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C. Conflict between what we want and what we think we should do

68
V. The pros and cons of changing
A. Ambivalence about goals
B. Stages in your thoughts about changing
1. Precontemplation
2. Contemplation
3. Preparation
4. Action
5. Maintenance

VI. Setting goals

A. Short-term and long-term goals
B. Sub-goals
C. Relating your target goals to life goals
D. Do you intend to do the work of changing?
E. The Self-contract

VII. Tips for typical topics

Learning Objectives

Specifying Targets for Change

1. What are the three tactics for specifying behaviors-in-situations?
2. Why do you need to know what you are doing instead of your desired behavior?
3. What tactic should you use when your goal is to eliminate some undesirable
behavior?
4. What tactics should you use if you are not sure what to do?
5. Even if your goal is not a behavior change, explain how you can reach it by
changing behaviors.
6. Why might you expect your targets to change as you continue in your self-change
project?

Planning to Practice
7. Why should you expect mistakes?
8. Explain the need for practice. Practice of what?
9. What does it mean to take a skills development attitude about your target for
change?
10. What are your beliefs about the benefits of practice? Do you believe you can learn
more self-regulation?

Self-Efficacy Beliefs
11. What are self-efficacy beliefs? How do they affect what we do?
12. What steps can you take to increase your self-efficacy beliefs regarding the
behaviors you want to change?

69
 Coping with Temptation
13. What is the best plan to avoid self-control fatigue?
14. What are some implications for your project of minimizing the need for brute
self-control?
15. Explain the idea of conflict between what we want and what we should do.
16. Why does it help to admit you have a conflict?
17. Why should you avoid thinking, “Just this one time”?

The Pros and Cons of Changing

18. What will you lose and what will you gain by changing? Why should you know
the answer to this question.
19. Describe the stages you might go through in thinking about and actually
changing.

Setting Goals
20. What do short-term and long-term goals each contribute to your plan?
21. What are the advantages of sub-goals?
22. What characteristics should sub-goals have?
23. Why should you tie your important values to your target for change?
24. Why should you ask if you intend to do the work of change?
25. What is a self-contract?

Additional Lecture Material

Remember that you can use the Learning Objectives from the front of each section of the
chapter to survey the topics to be covered. You can answer the questions in the
Objectives, giving examples and explaining the concepts.

The Self
We usually stress the modification part of self-modification, but students are very interested
in the self. You can give them an overview of the interesting new theory and research in
this area. Topics to be covered include self-concept, self-monitoring, self- schemas, and so
on. Various social psychology texts present an overview chapter on self. See also:
Markus & Kitayama (1991). Culture and the self: Implications for cognition, emotion,
and motivation. Psychological Review, 98, 224-253.
Berkowitz, L. (Ed.) (1988). Advances in experimental social psychology. Volume 21.
Social psychological studies of the self: Perspectives and programs. New York:
Academic Press.

Self-efficacy
You can find an outline of the whole theory in A. Bandura’s book (1986) Social foundations
of thoughts and actions: A social-cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
One can easily develop more lectures from chapter nine of this book.

70
The website listed in On-Line Activities would also supplement your teaching.

In-Class Activities

You can also use the Learning Objectives to instigate discussions in your classroom.
Your students can answer the questions in the Objectives, giving examples and
explaining the concepts.

Study Skills
Have students answer the questions in Handout 2-1: How’s your self-efficacy about
your study skills? Then have them write a short reaction paper, describing their results and
how they feel about their score.

Advantage List
Have students complete Handout 2-2: Advantages and disadvantages of my self-
change project (also Box 2-7 in the text). How does this list help their self-change project?
Have students save this handout for future reminders.

Discussion
Break the class into smaller groups to discuss the following:
What is the difference between control by others and control by self?
How does self-control develop in children and adults?
Why don't people use self-control techniques more often?
Do you believe there are things about yourself you can't change? Why not?

Support Group Processing

You can use support groups for this. Have students fill out Handout 2-3: Will You Do It?
Then have them discuss their answers (and reasons for them) with their support group. If
any of them answered “No” to one or more of the questions, have them discuss what it
would take to answer “Yes.” Then have the support group fill out and discuss together
Handout 2-4: Your Beliefs About Changing. Have students brainstorm ideas for
increasing their self-efficacy about their projects.

Life Goals
Have students fill out Handout 2-5: Life Goals. They can discuss their answers with each
other and/or save this handout for future reminders.

Situation Ranking
Have students list four or five situations in which they would like to perform their target
behavior and rate them from easiest to hardest. Then have them make a plan for starting
with the easiest first.

71
Online Activities

• Self-efficacy: http://web.fu-berlin.de/gesund/publicat/ehps_cd/health/world14.htm
(an article about self-efficacy differences across 14 cultures. See the Appendix for a 10-
item general self-efficacy measure)

• Self-change: http://www.mentalhelp.net/psyhelp/chap4/chap4t.htm

• Student self-direction and personal efficacy:

http://www.ncrel.org/sdrs/areas/issues/students/learning/lr200.htm

Films

Any contemporary movie includes some kind of obstacle. Ask students to make a videotape
of clips from current movies and to narrate those tapes in class. They can present examples
of resisting temptation, short-term/long-term goal conflict, or the power of self-efficacy.

Educational Films
Information on the research process can be provided at this or a later chapter. The film,
Research Methods for the Social Sciences (1995, Insight Media) describes the basic
concepts of experimental research, including control groups, dependent and independent
variables, correlational, and field techniques. You may want to focus on the ethical
concerns in experimentation.

The film, Motivation (1990, 30 minutes, Insight Media) introduces Maslow’s hierarchy of
needs and discusses the role of intrinsic and extrinsic rewards. It also raises the issue of
biological factors impacting motivation. The Biological Preconditions of Learning (28
minutes, Films for the Humanities and Sciences) describes the relationship between
reflexes and consciousness. A clip from this film would be appropriate when talking
about “preparatory responses.”

The film Learning (30 minutes, CRM) provides animal examples of responses to stimuli
and infant responses to reinforcement. Although somewhat dated, the film contains
segments that could be valuable.

The film, One Step at a Time: An Introduction to Behavior Modification (32 minutes, CRM)
gives an overview to the basic issues in self-direction: reinforcement, tokens, and graphing
data. Although somewhat dated, this film also contains valuable sections.

72
Additional Active Learning Activities

Self-control scales
The following scales deal with self-control. Read both to students; they answer for
themselves. The purpose of the scales is to suggest areas to work on, so don’t let the students
use their results to excuse themselves from carrying out a successful self-change project.
Dishman, R.K. & Ickes, W. (1981). Self-motivation and adherence to therapeutic
exercise. Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 4, 421-437. [The scale is on page 436.
The first 16 items deal with self-control behaviors, while the last 24 focus more
on exercise adherence.]

Rosenbaum, M. (1980). A schedule for assessing self-control behaviors: Preliminary

findings. Behavior Therapy, 11, 109-121. [The scale is on pages 113-114.]

To what is this leading?

