woman on woman sex

hey, tripp kramer here from www.trippadvice.com and i heard a very sad story recently and i want to share with you, one of my friends here in los angeles told me that him and his very long time girlfriend

have had a very poor sexual relationship over the past year and i asked him how often are you guys having sex? and he sadly told me once every two

months. let me tell you if you don't know this, if you haven't been in a relationship before, you haven't been dating a girl before, that is a very very long time. now that's a specific situation if you're in a relationship but i want to go over some of the reasons today why a woman will reject your advances to have sex with you, why a

girl says no to sex and in my buddy's case, a lot of things that i'm going to be going over today, completely applies. let's get into this. there's basically 3 reasons why a woman says no to sex and that's because she doesn't feel safe, she doesn't feel sexy and she doesn't feel seduced. now sexy and seduced kind of go hand in hand, but there is a little

bit of a difference and i'll be going over those differences today. remember this safe, seduced and sexy. those are the 3 things. a woman pretty much needs to feel all three of those things in order for her to want to have sex with you and not just want to have sex but really desire you sexually. a girl needs to feel emotionally safe

with you. what this means is that you are not going to be judging her in terms of if she's putting out, if she's getting sexual with you, if she's a little kinky, if she's a little bit dirtier, you're not going to be judging her for that. she needs to feel safe, she needs to have an opportunity to open up to you. i mean that physically, but i also mean that

emotionally. she needs to have that safe space where she does not feel judged and she doesn't feel like you're going to be looking at her with a bad eye. so that's one thing right, practicing non-judgment. not making a girl feel bad for being sexual, but also i do mean physically safe as well. there's a lot of concerns out there for a woman to make

sure that she's actually safe with the guy. that the guy is not going to hurt her or harm her and i've talked about this in previous videos, but there's the idea of consent, of getting consent from a woman in order to progress further with her sexually because when you get consent she feels safe, she feels more open to because she knows that she's able to say

no and you're going to be okay with it. some practical tips here is make sure you're not making her feel bad for any of her past sexual experiences, don't make her feel bad or don't judge her, don't give her kind of gross look or oh i can't believe you've done that kind of look in terms of how many guys she slept with if she's told you or what she's

done in the past. just be open to it, be non-judgmental and be okay with that. you know, she is a sexual human being just like you so that's one thing and then also like i said consent making sure you're getting the okay from her to move forward and if you do these things she's going to feel more safe with you. okay, let's move on. that's safe. let's go to

her feeling sexy. a big reason why women say no to sex is because they don't feel sexy and this is hard for a guy to understand because we don't feel that way. we come from the gym and we're smelling really bad, our hair is all messed up, we're still going to be in the mood to have sex even though we know we're not really looking

our best. we're wired a little bit differently. but a woman wants to feel sexy. she's having an off day where she's feeling fat or maybe she's on her period and just emotionally she's kind of a mess, she might not be in the mood to have sex. she's not feeling very sexy. she's not feeling sexy physically and she's not feeling sexy emotionally. now if

you're in a relationship and you're watching this, even if you're not you should still be watching this. if you're in a relationship, you should be complimenting her and making her feel sexy, telling her that she's beautiful. in fact, you should be doing that all the time, even when she's not looking her best or feeling her best. compliments go a very

very long way. that's sort of the practical side of how you can make a woman feel sexy. another thing you could do is if you're in a relationship and you want to have a great night out, you want to have some amazing sex what you can be doing is you can tell her to get really dressed up and you can take her out somewhere. you know plan something for

you two, go out and enjoy the evening and basically you're forcing her to put on some beautiful clothes and put on her makeup and look all pretty. get her to feel sexy. and when she feels that way she's going to feel more in the mood to be sexy with you. the third thing completely applies the guys who are in relationships but this is also for you

single guys out here. the third thing is seduction. a woman needs to feel seduced okay. now i know seduction has kind of a negative connotation because it sounds like you're putting her in some sort of trance, but i'm defining this in a whole new way. basically seducing a girl turns her on, makes her feel sexy and makes her feel safe. you're kind of

doing a lot of this at once and this is something you're going to be doing absolutely from the moment you meet a girl, when you first go up to her, first approach her and start a conversation all the way to you guys are in the bedroom together. one thing that i heard that i really really liked was from julian from real social dynamics. he

explains attraction for women in terms of a dial and for a man it's like a switch. so when you see a girl and you're really attracted to her you're pretty much ready to have sex. you don't care if you look sexy, you don't care how you look, you don't care even emotionally how you feel, most the time you're in the mood for sex. unless you're like in a

really bad mood, but you're ready to go when you're ready to go. for a woman it's a little bit different. it's like a dial. she needs to be dialed up, it's not like a switch. she needs to be turned on so it's more of a process. when you're talking to a woman and you're first meeting her, you need to go through the process of seduction and attraction to

get her in the mood to have sex with you and it can happen as quick as that night. and the way you're going to do this is by constantly going up to a girl, approaching her, giving her direct eye contact, speaking in a commanding tone, being able to hold conversation, being able to flirt with her, being able to challenge her and

disqualify her, which means that you're not going to agreeing with everything she says. you're going to be dominant by leading the interaction all the way from the beginning to the bedroom. this is seduction. most guys kind of let the girls take control, you know they kind of ask, oh when should we hang out and what are you free and let's move

around everything for you instead of taking the lead. if you're a guy who's taking the lead, who's going up who's approaching who's getting her number, who's continuing conversation, who's being in charge. this is seduction and if you're in a relationship, this is also what you could be doing. you're going to be leading her to the bedroom, make her feel sexy, you're going

to be kissing her in such a way that's going to make her so turned on, you're going to move slow with her, you're gonna be giving her that deep eye contact. women need to be seduced. like you just learned, it's like a dial. she needs to be turned up. for us, it's pretty quick but for her you need to take your time to seduce her and that process of

seduction is the turn of that dial because she needs to be warmed up and warmed up and then when you do that she is absolutely going to be in the mood for sex. if you want to see this on a more practical level i have a great free video for you called tripp's tension technique and it's a video where i demonstrate on an actual girl how to do

a little technique that turns her on. this is again part of the seduction process so you can get that in the description below. i'll put a little link. it's 100% free and you can watch me do this move that you can do with a girl when she's back at your place or if you're in a relationship pretty much any time. check that out

in the description below. press like if this video helped you and let's talk more about this in the comments below. leave a comment, tell me what you think about this. tell me if this makes sense

woman on woman sex,to you, again we're talking about making a girl feel safe, sexy and seduced and then she will say yes to you in the bedroom. i'll see you on the next video.

sexual women

i love giving blowjobs to sandwiches. i love sacrificing my dignity for a drink. i love sleeping with guys that don’t know my name. the pursuit of happiness, just as our forefathers wanted.

i hope when my daughter grows up that she has friends just like these. the key to my heart? a man that smells like a vagina. i’d sell my body for a burger.

nothing makes me hotter than watching a guy get his head blown off. i’m only here for your entertainment. what goes great with this dish? my butt.

sexual women,obviously my cleavage can sell anything. when i reach into my designer handbag you know i’m naked. this shirt looks too good for pants. peek-a-boo... like what you see?

lack of sexual desire

being in a relationship where it doesn't feel like there's enough sex sounds like a trivial and somewhat comedic luxury problem as though someone were complaining there wasn't enough tennis or yoga

between a couple. but an absence of sex isn't trivial in the least. it's a humblingly serious problem

and might even be what dooms the relationship itself. one statistic stands out: in an average year, in the oecd countries, 70% of those who initiate a divorce cited a lack of sex as the first or second reason for parting. if there's one generalization we can make about couples, it's that a lack of sex, by which we mean something like less than four times a month,

is an alarm bell we should listen to. why is sex such a key part of keeping two people close? because in sex, two people accept each other in the most profound of ways. the apparently dirty and shameful sides of us, the way weird fantasies and the unusual longings, are legitimated through sex. someone else witnesses and accepts us as bodily and psychological beings.

sex symbolises an end to loneliness and a reaffirmation of trust. not daring or wanting to have sex with a partner is tantamount to admitting that one can't be oneself in their presence. a lack of sex is bad enough, but far worse is the way in which the reciprocated longing for sex tends to manifest itself. typically, a person who wants it doesn't ask very clearly, maybe merely sliding a hand over in a timid, half-hearted search for reciprocation. they don't complain calmly,

don't deliver an eloquent self-confidence speech about how difficult they're finding it, and don't inquire sympathetically as to what might be going on in their partner. far too often, they tend to quickly move on to symptomatic behavior, where in their disappointment and sense of humiliation, are acted out, rather than discussed. they bang dishes, they get mean, a whole raft of conflicts then develops that has ostensibly nothing to do with sex, and yet is caused by its absence. one starts squabbling over the in-laws in the state of the kitchen. the one who's been let down sexually behaves so badly, they start to seem like a monster, further reducing the chances of sex ever taking place.

eventually, the sex-starved party may simply go off and have an affair, not because they don't love their partner, but because showing their desire has become so fraught with rejection that they're out for a bit of revenge. the lack of sex discussion is so hard to have because quite simply, it feels so shameful to be unwanted sexually. it plays into every worst fear about unacceptability. it's bad enough when it happens on a date. it's even sadder to have to admit that one's being rejected by one's partner inside the apparent safety and commitment of a long term relationship.

maybe there's something wrong with them, but far more likely, there's something revolting about us. the key to a process of reconciliation is to rein in one's wilder feelings of rejection and self-disgust in order to be able to consider why the other party might have gone off sex. here's a key fact: everyone wants sex in principle. when it isn't wanted, it's because the condition for sex is not being met, and then, not communicated. privately, the sex-rejecting party has a problem they're not sharing. they might in secret be thinking, "i might have sex, if only you listened more to my problems with my family," or, "if you gave me more time to do my work,"

or, "if you weren't so mean to me around domestic chores." there might be kinkier reasons: "i'd have more sex if you allow me to play out certain fantasies," "if you were more broad minded about role playing," "if you were more into kissing, or wanted it rough, or could be more submissive." the person being denied sex hasn't usually had any chance to hear these reasons in plain, unaccusing, gentle terms. or maybe they've heard them, but without a sober awareness of what's really at stake here. there's been no proper communication.

therefore, a classic recommendation, deliberately artificial, is that the two parties, aware that their entire relationship properly depends on getting this right, should write each other a letter titled simply, "what i want from sex." it's a chance to be deeply honest about your true sexual identity; it's then incumbent on both parties to take the other's words seriously and in good faith. two people are always going to be a bit sexually incompatible, but we shouldn't get so scared and angry at this that we create a secondary barrier of hurt, punishment, and shame. we should take the first steps to finding a way

in which what you want and they want can, in a modest way, be harmonized, and the sarcasm and banging dishes can stop. every time such a conversation about sex happens in the quiet of the night, the angels of relationships hover over the bedroom and sound their silent trumpets in celebration,

lack of sexual desire,because another couple have just critically improved their chances of lasting a little longer together. if you like our films, take a look at our shop: theschooloflife.com/shop.

you'll find lots of thoughtful books, games, stationery, and more.

lack of desire

the power of concentration, by theron q. dumont the power of concentration by theron q. dumontauthor of "personal magnetism"; "practical memorytraining"; "mental therapeutics"; "successful salesmanship"; "master mind"; etc., etc.

