Believe in Yourself + Always Believe in Yourself Questions & Answers | Class 9 English | CBSE NCERT

(b) — The challenge must be faced alone; no spectators will carry the dreamer forward.

(b) — The emphasis is on personal responsibility for one's own path.

(b) — "see" and "be" (lines 2 and 4) rhyme.

The reader, directly, using "you"; the speaker comes across as a guide who understands the struggle.

To "step up to the challenge" — to accept and face the challenge boldly.

"Challenge" — a demanding task that calls for effort and courage.

(b) — It is a question meant to provoke thought, pairing the opposites "pull you forward" and "push you back."

(c) — The future can either pull the dreamer forward towards it or push the dreamer back in fear.

(b) — "Difficult are choices / When the future is getting near."

"Pull you forward" and "push you back in fear" — an antithesis between progress and retreat.

ABCB — "fear" and "near" (lines 2 and 4) rhyme.

A rhetorical question combined with antithesis — it makes the reader reflect on whether courage or fear governs the choice.

(b) — It is a Latin phrase meaning the existing state of affairs, here the comfort of an unchanged life.

(b) — Comfort and the status quo produce stagnation; humans are made to grow through challenge.

(a) — The parallel repetition of "This isn't…" hammers home the warning against comfort.

"The state in which" — the existing state of affairs; keeping things as they are.

Because maintaining the status quo requires no effort, risk or change — it is the easiest option.

To develop, improve and reach one's potential — something that requires change and challenge, not comfort.

(b) — The "step" stands for the initial act of committing to change, which is the most difficult moment.

(b) — The line stresses irrevocable commitment after the first step.

(c) — "You just need to believe in yourself / For your future to be on track."

ABCB — "back" and "track" (lines 2 and 4) rhyme.

Because beginning means overcoming fear, inertia and the pull of comfort; once begun, momentum and self-belief carry one forward.

After taking the difficult first step, with no turning back, self-belief alone keeps one's future "on track." POEM 2 — "Always Believe in Yourself" (Dorothy Hewitt) Note: In the textbook the poem is printed as one continuous block; it is divided here into four sense-stanzas for stanza-wise study. Every line of the poem appears verbatim.

(b) — The poet roots achievement in how one treats and trusts oneself.

(c) — One should think big and refuse self-imposed limits.

(b) — The voice affirms the reader's worth and urges belief, kindness and openness to good.

Always believe in yourself; do not limit yourself; be kind to yourself; and always believe in all that is good.

Imperatives with repetition ("believe… do not limit… be kind") — a refrain-like chain of advice.

It advises self-compassion — treating oneself with patience and encouragement instead of harsh self-criticism.

(b) — The poet insists that readers are already equipped to pursue what they are after.

(c) — Outcomes may differ from expectations, but attainment is still possible.

(b) — To attain is to reach or achieve something one is striving for.

That the reader already possesses all the intelligence and ability needed for achievement — nothing essential is missing.

Because success may take unexpected forms or times; one must therefore stay persistent, ready and open rather than disheartened.

To prepare oneself and stay prepared — alert and willing to act when the opportunity to achieve the dream arrives.

(b) — Belief in oneself must survive the harshest tests.

(b) — Courage must be retained and carried through the trial.

(a) — "Let laughter and encouragement surround you."

'Endurance' is the capacity to bear hardship patiently; 'persist' means to continue firmly despite difficulty.

An imperative (a command) — one of the poem's chain of direct instructions to the reader.

By believing in oneself, continuing and persisting, holding on to courage, and letting laughter and encouragement surround oneself.

(a) — Openness of hand and heart is the condition for receiving "all of life's gifts."

(b) — Combined with self-belief, ambitious thinking invites proportionate achievement.

(b) — The "then" refers to the whole chain of attitudes listed in the poem.

"The world has much to give" — it is presented as generous and abundant, full of gifts.

Willingness both to give (kindness, effort, gratitude) and to receive (opportunities, help, joy).

"For then" connects the conditions — thinking big and keeping hands and heart open — with the promised result: receiving all of life's gifts.

The "step" stands for the first act of commitment to change. Beginning is hardest because inertia, fear and comfort resist us; once the first step is taken, momentum and self-belief carry us forward, making the journey easier.

