Personal Power

"BE not afraid of greatness,'' says Shakespeare.'' Some men are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them. '' Which are you? I will tell you. You were born great; you can achieve greatness if you will; and if you go about it the right way, you will have greatness thrust upon you.

The mistake so many people make is to confuse greatness with riches. The great man can have all he wants, but he need not necessarily become rich. Carlyle was no more intended to be a millionaire than Andrew Carnegie was made to be a Milton. We cannot all be Nelsons, or Pitts, or Shakespeares, or Darwins, or Rockefellers, but we can all be great.

If we want money we can get it, if we want power we can get it: the only condition being that we should want it badly enough. Whatever our desire is, we must be prepared to give up all pleasure and all ease to attain it. Fortune is a hard mistress and will brook no rivals, but to the man who is prepared to serve her whole-heartedly she offers the sure promise of his heart's desire.