table of contents introduction. it is of the utmost value tolearn how to concentrate. to make the greatest successof anything you must be able to concentrate your entire thought uponthe idea you are

working on. the person that is able to concentrateutilizes all constructive thoughts and shuts out all destructiveones. the greatest man would accomplish nothing if helacked concentration. lesson 1. concentration finds the way. ourtwo natures; one wants to advance; the other wants to pull us back.the one we concentrate on and develop determines whatwe will become. how you may change your whole career and accomplishmiracles. we can be completely controlled by our concentratedthought. how can you make an "opportunity". one man's opportunityis usually another

man's loss. a very beneficial practice. whywe get back what we give out. a wonderful encouraging tonic. everyman that is willing to put forth the necessary effortcan be a success. the man that is best prepared to do things. howto make your services always in demand. how to reach the top. theman selected to manage is not usually a genius. he does notpossess any more talent than others. what he does possess thatothers do not. why a few succeed and so many fail. lesson 2. the self-mastery. self-directionpower of

concentration. very few men possess the powerto concentrate as they should. the cause of poor concentration.a very good practice. concentration means strength ofmind. the person unable to concentrate never accomplished a greatdeal. how many weaken their powers of concentration. how concentrationcan only be developed. how to control your every thought,wish and plan. what concentration is. the person that is ableto concentrate gains the power to control others. concentrationmakes the will and intellect act in unison. why some people arenot magnetic. when a

powerful personal influence is generated.how to become influential. the cause of spasmodic, erraticconcentration. how to centralize your attention. a quick wayto develop concentration. the development of physicaland mental concentration. how to learn a valuable lesson.one of the best ways to influence another. a good exercise.the real benefit of physical culture usually lost sight of. howto hold the facilities at work. lesson 3. how to gain what you want throughconcentration. the

mistake made by those that do not understandthe power of mental attraction. how to get what you want. we arenot living in a "fairy age." not the age for a "dreamer."the secret of getting what you concentrate on. how a messenger ina bank became its president. "power to him who power exerts." lesson 4. concentration, the silent forcethat produces results in all business. the power of thought. anexperiment showing the power of thought. by concentrated thoughtyou can make yourself what you please. how to greatly increase yourefficiency. the

face reflects how a person has spent his life.how to awaken possibilities within, you never dreamed of.how to inspire confidence in those you deal with. the valueof concentrating your thoughts in the proper channels. howto attract the good things without a, great effort. by concentrationyou can revolutionize your life and gain happinessgreater than you can imagine. lesson 5. how concentrated thought links allhumanity together. how you may become successful. the barriersto success can be

controlled. how to realize your fondest ambitions.how to overcome destructive forces. how to becomethe master of circumstances. through concentration you canmold your environment. you can get what you want. sowingthe thought seeds of success. mind forces that are hardly dreamedof at present. a method for removing unfavorable conditions.concentration makes you happy and gives you plenty to do. lesson 6. the training of the will to do.the great secret of any accomplishment. everything is possible today.the inner energy

that controls all conscious acts. how youcan become a genius. a mighty force at your disposal. rules thatwill make you a "man" among men. the spirit that wins. concentrationdevelops determination and perseverance. some specialinstructions. what will power is. you have as strong a will asanyone. you determine your own fate. the importance of learningto use your will. lesson 7. the concentrated mental demand.the attitude of the mind affects the expression of the face. thewonderful power of the concentrated mental demand. how to desiresomething and

exclude all distracting thoughts. the silentforce of wonderful power within all of us. how to make planswork out. the mightiest power in the world is free for you to use.the motive power which supplies the energies necessary for achievement. lesson 8. concentration gives mental poise.the man that can concentrate is well poised. what you mustdo to be successful today. concentration that is dangerous. howto make those you come in contact with feel as you do. the manthat becomes a power in the world. you can control your life andactions. successful

lives are the concentrated lives. why peopledo not get what they "concentrate" on. lesson 9. concentration can overcome bad habits.habit is but a powerful enemy and wonderful ally of concentration.most people are controlled through the power of habit.most people are imitators and copiers of their past selves.all physical impressions are the carrying out of the actionsof the will and intellect. how everyone could be made happierand successful. some wonderful maxims. habit the deepest lawof human nature. how

to overcome undesirable habits. some specialinstructions by dr. oppenheim. lesson 10. business results gained throughconcentration. a successful business not the result of chance.failure not caused by luck. the intense desire that is necessaryto make a business a success. those that achieve permanent successdeserve it. the man that is able to skilfully manage his business.how to realize your ambition. the successful business attitude.your opinion should be as good as any one else. how manyruin their judgment.

the man that gets the best results. a successfulbusiness not hard to build up; may be built up in a fewyears now whereas formerly it took a lifetime. how to do moreand better work. how to attract the ideas thought out by others.many attract forces and influences that they should not. broadenthe visions of those you come in contact with. lesson 11. concentrate on courage. lack ofcourage creates financial, as well as mental and moral difficulties.the man without courage attracts all that is contemptible,weakening,

demoralizing and destructive. it is just aseasy to be courageous as cowardly. courage concentrates the mentalforces on the task at hand. cowardice dissipates both mentaland moral forces. how to banish doubts. no one knows what they cando until they try. once you understand the law everything ispossible. how to build up courage to do as you wish. difficultiessoon melt away before the courageous. lesson 12. concentrate on wealth. no one wasintended to be poor. through wealth we can uplift ourselves andhumanity. uncongenial

and unpleasant conditions are not conduciveto proper thought. first step toward acquiring wealth. most menof all ages have been comparatively rich. wealth not altogetherthe result of being industrious. no one can become wealthyfrom his earnings. why some have to be taught such painful lessons.how many attract poverty instead of riches. why it is necessaryto give a fair exchange for what we receive. how to makeyour society not only agreeable to others but sought after. lesson 13. you can concentrate, but will you?all have the

ability to concentrate. more ability not usedthan is used. sometimes only a trifle keeps one from becominga success. the fault is all your own. how to discover thecause if you are not making good. make conditions favorable anddo not expect them to shape themselves. stumbling blocks but steppingstones. hard passages can be bridged if you just concentrateon them. why more people do not succeed. don't be afraid ofa rebuff. the man that knows no such thing as failure. be ready foran opportunity when it comes, no circumstances can keep the determinedman from

succeeding. lesson 14. art of concentrating with practicalexercise. a daily habit will wonderfully increase your concentration.seeing yourself as you would like to be. instructionof the greatest importance. the great creative spirit of theuniverse. why things manifest as they do. the cosmic intelligence.a most desired state. how to receive messages from the universalmind. how to develop power, unknown to you before. makeyour mind a powerful transmitter of thought. the best time to practiceconcentration

exercises. how to rejuvenate every cell ofyour brain and body. an exercise that will give you a self-poisedmanner. instead of a nervous strained appearance. concentratingon the powers within. concentration will save your energy. how tokeep from getting irritable or nervous. the eastern way of concentrating.exercise in controlling desires. lesson 15. concentrate so you will not forget.why people forget. an easy way to remember. how to deepen yourimpression. exercise in memory concentration.

lesson 16. how concentration can fulfill yourdesire. the desire to do implies the ability to do. man has withinhim the power to gratify his every wish. if you have been unableto satisfy your longings, it is time you learn how to useyour god-given powers. priceless knowledge and unlimited possibilitieswithin you that is foreign to most people. how to concentrateon what you want and get it. the miraculous help we apparentlyreceive at times. how one man started a business on thirteencents and in six years built up a business that pays him $6,000 ayear. when you put

forth the necessary concentrated effort youwill receive great help from unknown sources. lesson 17. ideals develop by concentration.your happiness and success depends upon your ideals. a valuablelesson. through concentration we can work out our ideals inphysical life. what a different world this would be if we wouldbuild the right kind of ideals. every time you change your ideal youthink differently. life is one continuous unfoldment. you canbe happy every step of its way or miserable as you please. how ourgrandest thoughts

come to us. lesson 18. mental control through creation.an inventor's vision. why it is easy to project your thoughts toanother. how your mental powers can draw to you forces of ahelpful nature. the big business man must possess mental power ofcontrol. how to make a friend or relative succeed. how to generateenthusiasm and the spirit of success. your environment is eitherhelpful or harmful. mental starvation. how to instil your thoughtsand ideas into others. influence that must be shaken offbefore you can advance.

our attitude has more to do with success thanyou realize. lesson 19. a concentrated will development.a most effective and practical method of developing the will. practicalexercises. will training without exercises. will-powercan overcome big obstacles. the will to win. man an unknownquality until his powers are developed. ability plentiful, butorganizing, initiative and creative power not so plentiful.the driving force within. lesson 20. concentration reviewed. those unableto concentrate

will generally suffer from poverty and unhappiness,the best instructor will only help you to the extentyou put it into practice. gaining the mastery of your work,life powers and forces. concentrate the dominant quality thatmakes men successful. everyone can learn to concentratebetter. an experiment to try. final instructions. introductory we all know that in order to accomplish acertain thing we must concentrate. it is of the utmost value tolearn how to

concentrate. to make a success of anythingyou must be able to concentrate your entire thought upon the ideayou are working out. do not become discouraged, if you are unableto hold your thought on the subject very long at first. there arevery few that can. it seems a peculiar fact that it is easierto concentrate on something that is not good for us, than onsomething that is beneficial. this tendency is overcome whenwe learn to concentrate consciously.

if you will just practice a few concentrationexercises each day you will find you will soon develop this wonderfulpower. success is assured when you are able to concentratefor you are then able to utilize for your good all constructivethoughts and shut out all the destructive ones. it is ofthe greatest value to be able to think only that which will be beneficial. did you ever stop to think what an importantpart your thoughts, concentrated thoughts, play in your life?this book shows their far-reaching and all-abiding effects.

these lessons you will find very practical.the exercises i have thoroughly tested. they are arranged so thatyou will notice an improvement from the very start, and thiswill give you encouragement. they point out ways in whichyou can help yourself. man is a wonderful creature, but he must betrained and developed to be useful. a great work can be accomplishedby every man if he can be awakened to do his very best. but thegreatest man would not accomplish much if he lacked concentrationand effort. dwarfs

can often do the work of giants when theyare transformed by the almost magic power of great mental concentration.but giants will only do the work of dwarfs when they lackthis power. we accomplish more by concentration than byfitness; the man that is apparently best suited for a place doesnot always fill it best. it is the man that concentrates on itsevery possibility that makes an art of both his work and hislife. all your real advancement must come from yourindividual effort. this course of lessons will stimulate andinspire you to achieve

success; it will bring you into perfect harmonywith the laws of success. it will give you a firmer hold onyour duties and responsibilities. the methods of thought concentration givenin this work if put into practice will open up interior avenuesthat will connect you with the everlasting laws of being and theirexhaustless foundation of unchangeable truth. as most people are very different it is impossibleto give instructions that will be of the same valueto all. the author

has endeavored in these lessons to awakenthat within the soul which perhaps the book does not express. sostudy these lessons as a means of awakening and training thatwhich is within yourself. let all your acts and thoughts havethe intensity and power of concentration. to really get the full benefit of these lessonsyou should read a page, then close the book and thoughtfullyrecall its ideas. if you will do this you will soon cultivate aconcentrated mental habit, which will enable you to read withordinary rapidity and

remember all that you read. lesson i. concentration finds the way everyone has two natures. one wants us toadvance and the other wants to pull us back. the one that we cultivateand concentrate on decides what we are at the end. both naturesare trying to gain control. the will alone decides the issue.a man by one supreme effort of the will may change hiswhole career and almost accomplish miracles. you may be that man.you can be if you will to be, for will can find a way or make one.

