Persistence separates the winners from the losers.

When we start to learn any new thing, like French, golf or public speaking, we never advance steadily. We do not improve gradually. We do it by sudden jerks, by abrupt starts. Then we remain stationary for a time or we may even slip back and lose some of the ground we have previously gained.

These periods of stagnation, or retrogression, are well known by all psychologists; it is called "Plateaux in the curve of learning". Students of public speaking will sometimes be stalled for weeks on one of these plateaux. Work as hard as they may, they cannot get off it.

The weak ones give up in despair. Those with grit persist, and they find that suddenly, over-night, without their knowing how or why it has happened, they have made great progress. They have lifted from the plateaux like an aeroplane. Abruptly they have found the back of the thing. Abruptly they have acquired naturalness and forces and confidence in their speaking. You may always experience some feeling fear, some shock, some nervous anxiety the first few moments you face the audience. But if you persevere, you will soon eradicate everything but this initial fear; and nothing more. After the first few sentences, you will have control of yourself. You will be speaking with positive pleasure. 

Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other one thing. A sense of inferiority always troubled us. Let nobody have any anxiety about the upshot of his education whatever the line of it may be. If he keeps faithfully, busy each hour of the working day, he may safely leave the final result to itself. He can, with perfect certainty, count on waking up some fine morning to find himself one of the competent ones of his generation, in whatever pursuit he may have singled out.

If you pursue this self-study in speech faithfully and with enthusiasm, and keep right on practicing intelligently, you may confidently hope to wake up one fine morning and find yourself one of the competent speakers of your city or community.

Regardless of how fantastic that may sound to you now, it is true as a general principles. The entire question of your success as a speaker, like any other thing hinges upon only two things-your native ability, and the depth and strength of your desires. "In almost any subject" "Your passion for the subject will save you. If you only care enough for a result, you will most certainly attain it.  

If you wish to be rich you will be rich; if you wish to be learned, you will be learned; if you wish to be good, you will be good. Only you must, then, really wish these things and wish them with exclusiveness, and not wish at the same time a hundred other in compatible things just as strongly. "if you want to be a confident public speaker, you will be a confident public speaker. But you must really wish it".

Think Success: See yourself in your imagination talking in public with perfect self-control. It is easily in your power to do this. Believe that you will succeed. Believe it firmly and you will then do what is necessary to bring success about.

Picture in your mind the able, earnest, useful person you desire to be, and the thought you hold is hourly transforming you into that particular individual. Thought is supreme. Preserve a right mental attitude- the attitude of courage, frankness and good cheer. To think rightly is to create. All things come through desire and every sincere prayer is answered".

We become like that on which our hearts are fixed. Carry your chin in and the crown of your head high. Have you ever wondered why some people are always healthy, wealthy and happy?, because they really wish these things and wish them with exclusiveness. 

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