The antitheses, "pull you forward" against "push you back in fear", and "ease in comfort" against "how we grow", show that growth stands opposite comfort and fear. One must choose: resist fear and grow, or cling to comfort and stagnate.

The poet wants the reader to realise that a challenge is ultimately a solitary affair. Applause, spectators and external validation are absent; only the individual's own determination and self-belief matter when facing the future and its choices.

The direct address makes the poem feel like a personal conversation with a supportive guide. It involves the reader directly, making the challenge, the warning against comfort, and the advice to believe in oneself feel urgent and individually applicable.

Largely, yes, for self-belief sustains people through fear, hesitation and the hardest first steps. However, realism demands more than belief: effort, planning and support are also needed. The poem supplies the inner fuel; outer conditions must be built alongside it.

Each stanza marks a stage: the solitary challenge, the difficult choice, the rejection of comfort, and the committing first step powered by self-belief. The steady ABCB rhyme gives a marching progression, mirroring the "on track" movement it urges.

As the future approaches, decisions carry real consequences, and fear makes every option look risky. Standing at the threshold, a person must choose between courage and comfort, so the nearer the future draws, the harder the choosing becomes.

The poet admits that staying comfortable and unchanged is the easiest option; no effort or risk is required. However, this ease is deceptive, because human beings are not made for stagnation but for growth, which begins outside the comfort zone.

The poem presents them as opposites: comfort maintains the status quo, while growth requires challenge and change. Since "this isn't what we are made for", ease leads to stagnation, and a person grows only by leaving comfort behind.

Each four-line stanza rhymes ABCB: see/be, fear/near, quo/grow, back/track. The simple, regular pattern gives the short poem a steady, memorable rhythm, so the closing advice about believing in oneself stays with the reader like a chant.

The poet advises continuing and persisting, believing in yourself even in the hardest trials, and holding on to courage. Endurance tested to the limit is precisely when self-belief must be invoked and effort renewed, not abandoned.

The poet warns that goals are achieved, but not always in the manner or time we expect. Success may take unexpected routes; therefore one must stay flexible, persistent and trusting rather than disheartened when reality differs from expectation.

It is a symbol of generous receptivity: being willing both to give kindness, effort and gratitude, and to receive opportunities, help and joy. An open hand and heart, the poet promises, allow one to receive "all of life's gifts."

The letter speaks of a dream "burning in your blood" and conviction that must survive obstacles; the poem speaks of believing in yourself when "tested beyond your endurance". Both counsel perseverance till the goal is realised.

Langley's poem uses imagery, metaphor, antithesis and a steady ABCB rhyme in four stanzas, centred on one situation, taking the first step. Hewitt's poem is free-flowing, unrhymed advice, a chain of affirmations covering self-kindness, persistence, courage, big thinking and openness.

The poet advises self-compassion: instead of harsh self-criticism after failures, one should treat oneself with patience and encouragement. Kindness to oneself keeps hope and confidence alive, which are essential for continuing the pursuit of any dream.

The poet presents the world as generous and abundant, full of gifts waiting to be received. This optimistic vision encourages the reader to remain open, grateful and expectant, rather than closed, fearful or cynical about life's possibilities.

The word "always", repeated in "Always believe in yourself", "always believe in all that is good" and "Always think big", turns the advice into a permanent rule. Self-belief, goodness and big thinking must be unbroken habits, not passing moods.

The line expresses the poet's confident view of human potential: since every person already possesses all the intelligence and ability needed, no goal is beyond reach. What is required is self-belief, persistence and readiness to pursue it.

Written as direct commands in irregular, unrhymed lines, the poem reads like a mentor's heartfelt blessing rather than a composed song. This free, urgent form suits its message of daily affirmations: believe, be kind, persist, think big, stay open.

The poem strips away external support: "There is no crowd to see", and it is "just you and the future". Facing a challenge is portrayed as a solitary act that demands personal responsibility. The individual's courage and self-belief alone decide whether the future pulls one forward or pushes one back.

The poem works through symbols. The "status quo" and the ease of comfort symbolise stagnation and the fear of change; the future symbolises the unknown with its potential for success, requiring a leap of faith; and the "first step" symbolises the initial courage needed to begin the journey of self-improvement.