Ask students to form small groups and specify the series of events that lead to a goal. For
example, a person can become nervous about taking tests because of the following
events: missing class; not reading the text; feeling sick and deciding to miss quiz days;
thinking about the trauma of the test; and receiving an “F” after taking the test. To start a
new behavior (goal), a different series of events needs to take place.

Ambivalence
You can dramatize ambivalence by asking students to stand, think about a goal, and move
toward that goal. They can briefly articulate the forces compelling them toward the goal
(“My mother really wants me to be successful.” “I want a good job.”). Then they can be
asked to think about the forces pulling them away from the goal (“I don’t want to invest the
time.” “I get too bored reading.”). Help students “concretize” these abstract feelings. For
example, what does this really mean about how likely it is you will be committed to change
this behavior?

Self-contracts
Practice “self-contracts” by asking students to commit to a very small behavioral change.
It could be something performed in class or before the next class session (“I will not doodle
on my notes for 5 minutes.” “I will nod at the instructor every time something somewhat
intelligent is said.” “I will not begin packing up my notebook and books until the class has
formally ended.” “I will read ten pages of the next chapter by next class meeting.” “I will
call another student to introduce myself.”). Ask students to brainstorm the reasons contracts
are effective.

Temptations
Dealing with tempters: Bring edible visual aids to class. The “tempters” can be food,
drink, puzzles, or other people. Provide 3 minutes of “silence” where a randomly selected
group of students are asked to sit quietly while a few randomly selected students are eating,
talking, or playing. Explain that your purpose is to encourage them to process their
thoughts and feelings about temptation. At the end of class, ask them to write a five-

73
minute description of their feelings. Some may say they ignored the distracters; others
may say that they resented the fact that some could eat while they had to sit doing
nothing. Ask students what role they think mass media plays in helping/preventing
people from delaying gratification and ignoring tempters.

Decision-making
Students have to make a decision to make a decision about what self-change project to
do, but they can also use training in larger issues of decision-making. Many people make
decisions without much thought given to the pros and cons involved. Using their choice
of major as the topic, have students practice decision-making in class.

Jigsaw Classroom
You can use the Learning Objectives to have your students participate in the Jigsaw
Classroom exercise, as explained in Chapter 1.

74
 TEST ITEMS FOR CHAPTER TWO

Essay questions
Note: The Learning Objectives can, in most cases, be used as essay questions.

1. Describe the basic tactics for specifying behaviors-in-situations.

2. What tactics should you use when you are not sure what to do to reach your goal?
3. Dana has the tendency to put off studying until it’s the night before the exam. She’s
beginning to realize that this behavior is negatively affecting her grade in the class. Use
recommendations from Chapter 2 to explain what she can do to change her habit.
4. What should you do when your goal is not a behavioral one?
5. Explain how each of these could interfere with your efforts at self-change:
• not expecting mistakes
• forgetting your long-term goals
6. Explain the concept of self-efficacy. How does it affect your chances of success on
your self-change project?
7. Camille is trying to quit drinking too many sodas. Explain why brute self-control
may not be the best technique to use. What would be a better technique?
8. Describe techniques for increasing your own self-efficacy beliefs.
9. Arianne wants to lose weight, but she can’t seem to stop snacking. Explain to her how
this problem in self-control is more likely a conflict between what she wants and what
she thinks she should do.
10. What are the five stages for thinking about change?
11. Liane thinks she should stop drinking, so she made a list of the short-term and long-
term pros and cons of changing this behavior. What is the value of this list?
12. Damon needs to lessen his use of social media at work or he will be fired. What are
some sub-goals he could have to work towards this goal? Please explain the
characteristics of these sub-goals.
13. How can relating target goals to important values help your self-change project?
14. Gretchen needs to exercise more to lower her cholesterol. She decides to write a self-
contract. Give an example of what her contract may say, and explain why it will be
valuable.

75
Chapter 2
Multiple-choice questions

1. Bill wants to make more friends, but he’s not sure what to change. He sits down
and thinks of situations when he might have made friends, then writes down in detail
what happened and what kept him from making friends. This example is:
a. Speculating about behavior
b. Listing the details of the problem
c. Understanding the basic personality malfunction
d. Making observations of other people

Answer: B. LO 1

2. How does listing the details of a problem help?

a. It helps you focus on specific behaviors.
b. It shows that the problem often isn't as important as you thought.
c. It helps you remember your short-term and long-term goals.
d. It will indicate whether you need therapy.

Answer: A. LO 1

3. In the text, Paul thought that his problem was not studying. After he kept a
journal, what did her learn?
a. That he watched TV instead of studying in his room
b. That he talked to someone instead of studying at the library
c. That he was actively performing other behaviors that made studying
impossible.
d. All of these

Answer: D. LO 2

4. According to the text, state your goal like this: My goal is when _.
a. what you don’t want to do…the situation
b. what you want to do….the situation
c. your ideal score…playing your sport
d. what you hope to accomplish…the length of time

Answer: B. LO 2

5. Simone wants to stop biting her nails. She should:

a. practice that behavior often, so she can control it.
b. understand the inner reasons why she performs the behavior.
c. meditate so she will no longer need that behavior.
d. find a desirable behavior to increase at the expense of the undesirable one.

Answer: D. LO 3

76
6. Ayda is not sure what to do to reach her goal. She should:
a. specify the chain of behaviors that will lead to the goal.
b. find some undesirable behavior to increase.
c. specify the tempting qualities.
d. postpone starting until she is sure.

Answer: A. LO 4

7. Maya is trying to become a better public speaker. A good tactic to use is to:
a. Read lots of books on public speaking
b. Figure out what her problems are with public speaking
c. Watch and imitate Kari, who is a good public speaker
d. Change her goal as public speaking isn’t important

Answer: C. LO 4

8. Mila’s goal is to be a happier person. She says this isn’t a behavioral change.
According to the text, she:
a. should change her overall goal.
b. will still need to change behaviors to reach the goal.
c. will not be helped by this textbook.
d. cannot list her behaviors-in-situations, so this isn’t an appropriate goal

Answer: B. LO 5

9. What question should you continually ask as you go through your self-change
project?
a. What would Watson & Tharp do in this situation?
b. What other problems will be helped by reaching this goal?
c. How long will it take me to reach my goal?
d. What behaviors should I develop to reach the target?

Answer: D. LO 6

10. Which of the following statements is true?

a. People who succeed at self-change often change the target of their efforts
several times.
b. People who succeed at self-change do not change their targets, but hold to the
same important goals from the beginning.
c. People who succeed at self-change pick problems to address that they know
how to deal with.
d. None of these.

Answer: A. LO 6

77
11. According to the text, if you make a mistake in your self-change project, you
should:
a. give up because the project is a disaster.
b. ask yourself how you can learn from it.
c. punish yourself for imperfect behavior.
d. try to come up with a new project.

Answer: B. LO 7

12. Diego wants to eat healthier. One night, he stays late at the library to study and
leaves famished, so he goes through a fast food drive through. Now, he should:
a. Punish himself by running 3 extra miles on the treadmill
b. Give up. He has already failed reaching his goal.
c. Figure out how to avoid this situation in the future
d. Change his goal to something more realistic.

