Kipling decided to write the poem using second-person point of view because you're talking directly to whoever is reading the poem and telling them your experiences, and it could also be beneficial to the person reading the passage because it adds personification to the text and makes it more interest-arousing to the reader. Another way it could affect the reader is by his language. He is using language that could be motivational and inspirational to whomever doubt you about anything; to trust yourself.
