Must wait until he hears the steps of God sounding through events, then leap up and grasp the hem of His garment. – Bismarck
In May of 218 B.C., Hannibal crossed the Pyrenees and Alps with 50,000 infantry, 9,000 cavalry, and 37 war elephants, reaching Italy. Despite being close to Rome, Hannibal chose not to attack Rome directly but instead targeted the surrounding cities. This strategy aimed to isolate Rome by separating its allied forces and enticing the main Roman army to come out. Hannibal’s forces encountered the Roman army near Cannae in central Italy on August 2, 216 B.C.
Hannibal’s army, having crossed the rugged Alps, was reduced to 20,000 infantry and 6,000 cavalry, while the Roman army numbered 80,000. Robert Greene, in “The 33 Strategies of War,” uses a scene from Plutarch’s Lives to depict the situation of that time. Carthaginian soldiers recognized that they were vastly outnumbered, and fear began to spread among them. In this tense moment, an officer named Gisgo stepped forward, assessed the Roman army’s numbers, and nervously reported to Hannibal. To the frightened soldiers, Hannibal spoke.
“There is one thing, Gisco, yet more astonishing, which you take no notice of, in all those great numbers before us, there is not one man called Gisco.”
History records Hannibal’s remarkable victory despite numerical disadvantage through the tactic of encirclement and annihilation.
Many records of wars emphasize that victory is not achieved solely through strategy and tactics. The outcome on the battlefield differs when approaching the battle with confidence and certainty of victory compared to the fearful mindset of potential defeat. Napoleon understood the crucial role of morale in determining the outcome of battles. He famously exclaimed, “A French soldier never fears defeat. Follow me, and you will win in every war. The word ‘impossible’ is not French.”
‘Impossible n’est pas français.’
However, Napoleon was not the only one aware of the impact of morale on battle results. Many leaders use various methods to instill confidence in their organizations. Additionally, experts in self-improvement and success acknowledge confidence as a positive force, translating it into a somewhat more tangible energy.
Once upon a time, there were books that portrayed the phrase ‘Law of Attraction’ as if it held some incredible secret, leading them to become bestsellers. In reality, the power of positive thinking and the force of belief have long been recognized under different terms. While some of these books may have used dubious examples, if they managed to instill the importance of positive thinking in readers, that itself could be considered a success.
Works like James Allen’s ‘As a Man Thinketh,’ Robert Collier’s ‘The Secret of the Ages,’ Napoleon Hill’s ‘Think and Grow Rich,’ Claude M. Bristol’s ‘The Magic of Believing,’ and Joel Osteen’s ‘Your Best Life Now’ have been teaching people for a considerable period.
Their argument revolves around the principle of causation. The idea is that there are no results without causes, and the outcomes we desire are created from our thoughts. Therefore, thinking positively about achieving what we want is both the power of positivity and confidence. James Allen expresses his thoughts as follows:
“Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.
Joel Osteen’s power of positivity is summarized in the phrase “Believe, and it will happen,” while Bristol’s magic of belief emphasizes the power of the mind, stating that if you fervently desire something, it will happen. The ‘Law of Attraction’ packaged these age-old teachings as a secret law. In essence, the law states that we attract results similar to our thoughts. Negative thoughts lead to negative outcomes, while positive thoughts attract positive results. In their terms, it can be summarized as like attracts like. So, when we think of something, similar thoughts come to mind.
They argue that thoughts have a pulling force and frequency. When we think of something, that thought is transmitted to the universe, attracting things with similar frequencies like a magnet. Everything sent out comes back to the origin, meaning it returns to you. You, like a human transmitting tower, send out waves of a specific frequency with your thoughts. If you want your life to change, change your thoughts and, consequently, change your frequency. Thoughts then manifest into reality.
While the logic behind their ‘Law of Attraction’ may be somewhat superficial when considering the physics of like charges repelling and opposite charges attracting, it’s fair to tolerate it to some extent, considering that most self-help books positively impact our thinking. Their claims are more about presenting, packaging, and describing things found in numerous cases of success rather than being strictly scientific. In other words, it’s not about having a law that allows you to simply think away people you dislike at work, as depicted in ‘The Secret.’
However, can positive thinking actually lead to better results and increase our competitiveness? In my opinion, the answer is ‘yes,’ and the evidence lies in how our brains function. There is a limit to what we can recall at once.
Think of these memories as forming a network, much like a herb. If we are cowering in fear of failure before a competition, our brain prioritizes words or knowledge related to escape. However, confident thoughts prioritize finding the best ways to achieve our goals among the vast knowledge our brains hold.
The mind of someone who believes they will get a promotion is always on the lookout for solutions that will contribute to their success. Their subconscious is actively engaged in this pursuit. Even when observing our surroundings, information that supports our dreams is more easily found, and this information integrates with our existing knowledge to generate new ideas. This is the power of positivity. It’s not just about attraction; it works synergistically with our conscious and subconscious to unleash a remarkable force.
Moreover, this confidence and positive attitude unwittingly help us encounter collaborators or helpers. As mentioned earlier, not only I but also others have the motivation to stand on the side of winners, as it benefits their success. Napoleon Hill refers to such people as ‘Invisible Counselors.’ This is also a competitive advantage. Once we have prepared to some extent, it’s time to face the world with confidence. There might be moments when our preparations fall short, or our strategies are inadequate or incomplete. However, confidence becomes crucial in such situations. Forethought and analysis of potential losses due to the worst-case scenario should be done in advance. When the moment of action arrives, let’s face it boldly enough that others ask, ‘Where can I buy that confidence?’
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