It is a subtle process.

We hardly realize it at the time but as the days go by, the years roll on, the final day of reckoning draws near and relentlessly we are swept along as driftwood toward the lonely beaches of obscurity.

And all because _we lacked self-confidence_! We did not realize it until it was too late.

We were too busy with self-indulgence to struggle for success.
Most of our troubles in later life started with _failure to take hold of ourselves_ when we were young.

It may be that we put off making our choice of something to do.