THE THIRTY-ONE MAJOR CAUSES OF FAILURE

Life's greatest tragedy consists of men and women who earnestly try, and fail! The tragedy lies in the overwhelmingly
large majority of people who fail, as compared to the few who succeed. I have had the privilege of analyzing several thousand men and women,98% of whon were classed as "failures. As you go over the list, check yourself by it, point by point, for the purpose of discovering how many of these causes-of-failure stand between you and success.

1 Unfavorable hereditary background There is but little, if anything, which can be done for people who are born with a deficiency in brain power. This philosophy offers but one method of bridging this weakness-through the aid of the Master Mind. Observe with profit, however, that this is the only one of the thirty-one causes of failure which may no
be easily corrected by any individual.

1. Lack of a well-defined purpose in life. There is no hope of success for the person who does not have a central purpose
   or definite goal at which to aim. Ninety eight out of every hundred of those whom I have analyzed had no such aim
   Perhaps this was the major cause of their failure

2. Lack of ambition to aim above mediocrity. We offer no hope for the person who is so indifferent as not to want to
   ahead in life, and who is not willing to pay the price.

3. Insufficient education. This is a handicap which may be overcome with comparative ease. Experience has proven
   that best-educated people are often those who are known as "self-made," or self-educated. It takes more than a college degree to make one a person of education. Any person who is educated is one who has learned to get whatever he
   wants in life without violating the rights of others. Education consists, not so much of knowledge, but of knowledge
   effectively and persistently applied. Men are paid, not merely for what they know, but more particularly for what they do
   with that which they know.

4. Lack of self-discipline. Discipline comes through self-control. This means that one must control all negative
   qualities. Before you can control conditions, you must first control yourself. Self-mastery is the hardest job you will
   ever tackle. If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self. You may see at one and the same time both
   your best friend and your greatest enemy, by stepping in front of a mirror.

5. Ill health. No person may enjoy outstanding success without good health. Many of the causes of ill health are subject
   to mastery and control. These in the main are:
   a. Overeating of foods not conducive to health.
   b. Wrong habits of thought; giving expression to
   negatives.
   c. Wrong use of, and over-indulgence in sex
   d. Lack of proper physical exercise.
   e. An inadequate supply of fresh air, due to improper
   breathing.

6. Unfavorable environmental influences during childhood."As the twig is bent, so shall the tree grow." Most people
   who have criminal tendencies acquire them as the result of bad environment, and improper associates during childhood.

7. Procrastination. This is one of the most common causes of failure, "Old Man Procrastination" stands within the
   shadow of every human being, waiting his opportunity to spoil one's chances of success. Most of us go through life
   as failures, because we are waiting for the "time to be right to start doing something worthwhile. Do not wait
   The time will never be "just right." Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along.

8. Lack of persistence. Most of us are good 'starters" but poor "finishers" of everything we begin. Moreover, people are
   prone to give up at the first signs of defeat. There is no substitute for persistence. The person who makes persistence his watch-word, discovers that "Old Man Failure" finally becomes tired, and makes his departure. Failure cannot cope with persistence.

9. Negative personality: There is no hope of success for the person who repels people through a negative personality
   Success comes through the application of power, and power is attained through the cooperative efforts of other
   people. A negative personality will not induce cooperation.

10. Lack of controlled sexual unge. Sex energy is the most powerful of all the stimuli which move people into action
    Because it is the most powerful of the emotions, it must be controlled, through transmutation, and converted into other
    channels.

11. Uncontrolled desire for "something for nothing." The gambling instinct drives millions of people to failure. Evidence of this may be found in a study of the Wall Street crash of '29, during which millions of people tried to make money by gambling on stock margins.

12. Lack of a well defined power of decision. Men who succeed reach decisions promptly, and change them. if at all, very slowly. Men who fail reach decisions, if at all, very slowly and change them frequently, and quickly. Indecision and
    procrastination are twin brothers. Where one is found, the other may usually be found also. Kill off this pair before
    they completely "hog-tie" you to the treadmill of failure.

13. One or more of the six basic fears. These fears will be analyzed for you later. They must be mastered before you can market your services effectively.

14. Wrong selection of a mate in marriage. This is a most common cause of failure. The relationship of marriage
    brings people intimately into contact. Unless this relationship is harmonious, failure is likely to follow. Moreover, it
    will be a form of failure that is marked by misery and unhappiness, destroying all signs of ambition.

15. Over-caution. The person who takes no chances generally has to take whatever is left when others are through choosing. Over-caution is as bad as under-caution. Both are extremes to be guarded against. Life itself is filled with the
    element of chance.