The central and overriding theme of the book is that people’s beliefs about themselves determine their outcomes. If someone believes they’re a successful person, they’ll tend to be successful; if they believe they’re mediocre or a failure, that, too, will manifest in their lives. Thus, the secret to success is to change one’s view of oneself.

Success doesn’t come from a wish; it comes from a decisive belief. To bring this about, a person must often repeat statements that evoke a positive mental image of themselves: “Keep repeating those sentences forcefully, with complete conviction” (141). Exactly how someone will achieve success depends on the situation, but once the mind is fully resolved on the goal, it will find the methods needed to reach it.

Two major threats to success are excuses and fear. Successful people never make excuses. Instead, they learn from their mistakes, improve their skills, and continue forward toward their goals. When they feel fear, they convert the energy of anxiety into direct action that confronts the problem and solves it.

The heat of competition at work and the stresses of everyday life can seem daunting.