Answer: C. LO 7

13. Candy is learning to be a manicurist. The first time she tried to apply acrylic
nails, they looked horrible and fell off in a matter of hours. What should she do
now?
a. Keep practicing
b. Try doing nail art instead
c. Write down everything she did wrong
d. Determine what personality flaw caused her to mess up

Answer: A. LO 8

14. If Mary-Kay is taking a skills-development attitude towards her progress, she:

a. is recognizing situations in which she does not cope well.
b. does not believe she can change.
c. looks at mistakes as a need for more practice.
d. has ambivalence about changing.

Answer: C. LO 9

15. What can be considered feedback about the need for more practice?
a. Persistence.
b. Self-control.
c. Mistakes.
d. None of these.

Answer: C. LO 9

78
16. Kip wants to have a skills-development attitude towards his self change project.
This means he should:
a. expect mistakes
b. cope with temptations
c. get lots of practice
d. all of these

Answer: D. LO 9

17. Once you have made a mistake and done something you wanted to stop doing,
what is the best way to think about it?
a. Realize you need to further develop your willpower.
b. Realize that your personality may limit your ability in this case.
c. Realize that you maximize the temptation.
d. Realize that pressures from the environment and your own lack of skill are the
problems.

Answer: C. LO 10

18. Which statement regarding self-efficacy is most correct?

a. If people believe they can change they are more likely to be successful.
b. Self-efficacy is based on your ability at the task and the difficulty of the task.
c. Self-efficacy is important, but not as much as persistence.
d. Self-efficacy can have effects on your physiological functions.

Answer: A. LO 11

19. Ed wants to change a behavior that is difficult for him, but more difficult in some
situations than in others. A good strategy for Ed to follow is to:
a. change his target behavior.
b. begin with the least challenging situations.
c. begin with the medium challenging situations.
d. begin with the most challenging situations.

Answer: B. LO 12

20. Carlos knows that he has difficulty turning down desserts when eating out with
friends. The text suggests:
a. Minimizing the need for brute self-control
b. Avoiding self-control fatigue
c. Making a prearranged plan
d. All of these

Answer: D. LO 13

79
21. Which of the following is a tactic to cope with temptation?
a. Facing temptation head on.
b. Asking your friends not to tempt you.
c. Maximizing the tempting quality.
d. If in the situation, concentrating on the temptation.

Answer: B. LO 14

22. If Gabby is trying to minimize brute self-control in her project, she can expect to:
a. Avoid tempting situations
b. Remind herself of her goal when she is tempted
c. Prepare “if … then” plans
d. All of these

Answer: D. LO 14

23. According to the text, making statements about your long-term goals can help
you:
a. realize why you are not currently successful.
b. brood about flaws in your personality.
c. delay punishments for unwanted behaviors.
d. resist momentary temptations.

Answer: D. LO 15

24. When listing the reasons for changing a behavior, you should:
a. ignore long-term effects but carefully consider short-term effects.
b. consider the effects of the plan upon yourself alone.
c. consider both the short-term and long-term effects of changing.
d. ignore short-term effects, but carefully consider long- term effects.

Answer: C. LO 15

25. Tom has finally admitted that hasn’t stopped drinking because his desire to stop
drinking conflicts with his efforts to ease his everyday blues. According to the text,
this will:
a. Help him have greater control in attaining his goal
b. Create more cognitive dissonance
c. Align his short-term and long-term goals
d. Mean he will never achieve his goal

Answer: A. LO 16

80
26. Clarabelle has just started her diet. She ends up at an office party and decides she
can cheat on her diet, “just this once.” Why might that be problematic?
a. Because it’s never “just this once”
b. Because it will lead to later succumbing to temptations
c. Because it makes it easier to give in next time
d. All of these could be true.

Answer: D. LO 17

27. Jim is about to embark on a self-change project, but seems ambivalent about it.
What's the best advice you can give him?
a. Delay until he is sure he wants to change.
b. Make a list of all the advantages of changing.
c. Make a list of all the people who have already changed in this way.
d. Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of changing.

Answer: D. LO 18

28. What is a major difficulty with remaining committed to changing?

a. The reward of giving in is more immediate than the reward for remaining
committed.
b. The punishment of giving in is immediate, but the reward is delayed.
c. If you aren't really committed from the beginning, you will give in.
d. Sometimes you cannot change a tempting environment.

Answer: A. LO 18

29. Philippe wants to be a better student but continues to hang out with his friends
when he knows he should be studying. What stage of thought about change is he
in?
a. Precontemplation
b. Contemplation
c. Preparation
d. Maintenance

Answer: B. LO 19

30. In setting goals for self-change, it is best:

a. to have pretty rigid goals, or you won't stick to them.
b. to have few, if any, goals, as they will just frustrate you.
c. to be specific, but leave room for flexibility.
d. to choose short-term goals that don’t conflict with your long-term goals.

Answer: C. LO 19

81
31. Why is it a good idea for Daisy to have both long-term and short-term goals for
her project?
a. Otherwise, she won’t keep trying
b. Short-term goals keep you on the journey
c. Long-term goals provide the start
d. All of the above

Answer: A. LO 20

32. Willa wants to do her problem behavior right now, but knows she will regret it
later. According to the text, this can be seen as:
a. a personality defect.
b. a conflict between id and society.
c. a conflict between herself and her conscience.
d. a conflict between long- and short-term goals.

Answer: D. LO 20

33. Donald is arguing that he doesn’t need to have sub-goals in his project. What
could you say to him to make him change his mind?
a. Sub-goals are just smaller parts that will lead you to your achieve your goal
b. Sub-goals are attainable while the final goal may not be at the start
c. Achieving sub-goals will increase your self-efficacy
d. All of these should change his mind.

Answer: D. LO 21

34. Donald now agrees that sub-goals would be a good addition to his plan. What
characteristics should his sub-goals have?
a. They should be broad so as to encompass as many situations as possible
b. They should be challenging but attainable.
c. They should be rigid
d. They should be easy to increase your self-efficacy.

Answer: B. LO 22

35. Undesired acts that bring some pleasure but that you want to eliminate can be
seen as in the short run but in the long run, while desired acts that
bring some displeasure but that you want to increase can be seen as in the
short run but in the long run.
a. wanted ... unwanted ... unwanted ... wanted
b. unwanted ... wanted ... wanted ... unwanted
c. wanted ... wanted ... unwanted ... unwanted
d. unwanted ... unwanted ... wanted ... wanted

Answer: A. LO 22

82
36. Which of these statements is an example of what researchers say is a common life
goal that will make your target more achievable?
a. I will be happier
b. I will feel more connected to others.
c. I will be more energetic.
d. All of these.

Answer: D. LO 23

37. April has always had trouble quitting smoking until she became pregnant. Why
would the text say that might that be?
a. The morning sickness made smoking unpalatable.
b. Quitting was important for the baby, who she always wanted.
c. It’s easier to regulate for someone else than for yourself
d. All of these

Answer: B. LO 23

38. Sophia is trying to improve her dancing, but she never committed to doing the
work of changing. What is likely to happen?
a. Nothing, as long as she creates a good plan
b. She will still achieve her goal, but it will take longer since she missed a step.
c. She won’t do the work necessary to change.
d. She will change her goal.

