"If" And "Self-Reliance" Compared

Compare and Contrast of “Self-Reliance” by Emerson and “If” by Kipling

What “Self Reliance” and “If’ mean to me is that they both state on how to be yourself and stay humble. There are many people out there that try to be something other than what they are. Some people try to follow the crowd in order to be considered “cool” instead of being their own self. Personally, I believe that in order to be successful you have to find your own identity be your own leader. Of course you still have to follow rules but you can still be your own person. Also, what “If” and “Self Reliance” mean is that although many people may be against you, you have to stay humble and focused on what your own plans are. For example; a quarterback is not playing well and his fans and even some teammates are heavily criticizing him. He has to fight through the adversity and stay focused in order for him to finally start playing well. However, when he finally does start playing well he has to stay humble or else his next mistake could be his worst. Although, you may be staying humble and focused there will always be obstacles, and many times those obstacles will knock you down. But, it is your choice if you want to get back up or not. You may have to start all over but only the weak quit all together. If you want to be considered strong and tough you have to get back up and fight your way to where you were before. It may be tough and sometimes you might want to quit but you have to keep plugging along and your time will come. Also, you have to be grateful for your opportunities and take advantage of them. “If” and “Self Reliance” are both great to read if you need to be inspired in some way. They both state on how you should