The poet uses the imagery of a solitary contest: "no crowd to see" stresses isolation, while "push you back in fear" evokes the physical sensation of being repelled. These images make the inner struggle visible and physical, so the reader feels the difficulty of standing alone before the future.

The stanza shows the future as a force that can either "pull you forward" or "push you back in fear". Choices become difficult as the future nears because each option carries weight and fear exaggerates the risk. The antithesis dramatises the basic human choice between courage and cowardice.

The poem opens with the command "Step up to the challenge" and isolates the reader before the future. It names the difficulty of choice, rejects the comfort of the status quo, and ends by resolving the entire journey in self-belief, the means of keeping the future "on track".

The poem teaches that growth is a personal responsibility. Since there is "no crowd to see" and no support at the decisive moment, one must reject the comfort of the status quo, take the first step without turning back, and trust one's abilities, for self-belief keeps the future on track.

The poem opens and closes with belief: "Always believe in yourself". The poet grounds achievement in this foundation, assuring the reader of possessing "all the intelligence and ability that you need". Self-belief is presented as the pre-condition for attaining "whatever you are after", even when success comes in unexpected ways.

This assurance removes the reader's most common excuse, the fear of being inadequate. The poet declares that the resources for achievement already lie within; nothing essential is missing. Therefore failure of self-belief, not lack of ability, is the real obstacle between a person and any goal pursued.

The poem sets conditions: believe in yourself, be kind to yourself, persist when tested beyond endurance, hold on to courage, let laughter and encouragement surround you, always think big, and keep your hands and heart open. Only "then", the poet promises, will you receive all of life's gifts.

Langley's poem urges one decisive action: step up, leave comfort, take the first step and believe in yourself. Hewitt's poem urges continuing actions: persist, hold on to courage, think big and stay open. The former dramatises the beginning of the journey; the latter sustains the dreamer through it.

Robert Langley builds his message through a cluster of devices. The rhetorical question "Will it pull you forward / Or push you back in fear?" forces the reader to weigh courage against fear, and its internal antithesis dramatises the choice every dreamer faces. The metaphor "The first step is the hardest" captures the terror and significance of beginning. Phrases like "no crowd to see" and "It's just you and the future" use imagery of solitude to stress individual responsibility, while "status quo" symbolises stagnation and the first step symbolises courage. The repetition in "this isn't what we are made for / This isn't how we grow" gives the warning a hammering force. Finally, the direct address "You" creates an intimate, guide-like voice, and the simple ABCB rhyme makes the closing advice, "You just need to believe in yourself", land like a memorable, motivating refrain.

(Sample answer — students may use a personal example.) A classmate of mine stammered badly yet decided to audition for the school debate team; her first step was terrifying: no one could take it for her, and there was "no crowd to see" her practise alone for weeks. She faced exactly the poem's choice: let fear "push you back" or let the dream "pull you forward." Comfortable silence, the status quo, was always available, but as the poem says, "this isn't how we grow." Once she walked onto the audition stage, there was "no turning back." Self-belief kept her future "on track": she was selected, and her speech improved beyond recognition. The poem's message proved true: the first step was hardest, and believing in herself made it possible.

The poem is a warm affirmation of the power of self-belief. It tells the reader that the intelligence and ability needed for achievement already lie within, so one should never limit oneself or be harsh with oneself. Goals worth pursuing will test endurance; the answer is to continue and persist while holding on to courage. Success may not arrive in the shape we expect, but it will come if we remain ready and persistent. The poet also places the individual in a generous world: one should let laughter and encouragement surround oneself, think big, and keep one's hands and heart open, for a person who believes, persists, hopes and gives generously will receive "all of life's gifts." In short: trust yourself, be kind to yourself, aim high, endure, and stay open.

Both poems are motivational addresses built on the same foundation, self-belief as the engine of achievement, and both speak directly to "you" in the voice of an encouraging guide. Their differences are of style and focus. Langley's poem is dramatic and situational: it captures one decisive moment, standing before a challenge with "no crowd to see", and dramatises the choice between comfort ("status quo") and growth, ending with the metaphor that "the first step is the hardest". Its four-line stanzas rhyme ABCB. Hewitt's poem, by contrast, is a free-flowing litany of affirmations: be kind to yourself, do not limit yourself, persist when tested, think big, keep hands and heart open. Langley persuades through imagery and contrast; Hewitt through benediction and repetition. Together they offer complementary lessons: the courage to begin, and the endurance to continue.

