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Selbstvertrauen gewinnt man ...

English translation: The way to develop self-confidence...

14:40 Dec 2, 2020
German to English translations [PRO]
Art/Literary - General / Conversation / Greetings / Letters / quotes
German term or phrase: Selbstvertrauen gewinnt man ...
Selbstvertrauen gewinnt man, indem man das tut, wovor man Angst hat und so eine Reihe von guten Erfahrungen sammelt.

This is, supposedly, a quote by Dale Carnegie. I am starting to doubt that. Could it be that the German version has been modified to quite some extent? Has anyone come across this quote before?

I have found, "Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."

The quote is cited as being a quote and stands alone, so I can't just gloss the general meaning.
Lesley Robertson MA, Dip Trans IoLET
Austria
Local time: 15:04
English translation:The way to develop self-confidence...
Explanation:
“The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear, and get a record of successful experiences behind you.” ― William Jennings Bryan

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/151665-the-way-to-develop-s...

It must be this, but apparently with the wrong attribution?

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Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2020-12-03 16:09:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To update this based Alison's reference: although the internet attributes this quote to Bryan, it seems it actually appears in a book by Carnegie -- hence the Carnegie attribution -- but in an appendix *not* written by Carnegie.

However, although the precise wording appears to be attributable to Thomas, he's obviously paraphrasing Carnegie -- I wouldn't call it a Lowell Thomas quote exactly either...

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Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2020-12-03 16:10:01 GMT)
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*based *on*
Selected response from:

Mair A-W (PhD)
Germany
Local time: 15:04
Grading comment
Thank you, and thank you Alison too.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +7The way to develop self-confidence...
Mair A-W (PhD)
4You acquire self-confidence...
Michael Martin, MA
4If you want to conquer fear
Cillie Swart
3Self-confidence comes with.....
Klaus Beyer
Summary of reference entries provided
In support of Mair's answer
Alison MacG

Discussion entries: 2





  

Answers


36 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
You acquire self-confidence...


Explanation:
...by tackling the things you dread (the most), thus building on good experiences.

That's my version. No attempt was done to find an already existing translation.

Michael Martin, MA
United States
Local time: 09:04
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: Native in GermanGerman, Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 98

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
neutral  writeaway: but if it is by Dale Carnegie then only the original English will do/sometimes research and translation go hand in hand
2 mins
  -> That's fine and I won't expect any credit. I am just always more interested in providing translation help, not research help//Absolutely.Hopefully, somebody will be able to dig something up
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
If you want to conquer fear


Explanation:
Yes I think it is this quote, sometimes it changes a lot during translation. "If you want to conquer fear, don't sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."


    https://www.azquotes.com/quote/48672
Cillie Swart
South Africa
Local time: 15:04
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +7
The way to develop self-confidence...


Explanation:
“The way to develop self-confidence is to do the thing you fear, and get a record of successful experiences behind you.” ― William Jennings Bryan

https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/151665-the-way-to-develop-s...

It must be this, but apparently with the wrong attribution?

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2020-12-03 16:09:51 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To update this based Alison's reference: although the internet attributes this quote to Bryan, it seems it actually appears in a book by Carnegie -- hence the Carnegie attribution -- but in an appendix *not* written by Carnegie.

However, although the precise wording appears to be attributable to Thomas, he's obviously paraphrasing Carnegie -- I wouldn't call it a Lowell Thomas quote exactly either...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day 1 hr (2020-12-03 16:10:01 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

*based *on*

Mair A-W (PhD)
Germany
Local time: 15:04
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 8
Grading comment
Thank you, and thank you Alison too.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  writeaway: nice going Sherlock. congrats!!!
18 mins
agree  Veronika Neuhold
49 mins
agree  Eleanore Strauss: interesting... sounds like Bryan
57 mins
agree  Alison MacG: Quote attributed to Carnegie by Lowell Thomas in intro to How to Win Friends and Influence People (see my ref, which also shows how mistaken attribution to William Jennings Bryan may have come about).
57 mins
neutral  philgoddard: I don't disagree with your answer, but we don't know that William Jennings Bryan said this. In my experience, half of these motivational quotes are made up and/or misattributed, often to Einstein.
2 hrs
  -> Based on Alison's reference, I think it probably wasn't Bryan...
agree  Wendy Streitparth: Whoever is being quoted, its the right translation!
1 day 3 hrs
agree  AllegroTrans
1 day 3 hrs
agree  Nicholas Laurier Eveneshen
1 day 17 hrs
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1 day 21 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
Self-confidence comes with.....


Explanation:
The most common turn of phrase in general conversation. Hardly anyone would say "Self confidence is acquired by..."

Klaus Beyer
United States
Local time: 08:04
Native speaker of: English
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Reference comments


2 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: In support of Mair's answer

Reference information:
A Shortcut to Distinction by Lowell Thomas
This biographical information about Dale Carnegie was written as an introduction to the original edition of How to Win Friends and Influence People. It is reprinted in this edition to give the readers additional background on Dale Carnegie.
…
Dale Carnegie claimed that all people can talk when they get mad. He said that if you hit the most ignorant man in town on the jaw and knock him down, he would get on his feet and talk with an eloquence, heat and emphasis that would have rivaled that world famous orator William Jennings Bryan at the height of his career. He claimed that almost any person can speak acceptably in public if he or she has self-confidence and an idea that is boiling and stewing within.

The way to develop self-confidence, he said, is to do the thing you fear to do and get a record of successful experiences behind you. So he forced each class member to talk at every session of the course. The audience is sympathetic. They are all in the same boat; and, by constant practice, they develop a courage, confidence and enthusiasm that carry over into their private speaking.
https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=1rW-QpIAs8UC&pg=PA237&dq...

Alison MacG
United Kingdom
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Mair A-W (PhD): Goodness, how confusing! It sounds equally plausible that the quote should actually be attributed to Thomas, who was paraphrasing Carnegie, and Bryan is also a mix-up...
47 mins
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