Depend upon yourself. Make your judgement trustworthy by trusting it. You can develop good judgement as you do the muscles of your body - by judicious, daily exercise. To be known as a man of sound judgement will be much in your favor.

Rice’s advice frames judgment as a practical faculty rather than an inborn gift. The opening imperative—“Depend upon yourself”—links sound judgment to self-reliance: you become trustworthy by repeatedly acting on your own considered decisions, learning from outcomes, and refining your standards. The muscle metaphor emphasizes incremental improvement through routine practice (“judicious, daily exercise”), implying that discernment is strengthened by frequent, low-stakes choices as well as larger ones. The closing sentence shifts from inner development to social consequence: a reputation for sound judgment functions as a form of capital, increasing credibility and influence in professional and civic life.