i could easily fill a book, of cases wheremen plodding along in a matter-of-fact way, were all at once arousedand as if awakening from a slumber they developed thepossibilities within them and from that time on were differentpersons. you alone can decide when the turning point will come. itis a matter of choice whether we allow our diviner self to controlus or whether we will be controlled by the brute within us.no man has to do anything he does not want to do. he is thereforethe director of his life if he wills to be. what we are todo, is the result of

our training. we are like putty, and can becompletely controlled by our will power. habit is a matter of acquirement. you hearpeople say: "he comes by this or that naturally, a chip off theold block," meaning that he is only doing what his parents did.this is quite often the case, but there is no reason for it, fora person can break a habit just the moment he masters the "i will."a man may have been a "good-for-nothing" all his life upto this very minute, but from this time on he begins to amountto something. even old

men have suddenly changed and accomplishedwonders. "i lost my opportunity," says one. that may be true,but by sheer force of will, we can find a way to bring us anotheropportunity. there is no truth in the saying that opportunity knocksat our door but once in a lifetime. the fact is, opportunitynever seeks us; we must seek it. what usually turns out to beone man's opportunity, was another man's loss. in this day one man'sbrain is matched against another's. it is often the quicknessof brain action that determines the result. one man thinks "i willdo it," but while

he procrastinates the other goes ahead anddoes the work. they both have the same opportunity. the one willcomplain of his lost chance. but it should teach him a lesson,and it will, if he is seeking the path that leads to success. many persons read good books, but say theydo not get much good out of them. they do not realize that allany book or any lesson course can do is to awaken them to their possibilities;to stimulate them to use their will power. youmay teach a person from now until doom's day, but that personwill only know what he

learns himself. "you can lead him to the fountain,but you can't make him drink." one of the most beneficial practices i knowof is that of looking for the good in everyone and everything, forthere is good in all things. we encourage a person by seeing hisgood qualities and we also help ourselves by looking for them. wegain their good wishes, a most valuable asset sometimes. weget back what we give out. the time comes when most all of us needencouragement; need buoying up. so form the habit of encouragingothers, and you will

find it a wonderful tonic for both those encouragedand yourself, for you will get back encouraging and upliftingthoughts. life furnishes us the opportunity to improve.but whether we do it or not depends upon how near we live upto what is expected of us. the first of each month, a person shouldsit down and examine the progress he has made. if he has not comeup to "expectations" he should discover the reason, and by extraexertion measure up to what is demanded next time. every timethat we fall behind what we planned to do, we lose just so muchfor that time is gone

forever. we may find a reason for doing it,but most excuses are poor substitutes for action. most things arepossible. ours may be a hard task, but the harder the task, thegreater the reward. it is the difficult things that really developus, anything that requires only a small effort, utilizes veryfew of our faculties, and yields a scanty harvest of achievement.so do not shrink from a hard task, for to accomplish one of thesewill often bring us more good than a dozen lesser triumphs. i know that every man that is willing to paythe price can be a

success. the price is not in money, but ineffort. the first essential quality for success is the desireto do--to be something. the next thing is to learn howto do it; the next to carry it into execution. the man that is thebest able to accomplish anything is the one with a broadmind; the man that has acquired knowledge, that may, it is true,be foreign to this particular case, but is, nevertheless, ofsome value in all cases. so the man that wants to be successfulmust be liberal; he must acquire all the knowledge that he can;he must be well

posted not only in one branch of his businessbut in every part of it. such a man achieves success. the secret of success is to try always toimprove yourself no matter where you are or what your position.learn all you can. don't see how little you can do, but how muchyou can do. such a man will always be in demand, for he establishesthe reputation of being a hustler. there is always room forhim because progressive firms never let a hustler leavetheir employment if they can help it.

the man that reaches the top is the gritty,plucky, hard worker and never the timid, uncertain, slow worker.an untried man is seldom put in a position of responsibilityand power. the man selected is one that has done something, achievedresults in some line, or taken the lead in his department.he is placed there because of his reputation of putting vigorand virility into his efforts, and because he has previously shownthat he has pluck and determination. the man that is chosen at the crucial timeis not usually a

genius; he does not possess any more talentthan others, but he has learned that results can only be producedby untiring concentrated effort. that "miracles," in businessdo not just "happen." he knows that the only way theywill happen is by sticking to a proposition and seeing it through.that is the only secret of why some succeed and others fail.the successful man gets used to seeing things accomplished andalways feels sure of success. the man that is a failure gets usedto seeing failure, expects it and attracts it to him.

it is my opinion that with the right kindof training every man could be a success. it is really a shame thatso many men and women, rich in ability and talent, are allowedto go to waste, so to speak. some day i hope to see a millionairephilanthropist start a school for the training of failures.i am sure he could not put his money to a better use. in a year'stime the science of practical psychology could do wonders forhim. he could have agencies on the lookout for men that had losttheir grip on themselves; that had through indispositionweakened their will;

that through some sorrow or misfortune hadbecome discouraged. at first all they need is a little help to getthem back on their feet, but usually they get a knock downwardsinstead. the result is that their latent powers never developand both they and the world are the losers. i trust that in thenear future, someone will heed the opportunity of using some ofhis millions in arousing men that have begun to falter. allthey need to be shown is that there is within them an omnipotentsource that is ready to aid them, providing they will make useof it. their minds only

have to be turned from despair to hope tomake them regain their hold. when a man loses his grip today, he must winhis redemption by his own will. he will get little encouragementor advice of an inspiring nature. he must usually regain theright road alone. he must stop dissipating his energies and turnhis attention to building a useful career. today we must conquerour weakening tendencies alone. don't expect anyone to helpyou. just take one big brace, make firm resolutions, and resolveto conquer your

weaknesses and vices. really none can do thisfor you. they can encourage you; that is all. i can think of nothing, but lack of health,that should interfere with one becoming successful. there is noother handicap that you should not be able to overcome. to overcomea handicap, all that it is necessary to do is to use more determinationand grit and will. the man with grit and will, may be poor todayand wealthy in a few years; will power is a better asset thanmoney; will will

carry you over chasms of failure, if you butgive it the chance. the men that have risen to the highest positionshave usually had to gain their victories against big odds.think of the hardships many of our inventors have gone through beforethey became a success. usually they have been very muchmisunderstood by relatives and friends. very often they didnot have the bare necessities of life, yet, by sheer determinationand resolute courage, they managed to exist somehow untilthey perfected their inventions, which afterwards greatly helpedin bettering the

condition of others. everyone really wants to do something, butthere are few that will put forward the needed effort to makethe necessary sacrifice to secure it. there is only oneway to accomplish anything and that is to go ahead and do it.a man may accomplish almost anything today, if he just sets hisheart on doing it and lets nothing interfere with his progress.obstacles are quickly overcome by the man that sets out to accomplishhis heart's desire. the "bigger" the man, the smallerthe obstacle appears.

the "smaller" the man the greater the obstacleappears. always look at the advantage you gain by overcomingobstacles, and it will give you the needed courage for theirconquest. do not expect that you will always have easysailing. parts of your journey are likely to be rough. don'tlet the rough places put you out of commission. keep on with thejourney. just the way you weather the storm shows what materialyou are made of. never sit down and complain of the rough places,but think how nice the pleasant stretches were. view with delightthe smooth plains that

are in front of you. do not let a setback stop you. think of itas a mere incident that has to be overcome before you can reachyour goal. lesson ii. the self-mastery: self-directionpower of concentration man from a psychological standpoint of developmentis not what he should be. he does not possess the self-mastery,the self-directing power of concentration thatis his by right. he has not trained himself in a way to promotehis self-mastery.

every balanced mind possesses the facultieswhose chief duties are to engineer, direct and concentrate theoperations of the mind, both in a mental and physical sense.man must learn to control not only his mind but his bodily movements. when the controlling faculties (autonomic)are in an untrained condition, the impulses, passions, emotions,thoughts, actions and habits of the person suffer from lackof regulation, and the procedure of mental concentration is not good,not because the mind is necessarily weak in the autonomicdepartment of the

faculties, but because the mind is not properlytrained. when the self-regulating faculties are notdeveloped the impulses, appetites, emotions and passionshave full swing to do as they please and the mind becomes impulsive,restless, emotional and irregular in its action. thisis what makes mental concentration poor. when the self-guiding faculties are weak indevelopment, the person always lacks the power of mental concentration.therefore you cannot learn to concentrate until youdevelop those very

powers that qualify you to be able to concentrate.so if you cannot concentrate one of the following isthe cause: 1. "deficiency of the motor centers."2. "an impulsive and emotional mind." 3. "an untrained mind." the last fault can soon be removed by systematicpractice. it is easiest to correct. the impulsive and emotional state of mindcan best be corrected by restraining anger, passion and excitement,hatred, strong impulses, intense emotions, fretfulness, etc.it is impossible to

concentrate when you are in any of these excitedstates. these can be naturally decreased by avoidingsuch food and drinks as have nerve weakening or stimulating influences,or a tendency to stir up the passions, the impulses andthe emotions; it is a very good practice to watch and associatewith those persons that are steady, calm, controlled and conservative. correcting the deficiency of the motor centersis harder because as the person's brain is undeveloped he lackswill power. to cure this takes some time. persons so afflictedmay benefit by

reading and studying my course, "the mastermind."[*] [*] to be published by advanced thought publishingco., chicago, ill. many have the idea that when they get intoa negative state they are concentrating, but this is not so. theymay be meditating, though not concentrating. those that are ina negative state a good deal of the time cannot, as a rule, concentratevery well; they develop instead abstraction of the mind,or absence of mind. their power of concentration becomes weakerand they find it

difficult to concentrate on anything. theyvery often injure the brain, if they keep up this state. to be ableto concentrate you must possess strength of mind. the personthat is feeble-minded cannot concentrate his mind, because of lackof will. the mind that cannot center itself on a special subject,or thought, is weak; also the mind that cannot draw itselffrom a subject or thought is weak. but the person that can centerhis mind on any problem, no matter what it is, and removeany unharmonious impressions has strength of mind. concentration,first, last and

all the time, means strength of mind. through concentration a person is able tocollect and hold his mental and physical energies at work. a concentratedmind pays attention to thoughts, words, acts and plans.the person who allows his mind to roam at will will neveraccomplish a great deal in the world. he wastes his energies.if you work, think, talk and act aimlessly, and allow your brainto wander from your subject to foreign fields, you will not beable to concentrate. you concentrate at the moment when you say,"i want to, i can, i

will." some mistakes some people make. if you wasteyour time reading sensational stories or worthless newspaperitems, you excite the impulsive and the emotional faculties, andthis means you are weakening your power of concentration. youwill not be a free engineer, able to pilot yourself to success. concentration of the mind can only be developedby watching yourself closely. all kinds of developmentcommence with close attention. you should regulate your everythought and feeling.

