In the Orient young bulls are tested for the fight arena¹ in a certain manner. Each is brought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks² them with a lance. The bravery of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade. Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like manner. If I persist, if I continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I will succeed.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

I was not delivered unto this world in defeat, nor does failure course in my veins³. I am not a sheep waiting to be prodded⁴ by my shepherd. I am a lion and I refuse to talk, to walk, to sleep with the sheep. I will hear not those who weep and complain, for their disease is contagious⁵. Let them join the sheep. The slaughterhouse of failure is not my destiny.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning; and it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner.

 

Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail I will take another, and yet another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

Henceforth, I will consider each day's effort as but one blow of my blade against a mighty⁶ oak. The first blow may cause not a tremor⁷ in the wood, nor the second, nor the third. Each blow, of itself, may be trifling⁸, and seem of no consequence. Yet from childish swipes the oak will eventually tumble. So it will be with my efforts of today.

 

I will be liken to the raindrop which washes away the mountain; the ant who devours⁹ a tiger; the star which brightens the earth; the slave who builds a pyramid. I will build my castle one brick at a time for I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking¹⁰.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

I will never consider defeat and I will remove from my vocabulary such words and phrases as quit, cannot, unable, impossible, out of the question, improbable, failure, unworkable, hopeless, and retreat; for they are the words of fools. I will avoid despair but if this disease of the mind should infect me then I will work on in despair. I will toil¹¹ and I will endure. I will ignore the obstacles at my feet and keep mine eyes on the goals above my head, for I know that where dry desert ends, green grass grows.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

I will remember the ancient law of averages and I will bend it to my good. I will persist with knowledge that each failure to sell will increase my chance for success at the next attempt. Each nay¹² I hear will bring me closer to the sound of yea. Each frown I meet only prepares me for the smile to come. Each misfortune I encounter will carry in it the seed of tomorrow's good luck. I must have the night to appreciate the day. I must fail often to succeed only once.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

I will try, and try, and try again. Each obstacle I will consider as a mere¹³ detour¹⁴ to my goal and a challenge to my profession. I will persist and develop my skills as the mariner¹⁵ develops his, by learning to ride out the wrath¹⁶ of each storm.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

Henceforth, I will learn and apply another secret of those who excel in my work. When each day is ended, not regarding whether it has been a success or a failure, I will attempt to achieve one more sale. When my thoughts beckon¹⁷ my tired body homeward I will resist the temptation to depart. I will try again. I will make one more attempt to close with victory, and if that fails I will make another. Never will I allow any day to end with a failure. Thus will I plant the seed of tomorrow's success and gain an insurmountable advantage over those who cease their labor¹⁸ at a prescribed time. When others cease their struggle, the mine will begin, and my harvest will be full.

 

I will persist until I succeed.

 

Nor will I allow yesterday's success to lull¹⁹ me into today's complacency, for this is the great foundation of failure. I will forget the happenings of the day that is gone, whether they were good or bad, and greet the new sun with confidence that this will be the best day of my life.

 

So long as there is breath in me, that long will I persist. For now I know one of the greatest principles of success; if I persist long enough I will win.

 

I will persist. I will win.

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