The ignorant person may say, "How can you get anything by merely
wanting it? I say that through concentration you can get anything
you want. Every desire can be gratified. But whether it is, will
depend upon you concentrating to have that desire fulfilled.
Merely wishing for something will not bring it. Wishing you had
something shows a weakness and not a belief that you will really
get it. So never merely wish, as we are not living in a "fairy
age." You use up just as much brain force in "vain imaginings" as
you do when you think of something worth while.
Be careful of your desires, make a mental picture of what you
want and set your will to this until it materializes. Never allow
yourself to drift without helm or rudder. Know what you want to
do, and strive with all your might to do it, and you will
succeed.
Feel that you can accomplish anything you undertake. Many
undertake to do things, but feel when they start they are going
to fail and usually they do. I will give an illustration. A man
goes to a store for an article. The clerk says, "I am sorry, we
have not it." But the man that is determined to get that thing
inquires if he doesn't know where he can get it. Again receiving
an unsatisfactory answer the determined buyer consults the
manager and finally he finds where the article can be bought.
That is the whole secret of concentrating on getting what you
want. And, remember, your soul is a center of all-power, and you
can accomplish what you will to. "I'll find a way or make one!"
is the spirit that wins. I know a man that is now head of a large
bank. He started there as a messenger boy. His father had a
button made for him with a "P" on it and put it on his coat. He
said, "Son, that 'P' is a reminder that some day you are to be
the president of your bank. I want you to keep this thought in
your mind. Every day do something that will put you nearer your
goal." Each night after supper he would say, "Son, what did you
do today?" In this way the thought was always kept in mind. He
concentrated on becoming president of that bank, and he did. His
father told him never to tell anyone what that "P" stood for. A
good deal of fun was made of it by his associates. And they tried
to find out what it stood for, but they never did until he was
made president and then he told the secret.
Don't waste your mental powers in wishes. Don't dissipate your
energies by trying to satisfy every whim. Concentrate on doing
something really worth while. The man that sticks to something is
not the man that fails.
"Power to him who power exerts."--Emerson.
Success to-day depends largely on concentrating on the Interior
law of force, for when you do this you awaken those thought
powers or forces, which, when used in business, insures permanent
results.
Until you are able to do this you have not reached your limit in
the use of your forces. This great universe is interwoven with
myriads of forces. You make your own place, and whether it is
important depends upon you. Through the Indestructible and
Unconquerable Law you can in time accomplish all right things and
therefore do not be afraid to undertake whatever you really
desire to accomplish and are willing to pay for in effort.
Anything that is right is possible. That which is necessary will
inevitably take place. If something is right it is your duty to
do it, though the whole world thinks it to be wrong. "God and one
are always a majority," or in plain words, that omnipotent
interior law which is God, and the organism that represents you
is able to conquer the whole world if your cause is absolutely
just. Don't say I wish I was a great man. You can do anything
that is proper and you want to do. Just say: You can. You will.
You must. Just realize this and the rest is easy. You have the
latent faculties and forces to subdue anything that tries to
interfere with your plans.
"Let-the-troubles-and-responsibilities-of-life-come-thick-and-fas
t. I-am-ready-for-them. My-soul-is-unconquerable.
I-represent-the-Infinite-law-of-force,-or-of-all-power.
This-God-within-is-my-all-sufficient-strength-and-ever-present-he
lp-in-time-of-trouble.
The-more-difficulties-the-greater-its-triumphs-through-me.
The-harder-my-trials,-the-faster-I-go-in-the-development-of-my-in
herent-strength. Let-all-else-fail-me.
This-interior-reliance-is-all-sufficient. The-right-must-prevail.
I-demand-wisdom-and-power-to-know-and-follow-the-right.
My-higher-self-is-all-wise. I-now-draw-nearer-to-it."
LESSON IV. CONCENTRATION, THE SILENT FORCE THAT PRODUCES RESULTS
IN ALL BUSINESS
I want you first to realize how powerful thought is. A thought of
fear has turned a person's hair gray in a night. A prisoner
condemned to die was told that if he would consent to an
experiment and lived through it he would be freed. He consented.
They wanted to see how much blood a person could lose and still
live. They arranged that blood would apparently drop from a cut
made in his leg. The cut made was very slight, from which
practically no blood escaped. The room was darkened, and the
prisoner thought the dropping he heard was really coming from his
leg. The next morning he was dead through mental fear.
