DEAR ABBY: I am 17 and popular in school. I have a lot of friends, but inside I feel like I'm not good enough to go out with the popular boys I like. I am friends with them all, but they always pay more attention to the prettier girls.
I know I should feel privileged to be popular, but what can I do to get the guys to notice me more? I sometimes stay up crying at night over this. -- WANTS MORE IN PENNSYLVANIA
DEAR WANTS MORE: I'll tell you a secret. Fear of failure can become a self-fulfilling prophecy -- and so can success. The more you dwell on your "deficiencies," the more pronounced they'll become. So, act more confident and soon you will be.