Planning For Success (1951)

[Music] you're not going to track this year deal not this trip well the team won't seem the same without one of the Madison boys we've grown used to you and your brother excuse me miss Evans I have to run that'll be all I got to ask bill Madison to stay for a few minutes after class I'm glad you could stay bill come on and sit down I want to talk with you I missed your name on the list of the track team they love it well your brother used to talk about your practice sessions together you tried out for high jump last year didn't you yes well Oh what's the use miss Evans I don't like track anyway excuse me about I've got to run I told bill sit down bill now tell me about it well like you said bud and I used to practice together at home he used to practice all the time only the practice was for me not but he was trying to teach me to jump the way he could huh fine chance I had of doing that but bud was patient he'd show me how and now let me try again I tried I really did but it wasn't any use I wasn't any good at the track meet just took up space on the bench so why should I go out for the team this year it wouldn't be a Madison on the team anyway only one of us was good and you're not that one you feel that you well what shall I say I'm the failure as far as track is concerned are you on your way home Navi oh well yes well would you walk away with me I think I might be able to show you something why sure sure [Music] [Music] what is it I was just thinking what a poor player that boy is who that one the one with the ball he's alright he recovered it he's just not in the same class as the others why he could never get to play on a real team just give him a couple of years after all he's only a kid oh you mean we shouldn't judge him by the same standards that we use for the others of course not together boys bigger than he is maybe you have something to learn from him dill I'll say goodbye bill you think it over [Music] something to learn from him why he's trying the same play again and he's assure of himself as if he hadn't just fumbled he expects to win something to learn from him well try again no that's no good remember how but always made that jump easy you'll never be able to jump like that you're a failure you mean we shouldn't judge him by the same standards that we use for the others wait a minute 5 feet 6 inches what could do that easily what he had 2 years of practice on me why don't I set my standards lower for now just start where I am and work up there sure I can jump that and in two years of practice who knows here we go why that's easy it's fun now and I'm doing better but why I don't understand at all well who you still feel like a failure no no not at all well do you feel as though you were succeeding I sure do I think you have your answer right there bill when you think you're failing you go right on failing or you stop trying you begin to worry and oh oh it's common enough bill lots of people actually make themselves ill by planning for failure but you're not doing that now no I'm I'm not I'm thinking about all the practicing I wanted to do and how about in two more years what you might say I'm planning for success positive thinking bill when we think that way we put more effort behind our practicing of course it's about the same whether it's high jumping or anything else whatever we plan we expect things if we're wise we expect possible things now suppose we picture your expectations in some situation like this you're hoping for a lot but perhaps a situation is such that you can fulfill only this much there's such a difference between expectations and fulfillment picture doomed to failure and each time you fail you become more discouraged but miss Evans I've always been told that I should set my goals high yes bill set your final goals high but set your present goals within your ability to fulfill now look at it this way perhaps this is a reasonable final goal for you but you can't expect this much today you may expect to accomplish this much today your fulfillment equals your expectation in six months with hard work you may be able to expect more and fulfill more in a year still more some time you can reasonably set this as your goal and succeed I gather you've learned that already about your high jumping once you set your goals within reason you began to succeed and now that you're in the habit of succeeding you can carefully raise your goals little by little that's right but you said that was true of other things besides high jumping well I certainly did for example for example the student who doesn't really try to do his schoolwork because he can't be perfect the boy who has a little quarrel with his best girl and then worries and feels he's a social failure the girl who turns down several date offers and then cries her heart out because the one she wanted to call her didn't just think how much happier they could be and how much more successful if they would plan for success find out what is possible make plans which can be successful then do your best I think I'll go out for track after all I may not wait anything this year but I'll be learning and next year next year you can plan for a higher success bill yes thanks miss Evans plan for higher success you just watch me succeed that's what I plan to do to build [Music]