How I Raised Myself From Failure

by Frank Bettger

Force yourself to act enthusiastic, and you’ll become enthusiastic. “Make a high and holy resolve that you will double the amount of enthusiasm that you have been putting into your work and into your life. If you carry out that resolve, you will probably double your income, and double your happiness.” How can you begin? There is just one rule: “To become enthusiastic, act enthusiastic.” Remember the one sentence uttered by Walter LeMar Talbot. “After all, this business of selling narrows down to one thing, just one thing, seeing the people. Show me any man of ordinary ability who will go out and earnestly tell his story to four or five people every day, and I will show you a man who just can’t help making good!” If you want to overcome fear and rapidly develop courage and selfconfidence, join a good course in public speaking—not just a lecture course. Join only a course where you make a talk at every meeting. When you lose your fear of speaking to an audience, you lose your fear of talking to individuals, no matter how big and important they are. One of the greatest satisfactions in life comes from getting things done and knowing you have done them to the best of your ability. If you are having trouble getting yourself organized, if you want to increase your ability to think, and do things in the order of their importance, remember there is only one way: Take more time to think and do things in the order of their importance. Set aside one day as self-organization day, or a...