Answer: C. LO 24

39. The first step in a self-contract is to:

a. write down your goals, specific problems, willingness to change, and sign
your name.
b. write down your goal, intentions, how you plan to change, and sign your
name.
c. write down your goal, plan for action, escape clauses, and sign your name.
d. write down the pros and cons of your plan, your willingness to change, and
sign your name.

Answer: B. LO 25

40. How does a self-contract help?

a. It keeps you from temptation.
b. It increases your self-efficacy.
c. It helps to build commitment.
d. All of these.

Answer: C. LO 25

83
Handout Masters

Handout 2-1: How’s Your Self-Efficacy about Your Study Skills?

Handout 2-2: Advantages and Disadvantages of My Self-Change Project.
Handout 2-3: Will You Do It?
Handout 2-4: Your Beliefs About Changing
Handout 2-5: Life Goals

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© 2014 Cengage Learning
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How’s Your Self-Efficacy about Your Study Skills?

Directions: There are no right or wrong answers to the questions. Rate your response to
the first twelve questions using the following scale:

1 2 3 4 5
Not well Very well
at all

How well can you…

Not well Very well
at all

1. finish the assignments by deadlines? 1 2 3 4 5

2. prepare for courses when there are

other more interesting things to do? 1 2 3 4 5

3. concentrate on school subjects? 1 2 3 4 5

4. take notes in class? 1 2 3 4 5

5. use appropriate resources to get

information for class assignments? 1 2 3 4 5

6. plan your class work? 1 2 3 4 5

7. organize your class work? 1 2 3 4 5

8. remember information presented in class? 1 2 3 4 5

9. remember information presented in textbooks? 1 2 3 4 5

10. arrange a place to study without distractions? 1 2 3 4 5

11. motivate yourself to do your assignments? 1 2 3 4 5

12. set and honor priorities? 1 2 3 4 5

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Further directions: Rate your responses to the next set of statements by circling the
option that represents how often you do the activity.

1 2 3 4 5
Not very Very often
Often
Not very Very often
often
13. I turn off the TV/Radio so I can

concentrate on what I am doing. 1 2 3 4 5

14. I fail to write down things that I want

to remember. 1 2 3 4 5

15. Before beginning a project, I get as much

information as possible about the project. 1 2 3 4 5

16. When preparing for a test, I reread my

textbook. 1 2 3 4 5

17. I plan what I am going to do before I

begin a class project. 1 2 3 4 5

18. If I have problems with an assignment,

I ask the teacher for help. 1 2 3 4 5

19. I paraphrase written information when

I am studying. 1 2 3 4 5

20. When preparing for a class meeting, I

reread class notes. 1 2 3 4 5

21. I usually wait until a day or two before

a big project is due to start working on it. 1 2 3 4 5

22. When preparing for a test, I reread my

class notes. 1 2 3 4 5

23. I check over my work to be sure I did it

right. 1 2 3 4 5

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24. I isolate myself from anything that disturbs

me when I am studying. 1 2 3 4 5

25. I don’t remember facts and ideas presented

in class. 1 2 3 4 5

26. When preparing for a class meeting, I

reread class notes. 1 2 3 4 5

27. Each week I begin with an idea of

what I want to accomplish that week. 1 2 3 4 5

28. I take notes during class lectures. 1 2 3 4 5

29. Each day I make a list of things I plan to do. 1 2 3 4 5

30. I study for my courses in a quiet room or

area. 1 2 3 4 5

31. I don’t plan my day before I start it. 1 2 3 4 5

32. If I have problems with an assignment, I

ask a friend for help. 1 2 3 4 5

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Advantages and Disadvantages of My Self-Change Project

Instructions: Consider the short-term and long-term advantages and disadvantages of

changing. Take into consideration the effects on you and others, both tangible and
intangible. Consider how you will feel about yourself and how others will feel.

Short-term advantages of changing:

Long-term advantages of changing:

Short-term disadvantages of changing (advantages of staying the same):

Long-term disadvantages of changing:

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Will You Do It?

Do you believe you can do the things you have to do in order to change your target?
Notice we are not asking, Can you reach the goal? We're asking, Can you do the process you
need to do? Answer these questions:

1. Will you read carefully to the end of the book? This means thinking about what you read
and applying the ideas to yourself, figuring out how to use the ideas so you can change.
Yes Maybe No

2. In order to change, you will have to try out the ideas in this book. Will you be able to try
the ideas in the book before you evaluate them?
Yes Maybe No

3. Will you to carry out the exercise at the end of each chapter, in which you apply the ideas
from that chapter to your own self-modification project?
Yes Maybe No

4. Sometimes people are willing to change if it isn't going to be hard, or require much
effort. But are you willing to try to change even though it will require effort?
Yes Maybe No

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Your Beliefs about Changing

Answer these questions Yes or No:

1. will power is something you can’t change very much? Y N
2. you can learn new things but can’t change your basic level of self-control? Y N
3. you have a certain amount of will power and can’t really do much about it? Y N
(Adapted from Dweck, 1999)

If you answered “Yes” to the above questions, go back and read Chapter 1 again! DISCUSS:
What are the implications of believing one way or the other? How would these beliefs affect
your self-efficacy? How would they affect your chances of success on your self- change
project?

Think about your target for change. Suppose you could have one or the other pieces of
information below about it. Which do you choose?
1. Information about where you stand compared to others in your ability to control the
behavior.
2. Information about strategies for improving your control over this behavior.
(Adapted from Grant & Dweck, 1999)
Which do you choose?
1. Information about how your grade in this class compares to the grades of others.
2. Information about how to get a better grade in the class
Which do you choose?
1. Information about how your income compares to the income of others.
2. Information about how to earn more income
Are you starting to get the picture?
DISCUSS: What beliefs do you have that might hold you back from putting in the effort to
change?

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Life Goals

Four major categories of goals which most of us strive for in life:

1. experiencing positive emotions such as happiness or relaxation;
2. maintaining positive self-evaluations;
3. feeling connected to others, caring for and feeling accepted by others;
4. being physically active and energetic.

How will your target goal for your self-change project affect these four goals?
1. Positive emotions:

2. Positive self-evaluations:

3. Connectedness:

4. Energy:

What other life goals (career, etc.) are connected to your self-change project? How?

