If we consider the psychological relations of the processes involved
in the above illustrations, we are led to the conviction that we
seldom exert our powers to their full capacity. Instances in which,
under the influence of some stirring, perhaps dangerous circumstance,
persons exert physical energies ordinarily beyond their resources,
are quite familiar; and the same is true though less readily
demonstrated of mental effort. The success of the various methods of
"mind cure," in which the conviction of the possibility of a cure so
markedly aids its realization, adds another class of illustrations;
and among the experiments with hypnotized persons occur countless
instances of the performance of actions, both physical and mental,
quite surpassing what is regarded as normal. The powers which are
here called upon through somewhat extreme and drastic means, can
doubtless be drawn upon to a less extent by the use of more moderate
agencies; and this at once suggests the educational utilization of
the mental attitude in question. Perhaps the ideal aim is to impress
the student indirectly rather than directly, by manner rather than
by instruction, with the conviction that what is required of him is
well within his powers; and to do this without in the least impugning
the necessity of honest, hard work for the accomplishment of serious
results. The complaint is often made that the American boy takes
longer by several years to reach a given grade of scholarship than
his foreign brother; and the reason of this difference is usually
assigned to the extremely slow progress made in the elementary public
schools. The machinery is started at too slow a rate, and seems to
leave the impress of its inertia upon all succeeding periods.
It is not possible to devise any readily formulated and easily
applied cure for this mental prepossession; our aim must be to
sterilize the mental atmosphere, so that the germs of the disease may
not gain a foothold; to set a healthy normal step and take it for
granted that it can be followed by all but the laggards. But in spite
of all effort, the failing is quite certain to crop out, and will
always continue to demand for its treatment much educational tact and
insight.
When we come to a slippery place in the road, we involuntarily take
short steps and become extremely conscious of our locomotion. It is
important to prevent the growth of the habit of imagining slippery
places in the paths about to be trodden; and even when they are
actually to be encountered, it is well to meet them with the bracing
effort that comes from the use of a reserve energy, to proceed
without too much consciousness of the path, and with as nearly a
normal gait as possible. There are sufficient difficulties in the
various walks of life without adding to them those that arise from
mental prepossession, and that lead to mental inertia.