"Don't read a book and be a follower; read a book and be a student."

Jim Rohn
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FACING THE ENEMIES WITHIN

by Jim Rohn

We are not born with courage, but neither are we born with fear. Maybe some of our fears are brought on by your own experiences, by what someone has told you, by what you've read in the papers. Some fears are valid, like walking alone in a bad part of town at two o'clock in the morning. But once you learn to avoid that situation, you won't need to live in fear of it.

Fears, even the most basic ones, can totally destroy our ambitions. Fear can destroy fortunes. Fear can destroy relationships. Fear, if left unchecked, can destroy our lives. Fear is one of the many enemies lurking inside us.

Let me tell you about five of the other enemies we face from within. The first enemy that you've got to destroy before it destroys you is indifference. What a tragic disease this is. "Ho-hum, let it slide. I'll just drift along." Here's one problem with drifting: you can't drift your way to the top of the mountain.

The second enemy we face is indecision. Indecision is the thief of opportunity and enterprise. It will steal your chances for a better future. Take a sword to this enemy.

The third enemy inside is doubt. Sure, there's room for healthy skepticism. You can't believe everything. But you also can't let doubt take over. Many people doubt the past, doubt the future, doubt each other, doubt the government, doubt the possibilities and doubt the opportunities. Worse of all, they doubt themselves. I'm telling you, doubt will destroy your life and your chances of success. It will empty both your bank account and your heart. Doubt is an enemy. Go after it. Get rid of it.

The fourth enemy within is worry. We've all got to worry some. Just don't let it conquer you. Instead, let it alarm you. Worry can be useful. If you step off the curb in New York City and a taxi is coming, you've got to worry. But you can't let worry loose like a mad dog that drives you into a small corner. Here's what you've got to do with your worries: drive them into a small corner. Whatever is out to get you, you've got to get it. Whatever is pushing on you, you've got to push back.

The fifth interior enemy is over-caution. It is the timid approach to life. Timidity is not a virtue (unlike humility – they are different); in fact, it can be an illness. If you let it go, it'll conquer you. Timid people don't get promoted. They don't advance and grow and become powerful in the marketplace. You've got to avoid over-caution.

Do battle with the enemy. Do battle with your fears. Build your courage to fight what's holding you back, what's keeping you from your goals and dreams. Be courageous in your life and in your pursuit of the things you want and the person you want to become.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn
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"Read something positive every night and listen to something helpful every morning."

Tom Hopkins
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Self-esteem

The lack of self-esteem is common in our society. It can hold back our progress, put us under extreme stress, and make us feel generally bad about life. It may have been building inside us for many years with the aid of bad thinking, but bad thinking can be replaced with good thinking.

"A person who doubts himself is like a man who would enlist in the ranks of his enemies and bear arms against himself. He makes his failure certain by himself being the first person to be convinced of it." - Alexandre Dumas (1802-1870)

First of all, be yourself! It is much better to be you than an imitation of someone else. We should accept that we are just human beings and forget trying to be perfect in the eyes of others. If there were no room for us who are not superstars, it would be a very empty world.

"If a man does not keep pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer. Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured or far away." - Henry Thoreau (1817-1862)

"The finest lives, in my opinion, are those who rank in the common model, and with the human race, but without miracle, without extravagance." - Michel de Montaigne (1553-1592)

Whenever self-doubt creeps in, quickly replace your thoughts with a good image of yourself and your actions. "Drag your thought away from your troubles . . . by the ears, by the heels or any other way you can manage it. It's the healthiest thing a body can do." - Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Speaking out can be one of the most difficult things to do when bogged down with self-doubt. Some things to consider trying - Stop criticizing yourself. Don't be too careful about what you are going to say - just say it - the heck with it! Don't be too critical of others, and let anyone and everyone know that you feel friendly toward them.

"It is never so difficult to speak as when we are ashamed of our silence." - La Rochefoucauld (1613-1680)

Ken N McIsaac
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"The things I want to know are in books; my best friend is the man who'll get me a book I ain't read."

Abraham Lincoln