91
Another Random Scribd Document
with Unrelated Content
 “Just so,” gurgled Bruce, “but just think what a host of girls there
are who haven’t it half that deep.”
“That lets you out, Browning,” said Merry. “You were in so deep
that I thought you’d go under sure.”
“The trouble with me,” explained the lazy giant, “is that I’m
bothered with sleepless nights, and I sometimes talk in my sleep
daytimes. Now, what is a good thing for sleeplessness?”
“A shotgun,” replied Badger.
“Shotgun?”
“Yes. I was troubled that way till I shot five or six cats. Now I am
completely cured.”
“What troubles me more than anything else,” put in Dashleigh, “is
thoughts of the coming exams. It’s a constant horror to me.”
“Do the questions bother you?” asked Badger.
“Oh, no!” declared Bert. “The questions are quite clear. It’s the
answers that bother me.”
They could not restrain their laughter, for Dashleigh had said this
in a most mirth-provoking manner.
So, with joking and laughter, the feast progressed; but for Frank
the one person who would have made the occasion a perfect one
was absent; and, although he tried to conceal the fact, his thoughts
were turning to Elsie. At length Inza spoke of her.
“Why do you suppose she is not here, Frank?” she asked, in a low
tone, under cover of the chatter of conversation. “I do not
understand it.”
“I’m afraid,” confessed Frank, “that she has been hurt or offended
by something.”
“How?” whispered the dark-eyed girl. “I don’t understand——”
“You know she ran up-stairs ahead of Buck and Winnie.”
 “Yes.”
“And one of the doors to my rooms was open.”
“Yes.”
“We were in that room, looking at some pictures by the window.”
“And she saw us; that may be true,” said Inza. “She is a sensitive
little soul. Frank, you must find her—you must bring her to me. She
is somewhere in New Haven. Find her to-night. Just because we
happened to be speaking of the past, which is gone forever, is no
reason why we should make Elsie unhappy. I’ll give her cause for
happiness, Frank. Bring her to me.”
“I will!” he exclaimed, with suppressed earnestness. “I’ll make my
excuses and leave as soon as dinner is over.”
Badger was on his feet, making a speech in his blunt,
straightforward way. He extolled Yale and Frank Merriwell. He spoke
of the grand victories of the eleven under command of Merry. Then
he told how much he owed to the friendship and influence of
Merriwell, till, at last, Frank laughingly entreated him to stop.
“Well, I’ll stop,” said Buck, “but I want everybody here to drink
with me to the health of Frank Merriwell, the squarest, whitest,
manliest man that ever lived!”
The glasses had been filled with punch, and they all rose to drink
the toast. Frank bowed his thanks, feeling his face grow warm,
despite the fact that he had seen much of the world and been
greeted with applause and admiration in many places.
“My friends,” he said, “nothing could touch me more than such a
tribute of esteem from a Yale man, one who has been an open and
honorable foe in the past and is now just as enthusiastic in his
friendship toward me. From the lips of any other man the
compliment could not mean as much.”
“When Buck says a thing he means it,” declared Winnie, with a
look of admiration toward her husband.
 Then Merry made a brief speech, in which he referred to the days
of toil and struggle and ambition at college—happy days, now nearly
over for him.
“One of the greatest and proudest achievements,” he asserted,
“something I prize above all things, is the fact that I have made here
at Yale so many stanch, true friends.”
When dinner was over, they returned to the parlor, where
Dashleigh tuned up his mandolin, and there were music and singing
and a good time generally. Winnie sat down to the piano, and the
others gathered round. The old college songs were sung one after
another, Starbright joining in with his magnificent bass voice.
Frank had excused himself to Winnie, telling her why he was going
to leave, and, in the midst of the singing, he went out quietly with
Buck, who helped him on with his coat in the hall, gave him a hearty
hand-clasp, and wished him luck in his search for Elsie.
As he was about to leave, Merry glanced back on the happy party
in the parlor. He saw Starbright bending over Inza to look through
some music, saw her smile up at him when he said something in a
low tone; and, with this picture in his mind, he went out into the
frosty December night.
 CHAPTER XXIX

FRANK MERRIWELL’S HEART.

Frank’s quest for Elsie was vain, but he found she had been
stopping at one of the hotels. Her name was on the register. When
he asked for her, however, he was informed that she had left that
day. The clerk could not tell him whither she had gone, save that her
trunk had been taken to the railway-station. But this was enough to
make him feel certain she had left New Haven.
There was a pain in Frank’s heart when he turned toward his
rooms in Vanderbilt. Quite alone, he paused by the fence. There
were lights all about him in the windows of the college buildings. A
few were dark and unlighted, but it was the gleam of the lighted
ones that gave him a feeling of sadness and desolation. He knew
many of the students had started for their homes that night, while
to-morrow there would be a grand exodus. Going home! The
thought thrilled the vibrating chords of his heart. He had no home to
which he could go.
The sky was thickly studded with stars, gazing down upon him like
a million gleaming eyes. He leaned on the fence and gazed up at
them, and he fancied they gave him their sympathy.
“Elsie!” he murmured; “where are you? Why did you leave me
without a word?”
Many, many times, he had lingered there at the fence, with
stanch, true friends about him. It was there he had discussed
football, baseball, sports of all kinds, and talked over the gossip of
the college. Now he was alone!
Finally he turned toward Vanderbilt and climbed the stairs to his
room. This was his only home, but now it seemed lonely and
deserted.
He lighted the gas in his study and stood there looking around. It
was a pleasant room, yet the time was approaching when it would
know him no more. The walls were adorned with pictures, flags,
photographs, and the many curios he had gathered in his
wanderings about the world. His desk was standing open, the
pigeonholes stuffed with the various things which were of value to
him alone. There were papers and letters upon it. Before it stood the
office chair, with an easy rocker close at hand.
In a window alcove was a long, easy seat, piled with cushions.
Over the window in big white letters was the word, “Yale.” Magic
word, dear to the heart of every loyal lover of Old Eli! Near the
window was the well-filled bookcase, containing many well-thumbed
volumes. Through the portières he could look into the adjoining
room and see the square table on which lay the photographs he had
inspected in company with Inza.
Frank sat down in the rocker and fell to thinking of many things,
but his mind would always revert to Elsie and her strange and
hurried flight from New Haven.
“The time has come!” he finally exclaimed. “This is my last year at
college, and soon I must go out into the world for myself. I must
choose between Elsie and Inza. Perhaps I have done wrong not to
choose before, but the friendship of both girls has been very dear to
me.”
He paced the room, his mind filled with thoughts of both the
charming girls. He saw before him Elsie’s sweet, smiling face,
crowned with golden curls, he felt the touch of her soft, sympathetic
hand, heard the music of her voice, and his heart yearned for her.
Then came Inza—dark-eyed, dark-haired, dashing, handsome, self-
possessed, and magnetic. He felt the spell of her powerful influence,
and it seemed that she was trying to crowd gentle, modest Elsie out
of his heart.
Then he remembered her as he had last seen her, smiling up into
the face of Dick Starbright. He shrugged his broad shoulders and
continued to pace the room. There was a knock on the door, and a
messenger-boy stood outside.
“Been here twice before, sir,” said the boy. “Lady said I must give
the letter to yer to-night, sure.”
Frank took it and gave the boy a quarter. Then, having closed the
door, as the messenger had said there would be no reply, he
hastened to tear open the envelope. His fingers trembled a little and
his heart pounded violently in his throat. He saw his name written on
the envelope.
“From Elsie!” he murmured hoarsely. The message was brief, and
this is what he read:
“Dear Frank: I know you will think it strange that I changed my mind so
suddenly about seeing you, and have left New Haven. I meant to come
to you and tell you that in the future we were to be nothing but friends,
but my heart failed me at the last moment. Not because I changed my
mind on that point, but because I knew it would be very unpleasant for
us both. I have been contemplating this for some time, as I have a very
good reason for it. I know you do not care to claim me as anything more
than a friend, if such a tie would be obnoxious to me. Good-by, Frank! I
wish you all the happiness you deserve, and that is all the world can give
you. I shall write to Inza.
Elsie.”