when you commence to watch yourself and yourown acts and also the acts of other people, you use the facultiesof autonomy, and, as you continue to do so, you improve yourfaculties, until in time you can engineer your every thought,wish and plan. to be able to focalize the mind on the object athand in a conscious manner leads to concentration. only the trainedmind can focalize. to hold a thought before it untilall the faculties shall have had time to consider that thoughtis concentration. the person that cannot direct his thoughts,wishes, plans,

resolutions and studies cannot possibly succeedto the fullest extent. the person that is impulsive one momentand calm the next has not the proper control over himself. heis not a master of his mind, nor of his thoughts, feelings andwishes. such a person cannot be a success. when he becomes irritated,he irritates others and spoils all chances of any concerneddoing their best. but the person that can direct his energiesand hold them at work in a concentrated manner controls his everywork and act, and thereby gains power to control others. hecan make his every move

serve a useful end and every thought a noblepurpose. in this day the man that gets excited andirritable should be looked upon as an undesirable person. theperson of good breeding now speaks with slowness and deliberation.he is cultivating more and more of a reposeful attitude. he is consciouslyattentive and holds his mind to one thing at a time. heshuts out everything else. when you are talking to anyone givehim your sole and undivided attention. do not let your attentionwander or be diverted. give no heed to anything else, butmake your will and

intellect act in unison. start out in the morning and see how self-poisedyou can remain all day. at times take an inventory of youractions during the day and see if you have kept your determination.if not, see that you do tomorrow. the more self-poised youare the better will your concentration be. never be in too muchof a hurry; and, remember, the more you improve your concentration,the greater are your possibilities. concentration meanssuccess, because you are better able to govern yourself and centralizeyour mind; you

become more in earnest in what you do andthis almost invariably improves your chances for success. when you are talking to a person have yourown plans in mind. concentrate your strength upon the purposeyou are talking about. watch his every move, but keep your own plansbefore you. unless you do, you will waste your energy and notaccomplish as much as you should. i want you to watch the next person you seethat has the reputation of being a strong character, aman of force. watch and

see what a perfect control he has over hisbody. then i want you to watch just an ordinary person. notice howhe moves his eyes, arms, fingers; notice the useless expenditureof energy. these movements all break down the vital cells andlessen the person's power in vital and nerve directions. it isjust as important for you to conserve your nervous forces as itis the vital forces. as an example we see an engine going along thetrack very smoothly. some one opens all the valves and the trainstops. it is the same with you. if you want to use your full amountof steam, you must

close your valves and direct your power ofgenerating mental steam toward one end. center your mind onone purpose, one plan, one transaction. there is nothing that uses up nerve forceso quickly as excitement. this is why an irritable personis never magnetic; he is never admired or loved; he does not developthose finer qualities that a real gentleman possesses.anger, sarcasm and excitement weaken a person in this direction.the person that allows himself to get excited will becomenervous in time,

because he uses up his nerve forces and hisvital energies. the person that cannot control himself and keepfrom becoming excited cannot concentrate. when the mind can properly concentrate, allthe energy of every microscopic cell is directed into one channeland then there is a powerful personal influence generated. everyonepossesses many millions of little trembling cells, and eachone of these has a center where life and energy are stored upand generated. if this energy is not wasted but conserved and controlled,this person is

influential, but when it is the opposite,he is not influential or successful. just as it is impossible for a steam engineto run with all its valves open, so is it impossible for you towaste your energy and run at your top speed. each neuron in thegray layers of the brain is a psychic center of thought and action,each one is pulsating an intelligent force of some kind,and when this force, your thoughts and motions, are kept in cheekby a conservative, systematic and concentrated mind, the resultwill be magnetism,

vitality and health. the muscles, bones, ligaments,feet, hands and nerves, etc., are agents for carryingout the mandates of the mind. the sole purpose of the volitional facultiesis to move the physical mechanism as the energy travels alongthe wires of nerves and muscles. just for that reason,if you throw a voluntary control over these messages, impulses,thoughts, emotions, physical movements and over thesephysical instruments you develop your faculties of self-masteryand to the extent you succeed here in proportion will you developthe power of

concentration. any exercise or work that excites the mind,stimulates the senses, calls the emotions and appetites intoaction, confuses, terrifies or emotionalizes, weakens the powerof concentration. this is why all kind of excitement is bad.this is the reason why persons who drink strong drinks, who allowthemselves to get into fits of temper, who fight, who eat stimulatingfood, who sing and dance and thus develop their emotions, whoare sudden, vehement and emotional, lack the power to concentrate.but those whose

actions are slower and directed by their intelligencedevelop concentration. sometimes dogmatic, wilful,excitable persons can concentrate, but it is spasmodic, erraticconcentration instead of controlled and uniform concentration. theirenergy works by spells; sometimes they have plenty, othertimes very little; it is easily excited; easily wasted. the bestway to understand it is to compare it with the discharge of a gun.if the gun goes off when you want it to, it accomplishes the purpose,but if it goes off before you are ready for it, you willnot only waste

ammunition, but it is also likely to do somedamage. that is just what most persons do. they allow their energyto explode, thus not only wasting it but endangering others.they waste their power, their magnetism and so injure theirchance of success. such persons are never well liked and neverwill be until they gain control over themselves. it will be necessary for them to practicemany different kinds of concentration exercises, and to keep themup for some time. they must completely overcome their sudden, erraticthoughts, and

regulate their emotions and movements. theymust from morning to night train the mind to be steady, and directand keep the energies at work. the lower area of the brain is the store houseof the energy. most all persons have all the dynamic energythey need if they would concentrate it. they have the machine,but they must also have the engineer, or they will not go veryfar. the engineer is the self-regulating, directing power. theperson that does not develop his engineering qualities will notaccomplish much in

life. the good engineer controls his everyact. all work assists in development. by what you do you eitheradvance or degenerate. this is a good idea to keep always in mind.when you are uncertain whether you should do somethingor not, just think whether by doing it you will grow or deteriorate,and act accordingly. i am a firm believer in "work when you work,and play when you play." when you give yourself up to pleasureyou can develop concentration by thinking of nothing elsebut pleasure; when your

mind dwells on love, think of nothing butthis and you will find you can develop a more intense love than youever had before. when you concentrate your mind on the "you"or real self, and its wonderful possibilities, you develop concentrationand a higher opinion of yourself. by doing this systematically,you develop much power, because you cannot be systematicwithout concentrating on what you are doing. whenyou walk out into the country and inhale the fresh air, studyingvegetation, trees, etc., you are concentrating. when you seethat you are at your

place of business at a certain time each morningyou are developing steadiness of habit and becomingsystematic. if you form the habit of being on time one morning,a little late the next, and still later the following one, youare not developing concentration, but whenever you fix your mindon a certain thought and hold your mind on it at successiveintervals, you develop concentration. if you hold your mind on some chosen object,you centralize your attention, just like the lens of the cameracentralizes on a

certain landscape. therefore always hold yourmind on what you are doing, no matter what it is. keep a carefulwatch over yourself, for unless you do your improvementwill be very slow. practice inhaling long, deep breaths, notsimply for the improvement of health, although that is nosmall matter, but also for the purpose of developing more power,more love, more life. all work assists in development. you may think it foolish to try to developconcentration by taking muscular exercises, but you must notforget that the mind

is associated with muscle and nerve. whenyou steady your nerves and muscles, you steady your mind, but letyour nerves get out of order and your mind will become erratic andyou will not possess the power of direction, which, in other words,is concentration. therefore you understand how important exercisesthat steady the nerves and muscles are in developing concentration. everyone is continually receiving impulsesthat must be directed and controlled if one is to lead a successfullife. that is the reason why a person must control the movementsof his eyes, feet,

fingers, etc.; this is another reason whyit is important to control his breathing. the slow, deep, prolongedexhalations are of wonderful value. they steady the circulation,the heart action, muscles and nerves of the mind. ifthe heart flutters, the circulation is not regular, and when thelung action is uneven, the mind becomes unsteady and notfit for concentration. this is why controlled breathing is very importantas a foundation for physical health. you must not only concentrate your mind, butalso the action of

the eyes, ears and fingers. each of thesecontain miniature minds that are controlled by the master engineer.you will develop much quicker if you thoroughly realize this. if you have ever associated with big men,or read their biographies, you will find that they usuallylet the others do the talking. it is much easier to talk thanit is to listen. there is no better exercise for concentrationthan to pay close attention when some one is talking. besideslearning from what they have to say, you may develop both mentaland physical

when you shake hands with some one just thinkof your hand as containing hundreds of individual minds, eachhaving an intelligence of its own. when you put thisfeeling into your hand shake it shows personality. when you shakehands in a listless way, it denotes timidity, lack of force andpower of personality. when the hand grip is very weak and stiff,the person has little love in his nature, no passion and no magnetism.when the hand shake is just the opposite, you will findthat the nature is also. the loveless person is non-magneticand he shows that he is

by his non-magnetic hand shake. when two developedsouls shake hands, their clasps are never light. thereis a thrill that goes through both when the two currents meet. lovearouses the opposite currents of the positive and negativenatures. when there is no love, life loses its charm. thehand quickly shows when love is being aroused. this is why youshould study the art of hand shaking and develop your social affections.a person that loves his kind reflects love, but a personthat hates reflects hate. the person with a bad nature, a hatefuldisposition, evil

thoughts and feeling is erratic, freakishand fitful. when you allow yourself to become irritable, watchhow you breathe and you will learn a valuable lesson. watch how youbreathe when you are happy. watch your breathing when you harborhate. watch how you breathe when you feel in love with the wholeworld and noble emotions thrill you. when filled with goodthoughts, you breathe a plentiful supply of oxygen into your lungsand love fills your soul. love develops a person, physically,mentally and socially. breathe deeply when you are happy and youwill gain life and

strength; you will steady your mind and youwill develop your power of concentration and become magneticand powerful. if you want to get more out of life you mustthink more of love. unless you have real affection for something,you have no sentiment, no sweetness, no magnetism. soarouse your love affections by your will and enter into a fullerlife. the hand of love always magnetizes, but itmust be steady and controlled. love can be concentrated in yourhand shake, and this is one of the best ways to influence another.

