If the world market believed that we were serious about energy

The Power of Belief and the Wealth of Self-Reliance

Hear the words of Herman Cain, a man of business and conviction, who once spoke with clarity on the bond between confidence and creation:

“If the world market believed that we were serious about energy independence and we were going to utilize all of our own existing resources, the speculators would stop speculating up—they’d start speculating down as we get our own oil out of the ground.”

These words, though clothed in the language of commerce and policy, carry a wisdom far older than modern trade. They speak of belief, of self-reliance, and of the power of action to command respect. Cain’s message is not merely about oil or economics—it is about independence itself, and how a nation, like a person, must show resolve before the world will take it seriously.

The Meaning of Energy Independence

When Cain speaks of energy independence, he means more than freedom from foreign oil. He speaks of the sacred principle that a people must not depend upon others for their survival. For dependence invites control, and control invites weakness. A nation that cannot fuel its own destiny must one day kneel before those who can.

This truth echoes through all ages. In the ancient world, the great cities that commanded their own resources—grain, water, metals—were the ones that endured, while those who relied upon tribute or trade were the first to fall when fortune turned. So too, in Cain’s time, he warns that the strength of a nation rests not only in its armies, but in its ability to sustain itself.

The Law of Confidence

But beneath his words lies a deeper insight—one that transcends nations and markets alike. He speaks of belief as a force that shapes reality. “If the world market believed…”—these are the words of a man who understands that perception drives action, and action changes destiny. When people believe that a nation is weak, they act as if it were; when they see it as strong, they bend before its confidence.

So it is with life itself. The world responds to conviction. The markets of men, the tides of fate, even the trust of others—they are swayed not by hesitation, but by certainty. Just as the speculators Cain speaks of would “start speculating down” if they saw resolve, so too do all obstacles retreat when faced with unwavering determination.

The Example of Determination

History offers many mirrors for this truth. Recall Franklin D. Roosevelt in the dark years of the Great Depression. The nation’s wealth was not yet restored, the factories not yet running—but he spoke with confidence, declaring that “the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” It was his belief, steadfast and contagious, that restored faith to a trembling people.

Cain’s words carry the same spirit: when a people act decisively, the world adjusts its gaze. In energy, in commerce, in life itself, the first act of independence is to believe in one’s own strength—and to make that belief visible through action.

The Balance of Resources and Resolve

Yet Cain’s teaching is not blind optimism. He calls also for utilization—for the practical labor of turning potential into power. “Get our own oil out of the ground,” he says, meaning that dreams must be anchored in effort. For belief without work is vanity, but belief joined with action becomes destiny.

The ancients taught that the gods favor the industrious. Even the mightiest empires began as barren lands until hands toiled and minds planned. So too, Cain reminds his nation that resources unused are riches wasted, and independence delayed is opportunity lost. To rely on others for what one already possesses is to insult the gift of providence itself.

The Lesson of Economic Faith

From Cain’s words, we learn that both nations and individuals must earn the confidence of the world through visible strength and purposeful action. When we depend on others for what we can produce ourselves, we forfeit not only wealth, but dignity. But when we rise, determined to draw from our own ground—whether that ground be oil, skill, or imagination—the world begins to align with our resolve.

Belief, then, is a form of leadership. It is the invisible fire that turns hesitation into movement and uncertainty into order. When a people believe in their own self-sufficiency, even the speculators of fate—those who profit from chaos and doubt—are forced to reckon with the strength of their conviction.

The Eternal Call to Independence

Therefore, let every generation hear this teaching: independence is not only a matter of possession, but of purpose. A nation’s freedom is born not in abundance, but in the will to claim and cultivate what it already has. And so too with the soul—each person holds within them unseen wealth, waiting to be unearthed by courage and faith.

Act, then, with confidence in your own strength. Speak as one who believes in their destiny. Use what lies within your reach before you ask the world for more. For when you stand firm, the tides of fortune shift. The world market of life, seeing your resolve, will cease to bet against you—and begin, instead, to bet on your success.