He stood and stared at the writing for a long time, now and then
lifting a hand to brush back his hair. Fie read it over and over,
seeking to discover a hidden meaning in the words. Finally he
crushed the sheet of paper in one hand and flung it from him.
“It is her choice!” he exclaimed. “I would not force her to care for
me against her will—I could not if I would! I believe I understand
what is back of this. She has met some one else for whom she cares
more than for me. She speaks of a closer tie than mere friendship
between us being obnoxious to her, and there is no other
explanation. All right, Elsie! I suppose it is as it should be. You wish
me happiness! I’ll have it—with Inza!”
His mind was made up in that moment. Elsie was thrust from his
mental vision, and Inza, radiant and beautiful, rose like a queen
before him.
“Inza!” he murmured. “Perhaps it is best. You—you were the
sweetheart of my boyhood days. Fate must have intended you for
me.”
Up and down the room he strode, his breast heaving, his cheeks
flushed.
“Starbright,” he laughed, “you’ll have to stand aside, old fellow! I
can’t have you take her from me! You know, and I hardly think you’ll
object. I’ll find her at your home, and, during these merry holidays,
I’ll win her promise to be mine forever.”
He fancied the struggle was over, and he flung open his window to
admit the cold night air. It fanned his hot forehead, and he drank it
in with long, deep breaths. Leaning on the window-sill, he looked
out upon the campus, where a solitary student walked hastily along,
the frosty ground seeming to creak and complain beneath his feet.
Then he turned back into the room, closing the window. A
moment he stood looking down at Elsie’s crumpled note. Suddenly a
quiver ran over him, and he stooped, picked up the paper, smoothed
it out, and thrust it into a pocket near his heart.
 CHAPTER XXX

DICK STARBRIGHT’S HOME.

On the southeastern shore of Seneca Lake, not many miles from

the little village of Burdett, stood the handsome home of the
Starbrights. Old Captain Starbright had purchased this splendid
country place, intending to settle down there some time, far from
sight and sound of the grim and restless ocean, to spend the latter
part of his life in peace and quietude. But his dream of peaceful old
age in the bosom of his family had never been realized, for he died
in the cabin of his vessel far from his native land. Gossip said he
drank himself to death.
However, he had made a comfortable fortune, and the home he
left to his widow and children was an ideal one. He had enlarged
and remodeled the old country house till it was regarded by the
neighbors as a veritable palace. He had spent large sums on the
surrounding grounds, and his landscape gardening was the wonder
and awe of the plain people of that section of the country. Not a few
of them declared he was determined to bankrupt himself by his
foolish extravagance in these matters; but the result of his labors
was pleasing to the eye, to say the least.
The homestead was situated on a hill that sloped gently westward
to the shore of the lake, where the captain built a handsome boat-
house. From Watkins, on the south, to Geneva, on the north, Seneca
Lake is fifty miles long, and there is plenty of yachting to be had, for
which purpose the old mariner purchased a handsome sloop, and
Dick had been taught to handle her with the skill of a veteran.
 There were rowboats and canoes, and both Dick and his younger
brother, Phil, had built up the muscles of their arms and backs
pulling at the oar and paddle. But now the lake was frozen over from
end to end by the week of cold weather before the holidays, and
sailing and boating could not be enjoyed. There was plenty of
skating, however, and Phil had an ice-boat, which he had
constructed with his own hands.
Dick’s mother was a handsome, kind-faced lady, refined and sad in
her manner, although her face could light up with a smile that was
like a golden sunburst. She was very proud of her two boys, and of
big, manly Dick in particular. He was so much like her husband as
she had known him in his younger days. Yes, Dick was like him in
many respects, yet she could see that he was finer-grained, for the
old sailor had been somewhat blunt and bluff in his ways.
No wonder Dick was finer-grained, for it were impossible for him
to be otherwise with such a mother. Her influence had been over
him always, and she was to him the type of perfect womanhood.
She liked to think of him as like her husband in his youthful days,
and yet that thought brought to her sometimes one great fear.
Captain Starbright had been beset by one great weakness—his
love for strong drink. All his life he had fought against it, but it had
conquered him at last and cut short his days. The one great fear
that haunted Dick’s mother was that some time her elder son might
fall beneath the ban of intemperance; but from the time little Dick
knelt at her knee to lisp his bedtime prayers she had sought to instil
in his mind a loathing and repulsion for the demon of strong drink.
Phil Starbright regarded his brother as just about “the proper
thing” in every way. Phil was slenderer and more like his mother, and
Dick seemed to him a marvel of strength, courage, and energy. At
school there had never been a fellow who could whip Dick, and
whenever Phil was in trouble Dick could easily and readily be
summoned to help him out.
 Phil, also, was fitting for Yale. At Andover he had read with
breathless interest the accounts of the Yale football-games in which
Dick had taken part; and his pride swelled and grew when report
after report told of the marvelous playing of the young freshman
giant who was known as the protégé of Frank Merriwell.
Frank Merriwell! Phil had heard of him many times before Dick
went to Yale; he had talked of him to Dick, and he had longed to see
the most famous college man in the country. When Dick wrote to
Phil, telling of his meeting with Merriwell and how kind Merriwell had
been to him, the younger brother felt like turning somersaults and
yelling with joy.
And then, just before the holidays, Phil received a letter, in which
Dick said he had invited Merriwell and a number of his friends to
spend a portion of the vacation at the Starbright home, which
invitation had been accepted. Phil came near having a fit. At last he
would see Frank Merriwell! The day that he had dreamed of was
coming!
With a bounding, eager heart the Andover lad packed up and
started for home, for he could get off a day sooner than Dick, and
he wished to have everything ready to receive his brother’s guests in
the proper manner.
Thus it came about that Merry, Browning, Ready, and Dashleigh
were warmly welcomed at the fine old country place on Seneca
Lake. And Phil’s heart ceased to beat for a moment when Frank
Merriwell pressed his hand and said he was glad to know Dick’s
brother.
Mrs. Starbright was so happy that the sad look had fled from her
face, and she quickly made them all feel quite at home.
“You must blame Dick for bringing such a crowd along, Mrs.
Starbright,” said Merry. “He would make us come.”
“And I am very, very glad he did,” she earnestly declared, in a way
that left no doubt of her sincerity. “He has written me about all of
you, particularly of you, Mr. Merriwell. I think I’ve hardly ever
received a letter from him in which he has not made some reference
to you. You were very kind to him, and I have much to thank you
for.”
“And I,” said Ready, “I have been very kind to him, also. He will
tell you how I have entertained him as a sophomore should
entertain a freshman. Oh, I have labored with him many a night.”
“Thank you, too,” she said, “for helping him nights with his
studies. I am sure I appreciate it, Mr. Ready.”
“With his studies!” gasped Jack, taking care she did not hear. “Oh,
my! Wouldn’t that kill you! Think of a sophomore helping a freshman
with his studies! I’ve helped him do a jolly turn at Billie’s; I’ve
marched him about the campus in his pajamas, and I’ve trained him
through the streets with his left trousers leg rolled to the knee and a
broom on his shoulder for a gun; but helped him with his studies—
oh, Laura!”
“But these are not all, mother,” laughed Dick. “There are more
coming. To-morrow two young ladies and two gentlemen will arrive.
One of the gentlemen is the father of one of the young ladies, while
the other gentleman is the husband of the other young lady. The old
house will be filled, and we won’t do a thing!”
“I think we’ll be able to find room for everybody,” she said. “The
holidays are to be very happy for me, I’m sure.”
“I hope she’s provided plenty of fodder for the herd,” whispered
Ready to Browning. “I’m hollow as—as your head.”
“Now, don’t try to get funny at my expense,” warned the big
senior. “I’m hungry myself, and I don’t feel like being made a fool
of.”
“It would be hard to improve on what nature did for you in that
respect,” murmured the irrepressible sophomore.
The boys were shown up to large, pleasant rooms, which had
been prepared for them. Frank and Bruce were given a room
together, but there were two old-fashioned beds in it, and it opened
into another and smaller room that was designated for Ready.
“Thank goodness!” said Jack, when he found he was to have a
room by himself. “I’ll not have to sleep in the same apartment with
Browning. If I did, by the gods of Olympus! I’d get a clothes-pin and
place it straddle of his nose to keep him from snoring. His snore is
one of the most frightful things I ever encountered. Yea, verily! I
know, for I’ve listened to it in the stilly hours of many an awful night,
and it has filled me with despair and an intense desire to do murder.”
“Oh, shut up and get into your own quarters!” growled Bruce.
“Your mouth must be tired. It’s been going yawp! yawp! yawp! ever
since we left New Haven. You’re the worst case of talk-and-say-
nothing I ever knew.”
“Refuse me!” chirped Ready, bowing low. “I happened to be built
that way. It soothes my nerves to work my jaw.”
“But it tears up the nerves of everybody within hearing,” declared
Bruce.
“Well, here we are, fellows,” said Frank cheerfully. “Starbright has
a splendid home and a beautiful mother. I’m glad I came.”
“Wait till I get down to the supper-table and I’ll tell you better
whether I’m glad or not,” said Jack. “I wonder if they’ve really got
enough for us to eat. Even a railroad sandwich would have no
terrors for me now.”
 CHAPTER XXXI

