Dr. Norman Vincent Peale tells about walking by a tattoo parlor along one of Hong Kong's narrow streets. In the shop window there was a display of decorations that could be imprinted on your skin--flags, slogans, anchors, daggers, skulls, cross-bones, and mermaids--but the one which caught Dr. Peale's eye was the phrase: "Born to Lose." This made him curious, and he went into the shop. Luckily, the proprietor spoke a little English, and so Dr. Peale asked him if people really did have that message permanently imprinted on themselves. The answer was yes. The last customer who wanted it had it emblazoned across his chest.

"Why on earth would anyone want to be branded with a gloomy slogan like that?" Dr. Peale asked.

The Chinese man shrugged his shoulders and said, "Before tattoo on chest, …