232 THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-MASTERYmiddle age, he was divorced and unemployed. But he conceived an idea that
came to dominate his mind. He wanted to serve in the New Hampshire legislature.
He lost his first campaign, and his second. Others would have given up, but Leonard
looked at himself and realized that his best chances lay in his own efforts, despite
the fact that he had no experience and less money. So for his next campaign he
began going door to door in his district. He met everyone he could, he walked in
parades, and attended community meetings. He spent just $12 on some posters
and $36 on filing fees, and that was the extent of his spending. And Peter Leonard
was elected! His path was unusual, but he found it by making a habit of working
toward being elected.Where thought prevails, power may be found! Henry Ford has made
millions of dollars, and is still making millions of dollars each year,
because he believed in Henry Ford 'and transformed that belief into a
difinite purpose backed with a definite plan. The other machinists who
worked along with Ford during the early days of his career envisioned
nothing but a weekly pay envelope and that was all they ever got; they
demanded nothing out of the ordinary of themselves. If you want to
get more, be sure to demand more of yourself Notice that this demand
is to be made on yourself.
This brings to mind a familiar poem which expresses a great psy-
chological truth:
If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you like to win, but you think you can\
It is almost certain you won't.If you think you'll lose, you've lost,
For out oj the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will-
It's all in the state oj mind.