the next time you feel yourself becoming irritable,use your will and be patient. this is a very good exercisein self-control. it will help you to keep patient if you willbreathe slowly and deeply. if you find you are commencing tospeak fast, just control yourself and speak slowly and clearly.keep from either raising or lowering your voice and concentrateon the fact that you are determined to keep your poise, andyou will improve your when you meet people of some consequence,assume a reposeful attitude before them. do this at all times.watch both them and

yourself. static exercises develop the motorfaculties and increase the power of concentration. if youfeel yourself getting irritable, nervous or weak, stand squarelyon your feet with your chest up and inhale deeply and you will seethat your irritability will disappear and a silent calmwill pass over you. if you are in the habit of associating withnervous, irritable people, quit it until you grow strong in thepower of concentration, because irritable, angry, fretful,dogmatic and disagreeable people will weaken what powersof resistance you

have. any exercises that give you better controlof the ears, fingers, eyes, feet, help you to steady your mind;when your eye is steady, your mind is steady. one of the bestways to study a person is to watch his physical movements,for, when we study his actions, we are studying his mind. becauseactions are the expressions of the mind. as the mind is, sois the action. if it is uneasy, restless, erratic, unsteady, itsactions are the same. when it is composed, the mind is composed.concentration means

control of the mind and body. you cannot securecontrol over one without the other. many people who seem to lack ambition havesluggish minds. they are steady, patient and seemingly have goodcontrol, but this does not say they are able to concentrate.these people are indolent, inactive, slow and listless, becausethey lack energy; they do not lose control because they havelittle force to control. they have no temper and it thereforecannot disturb them. their actions are steady because theypossess little

energy. the natural person is internally strong,energetic and forceful, but his energy, force and strength,thoughts and physical movements are well under his control. if a person does not have energy, both mentaland physical, he must develop it. if he has energy which hecannot direct and hold to a point he must learn to do so. a man maybe very capable, but, unless he wills to control his abilities,they will not do him any good. we hear so much talk about the benefit ofphysical culture, but

the real benefit of this is really lost sightof. there is nothing that holds the faculties at work ina sustained and continuous manner as static exercises do.for, as stated before, when you learn to control the body, you aregaining control over the mind. lesson iii. how to gain what you want throughconcentration the ignorant person may say, "how can youget anything by merely wanting it? i say that through concentrationyou can get anything you want. every desire can be gratified. butwhether it is, will

depend upon you concentrating to have thatdesire fulfilled. merely wishing for something will not bringit. wishing you had something shows a weakness and not a beliefthat you will really get it. so never merely wish, as we are notliving in a "fairy age." you use up just as much brain forcein "vain imaginings" as you do when you think of something worth while. be careful of your desires, make a mentalpicture 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 youundertake. many undertake to do things, but feel when theystart they are going to fail and usually they do. i will give anillustration. a man goes to a store for an article. the clerksays, "i am sorry, we have not it." but the man that is determinedto get that thing inquires if he doesn't know where he can getit. again receiving an unsatisfactory answer the determined buyerconsults the

manager and finally he finds where the articlecan be bought. that is the whole secret of concentratingon getting what you want. and, remember, your soul is a centerof all-power, and you can accomplish what you will to. "i'll finda way or make one!" is the spirit that wins. i know a man thatis 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 putit on his coat. he said, "son, that 'p' is a reminder that someday you are to be the president of your bank. i want you tokeep this thought in

your mind. every day do something that willput you nearer your goal." each night after supper he would say,"son, what did you do today?" in this way the thought was alwayskept in mind. he concentrated on becoming president of thatbank, and he did. his father told him never to tell anyone whatthat "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 neverdid 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 thatsticks to something is not the man that fails. "power to him who power exerts."--emerson. success to-day depends largely on concentratingon the interior law of force, for when you do this you awakenthose thought powers or forces, which, when used in business,insures permanent results. until you are able to do this you have notreached your limit in

the use of your forces. this great universeis interwoven with myriads of forces. you make your own place,and whether it is important depends upon you. through the indestructibleand unconquerable law you can in time accomplishall right things and therefore do not be afraid to undertake whateveryou really desire to accomplish and are willing to payfor in effort. anything that is right is possible. that whichis necessary will inevitably take place. if something is rightit is your duty to do it, though the whole world thinks it tobe wrong. "god and one

are always a majority," or in plain words,that omnipotent interior law which is god, and the organismthat represents you is able to conquer the whole world if yourcause 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 iseasy. you have the latent faculties and forces to subdue anythingthat tries to interfere with your plans. "let-the-troubles-and-responsibilities-of-life-come-thick-and-fast. 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-inherent-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 forcethat produces results in all business i want you first to realize how powerful thoughtis. a thought of fear has turned a person's hair gray in anight. a prisoner

condemned to die was told that if he wouldconsent to an experiment and lived through it he would befreed. he consented. they wanted to see how much blood a personcould lose and still live. they arranged that blood would apparentlydrop from a cut made in his leg. the cut made was very slight,from which practically no blood escaped. the room wasdarkened, and the prisoner thought the dropping he heard wasreally coming from his leg. the next morning he was dead throughmental fear. the two above illustrations will give youa little idea of the

power of thought. to thoroughly realize thepower of thought is worth a great deal to you. through concentrated thought power you canmake yourself whatever you please. by thought you can greatly increaseyour efficiency and strength. you are surrounded by all kindsof thoughts, some good, others bad, and you are sure to absorbsome 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 thatare the result of

uncontrolled thoughts, you will realize howimportant the control of your thoughts are. your thoughts make youwhat you are. when i walk along the street and study thedifferent people's faces i can tell how they spent their lives.it all shows in their faces, just like a mirror reflects theirphysical countenances. in looking in those faces icannot help thinking how most of the people you see have wastedtheir lives. the understanding of the power of thoughtwill awaken possibilities within you that you never dreamedof. never forget

that your thoughts are making your environment,your friends, and as your thoughts change these will also. isthis not a practical lesson to learn? good thoughts are constructive.evil thoughts are destructive. the desire to do right carrieswith it a great power. i want you to thoroughly realize theimportance of your thoughts, and how to make them valuable, tounderstand that your thoughts come to you over invisible wiresand influence you. if your thoughts are of a high nature, youbecome connected with people of the same mental caliber and youare able to help

yourself. if your thoughts are tricky, youwill bring tricky people to deal with you, who will try to cheatyou. if your thoughts are right kind, you willinspire confidence in those with whom you are dealing. as you gain the good will of others your confidenceand strength will increase. you will soon learn the wonderfulvalue of your thoughts and how serene you can become evenwhen circumstances are the most trying. such thoughts of right and good will bringyou into harmony with

people that amount to something in the worldand that are able to give you help if you should need it, as nearlyeveryone does at times. you can now see why it is so important toconcentrate your thoughts in the proper channels. it is verynecessary that people should have confidence in you. when two peoplemeet they have not the time to look each other up. they accepteach other according to instinct which can usually be relied on. you meet a person and his attitude createsa suspicion in you.

the chances are you cannot tell why, but somethingtells you, "have no dealings with him, for if you do,you will be sorry." thoughts produce actions. therefore be carefulof your thoughts. your life will be molded by the thoughts youhave. a spiritual power is always available to your thought,and when you are worthy you can attract all the good thingswithout 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. thereare invisible

forces ready to help you if you do not thinkand act to intercept these. these forces work silently. "you reapwhat you sow." you have concentrated within powers that ifdeveloped will bring you happiness greater than you can even imagine.most people go rushing through life, literally driving awaythe very things they seek. by concentration you can revolutionizeyour life, accomplish infinitely more and without a greateffort. look within yourself and you will find thegreatest machine ever made.

how to speak wisely. in order to speak wiselyyou must secure at least a partial concentration of the facultiesand forces upon the subject at hand. speech interferes withthe focusing powers of the mind, as it withdraws the attentionto the external and therefore is hardly to be compared with thatdeep silence of the subconscious mind, where deep thoughts, andthe silent forces of high potency are evolved. it is necessaryto be silent before you can speak wisely. the person that is reallyalert 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 togo into the silence, but this is not so. in the real silence webecome attached to that interior law and the forces become silent,because they are in a state of high potency, or beyond thevibratory sounds to which our external ears are attuned. he whodesires to become above the ordinary should open up for himselfthe interior channels which lead to the absolute law ofthe omnipotent. you can only do this by persistently and intelligentlypracticing

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 themysterious law, which links all humanity together, by the powersof co-operative thought, and chooses for us companionshipand friends. lesson v. how concentrated thought links allhumanity together it is within your power to gratify your everywish. success is

the result of the way you think. i will showyou how to think to be successful. the power to rule and attract success is withinyourself. the barriers that shut these off from you aresubject to your control. you have unlimited power to thinkand this is the link that connects you with your omniscient source. success is the result of certain moods ofmind or ways of thinking. these moods can be controlled byyou and produced at you have been evolved to what you are froma lowly atom because

you possessed the power to think. this powerwill never leave you, but will keep urging you on until youreach perfection. as you evolve, you create new desires and thesecan be gratified. the power to rule lies within you. the barriersthat keep you from ruling are also within you. these arethe barriers of ignorance. concentrated thought will accomplish seeminglyimpossible results and make you realize your fondest ambitions.at the same time that you break down barriers of limitationnew ambitions will be

awakened. you begin to experience consciousthought constructions. if you will just realize that through deepconcentration you become linked with thoughts of omnipotence,you will kill out entirely your belief in your limitations andat the same time will drive away all fear and other negativeand destructive thought forces which constantly work againstyou. in the place of these you will build up a strong assurancethat your every venture will be successful. when you learnthus how to

concentrate and reinforce your thought, youcontrol your mental creations; they in turn help to mould yourphysical environment, and you become the master of circumstancesand the ruler of your kingdom. it is just as easy to surround your life withwhat you want as it is with what you don't want. it is a questionto be decided by your will. there are no walls to prevent youfrom getting what you want, providing you want what is right.if you choose something that is not right, you are in oppositionto the

omnipotent plans of the universe and deserveto fail. but, if you will base your desires on justice and goodwill, you avail yourself of the helpful powers of universalcurrents, and instead of having a handicap to work against, candepend upon ultimate success, though the outward appearances maynot at first be bright. never stop to think of temporary appearances,but maintain an unfaltering belief in your ultimate success.make your plans carefully, and see that they are not contraryto the tides of

universal justice. the main thing for youto remember is to keep at bay the destructive and opposing forcesof fear and anger and their satellites. there is no power so great as the belief whichcomes from the knowledge that your thought is in harmonywith the divine laws of thought and the sincere conviction that yourcause is right. you may be able seemingly to accomplish resultsfor a time even if your cause is unjust, but the results willbe temporary, and, in time, you will have to tear down your thoughtedifice and build

on the true foundation of right. plans that are not built on truth producediscordant vibrations and are therefore self-destructive. nevertry to build until you can build right. it is a waste of time todo anything else. you may temporarily put aside your desire to doright, but its true vibrations will interfere with your unjustplans until you are forced back into righteous paths of power. all just causes succeed in time, though temporarilythey may fail. so if you should face the time wheneverything seems

against you, quiet your fears, drive awayall destructive thoughts and uphold the dignity of your moraland spiritual life. "where there is a will there is a way." thereason this is so is that the will can make a way if given thechance to secure the assistance of aiding forces. the more it isdeveloped the higher the way to which it will lead. when everything looks gloomy and discouraging,then is the time to show what you are made of by rejoicingthat you can control your moods by making them as calm, sereneand bright as if

prosperity were yours. "be faithful in sowing the thought seeds ofsuccess, in perfect trust that the sun will not cease to shineand bring a generous harvest in one season." it is not always necessary to think of thesuccess of a venture when you are actually engaged in it. for whenthe body is inactive the mind is most free to catch newideas that will further the opportunity you are seeking. whenyou are actually engaged in doing something, you are thinkingin the channels you

have previously constructed and the work doesnot have to be done over again. when you are in a negative mood the intuitionsare more active, for you are not then controlling your thoughtsby the will. everything we do. should have the approvalof the intuition. when you are in a negative mood you attractthoughts of similar nature through the law of affinity. that iswhy it is so important to form thoughts of a success natureto attract similar ones. if you have never made a study of thissubject, you may

think this is all foolishness, but it is afact that there are thought currents that unerringly bring thoughtsof a similar nature. many persons who think of failureactually attract failure by their worries, their anxieties,their overactivity. these thoughts are bound to bring failure.when you once learn the laws of thought and think of nothing butgood, truth, success, you will make more progress withless effort than you ever made before. there are forces that can aid the mind thatare hardly dreamed of

by the average person. when you learn to believemore in the value of thought and its laws you will beled aright and your business gains will multiply. the following method may assist you in gainingbetter thought control. if you are unable to control yourfears, just say to your faulty determination, "do not falteror be afraid, for i am not really alone. i am surrounded by invisibleforces that will assist me to remove the unfavorable appearances."soon you will have more courage. the only difference betweenthe fearless man