Read together, the two poems cover the whole arc of a dreamer's journey. Langley's poem stands at the threshold: it confronts the terrifying beginning, where there is "no crowd to see", where choices are difficult, and where the comfort of the status quo tempts the dreamer to stay still. Its resolution is the first step, taken with total commitment and powered by believing in yourself. Hewitt's poem then takes over for the long road that follows. It assumes the dreamer has begun and addresses the trials of the journey: being "tested beyond your endurance", the need to "continue and persist", to "hold on to courage", and to stay open, think big and receive life's gifts. The first poem supplies the courage to begin; the second supplies the endurance and generosity to continue. Between them, the dreamer is equipped from the first step to the final gift.

Both poems warn that comfort quietly destroys growth. In Langley's poem, the warning is explicit: "There is such ease in comfort / To maintain the status quo, / But this isn't what we are made for / This isn't how we grow." The parallel repetition insists that human beings are made for challenge, and the comfort that asks nothing of us leads only to stagnation. The dreamer must therefore take the hard first step, with "no turning back". Hewitt's poem attacks comfort from another direction. Its commands, "Do not limit yourself" and "Always think big", reject the small, safe, settled life that comfort prefers; its advice to be kind to oneself, persist through tests and keep hands and heart open, pushes the reader beyond self-protection towards generous effort. Together the poems teach that growth begins only where comfort ends, and that self-belief makes leaving comfort possible.

For a student afraid to begin, the two poems offer complete encouragement. From Langley, the student learns to accept the truth of the situation: there is "no crowd to see", and it is "just you and the future", so waiting for others' support or applause is futile. Fear will either "pull you forward" or "push you back", and choices are hardest when the future is near, but the comfort of the status quo is a trap, for "this isn't how we grow". The student should therefore take "the first step", the hardest one, remembering there is "no turning back", and "believe in yourself". From Hewitt comes the sustaining advice after beginning: do not limit yourself, be kind to yourself, persist when tested beyond endurance, hold on to courage, let laughter and encouragement surround you, think big, and keep your hands and heart open to receive all of life's gifts.

(b)

(c) — Only the second and fourth lines rhyme (see/be, fear/near, quo/grow, back/track).

(a)

(b)

(b) — The direct address "You" creates the feeling of talking directly to the reader.

(b)

(b)

(b) — The poem urges the reader to step up, grow and believe in oneself.

(b)

(b) — It reads as a series of affirmations and instructions in unrhymed, uneven lines.

(b)

(d) — The poem nowhere speaks of competition.

(b) — Like the prose letter, it reads as caring guidance from an elder.

(b)

These questions urge immediate collective action; they expect the reader to agree that the duty to change is self-evident and shared, leaving no room for indifference.

The question challenges the reader to reject fear and choose courage; the expected answer ("we will rise above it") inspires determination.

The poem warns that "there is such ease in comfort / To maintain the status quo", but "this isn't how we grow". The letter similarly observes that many "could have preferred to trade their dream for security", leaving their dreams unfulfilled. Both agree that comfort is the quiet enemy of dreams.

The poems supply the inner engine — belief, courage, persistence. But the letter adds the outer conditions: ten years of intensive effort, financial investment, sacrifice, a support network, and a realistic counting of costs. Read together, self-belief is necessary but must be paired with committed, sustained, realistic effort.

The three texts of Unit 8 divide the journey of a dream into complementary stages. Langley's "Believe in Yourself" confronts the hardest moment — the first step — and insists that self-belief keeps the future "on track", while Hewitt's "Always Believe in Yourself" blesses the dreamer with persistence, courage, kindness to oneself, and open hands and heart to receive life's gifts. The prose letter, meanwhile, supplies the strategy the poems assume: pursue the passion singularly for at least ten years, count the cost in effort, money and sacrifice, plunge only when conviction still burns, build a support network, and accept that life may change the dream itself — the mother's own decade-long chase to publish her book proves a changed dream can still thrill. Together they teach that dreams need both the poet's fire and the pragmatist's plan.