A BILLIARD-MATCH.

Winnie and Inza, with Buck and Mr. Burrage, arrived the following
day and found an enthusiastic lot of young men there at the
Starbright homestead. Frank was the first to meet Inza, and he gave
her hand a warm pressure, while telling her how glad he was that
she had come.
“We’ll have a glorious time here,” he declared. “The finest old
place in all New York! A billiard-room, a bowling-alley, a regular
gymnasium—oh, but old Captain Starbright knew how to lay out his
money to make an ideal home! And Dick’s mother—one of the
gentlest mothers in the world. She’ll make you welcome, you may be
sure.”
She did; she took the girls to her heart and said those things
which only a woman like her would know how to say to make them
feel how glad she was to see them. In a moment they were at their
ease.
She shook hands with Buck and Mr. Burrage. Something she said
to the young Westerner, giving Winnie a glance, brought the color to
Buck’s face and made him throw back his shoulders and look very
proud.
Browning, with his hunger abated, smoking a pipe, was
comfortable and at his ease; but not even the sating of Ready’s
hunger had toned him down. He was the same happy-go-lucky,
talkative, joking chap.
 “The happy family has assembled at last,” he proclaimed. “We’re
all here, Mrs. Starbright, and now we’ll proceed to eat you out of
house and home. Oh, we’ll have a good time reducing you to
poverty! My! my! but I’m glad I came. Badger, you should have seen
the old-fashioned plum pudding we had for supper last night. It was
a peach! But I only got about half of it before Browning annihilated
the other half.”
“Huah!” grunted Bruce. “Don’t try so hard to be funny.”
“Oh,” said Dashleigh, “some of Ready’s jokes last night were really
and truly funny. They would have made a donkey laugh. Why, I
actually laughed till I cried.”
Then Bert grew furiously red when everybody shouted, nor did his
confusion abate when afterward Ready seriously addressed him as
“The Donkey.”
Mrs. Starbright took charge of the girls. Mr. Burrage was very
weary and retired to his room for a brief rest. After washing his face
and hands and brushing his clothes, Buck was ready to be shown
about the place, and Dick took charge of him.
That afternoon Dick challenged Frank to a game of billiards, and
the party assembled in the billiard-room to witness the match.
“Oh, Richard, my boy, you are up against the real thing now,”
chirped Ready. “Going to play a hundred points, eight-inch balk?
He’ll beat you fifty points, or I’ll eat my hat! But you should see me
play! I’m the bird at that game. Why, I’ve often run two points
without stopping.”
“I’ll tell you what,” laughed Starbright, his eyes flashing, “let’s play
for something to make it interesting. Will you do it?”
“Well, say a thousand dollars,” suggested Ready carelessly. “I’ll
offer that sum as a purse. It’s a mere nothing to me.”
“I do not mean that we are to bet on the game,” explained Dick.
“But if there were a prize of some sort——”
 He paused and looked at Inza.
“Can’t you suggest something?” he asked.
She smiled back at him, and then, roguishly, she said:
“Oh, I might suggest something—if it would be worth struggling
for.”
“Name it!” cried Frank and Dick in a breath.
“To-morrow we are to have a sleighing-party.”
“Yes.”
“Well, I will go in the sleigh of the one who wins this match. What
do you say to that?”
There was a brief pause, then both fellows cried:
“Done!”
“Oh, say!” cried Ready; “let me into this! With such a prize in view,
I can wipe you both off the map! Give me a cue.”
“Your cue is to keep quiet,” rumbled Browning, who was seated in
a big, easy chair, placidly looking on.
The balk-lines were freshly drawn, Frank was given his choice of
cues, and then the contestants prepared to “string” for the start.
“Frank,” murmured Dick, “I’m going to beat you if it is in me. You
will have to play your best. I give you fair warning.”
“All right,” Merry nodded. “It is a battle to the finish.”
They sent the ivories rolling down the table to rebound from the
lower cushion and come gently back, side by side. All waited
anxiously for the balls to stop. They rolled up to the head cushion,
against which they lodged and “froze.”
“Tie,” declared Bruce. “You’ll have to try it over.”
They did so, and on the second trial Dick obtained a slight
advantage, which gave him the lead. Frank was wondering just how
skilful his antagonist would prove to be, and he watched closely the
manner in which Starbright made his first shots.
Dick studied the positions of the balls a moment, and then made a
skilful draw that brought them together in a group. Immediately,
Merry understood that he had no easy task before him. He saw on
Dick’s face a look of resolution and determination, and he knew the
big freshman would play as if for his very life.
“He means to win the privilege of having Inza in his sleigh—if he
can,” thought Frank. “That’s plain enough. A careless stroke or the
least let up on my part may mean defeat.”
He knew now that he must be on his mettle to the very finish.
Glancing toward Inza, he saw her dark eyes fastened on Dick, and
she was watching the play with breathless interest that seemed
anxiety.
“Is it possible she wishes him to win?” Frank asked himself. “It
almost seems so. If I thought it, he should win, even were I able to
defeat him.”
But his heart rebelled against the thought, and again he resolved
to play the match at his best.
Having the balls together, Starbright proceeded to nurse them in a
skilful manner, running thirteen points, and then missing an easy
massé.
“Oh!” exclaimed Inza, with a catch of her breath. “You stopped at
thirteen! That’s an unlucky number.”
Then, in a moment, she laughed merrily, warning Frank to take
care to make as many as thirteen.
Merry started in. Fortunately, the ivories lay well for him, and he
ran off point after point with care and still with swiftness till he had
made thirty-one. Then he missed on an effort to gather them in a
corner.
 “That is thirteen turned round,” he laughed; “but it may be just as
unlucky.”
“I’d rather take my chances on it,” declared Dick.
Starbright seemed to have the balls in a good position, and again
he began playing with care—too much care, perhaps, for he missed
with his third shot.
“Oh!” again came from Inza’s lips. “I don’t believe you’re even
going to make it interesting.”
