal with failure. A candidate who |
| time to overcome paralysis and anxiety. The | | | | is rejected at a job interview might become |
| answer to this question is far from self-evident, | | | | needlessly enraged or depressed if he |
| since thousands of individuals accept timidity as a | | | | contemplates the event as a major injustice that |
| way of life. Becoming more assertive and | | | | has the potential to damage his career |
| adventurous is best achieved by taking small | | | | permanently. |
| steps. Worry is vanquished by means realism, not | | | | In contrast, individuals searching for employment |
| by self-delusion. | | | | who are aware of the statistical odds against |
| A progressive loss of sensitivity to danger is the | | | | them tend to be more relaxed and resilient. If you |
| basis of learning to ride a bicycle. At the beginning, | | | | acquire a realistic view of the amount of effort |
| you move slowly and hesitatingly. With practice, | | | | that you have to exert in order to find a good |
| your body begins to take control by realizing that | | | | job, your temporary lack of success will not |
| the situation is much less dangerous than it feels. | | | | diminish your self-reliance. |
| Desensitization through successive steps is the | | | | During an economic downturn, there can be easily |
| ideal method to increase self-confidence in | | | | two dozen applicants for each worthy vacant |
| situations that allow progressive exposure. | | | | position. Working by numbers means realizing that |
| [2] Risk reduction: Although History shows the | | | | you might need two dozen interviews in order to |
| many advantages of stock market investments, | | | | get a desirable job. Internalizing that knowledge is |
| millions of people are terrorized of the idea of | | | | bound to increase your serenity and render you |
| placing their savings at risk. Purchasing shares of a | | | | more effective. |
| corporation is viewed as a disproportionate | | | | Attaining stability on a higher level of personal |
| exposure to chance. | | | | effectiveness is the common purpose of the |
| Acquiring knowledge about economics can help | | | | above systems to increase self-reliance. Take |
| you assess the benefits of investing in the stock | | | | some time to decide which method you are going |
| market. However, it will seldom push to you take | | | | to use, make a decision, and carry out your plan. |
| the decisive step to overcome your fears. In | | | | After you have followed the selected strategy |
| cases where the problem is to cross the line for | | | | for a few weeks, you will acquire better patterns |
| the first time, risk reduction proves a more | | | | of thought and become more self-reliant. |