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Improving self confidence

Are you the type of person who easily get influenced by negative advices? Follow this short self confidence lesson…


When Henry Ward Beecher was a young boy in school, he learned a lesson in self confidence which he never forgot.

He was called upon to recite in front of the class. He had hardly begun when the teacher interrupted with an emphatic, “No!” He started over and again the teacher thundered, “No!” Humiliated, Henry sat down.

The next boy rose to recite and had just begun when the teacher shouted, “No!” This student, however, kept on with the recitation until he completed it. As he sat down, the teacher replied, “Very good!”

Henry was irritated. “I recited just as he did,” he complained to the teacher.

But the instructor replied, “It is not enough to know your lesson, you must be sure. When you allowed me to stop you, it meant that you were uncertain. If the world says, ‘No!’ it is your business to say, ‘Yes!’ and prove it.

Henry Ward Beecher, a prominent congregationalist clergyman, social reformer, abolitionist, and speaker in the mid to late 19th century.

The world will say, ‘No!’ in a thousand ways.

‘No! You can’t do that.’
‘No! You are wrong.’
‘No! You are too old.’
‘No! You are too young.’
‘No! You are too weak.’
‘No! It will never work.’
‘No! You don’t have the education.’
‘No! You don’t have the background.’
‘No! You don’t have the money.’
‘No! It can’t be done.’

And each ‘No!’ you hear has the potential to erode your confidence bit by bit until you quit all together.

Though the world says, ‘No!’ to you today, you should be determined to say, ‘Yes!’ and prove it! ”

Author: Steve Goodier

{ 29 comments… add one }
  • Abraham April 28, 2017, 9:04 am

    I thank God the giver of wisdom for the gift of this site to bless humanity with all the inspirational stories and comments shared here. My life and of many I have referred here have been greatly impacted. Kudos!

  • Srish September 20, 2015, 4:04 am

    Thank you for such an inspirational story!!

  • Shubh August 23, 2015, 11:58 pm

    A life basic… Important enough to be taught to young ones in Schools.

  • Anup March 12, 2015, 1:05 pm

    It was so nice help us to get more and more God blesss u

  • Padma February 26, 2015, 1:55 am

    Nice story for those who always think negative…..

  • Patricio January 8, 2015, 2:29 am

    Great lesson, great we become!!!! Thanks

  • Oscar williams October 28, 2013, 1:42 pm

    While reading this article everyone can able to build a confidence.

  • Hassan October 21, 2013, 11:29 pm

    Thank you so much. I have read all the stories. These are great. Love this blog.

  • Murugan July 30, 2013, 10:01 am

    I like that page.

  • San Lopez July 25, 2013, 1:02 am

    This site is really nice. . . Thanks for al those who worked hard for the development of this site. .

  • Adi July 2, 2013, 9:01 am

    Very nice! It gave me some confidence. Thank you!

  • Lochan June 7, 2013, 2:41 pm

    Mind blowing …..heart touching …it gives a great lesson to everyone.

  • Loki May 8, 2013, 3:35 pm

    Confidence should be just like ur shadow because you can’t stop it coming with you… good source to build confidence…

  • Abhishek Saxena April 17, 2013, 11:25 pm

    Always remember that u r not a loser until u give up….don’t care about others…..

  • Joy April 17, 2013, 4:10 am

    It has been a struggle for me especailly when it comes to self confidence. It always eroded so fast. Big ups to u guys 4 da step u’ve taken me..!

  • Karthik March 30, 2013, 4:20 pm

    Nice one:-)..

  • Vishal March 28, 2013, 4:16 pm

    Nice

  • Ravy March 6, 2013, 8:59 am

    Awesome….reading this story my confidence has been raised.

  • Zsmantsha January 25, 2013, 3:29 am

    Thanks a lot. Boosted.

  • Mike Jackson October 1, 2012, 1:53 pm

    This site is really encouraging.

  • Laban kipkoech July 13, 2012, 1:09 am

    This site is really encouraging. Thanx to the publishers/authors…eg Warren

  • Emran July 7, 2012, 1:36 am

    Thank you for this wonderful resources….

  • SAMANTHA July 5, 2012, 6:05 am

    Thanks a lot. A real confidence booster.

  • Pike June 29, 2012, 10:18 pm

    I thank the brains behind this blog. It changes hearts, gives confidence & hopes.

  • Sithikraja June 26, 2012, 7:21 am

    Hi Every one,

    I really thank the creators of this site.. it’s really wonderful. After reading some stories, I am able to feel my confident level…

    Thanks for every one,

    Sithikraja.S

  • DEEPAK SHARMA June 24, 2012, 11:40 pm

    These stories are helpful to raise the confidence level of every individual and develop their way of thinking.

  • Karthik June 22, 2012, 3:11 pm

    Yes this blog has changed me a lot..

  • Tijo Mathew June 22, 2012, 1:31 pm

    THANK YOU AcadamicTips.org !

  • Amanda Ollier June 21, 2012, 2:58 am

    What a great blog, I’m really glad I found it this morning – thank you for sharing such lovely stories. It’s really great to find so many positive tales in one place, I feel quite uplifted now, thank you.

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