The two above illustrations will give you a little idea of the
power of thought. To thoroughly realize the power of thought is
worth a great deal to you.
Through concentrated thought power you can make yourself whatever
you please. By thought you can greatly increase your efficiency
and strength. You are surrounded by all kinds of thoughts, some
good, others bad, and you are sure to absorb some of the latter
if you do not build up a positive mental attitude.
If you will study the needless moods of anxiety, worry,
despondency, discouragement and others that are the result of
uncontrolled thoughts, you will realize how important the control
of your thoughts are. Your thoughts make you what you are.
When I walk along the street and study the different people's
faces I can tell how they spent their lives. It all shows in
their faces, just like a mirror reflects their physical
countenances. In looking in those faces I cannot help thinking
how most of the people you see have wasted their lives.
The understanding of the power of thought will awaken
possibilities within you that you never dreamed of. Never forget
that your thoughts are making your environment, your friends, and
as your thoughts change these will also. Is this not a practical
lesson to learn? Good thoughts are constructive. Evil thoughts
are destructive. The desire to do right carries with it a great
power. I want you to thoroughly realize the importance of your
thoughts, and how to make them valuable, to understand that your
thoughts come to you over invisible wires and influence you.
If your thoughts are of a high nature, you become connected with
people of the same mental caliber and you are able to help
yourself. If your thoughts are tricky, you will bring tricky
people to deal with you, who will try to cheat you.
If your thoughts are right kind, you will inspire confidence in
those with whom you are dealing.
As you gain the good will of others your confidence and strength
will increase. You will soon learn the wonderful value of your
thoughts and how serene you can become even when circumstances
are the most trying.
Such thoughts of Right and Good Will bring you into harmony with
people that amount to something in the world and that are able to
give you help if you should need it, as nearly everyone does at
times.
You can now see why it is so important to concentrate your
thoughts in the proper channels. It is very necessary that people
should have confidence in you. When two people meet they have not
the time to look each other up. They accept each other according
to instinct which can usually be relied on.
You meet a person and his attitude creates a suspicion in you.
The chances are you cannot tell why, but something tells you,
"Have no dealings with him, for if you do, you will be sorry."
Thoughts produce actions. Therefore be careful of your thoughts.
Your life will be molded by the thoughts you have. A spiritual
power is always available to your thought, and when you are
worthy you can attract all the good things without a great effort
on your part.
The sun's rays shine down on our gardens, but we can plant trees
that will interfere with the sun light. There are invisible
forces ready to help you if you do not think and act to intercept
these. These forces work silently. "You reap what you sow."
You have concentrated within powers that if developed will bring
you happiness greater than you can even imagine. Most people go
rushing through life, literally driving away the very things they
seek. By concentration you can revolutionize your life,
accomplish infinitely more and without a great effort.
Look within yourself and you will find the greatest machine ever
made.
How to Speak Wisely. In order to speak wisely you must secure at
least a partial concentration of the faculties and forces upon
the subject at hand. Speech interferes with the focusing powers
of the mind, as it withdraws the attention to the external and
therefore is hardly to be compared with that deep silence of the
subconscious mind, where deep thoughts, and the silent forces of
high potency are evolved. It is necessary to be silent before you
can speak wisely. The person that is really alert and well poised
and able to speak wisely under trying circumstances, is the
person that has practiced in the silence. Most people do not know
what the silence is and think it is easy to go into the silence,
but this is not so. In the real silence we become attached to
that interior law and the forces become silent, because they are
in a state of high potency, or beyond the vibratory sounds to
which our external ears are attuned. He who desires to become
above the ordinary should open up for himself the interior
channels which lead to the absolute law of the omnipotent. You
can only do this by persistently and intelligently practicing
thought concentration. Hold the thought:
In-silence-I-will-allow-my-higher-self-to-have-complete-control.
I-will-be-true-to-my-higher-self.
I-will-live-true-to-my-conception-of-what-is-right.
I-realize-that-it-is-to-my-self-interest-to-live-up-to-my-best.
I-demand-wisdom-so that-I-may-act-wisely-for-myself-and-others.
In the next chapter I will tell you of the mysterious law, which
links all humanity together, by the powers of co-operative
thought, and chooses for us companionship and friends.