One important key to success is self-confidence. An important

“One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” Thus spoke Arthur Ashe, a warrior of the court, yet also a sage of the spirit. His words are like a chain of truth, each link bound to the next, unbreakable in its wisdom. For all who strive, whether in battle, in art, or in life, must know this: there is no success without self-confidence, and there is no true confidence without the hidden labor of preparation.

The origin of this saying rests in Ashe’s own journey. He was not born into privilege, nor did fortune simply carry him upward. He rose through hardship, in a time when the color of his skin was seen as a barrier, when doubt and opposition stood like mountains before him. Yet he prepared—day by day, match by match, lesson by lesson. And from that preparation grew confidence, and from confidence came the victories that crowned him champion at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open, and beyond. His life became a living witness that preparation is the seed, confidence is the sprout, and success is the full-grown tree.

Consider the story of David facing Goliath in the ancient days. Many see only the sling and the stone, imagining it was luck or miracle alone that felled the giant. But David had prepared in secret, tending sheep and defending them against lion and bear. His aim was not born in that moment of crisis—it was the fruit of long practice, the hidden labor of nights and days. Thus his confidence was not arrogance, but trust in what had been proven true through preparation. When the hour of testing came, he stood firm, and triumph was his.

How often, however, do men and women desire success without preparation? They seek to stand tall without first laying the foundation. They chase confidence by words and appearances, yet when the trial comes, they falter, for their roots are shallow. Such lives are like houses built upon sand—impressive for a moment, but swept away by the first storm. Arthur Ashe warns us that this is folly. True self-confidence is not boastful; it is quiet strength, born of knowing that you have done the work, walked the path, and forged yourself through discipline.

The lesson is this: if you desire success, you must first prepare. Do not despise the unseen hours when no one applauds. Do not grumble at repetition, at practice, at the long road. These are not wasted—they are the very forge in which greatness is formed. When you prepare faithfully, confidence will rise in you like the sun, steady and unstoppable, and when confidence is in place, success follows as naturally as the harvest follows the sowing.

Therefore, let the wise embrace the daily disciplines: study before you speak, train before you fight, rehearse before you perform. If you are a craftsman, sharpen your tools; if you are a scholar, sharpen your mind; if you are a leader, sharpen your character. In every field, let preparation be your silent ally. This way, when destiny calls your name, you will not tremble or shrink, but rise with assurance, knowing that your hands and heart are ready.

So let Ashe’s words ring through the ages: “One important key to success is self-confidence. An important key to self-confidence is preparation.” May you take them as a lamp for your feet. Prepare with diligence, build confidence upon that preparation, and let success come not as a surprise, but as the rightful crown of your labor. For this is the way of the wise, the path of the ancients, and the song of those who endure and prevail.