Here， then， is the place to give yourself a challengewhich will definitely determine how much of thisphilosophy you have absorbed. Here is the point atwhich you can turn prophet and foretell， accurately，what the future holds in store for you. If， after readingthis chapter， you are willing to accept poverty， youmay as well make up your mind to receive poverty.
This is one decision you cannot avoid.
If you demand riches， determine what form， andhow much will be required to satisfy you. You knowthe road that leads to riches. You have been given aroad map which， if followed， will keep you on thatroad. If you neglect to make the start， or stop beforeyou arrive， no one will be to blame， but YOU. Thisresponsibility is yours. No alibi will save you fromaccepting the responsibility if you now fail or refuseto demand riches of Life， because the acceptancecalls for but one thing—incidentally， the only thingyou can control—and that is a STATE OF MIND.
A state of mind is something that one assumes. Itcannot be purchased， it must be created.
Fear of poverty is a state of mind， nothing else！
But it is sufficient to destroy one’s chances ofachievement in any undertaking， a truth whichbecame painfully evident during the depression.
This fear paralyzes the faculty of reason， destroysthe faculty of imagination， kills off self-reliance，undermines enthusiasm， discourages initiative，leads to uncertainty of purpose， encouragesprocrastination， wipes out enthusiasm and makesself-control an impossibility. It takes the charm fromone’s personality， destroys the possibility of accuratethinking， diverts concentration of effort， it masterspersistence， turns the will-power into nothingness，destroys ambition， beclouds the memory andinvites failure in every conceivable form； it killslove and assassinates the finer emotions of theheart， discourages friendship and invites disasterin a hundred forms， leads to sleeplessness， miseryand unhappiness—and all this despite the obvioustruth that we live in a world of over-abundanceof everything the heart could desire， with nothingstanding between us and our desires， excepting lackof a definite purpose.
The Fear of Poverty is， without doubt， the mostdestructive of the six basic fears. It has been placedat the head of the list， because it is the most difficultto master. Considerable courage is required tostate the truth about the origin of this fear， andstill greater courage to accept the truth after it hasbeen stated. The fear of poverty grew out of man’sinherited tendency to PREY UPON HIS FELLOW MANECONOMICALLY. Nearly all animals lower than manare motivated by instinct， but their capacity to “think”
is limited， therefore， they prey upon one anotherphysically. Man， with his superior sense of intuition，with the capacity to think and to reason， does not eathis fellowman bodily， he gets more satisfaction outof “eating” him FINANCIALLY. Man is so avariciousthat every conceivable law has been passed tosafeguard him from his fellowman.
Of all the ages of the world， of which we knowanything， the age in which we live seems to beone that is outstanding because of man’s moneymadness.
A man is considered less than the dust of the earth， unless he can display a fat bank account；but if he has money—NEVER MIND HOW HEACQUIRED IT—he is a “king” or a “big shot”； he isabove the law， he rules in politics， he dominates inbusiness， and the whole world about him bows inrespect when he passes.
Nothing brings man so much suffering and humilityas POVERTY！ Only those who have experiencedpoverty understand the full meaning of this.
It is no wonder that man fears poverty. Through along line of inherited experiences man has learned，for sure， that some men cannot be trusted， wherematters of money and earthly possessions areconcerned. This is a rather stinging indictment， theworst part of it being that it is TRUE.
The majority of marriages are motivated by thewealth possessed by one， or both of the contractingparties. It is no wonder， therefore， that the divorcecourts are busy.
So eager is man to possess wealth that he willacquire it in whatever manner he can—throughlegal methods if possible-through other methods ifnecessary or expedient.
Self-analysis may disclose weaknesses which one does not like to acknowledge. This form ofexamination is essential to all who demand of Lifemore than mediocrity and poverty. Remember， asyou check yourself point by point， that you are boththe court and the jury， the prosecuting attorney andthe attorney for the defense， and that you are theplaintiff and the defendant， also， that you are ontrial. Face the facts squarely. Ask yourself definitequestions and demand direct replies. When theexamination is over， you will know more aboutyourself. If you do not feel that you can be animpartial judge in this self-examination， call uponsomeone who knows you well to serve as judgewhile you cross-examine yourself. You are after thetruth. Get it， no matter at what cost even though itmay temporarily embarrass you！
The majority of people， if asked what they fearmost， would reply， “I fear nothing.” The reply wouldbe inaccurate， because few people realize that theyare bound， handicapped， whipped spiritually andphysically through some form of fear. So subtle anddeeply seated is the emotion of fear that one may gothrough life burdened with it， never recognizing itspresence. Only a courageous analysis will disclosethe presence of this universal enemy. When youbegin such an analysis， search deeply into yourcharacter. Here is a list of the symptoms for whichyou should look：
SYMPTOMS OF THE FEAR OF POVERTY
INDIFFERENCE. Commonly expressed through