and the fearful one is in his will, his hope.so if you lack success, believe in it, hope for it, claimit. you can use the same method to brace up your thoughts of desire,aspiration, imagination, expectation, ambition, understanding,trust and assurance. if you get anxious, angry, discouraged, undecidedor worried, it is because you are not receiving the co-operationof the higher powers of your mind. by your will you canso organize the powers of the mind that your moods change only asyou want them to

instead of as circumstances affect you. i was recently asked if i advised concentratingon what you eat, or what you see while walking. my reply wasthat no matter what you may be doing, when in practice think ofnothing else but that act at the time. the idea is to be able tocontrol your unimportant acts, otherwise you set up a habitthat it will be hard to overcome, because your faculties havenot been in the habit of concentrating. your faculties cannotbe disorganized one minute and organized the next. if you allowthe mind to wander

while you are doing small things, it willbe likely to get into mischief and make it hard to concentrate onthe important act when it comes. the man that is able to concentrate is thehappy, busy man. time does not drag with him. he always has plentyto do. he does not have time to think over past mistakes, whichwould make him unhappy. if despite our discouragement and failures,we claim our great heritage, "life and truth and force, likean electric current,"

will permeate our lives until we enter intoour "birthright in eternity." the will does not act with clearness, decisionand promptness unless it is trained to do so. there are comparativelyfew that really know what they are doing every minuteof the day. this is because they do not observe with sufficientorderliness and accuracy to know what they are doing. it isnot difficult to know what you us doing all the time, if you willjust practice concentration and with a reposeful deliberation,and train

yourself to think clearly, promptly, and decisive.if you allow yourself to worry or hurry in what you aredoing, this will not be clearly photographed upon the sensitizedplate of the subjective mind, and you therefore will notbe really conscious of your actions. so practice accuracy andconcentration of thought, and also absolute truthfulness andyou will soon be able to concentrate. lesson vi. the training of the will to do the will to do is the greatest power in theworld that is

concerned with human accomplishment and noone can in advance determine its limits. the things that we do now would have beena few ages ago impossibilities. today the safe maxim is:"all things are possible." the will to do is a force that is strictlypractical, yet it is difficult to explain just what it is. it canbe compared to electricity because we know it only throughits cause and effects. it is a power we can direct and tojust the extent we

direct it do we determine our future. everytime you accomplish any definite act, consciously or unconsciously,you use the principle of the will. you can will to doanything whether it is right or wrong, and therefore the way youuse your will makes a big difference in your life. every person possesses some "will to do."it is the inner energy which controls all conscious acts. what youwill to do directs your life forces. all habits, good or bad,are the result of what you will to do. you improve or lower yourcondition in life by

what you will to do. your will has a connectionwith all avenues of knowledge, all activities, all accomplishment. you probably know of cases where people haveshown wonderful strength under some excitement, similar tothe following: the house of a farmer's wife caught on fire. noone was around to help her move anything. she was a frail woman,and ordinarily was considered weak. on this occasion she removedthings from the house that it later took three men to handle.it was the "will to do" that she used to accomplish her task.

genius is but a will to do little things withinfinite pains. little things well done open the door of opportunityfor bigger things. the will accomplishes its greater resultsthrough activities that grow out of great concentration in acquiringthe power of voluntary attention to such an extent thatwe can direct it where we will and hold it steadily to its task untilour aim is accomplished. when you learn so to use it,your will power becomes a mighty force. almost everythingcan be accomplished

through its proper use. it is greater thanphysical force because it can be used to control not only physicalbut mental and moral forces. there are very few that possess perfectlydeveloped and balanced will power, but those who do easily crushout their weak qualities. study yourself carefully. findout your greatest weakness and then use your will power to overcomeit. in this way eradicate your faults, one by one, until youhave built up a strong character and personality.

rules for improvement. a desire arises. nowthink whether this would be good for you. if it is not, use yourwill power to kill out the desire, but, on the other hand, ifit is a righteous desire, summon all your will power to youraid, crush all obstacles that confront you and secure possessionof the coveted good. slowness in making decisions. this is a weaknessof will power. you know you should do something, but youdelay doing it through lack of decision. it is easier not to do acertain thing than to

do it, but conscience says to do it. the vastmajority of persons are failures because of the lack of decidingto do a thing when it should be done. those that are successfulhave been quick to grasp opportunities by making a quick decision.this power of will can be used to bring culture, wealthand health. some special pointers. for the next week tryto make quicker decisions in your little daily affairs. setthe hour you wish to get up and arise exactly at the fixed time.anything that you should accomplish, do on or ahead of time.you want, of course,

to give due deliberation to weighty matters,but by making quick decisions on little things you will acquirethe ability to make quick decisions in bigger things. never procrastinate.decide quickly one way or the other even at the riskof deciding wrong. practice this for a week or two and noticeyour improvement. the lack of initiative. this, too, keeps manymen from succeeding. they have fallen into the wayof imitating others in all that they do. very often we hear the expression,"he seems clever enough, but he lacks initiative." lifefor them is one

continuous grind. day after day they go throughthe same monotonous round of duties, while those thatare "getting along" are using their initiative to get greaterfullness of life. there is nothing so responsible for poverty as thislack of initiative, this power to think and do for ourselves. you are as good as anyone. you have will power,and if you use it, you will get your share of the luxuriesof life. so use it to claim your own. don't depend on anyone elseto help you. we have to fight our own battles. all the world lovesa fighter, while

the coward is despised by all. every person's problems are different, soi can only say "analyze your opportunities and conditions and studyyour natural abilities." form plans for improvement andthen put them into operation. now, as i said before, don't justsay, "i am going to do so and so," but carry your plan into execution.don't make an indefinite plan, but a definite one, and thendon't give up until your object has been accomplished. put thesesuggestions into practice with true earnestness, and you willsoon note

astonishing results, and your whole life willbe completely changed. an excellent motto for one of puremotives is: through my will power i dare do what i want to. youwill find this affirmation has a very strengthening effect. the spirit of perseverance. the spirit of"sticktoitiveness" is the one that wins. many go just so far andthen give up, whereas, if they had persevered a little longer, theywould have won out. many have much initiative, but instead ofconcentrating it into one channel, they diffuse it through several,thereby dissipating

it to such an extent that its effect is lost. develop more determination, which is onlythe will to do, and when you start out to do something stick toit until you get results. of course, before starting anythingyou must look ahead and see what the "finish leads to." you mustselect a road that will lead to "somewhere," rather than "nowhere."the journey must be productive of some kind of substantialresults. the trouble with so many young men is that they launchenterprises without any end in sight. it is not so much the startas the finish of a

journey that counts. each little move shouldbring you nearer the goal which you planned to reach before theenterprise began. lack of perseverance is nothing but the lackof the will to do. it takes the same energy to say, "i will continue,"as to say, "i give up." just the moment you say the latteryou shut off your dynamo, and your determination is gone. everytime you allow your determination to be broken you weaken it.don't forget this. just the instant you notice your determinationbeginning to weaken, concentrate on it and by sheer will powermake it continue on the

"job." never try to make a decision when you arenot in a calm state of mind. if in a "quick temper," you are likelyto say things you afterwards regret. in anger, you follow impulserather than reason. no one can expect to achieve successif he makes decisions when not in full control of hismental forces. therefore make it a fixed rule to make decisionsonly when at your best. if you have a "quick temper," youcan quickly gain control over it by simple rule of countingbackwards. to count

backwards requires concentration, and youthus quickly regain a calm state. in this way you can break the"temper habit." it will do you a lot of good to think overwhat you said and thought the last time you were angry. persevereuntil you see yourself as others see you. it would do noharm to write the scene out in story form and then sit in judgmentof the character that played your part. special instructions to develop the will todo. this is a form of mental energy, but requires the proper mentalattitude to make it

manifest. we hear of people having wonderfulwill power, which really is wrong. it should be said that theyuse their will power while with many it is a latent force. i wantyou to realize that no one has a monopoly on will power. thereis plenty for all. what we speak of as will power is but thegathering together of mental energy, the concentration power atone point. so never think of that person as having a strongerwill than yours. each person will be supplied with just that amountof will power that he demands. you don't have to develop willpower if you

constantly make use of all you have, and rememberthe way in which you use it determines your fate, foryour life is moulded to great extent by the use you make of yourwill. unless you make proper use of it you have neither independencenor firmness. you are unable to control yourself and becomea mere machine for others to use. it is more important to learnto use your will than to develop your intellect. the man thathas not learned how to use his will rarely decides things forhimself, but allows his resolutions to be changed by others. he fluctuatesfrom one

opinion to another, and of course does notaccomplish anything out of the ordinary, while his brother withthe trained will takes his place among the world's leaders. lesson vii. the concentrated mental demand the mental demand is the potent force in achievement.the attitude of the mind affects the expressionof the face, determines action, changes our physical conditionand regulates our lives. i will not here attempt to explain the silentforce that achieves

results. you want to develop your mental powersso you can effect the thing sought, and that is what i wantto teach you. there is wonderful power and possibility in the concentratedmental demand. this, like all other forces, is controlledby laws. it can, like all other forces, be wonderfullyincreased by consecutive, systematized effort. the mental demand must be directed by everypower of the mind and every possible element should be used to makethe demand materialize. you can so intently desire athing that you can

exclude all distracting thoughts. when youpractice this singleness of concentration until you attainthe end sought, you have developed a will capable of accomplishingwhatever you wish. as long as you can only do the ordinary thingsyou will be counted in the mass of mediocrity. but justas quick as you surpass others by even comparatively smallmeasure, you are classed as one of life's successes. so, ifyou wish to emerge into prominence, you must accomplish somethingmore than the ordinary man or woman. it is easy to do thisif you will but

concentrate on what you desire, and put forthyour best effort. it is not the runner with the longest legsor the strongest muscles that wins the race, but the one thatcan put forth the greatest desire force. you can best understandthis by thinking of an engine. the engine starts up slowly,the engineer gradually extending the throttle to the top notch. itis then keyed up to its maximum speed. the same is true of tworunners. they start off together and gradually they increase theirdesire to go faster. the one that has the greatest intensityof desire will

win. he may outdistance the other by onlya fraction of an inch, yet he gets the laurels. the men that are looked upon as the world'ssuccesses have not always been men of great physical power, norat the start did they seem very well adapted to the conditionswhich encompassed them. in the beginning they were not consideredmen of superior genius, but they won their success by theirresolution to achieve results in their undertakings by permittingno set-back to dishearten them; no difficulties to dauntthem. nothing could

turn them or influence them against theirdetermination. they never lost sight of their goal. in all ofus there is this silent force of wonderful power. if developed, itcan overcome conditions that would seem insurmountable.it is constantly urging us on to greater achievement. the morewe become acquainted with it the better strategistswe become, the more courage we develop and the greater the desirewithin us for self-expression in activity along many lines. no one will ever be a failure if he becomesconscious of this

silent force within that controls his destiny.but without the consciousness of this inner force, you willnot have a clear vision, and external conditions will not yieldto the power of your mind. it is the mental resolve that makesachievement possible. once this has been formed it shouldnever be allowed to cease to press its claim until its objectis attained. to make plans work out it will, at times, be necessaryto use every power of your mind. patience, perseverance and allthe indomitable forces within one will have to be musteredand used with the