“I’m afraid not,” admitted Dick, with a tone of the utmost regret.
“But you may be sure I shall do my best.”
Frank ran seventeen more points before missing, making him
forty-eight in all, while Dick had only fifteen.
There was a look of grim determination on Dick’s face as he began
again.
“Get into the game and make a touch-down,” urged Ready. “What
are we paying our money for! With such a prize in view, I could run
a hundred—feet. Oh, you should see me dally with the ivories! It is a
sight to make the gods weep.”
Dick took pains. He studied his shots, and got the balls across the
line at one corner and worked them there with great skill, beginning
to pile up point after point. His playing brought applause, Merry
giving it as readily and honestly as the others.
Ten—twenty points he ran without a break. It was a grand
exhibition of skill. Inza was watching with intense earnestness, and
again Merry fancied she might be anxious for Dick to win. Then, at a
critical point, came a miscue, and Dick’s run came to an end with
him just three points behind Frank.
“You gave me a shock, then,” confessed Merry, as he made ready
to play. “You had ’em going, and I didn’t know that you were ever
going to stop.”
 “It was my opportunity,” declared Starbright regretfully. “If I had
not made that miscue!”
“That’s the way in this world,” philosophized Ready. “Just as we
have the balls rolling our way and everything looks bright and
radiant, we slip a cog and fall down with a slam. It’s sad and
disgusting, but true—alas!”
“Will somebody be good enough to smother him,” mumbled
Browning. “Makes me think of Dismal Jones.”
“Ha! ha!” laughed Jack, with his old flippant air. “Refuse me! Let’s
be merry. Why does a chicken cross the road? Don’t hit me! My
fingers are crossed.”
Frank had seen enough to know now that Starbright was a brilliant
billiard-player, and more than ever he was determined to do his level
best. Nevertheless, Merry was somewhat rusty, and thus it happened
that he missed his fifth shot.
“Now’s your chance, Dick!” exclaimed Dashleigh, who was acting
as marker. “You can get the lead right here.”
The shot was a very hard one.
“You can’t make that, Starbright,” asserted Browning. “I don’t
believe it can be made.”
“Oh, there is a way to make any shot on the table,” Frank
asserted.
But Dick was not so sure of succeeding in this case. He took great
pains, and succeeded. It was a handsome shot, and Merriwell gave a
cry of admiration and approval.
“That reminds me of my playing,” murmured Ready. “It is so
different, you know.”
Inza gave Dick a smile of admiring approval, which did not escape
Frank’s keen eyes. But the balls remained separated, and
Starbright’s success and the applause that had greeted the feat
seemed to rattle the big freshman, so that he missed the very next
shot.
“I must get them together and hold them,” thought Frank. “No
fancy playing in this. The fellow might run forty or fifty any minute,
and that would be my Waterloo.”
However, his effort to bring the balls together caused him to miss
the very first attempt, and left the ivories for Starbright, everything
being favorable.
Thinking of the prize for which they were contending had made
Dick nervous, despite the fact that he had always fancied his nerves
were like iron. The glances he had received from Inza had added to
his nervousness, so that he discovered his hand was shaking a trifle.
Immediately he braced up, not wishing any one to discover that
he was in that condition. He was deliberate in his movements,
though inwardly eager and in haste.
The first shot attempted was made by a rank scratch, although he
made no sign that he had not tried for it in that manner. Instead of
rattling him more, the shock of getting the point after he thought he
had missed it served to steady his nerves. He looked toward Inza as
he came round the table. Their eyes met, and he fancied she was
urging him to do his best.
“I will!” he resolved. “I am going to win! I’ll beat Frank Merriwell
at something!”
Dick’s brother was looking on with breathless interest, being more
excited than the big college man, if possible. He longed for Dick to
come off victor, yet fancied such a thing could not happen, with
Frank Merriwell for an opponent.
That look from Inza aided in giving Starbright courage. He swung
into the work with remarkable skill, making another beautiful run,
reeling off point after point.
Phil Starbright could scarcely keep still. He wanted to dance and
shout when Dick passed Frank and took the lead. Browning looked
on in amazed silence, while Ready gasped:
“What’s this? what’s this? I fear me much the result is to be a
surprise. Be still, my fluttering heart, be still!”
“I believe Mr. Starbright is going to beat Frank!” whispered Winnie
to Buck.
“None whatever!” returned the Westerner. “Don’t get that idea into
your head, girl. I’ve seen Frank Merriwell before, and he’s never
beaten till the game is ended. He has nerves, while the big fellow is
unsteady and liable to go into the air any minute. You hear me!”
Starbright ran eighteen points, which gave him a lead of twelve.
“Now, Merry, old man,” urged Buck, “get into gear and do your
pretty work. We know you’re a bit out of practise, but just show us
how you can play at any old game when you have to play.”
Not a word did Frank say, though he smiled faintly at Badger. He
began by making three difficult shots, the third one bunching the
balls. Then he played in splendid form till he had added nineteen to
the three, making a run of twenty-two, which turned the tables on
Starbright, leaving Merry ten in the lead.
Dick missed his first effort, and Frank was given the balls again.
He sought to get them together for a run, and the attempt caused
him to fail to count with his second shot.
“You want only eleven to tie, Dick!” palpitated Phil. “You can get
’em. I’ve known you to run thirty.”
Once more Starbright tried to steady his nerves and play with the
coolness that was a feature of Merriwell’s work. Somehow that
coolness made the big fellow feel sure that under ordinary
circumstances Frank would completely outrank him at billiards. But
the prize lured Starbright to do his best. That Christmas sleigh-ride
with Inza was something worth working for.
Click, click, click—the big freshman tapped off the points,
Dashleigh counting the buttons as he slid them along the wire. One,