The Magic Ladder to Success

is a known fact that many men cannot do their best until they are actually fighting with their backs to the wall, under the stress of the most urgent necessity. Impending danger will enable a man to develop super human courage and strength of both body and mind far out of proportion to that normally used.

The man was actually relieved to know that the responsibilities of life to which he had been subjected, and which had brought him to such an ignoble ending, were about to cease.
Prominent and successful leaders are always people who reach decisions quickly, yet it is not to be assumed that quick decisions are always advisable. There are circumstances calling for deliberation, the study of facts connected with the intended decision, etc. How ever, after all available facts have been gathered and organized, there is no excuse for delaying decision, and the person who practices the habit of such delay cannot become an effective leader until he masters this shortcoming.
Julius Cæsar had long wanted to conquer the armies of another country, but he faltered because he was not sure of the loyalty of his own armies. Finally he decided upon a plan which would insure this loyalty. Loading his soldiers on boats he set sail for the shores of his enemy, unloaded the soldiers and implements of war, and then gave the order for all the boats to be burned. Turning to his generals he said, “Now it is win or perish! We have no choice! Pass the word to your men and let them know that it is the lives of our enemies or our own.” They went into battle and won—won because all his soldiers had reached a decision to win!
There is a mistaken idea floating around that a man should be paid for that which he knows. In reality a man is paid for that which he does with what he knows, or that which he can get others to do with it.
Grant said, “We will fight it out along these lines if it takes all summer,” and despite his deficiencies he stood by that decision and won!

Lack of decision has often resulted in insanity. Nothing is very bad or dreadful, once one has reached a decision to face the consequences. This truth was demonstrated quite effectively by a man who was condemned to die in the electric chair. When asked how it felt to know that he was to die in another half hour he replied, “Well, it does not bother me in the least. I made up my mind that I had to go sometime, and it might as well be now as a few years later, because my life has been nothing but a sad failure and a constant source of trouble anyway. Just think, it will soon all be over!”
The man was actually relieved to know that the responsibilities of life to which he had been subjected, and which had brought him to such an ignoble ending, were about to cease.
Prominent and successful leaders are always people who reach decisions quickly, yet it is not to be assumed that quick decisions are always advisable. There are circumstances calling for deliberation, the study of facts connected with the intended decision, etc. How ever, after all available facts have been gathered and organized, there is no excuse for delaying decision, and the person who practices the habit of such delay cannot become an effective leader until he masters this shortcoming.
Julius Cæsar had long wanted to conquer the armies of another country, but he faltered because he was not sure of the loyalty of his own armies. Finally he decided upon a plan which would insure this loyalty. Loading his soldiers on boats he set sail for the shores of his enemy, unloaded the soldiers and implements of war, and then gave the order for all the boats to be burned. Turning to his generals he said, “Now it is win or perish! We have no choice! Pass the word to your men and let them know that it is the lives of our enemies or our own.” They went into battle and won—won because all his soldiers had reached a decision to win!
There is a mistaken idea floating around that a man should be paid for that which he knows. In reality a man is paid for that which he does with what he knows, or that which he can get others to do with it.
Grant said, “We will fight it out along these lines if it takes all summer,” and despite his deficiencies he stood by that decision and won!

Study those whom you know to be failures (you’ll find them all around you) and observe that, without a single exception, they lack the firmness of decision, even in matters of the smallest importance. Such people usually “talk” a great deal, but they are very short on performance. “Deeds, not words” should be the motto of the man who intends to succeed in life, no matter what may be his calling, or what he has selected as his definite chief aim.

The first step essential in the development of initiative and leadership is that of forming the habit of prompt and firm decision. All successful people have a certain amount of decision. The man who wavers between two or more half-baked and more or less vague notions of what he wants to do generally ends by doing nothing.

Doubters are not builders!

To succeed, you must have faith in your own ability to do whatever you make up your mind to do. Also, you must cultivate the habit of faith in those who are associated with you, whether they are in position of authority over you, or you over them. The psychological reason for this will be covered thoroughly and plainly in the Law on Co-operation, further on.

Scientists have discovered in recent years, along with the other startling discoveries such as radio, television, mastery of the air, etc., that any man may achieve practically any end which he may set up in his own mind as a definite chief aim. It is literally true that the man with a definite purpose, and with full faith in his ability to realize that purpose, cannot be permanently defeated. He may meet with temporary defeat; perhaps many such defeats, but failure, never!

Now the significant thing about this discovery was that the five per cent who were succeeding had a definite chief aim and also a plan for attaining that aim. In other words, those who knew what they wanted, and had a plan for getting it, were succeeding while those who did not know what they wanted were getting just that—nothing!

Education consists of doing—not merely of KNOWING!