Poise: How to Attain It

n obstacle to those who are imb

o keep back those who suffered from it, but this defect ha

les on the brave," could very well serve as our motto nowadays, with thi

s attempt an exact

h, in revealing to us the knowledge of the things of which we are re

s a composite of many others all of which take part in t

incipal qualities of which it is compos

i

as

of one's

ess of j

y toward

isting the appea

f adverse

is free f

clearly conce

esolutions, whether the question for the moment b

ry wind and carried, whether he will or no, into situat

upon our impressions, they will remain vague and nebulous without presenting to us characte

ce to maintain a resolution which will

us to correct the faults which stand

nervousness. We have in mind rather that controlled and enduring purpose which arms the

n which will-power has led

hat the man of resolution ignores completely, but which cause agony to th

of the timid, which their fitful efforts of will only heighten, al

ctivity, leaving the field open to the development of all so

ds they keep at a distance, fills their entire existence to such an extent that they have n

hem the necessity of a reaction they feel themselves powerless to realize, reduces them to a s

the habit of poise is, then, the capacity to accomplish act

tand, neither of extreme he

d and fixt. At this price alone can we achieve poise. We must, therefore, thoroughly saturate ou

those things that we must be careful to avoid and those which

he just mean that we must observe. It is by its aid that we are enabled to dise

n or to maintain an attitude that we believe to be correct, while preserving our self-possession

e possibility of being unhorsed by fate for lack of good r

destiny, to the line of conduct that sage reflection has taught them to adopt

nd the shrinking constantly wander without sufficient

remains to be traveled, it is with no intention of changing their course, but simply so as not to

tures take no interest in it and, as we have seen, the timid are

but reason. Certain risks can never be

of those who are resolved on

hey have to grapple and to weigh the inconveniences and the

ing will prevent the completion of the work the

f people are more than indulgent to their own failings. Of many of them it may be said, in the words of the Arab

e man in question is so obsessed with the greatness of his own personal

evoid of interest, becomes, when it directly affects us, a matter to compel the attention of others, to the extent that we find ourselves chilled and dis

not be confounded with that adoration of

iciently well to undertake only such tasks as ar

evertheless, less harmful in the long run than the failing which is its exact antithesis. Lack

ess of judgment which, in giving us the breadth of mind to know exactly how much we are

g any illusions as to our own, and of being able to do this so exactly that we can with assurance carry out to

reason can we have for depreciati

recognizing their own defe

ilding their judgments upon i

, the timid man, always ready to seize upon anything that can be possibly construed into an appearance of ridicule directed a

dreams of it. The very thought of a contest, however courteously it may b

makes him an easy prey for people of exaggerated

foundly that he does not wait to estimate its v

blackest despair if he imagines that he has observ

enough for him if the circumstances that he thought

the attitude of the man w

jealously preserves his control in the presence of excessive protest

to form a correct judgment and to benefit

d oneself is one of the

intimately acquainted with one's aptitudes and one's failings, and to admit the l

tly what sort of territory it is

may happen to be, may be likened to a vast

first of all, make a careful study of the ground for the purpose of avoi

m and he can advance with a tranquil gait and head upraised along

frequently threaten that daring t

hey are altogether too prone to ignore their faults and to magnify t

omes the foundation of an involuntary partiality the m

gives rise in them to the desire for perfection, and this necessarily provokes, simultaneously with th

th the realities of life not to be aware that

s the bounden duty of man to struggle always in pursuit of good and

ter indeed, and for the very reason that his poise leaves

merits of which he has a right to be proud, while revealing to hi

alities without fear or favor gives him great

of the foolish, and at the same time represses that feeling of vanity which

t others are following, and does not fail to estimate accurately the value of the victories h

ore difficult perhaps than anything else to acquire is

due to nothing so much as an excess of vanity which throws one back u

r merit." He contents himself with envying those who occupy it, quite neg

ourselves, which, by magnifying our merits in our own eyes, frequently le

an inveterate coward of one who is sub

self to exceed them--this is the part of wisdom, the act

a necessary limit that

ry pithy proverb. Never undertake to

ct which is beyond your intellectual depth. To do so is to ta

never hesitate to enter a trial of wits that may serve as an occa

let pass such opportunities as this for

allow himself to be carried away by a possible chance of success. Rather will he gather himself together, col

f developing a distrust of oneself and of destroying the superb assurance of those

ave left nothing undone to accomplish this result and are more

iner who is prepared is able to ride it out without appreciable damage, while t

y is always the ind

who allows himself to be affected by them is not o

disdain these manifesta

merits have placed them in the limelight are the targets

deed, be inscribed in letters of gold over the doors of every institution where men meet toge

enviable position can b

nworthy, who think to advertise their ow

circumstances simply shrug

are enslaved by timi

ce obscure and absolute, becomes so profoundly affe

aracteristic of the timid, is deeply wounded, while their chronic fe

rtheless the judgments of this same society are for him a question of absorbing interest. Tim

pride that a philosophy now abandoned once numbered as one of the principal vices, and

tains within it no seeds of vanity. Under such circumstances it is a primal condition of success in the achievement of

in the minds of others, and at the mere thought that they will not shine as they have hoped to do th

But the very moment that they find themselves in the presence of those who are their superiors, the fear of not being able to occupy the front rank throws th

well-defined ambition, that is to say, one that is divested of the dra

to acquire, if he has not already acquired it, that poise which is

oal which he knows to be before him, and will make, without any apologies, those detours which seem to him necessary to

will be of assistance to him. The knowledge of his own deserts, while keeping him in the position he has attained, will prevent him from being satisfied

ut that which is at once the motive power and the inspiration of all the actions of those who, in their determination to force their way t

and not of that foolish temerity colloquially known as bluff) will devote themselves solely to such tasks as

at they will succ

a failure of will-power nor a fear of ridicule, will return to the charge, once more prepared to make headway against circumstances which they have the poise to