FOR NOTHING.” The gambling instinct drives millions of people to failure. Evidence of this maybe found in a study of the Wall Street crash of ‘29，during which millions of people tried to makemoney by gambling on stock margins.
13. 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. Indecisionand procrastination are twin brothers. Where one isfound， the other may usually be found also. Kill offthis pair before they completely “hog-tie” you to thetreadmill of FAILURE.
14. ONE OR MORE OF THE SIX BASIC FEARS.
These fears have been analyzed for you in a laterchapter. They must be mastered before you canmarket your services effectively.
15. WRONG SELECTION OF A MATE IN MARRIAGE.
This a most common cause of failure. The relationship of marriage brings people intimatelyinto contact. Unless this relationship is harmonious，failure is likely to follow. Moreover， it will be a formof failure that is marked by misery and unhappiness，destroying all signs of AMBITION.
16. OVER-CAUTION. The person who takes no chances， generally has to take whatever is left whenothers are through choosing. Over-caution is as badas under-caution. Both are extremes to be guardedagainst. Life itself is filled with the element ofchance.
17. WRONG SELECTION OF ASSOCIATES IN BUSINESS. This is one of the most common causesof failure in business. In marketing personalservices， one should use great care to select anemployer who will be an inspiration， and who is，himself， intelligent and successful. We emulatethose with whom we associate most closely. Pick anemployer who is worth emulating.
18. SUPERSTITION AND PREJUDICE. Superstition
is a form of fear. It is also a sign of ignorance. Menwho succeed keep open minds and are afraid ofnothing.
19. WRONG SELECTION OF A VOCATION. No man
can succeed in a line of endeavor which he doesnot like. The most essential step in the marketing ofpersonal services is that of selecting an occupationinto which you can throw yourself wholeheartedly.
20. LACK OF CONCENTRATION OF EFFORT.
The “jack-of-all-trades” seldom is good at any.
Concentrate all of your efforts on one DEFINITECHIEF AIM.
21. THE HABIT OF INDISCRIMINATE SPENDING.
The spend-thrift cannot succeed， mainly becausehe stands eternally in FEAR OF POVERTY. Form thehabit of systematic saving by putting aside a definitepercentage of your income. Money in the bankgives one a very safe foundation of COURAGE whenbargaining for the sale of personal services. Withoutmoney， one must take what one is offered， and beglad to get it.
22. LACK OF ENTHUSIASM. Without enthusiasm
one cannot be convincing. Moreover， enthusiasm iscontagious， and the person who has it， under control，is generally welcome in any group of people.
23. INTOLERANCE. The person with a “closed”
mmd on any subject seldom gets ahead. Intolerancemeans that one has stopped acquiring knowledge.
The most damaging forms of intolerance are thoseconnected with religious， racial， and politicaldifferences of opinion.
24. INTEMPERANCE. The most damaging forms
of intemperance are connected with eating， strongdrink， and sexual activities. Overindulgence in anyof these is fatal to success.
25. INABILITY TO COOPERATE WITH OTHERS.
More people lose their positions and their bigopportunities in life， because of this fault， than forall other reasons combined. It is a fault which nowell-informed business man， or leader will tolerate.
26. POSSESSION OF POWER THAT WAS NOT
ACQUIRED THROUGH SELF EFFORT.
（Sons and daughters of wealthy men， and otherswho inherit money which they did not earn）. Powerin the hands of one who did not acquire it gradually，is often fatal to success. QUICK RICHES are moredangerous than poverty.
27. INTENTIONAL DISHONESTY. There is no
substitute for honesty. One may be temporarilydishonest by force of circumstances over which onehas no control， without permanent damage. But，there is NO HOPE for the person who is dishonestby choice. Sooner or later， his deeds will catch upwith him， and he will pay by loss of reputation， andperhaps even loss of liberty.
28. EGOTISM AND VANITY. These qualities serveas red lights which warn others to keep away. THEYARE FATAL TO SUCCESS.
29. GUESSING INSTEAD OF THINKING.
Most people are too indifferent or lazy to acquireFACTS with which to THINK ACCURATELY. Theyprefer to act on “opinions” created by guesswork orsnap-judgments.
30. LACK OF CAPITAL. This is a common cause
of failure among those who start out in business forthe first time， without sufficient reserve of capital toabsorb the shock of their mistakes， and to carry themover until they have established a REPUTATION.
31. Under this， name any particular cause offailure from which you have suffered that has notbeen included in the foregoing list.
In these thirty major causes of failure is found adeion of the tragedy of life， which obtains forpractically every person who tries and fails. It willbe helpful if you can induce someone who knowsyou well to go over this list with you， and help toanalyze you by the thirty causes of failure. It may bebeneficial if you try this alone. Most people cannotsee themselves as others see them. You may be onewho cannot.
The oldest of admonitions is “Man， know thyself！”
If you market merchandise successfully， you must know the merchandise. The same is true inmarketing personal services. You should know all ofyour weaknesses in order that you may either bridgethem or eliminate them entirely. You should knowyour strength in order that you may call attention toit when selling your services. You can know yourselfonly through accurate analysis.
The folly of ignorance in connection with selfwas displayed by a young man who applied to themanager of a well known business for a position.