| Self-consciousness defined... excessively | | | | to realize them? · Are you doing the |
| conscious of oneself as an object of | | | | best you can? · Do you have an |
| observation by others. | | | | uncompromising love for truth? |
| | | | |
| Self-consciousness is a very dangerous and | | | | The mind is a prolific field for the growth |
| negative emotion. The victim of | | | | of all kinds of thought. If false and |
| self-consciousnesses says to himself: | | | | negative ideas are allowed to take root in |
| | | | the field of your mind, they will spread like |
| · "What impression am I making?" | | | | weeds with wonderful rapidity, and may easily |
| · "Do I look well?" · "What are | | | | discourage and overwhelm you. If you have |
| they thinking and saying about me?" · | | | | long neglected this "mental field" you may |
| "I am not equal to this," · "I lack so | | | | now find yourself in a bad way. |
| many things," · "If I had only been | | | | |
| born right," · "I shall surely fail." | | | | The remedy for you, and for others so |
| | | | situated, is to patiently root out every |
| Now this defense mechanism isn't necessarily | | | | obnoxious habit and to substitute strong, |
| a stumbling block. It is a safeguard against | | | | healthy, positive thoughts in their place. |
| rashness and over-confidence. The evil of | | | | You must at first be content with small |
| extreme self-consciousness is that it makes | | | | victories, since you have permitted this |
| you do so many things that you do not wish to | | | | mental field and garden to be overrun with |
| do. It can change you line of conduct a | | | | these objectionable thought habits. But you |
| hundred times a day, makes you say "yes" when | | | | can comfort yourself with the assurance that |
| you would rather say "no," and, in short, | | | | in this way you can and will attain success. |
| robs you of you power and individuality. | | | | |
| | | | Timid people concern themselves too much |
| What is the remedy for this dreaded extreme | | | | about what others will think and say. They |
| elf-consciousness? | | | | are constantly studying the impression they |
| | | | are making upon people who probably are not |
| It is mainly a matter of securing control of | | | | even thinking of them. Their super |
| your thoughts and intelligently directing | | | | sensitiveness causes them to imagine |
| them. The mind is a machine, which must be | | | | themselves being criticized, slighted, and |
| made obedient to the owner's will. When | | | | unfairly condemned by those who are probably |
| brought under subjection, it will serve your | | | | too absorbed in their own affairs to notice. |
| highest and best purposes, but left to itself | | | | |
| it - may run easily to confusion and | | | | You may be on the road to success when a |
| destruction. | | | | single act of timidity may derail your |
| | | | chances. People lose confidence in you if you |
| Here you may interject, "But my mind | | | | lack faith in yourself. Courage is admired, |
| wanders." Then go after it and bring it back. | | | | fear never is. Courage is dignified, fear is |
| You say you can not? Who is operating your | | | | repulsive. The person of courage is welcomed |
| mind? Does it run itself? | | | | everywhere, while fear invites itself to a |
| | | | seat in the rear. |
| What would you think of a train that had no | | | | |
| engineer, no conductor, no one to direct it, | | | | Everyone should learn to stand firmly upon |
| and was allowed to run anywhere? Yet this is | | | | their own feet. |
| what you permit with your train of ideas. Be | | | | |
| sensible. Take hold of yourself seriously. | | | | "Intellectual intrepidity," says Samuel |
| Set your will to work. Straighten your spine. | | | | Smiles "is one of the vital conditions of |
| Take time today for mental overhauling. You | | | | independence and self-reliance in character. |
| are about to educate your will - and it is | | | | A person must have the courage to be himself, |
| serious business. | | | | and not the shadow or the echo of another. He |
| | | | must exercise his own powers, think his own |
| Procrastination will not do. From this time | | | | thoughts, and speak his own sentiments. He |
| forward resolve to control and direct your | | | | must elaborate his own opinions, and form his |
| mental powers for definite purposes. | | | | own convictions. It has been said that he who |
| | | | dare not form an opinion must be a coward; he |
| Constantly hold in your mind a high estimate | | | | who will not, must be an idler; he who can |
| of yourself, but be sure you have reasons for | | | | not, must be a fool." |
| doing so. It is of little use to say you are | | | | |
| well if you are ill. Do not deceive yourself. | | | | Super sensitiveness is a major fault by which |
| You are no greater than the sum of your | | | | you lose initiative, self-reliance, and |
| thoughts and habits. You must have good and | | | | independence. A self-conscious person must, |
| sufficient reasons for your self confidence. | | | | sooner or later, rid themselves of this fault |
| | | | if they are to be preeminently successful by |
| · Are your impulses of a noble nature? | | | | directing their attention to the power of |
| · Is your ambition lofty? · Do | | | | self confidence. |
| you high ideals and do you work persistently | | | | |