greatest effectiveness. perseverance is the first element of success.in order to persevere you must be ceaseless in your application.it requires you to concentrate your thoughts upon yourundertaking and bring every energy to bear upon keeping them focusedupon it until you have accomplished your aim. to quit shortof this is to weaken all future efforts. the mental demand seems an unreal power becauseit is intangible; but it is the mightiest power in the world.it is a power that is

free for you to use. no one can use it foryou. the mental demand is not a visionary one. it is a potent force,which you can use freely without cost. when you are in doubtit will counsel you. it will guide you when you are uncertain.when you are in fear it will give you courage. it is the motive powerwhich supplies the energies necessary to the achievement of thepurpose. you have a large store house of possibilities. the mentaldemand makes possibilities realities. it supplies everythingnecessary for the accomplishment, it selects the tools and instructshow to use

them. it makes you understand the situation.every time you make a mental demand you strengthen the brain centersby drawing to you external forces. few realize the power of a mental demand.it is possible to make your demand so strong that you can impartwhat you have to say to another without speaking to him. have youever, after planning to discuss a certain matter with a friend, hadthe experience of having him broach the subject before you hada chance to speak of it? have you ever, in a letter, made a suggestionto a friend

that he carried out before your letter reachedhim? have you ever wanted to speak to a person who, just thenwalked in or telephoned. i have had many such responsesto thought and you and your friends have doubtless experienced them,too. these two things are neither coincidencesnor accidents, but are the results of mental demand launched by strongconcentration. the person that never wants anything getslittle. to demand resolutely is the first step toward gettingwhat you want. the power of the mental demand seems absolute,the supply

illimitable. the mental demand projects itselfand causes to materialize the conditions and opportunitiesneeded to accomplish the purpose. do not think i over estimatethe value of the mental demand. it brings the fuller life if usedfor only righteous purposes. once the mental demand is made,however, never let it falter. if you do the current that connectsyou with your desire is broken. take all the necessary time tobuild a firm foundation, so that there need not be evenan element of doubt to creep in. just the moment you entertain "doubt"you lose some of

the demand force, and force once lost is hardto regain. so whenever you make a mental demand hold steadfastlyto it until your need is supplied. i want to repeat again that power of mentaldemand is not a visionary one. it is concentrated power only,and can be used by you. it is not supernatural power, but requiresa development of the brain centers. the outcome is sure whenit is given with a strong resolute determination. no person will advance to any great extent,until he recognizes

this force within him. if you have not becomeaware of it, you have not made very much of a success of yourlife. it is this "something" that distinguishes that "man"from other men. it is this subtle power that develops strong personality. if you want a great deal you must demand agreat deal. once you make your demand, anticipate its fulfillment.it depends upon us. we are rewarded according to our efforts.the power of mental demand can bring us what we want. we becomewhat we determine to be. we control our own destiny.

get the right mental attitude, then in accordancewith your ability you can gain success. and every man of average ability, the ordinaryman that you see about you, can be really successful, independent,free of worry, his own master, if he can manage to do justtwo things. first, remain forever dissatisfied with whathe is doing and with what he has accomplished. second, develop in his mind a belief thatthe word impossible was not intended or him. build up in his mindthe confidence that

enables the mind to use its power. many, especially the older men, will ask: "how can i build up that self-confidence inmy brain? how can i, after months and years of discouragement,of dull plodding, suddenly conceive and carry out a plan fordoing something that will mike life worth while and change themonotonous routine? "how can a man get out of a rut after he hasbeen in it for years and has settled down to the slow jog-trotthat leads to the grave?"

the answer is the thing can be done, and millionshave done it. one of the names most honored among the greatmen of france is that of littre, who wrote and compiled thegreat french dictionary--a monument of learning. he isthe man whose place among the forty immortals of france was takenby the great pasteur, when the latter was elected to theacademy. littre began the work that makes him famouswhen he was more than sixty years old. lesson viii. concentration gives mental poise

you will find that the man that concentratesis well poised, whereas the man that allows his mind to wanderis easily upset. when in this state wisdom does not pass fromthe subconscious storehouse into the consciousness. there mustbe mental quiet before the two consciousnesses can work inharmony. when you are able to concentrate you have peace of mind. if you are in the habit of losing your poise,form the habit of reading literature that has a quieting power.just the second you feel your poise slipping, say, "peace," andthen hold this

thought in mind and you will never lose yourself-control. there cannot be perfect concentration untilthere is peace of mind. so keep thinking peace, acting peace,until you are at peace with all the world. for when once youhave reached this state there will be no trouble to concentrateon anything you wish. when you have peace of mind you are not timidor anxious, or fearful, or rigid and you will not allow anydisturbing thought to influence you. you cast aside all fears,and think of yourself

as a spark of the divine being, as a manifestationof the "one universal principle" that fills all spaceand time. think of yourself thus as a child of the infinite,possessing infinite possibilities. write on a piece of paper, "i have the powerto do and to be whatever i wish to do and be." keep this mentallybefore you, and you will find the thought will be of greathelp to you. the mistake of concentrating on your businesswhile away. in order to be successful today, you must concentrate,but don't

become a slave to concentration, and carryyour business cares home. just as sure as you do you will be burningthe life forces at both ends and the fire will go out muchsooner than was intended. many men become so absorbed in their businessthat when they go to church they do not hear the preacher becausetheir minds are on their business. if they go to the theaterthey do not enjoy it because their business is on their minds.when they go to bed they think about business instead of sleepand wonder why they

don't sleep. this is the wrong kind of concentrationand is dangerous. it is involuntary. when you areunable to get anything out of your mind it becomes unwholesome asany thought held continuously causes weariness of the flesh.it is a big mistake to let a thought rule you, instead of rulingit. he who does not rule himself is not a success. if you cannotcontrol your concentration, your health will suffer. so never become so absorbed with anythingthat you cannot lay it aside and take up another. this is self-control.

concentration is paying attention to a chosenthought. everything that passes before the eye makes an impressionon the subconscious mind, but unless you pay attentionto some certain thing you will not remember what you saw.for instance if you walked down a busy street without seeing anythingthat attracted your particular attention, you could not recallanything you saw. so you see only what attracts your attention.if you work you only see and remember what you think about.when you concentrate on something it absorbs your whole thought.

self-study valuable. everyone has some habitsthat can be overcome by concentration. we will say forinstance, you are in the habit of complaining, or finding faultwith yourself or others; or, imagining that you do not possessthe ability of others; or feeling that you are not as goodas someone else; or that you cannot rely on yourself; or harboringany similar thoughts or thoughts of weakness. these shouldbe cast aside and instead thoughts of strength should be putin their place. just remember every time you think of yourselfas being weak, in some

way you are making yourself so by thinkingyou are. our mental conditions make us what we are. just watchyourself and see how much time you waste in worrying, frettingand complaining. the more of it you do the worse off you are. just the minute you are aware of thinkinga negative thought immediately change to a positive one. if youstart to think of failure, change to thinking of success. youhave the germ of success within you. care for it the same asthe setting hen broods over the eggs and you can make it areality.

you can make those that you come in contactwith feel as you do, because you radiate vibrations of the wayyou feel and your vibrations are felt by others. when you concentrateon a certain thing you turn all the rays of your vibrationson this. thought is the directing power of all life's vibrations.if a person should enter a room with a lot of people andfeel as if he were a person of no consequence no one would knowhe was there unless they saw him, and even if they did, they wouldnot remember seeing him, because they were not attractedtowards him. but let

him enter the room feeling that he was magneticand concentrating on this thought, others would feel his vibration.so remember the way you feel you can make others feel. thisis the law. make yourself a concentrated dynamo from whichyour thoughts vibrate to others. then you are a power in the world.cultivate the art of feeling, for as i said before you can onlymake others feel what you feel. if you will study all of the great charactersof history you will find that they were enthusiastic. first theywere enthusiastic

themselves, and then they could arouse others'enthusiasm. it is latent in everyone. it is a wonderful forcewhen once aroused. all public men to be a success have to possessit. cultivate it by concentration. set aside some hour of theday, wherein to hold rapt converse with the soul. meditate withsincere desire and contrite heart and you will be able to accomplishthat which you have meditated on. this is the keynote ofsuccess. "think, speak and act just as you wish tobe, and you will be that which you wish to be."

you are just what you think you are and notwhat you may appear to be. you may fool others but not yourself.you may control your life and actions just as you can control yourhands. if you want to raise your hand you must first think ofraising it. if you want to control your life you must first controlyour thinking. easy to do, is it not? yes it is, if you willbut concentrate on what you think about. for he only canthat says he will. how can we secure concentration? to this question,the first and

last answer must be: by interest and strongmotive. the stronger the motive the greater the concentration.--eustacemiller, m. d. the successful lives are the concentratedlives. the utterly helpless multitude that sooner or later haveto be cared for by charity, are those that were never able toconcentrate, and who have become the victims of negative ideas. train yourself so you will be able to centralizeyour thought and develop your brain power, and increase yourmental energy, or you can be a slacker, a drifter, a quitter ora sleeper. it all

depends on how you concentrate, or centralizeyour thoughts. your thinking then becomes a fixed power and youdo not waste time thinking about something that would not begood for you. you pick out the thoughts that will be the means ofbringing you what you desire, and they become a material reality.whatever we create in the thought world will some day materialize.that is the law. don't forget this. in the old days men drifted without concentrationbut this is a day of efficiency and therefore all of ourefforts must be

concentrated, if we are to win any successworth the name. why people often do not get what they concentrateon. because they sit down in hopeless despair and expectit to come to them. but if they will just reach out for it withtheir biggest effort they will find it is within their reach. noone limits us but ourselves. we are what we are today as theresult of internal conditions. we can control the external conditions.they are subject to our will. through our concentration we can attract whatwe want, because we

became enrapport with the universal forces,from which we can get what we want. you have watched races no doubt. they allline up together. each has his mind set on getting to the goal beforethe others. this is one kind of concentration. a man startsto think on a certain subject. he has all kinds of thoughts cometo him, but by concentration he shuts out all these but theone he has chosen. concentration is just a case of willing todo a certain thing and doing it.

if you want to accomplish anything first putyourself in a concentrating, reposeful, receptive, acquiringframe of mind. in tackling unfamiliar work make haste slowlyand deliberately and then you will secure that interior activity,which is never possible when you are in a hurry or undera strain. when you "think hard" or try to hurry results too quickly,you generally shut off the interior flow of thoughts andideas. you have often no doubt tried hard to think of somethingbut could not, but just as soon as you stopped trying to think ofit, it came to you.

