One of my favorite poems that has inspired me and continues to inspire me in tough times

If —

BY RUDYARD KIPLING

If you can keep your head when all about you.

. Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

. But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

. Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

. And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream — and not make dreams your master;

. If you can think — and not make thoughts your aim;

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

. And treat those two impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

. Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

. And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

. And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

. And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

. To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

. Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

. Or walk with Kings — nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

. If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

. With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,

. And — which is more — you’ll be a Man, my son!