You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fear; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.

The saying treats “youth” and “age” as moral and psychological conditions rather than biological facts. Faith, self-confidence, and hope are framed as renewing forces that keep a person mentally resilient and open to possibility; doubt, fear, and despair are depicted as corrosive habits that prematurely “age” the spirit by narrowing one’s sense of agency. The parallel structure (young/old; virtue/vice) turns the thought into a memorable maxim, implying that inner posture shapes vitality, courage, and endurance. In attribution to MacArthur, it is often read as a piece of motivational rhetoric suited to military leadership, emphasizing morale and mental discipline as determinants of stamina under pressure.

1) “You are as young as your faith, as old as your doubts; as young as your self-confidence, as old as your fears; as young as your hope, as old as your despair.”
2) “You are as young as your faith and as old as your doubt; as young as your self-confidence and as old as your fear; as young as your hope and as old as your despair.”
3) “A man is as young as his faith and as old as his doubt; as young as his self-confidence and as old as his fear; as young as his hope and as old as his despair.”