makes it one by continuing to believe it. It is not a fact,
because the fact is that he is past middle-age, so he is
exactly the age when most large fortunes are amassed.
The really great fortunes have been built by men much
older than he, because it took them that long to learn
fortune-making attitudes and techniques.
(2) "My family and I will live out our lives in
disgrace and poverty." That, too, is only his opinion. It is
not a fact-unless he, himself, makes it one by continuing
to believe it. In the first place, losing money in unwise
investments is no disgrace. Most investors make unwise
purchases some time or other. Many investors have, at
some time, lost most or all of their money. As previously
pointed out, usually they get it all back and more, because
fortune-making is a state of mind and a technique. So,
instead of our friend's feeling "disgraced", he should feel
that he has learned a lesson which will be of great value
in his future decisions.
As for him and his family's living in poverty
for the rest of their lives, that not only is an opinion,
not a fact-but it is a ridiculous opinion, as previously
pointed out. The only danger is that it is an opinion which
he has mistaken for a fact-and, accepting opinions, yours
or someone else's, as being facts, can ruin you!
Opinions are a dime a dozen-and not worth
that. Facts are worth their weight in gold. Literallyl
Build your life-decision by decision-soundly
based on facts that you can accurately trace back to their
very origins, so you can be sure that they really are exact,
provable facts.