lesson ix. concentration can overcome badhabits habits make or break us to a far greater extentthan we like to admit. habit is both a powerful enemy andwonderful ally of concentration. you must learn to overcomehabits which are injurious to concentration, and to cultivatethose which increase it. the large majority of people are controlledby their habits and are buffeted around by them like waves ofthe ocean tossing a piece of wood. they do things in a certainway because of the

power of habit. they seldom ever think ofconcentrating on why they do them this or that way, or study tosee if they could do them in a better way. now my object in thischapter is to get you to concentrate on your habits so you can findout which are good and which are bad for you. you will find thatby making a few needed changes you can make even those thatare not good for you, of service; the good habits you can make muchbetter. the first thing i want you to realize is thatall habits are governed consciously or unconsciously by thewill. most of us are

forming new habits all the time. very often,if you repeat something several times in the same way, youwill have formed the habit of doing it that way. but the ofteneryou repeat it the stronger that habit grows and the more deeplyit becomes embedded in your nature. after a habit has been inforce for a long time, it becomes almost a part of you, and is thereforehard to overcome. but you can still break any habitby strong concentration on its opposite. "all our life, so far as it has definite form,is but a mass of

habits--practical, emotional, and intellectual--systematicallyorganized, for our weal or woe, and bearing us irresistiblytoward our destiny whatever the latter may be." we are creatures of habits, "imitators andcopiers of our past selves." we are liable to be "bent" or "curved"as we can bend a piece of paper, and each fold leaves a crease,which makes it easier to make the fold there the next time."the intellect and will are spiritual functions; still they areimmersed in matter, and to every movement of theirs, correspondsa movement in the

brain, that is, in their material correlative."this is why habits of thought and habits of willing canbe formed. all physical impressions are the carrying outof the actions of the will and intellect. our nervous systems arewhat they are today, because of the way they have been exercised. as we grow older most of us become more andmore like automatic machines. the habits we have formed increasein strength. we work in our old characteristic way. your associateslearn to expect you to do things in a certain way. so yousee that your habits

make a great difference in your life, andas it is just about as easy to form good habits as it is bad, youshould form only the former. no one but yourself is responsiblefor your habits. you are free to form the habits that you shouldand if everyone could realize the importance of forming the rightkind of habits what a different world this would be. how much happiereveryone would be. then all instead of the few might winsuccess. habits are formed more quickly when we areyoung, but if we have already passed the youthful plastic periodthe time to start to

control our habits is right now, as we willnever be any younger. you will find the following maxims worth remembering. first maxim: "we must make our nervous system our allyinstead of our enemy." second maxim: "in the acquisition of a new habit as in theleaving off of an old one, we must take care to launch ourselveswith as strong and decided an initiative as possible." the man that is in the habit of doing theright thing from

boyhood, has only good motives, so it is veryimportant for you that you concentrate assiduously on the habitsthat reinforce good motives. surround yourself with everyaid you can. don't play with fire by forming bad habits. makea new beginning today. study why you have been doing certain things.if they are not for your good, shun them henceforth. don't givein to a single temptation for every time you do, you strengthenthe chain of bad habits. every time you keep a resolution youbreak the chain that enslaves you.

third maxim: "never allow an exception to occur till thenew habit is securely rooted in your life." here is the idea, younever want to give in, until the new habit is fixed else youundo all that has been accomplished by previous efforts. there aretwo opposing inclinations. one wants to be firm, and theother wants to give in. by your will you can become firm, throughrepetition. fortify your will to be able to cope with any andall opposition. fourth maxim:

"seize the very first possible opportunityto act on every resolution you make, and on every emotionalprompting you may experience in the direction of the habitsyou aspire to gain." to make a resolve and not to keep it is oflittle value. so by all means keep every resolution you make,for you not only profit by the resolution, but it furnishes you withan exercise that causes the brain cells and physiological correlativesto form the habit of adjusting themselves to carry outresolutions. "a tendency to act, becomes effectively engrainedin us in

proportion to the uninterrupted frequencywith which the actions actually occur, and the brain `grows' to theiruse. when a resolve or a fine glow of feeling is allowedto evaporate without bearing fruit, it is worse than a chance lost." if you keep your resolutions you form a mostvaluable habit. if you break them you form a most dangerous one.so concentrate on keeping them, whether important or unimportant,and remember it is just as important for this purpose to keepthe unimportant, for by so doing you are forming the habit.

fifth maxim: "keep the faculty of effort alive in you bya little gratuitous exercise every day." the more we exercise the will, the betterwe can control our habits. "every few days do something for noother reason than its difficulty, so that when the hour of direneed draws nigh, it may find you not unnerved or untrained to standthe test. asceticism of this sort is like the insurance which aman pays on his house and goods. the tax does him no good at thetime, and possibly may

never bring him a return, but if the firedoes come, his having paid it will be his salvation from ruin. sowith the man who has daily insured himself to habits of concentratedattention, energetic volation, and self-denial in unnecessarythings. "he will stand like a tower when everything rocksaround him and his softer fellow-mortals are winnowed like chaffin the blast." the young should be made to concentrate ontheir habits and be made to realize that if they don't they becomewalking bundles of injurious habits. youth is the plastic state,and should be

utilized in laying the foundation for a gloriousfuture. the great value of habit for good and evilcannot be overestimated. "habit is the deepest law ofhuman nature." no man is stronger than his habits, because his habitseither build up his strength or decrease it. why we are creatures of habits. habits haveoften been called a labor-saying invention, because when theyare formed they require less of both mental and material strength.the more deeply the habit becomes ingrained the more automaticit becomes. therefore

habit is an economizing tendency of our nature,for if it were not for habit we should have to be more watchful.we walk across a crowded street; the habit of stopping andlooking prevents us from being hurt. the right kind of habitskeeps us from making mistakes and mishaps. it is a well known factthat a chauffeur is not able to master his machine safely untilhe has trained his body in a habitual way. when an emergencycomes he instantly knows what to do. where safety depends onquickness the operator must work automatically. habits mean lessrisk, less fatigue, and

greater accuracy. "you do not want to become a slave to habitsof a trivial nature. for instance, wagner required a certain costumebefore he could compose corresponding parts of his operas.schiller could never write with ease unless there were rotten applesin the drawer of his desk from which he could now and thenobtain an odor which seemed to him sweet. gladstone had differentdesks for his different activities, so that when he workedon homer he never sat among habitual accompaniments of his legislativelabors."

in order to overcome undesirable habits, twothings are necessary. you must have trained your willto do what you want it to do, and the stronger the will the easierit will be to break a habit. then you must make a resolution todo just the opposite of what the habit is. therefore one habit mustreplace another. if you have a strong will, you can tenaciouslyand persistently concentrate on removing the bad habit andin a very short time the good habit will gain the upper hand. iwill bring this chapter to a close by giving doctor oppenheim'sinstructions for

overcoming a habit: "if you want to abolish a habit, and its accumulatedcircumstances as well, you must grapple with the matter asearnestly as you would with a physical enemy. you must go intothe encounter with all tenacity of determination, with allfierceness of resolve--yea, even with a passion for success thatmay be called vindictive. no human enemy can be as insidious, sopersevering, as unrelenting as an unfavorable habit. it neversleeps, it needs no rest. "it is like a parasite that grows with thegrowth of the

supporting body, and, like a parasite, itcan best be killed by violent separation and crushing. when life is stormy and all seems againstus, that is when we often acquire wrong habits, and it is then,that we have to make a gigantic effort to think and speak as weshould; and even though we may feel the very reverse at thatmoment the tiniest effort will be backed up by a tremendous powerand will lift us to a realization never felt before. it isnot in the easy, contented moments of our life that we makeour greatest progress,

for then it requires, no special effort tokeep in tune. but it is when we are in the midst of trials andmisfortunes, when we think we are sinking, being overwhelmed, thenit is important for us to realize that we are linked to a greatpower and if we live as we should, there is nothing that can occurin life, which could permanently injure us, nothing can happenthat should disturb us. so always remember you have withinyou unlimited power, ready to manifest itself in the formwhich fills our need at the moment. if, when we have somethingdifficult to solve, we

would be silent like the child, we can getthe inspiration when it comes; we will know how to act, we willfind there is no need to hurry or disturb ourselves, that it isalways wiser to wait for guidance from within, than to act on impulsefrom without. lesson x. business results through concentration a successful business is not usually the resultof chance. neither is a failure the result of luck. mostfailures could be determined in advance if the founders hadbeen studied. it is not always possible to start a money-making businessat the start.

usually a number of changes have to be made.plans do not work out as their creators thought they would.they may have to be changed a little, broadened it may be, hereand there, and as you broaden your business you broaden your powerto achieve. you gain an intense and sustained desire to make yourbusiness a success. when you start a business you may have buta vague notion of the way you will conduct it. you must fill inthe details as you go along. you must concentrate on these details.as you straighten out one after another, others will requireattention. in this way

you cover the field of "the first endeavor"and new opportunities open up for you. when you realize one desire, another comes.but if you do not fulfill the first desire, you will not thesecond. the person that does not carry his desires into actionis only a dreamer. desire is a great creative force, if it ispure, intense and sustained. it is our desires that keep stirringus up to action and they will strengthen and broaden you ifyou make them materialize.

every man who achieves success deserves it.when he first started out he did not understand how to solve theproblems that afterwards presented themselves, but he dideach thing as it came up in the very best way that he could, andthis developed his power of doing bigger things. we become mastersof business by learning to do well whatever we attempt. theman that has a thorough knowledge of his business can ofcourse direct it much more easily and skillfully than the man wholacks that knowledge. the skilled business director can sit in hisprivate office and

still know accurately what is actually beingdone. he knows what should be done in any given time and if itis not accomplished he knows that his employees are not turning outthe work that they should. it is then easy to apply the remedy. business success depends on well-concentratedefforts. you must use every mental force you can master. themore these are used the more they increase. therefore the moreyou accomplish today the more force you will have at your disposalwith which to solve your problems tomorrow.

if you are working for someone else todayand wish to start in a business for yourself, think over carefullywhat you would like to do. then when you have resolved what youwant to do, you will be drawn towards it. there is a law that opensthe way to the fulfillment of your desires. of course backof your desire you must put forward the necessary effort to carryout your purpose; you must use your power to put your desiresinto force. once they are created and you keep up your determinationto have them fulfilled you both consciously and unconsciouslywork toward

their materialization. set your heart on yourpurpose, concentrate your thought upon it, direct yourefforts with all your intelligence and in due time you willrealize your ambition. feel yourself a success, believe you are asuccess and thus put yourself in the attitude that demands recognitionand the thought current draws to you what you need to makeyou a success. don't be afraid of big undertakings. go at themwith grit, and pursue methods that you think will accomplish yourpurpose. you may not at first meet with entire success, but aimso high that if you

fall a little short you will still have accomplishedmuch. what others have done you can do. you mayeven do what others have been unable to do. always keep a strongdesire to succeed in your mind. be in love with your aim and work,and make them, as far as possible, square with the rule of thegreatest good to the greatest number and your life cannot be afailure. the successful business attitude must be cultivatedto make the most out of your life, the attitude of expectinggreat things from both yourself and others. it alone willoften cause men to

make good; to measure up to the best thatis in them. it is not the spasmodic spurts that counton a long journey, but the steady efforts. spurts fatigue and makeit hard for you to continue. rely on your own opinion. it should be asgood as anyone's else. when once you reach a conclusion abide byit. let there be no doubt, or wavering in your judgment. if youare uncertain about every decision you make, you will be subjectto harassing doubts and fears which will render your judgmentof little value. the

man that decides according to what he thinksright and who learns from every mistake acquires a well balancedmind that gets the best results. he gains the confidence of others.he is known as the man that knows what he wants, and notas one that is as changeable as the weather. the man of todaywants to do business with the man that he can depend upon. uncertaintiesin the business world are meeting with more disfavor.reliable firms want to do business with men of known qualities,with men of firmness, judgment and reliability.

so if you wish to start in business for yourselfyour greatest asset, with the single exception of a soundphysique, is that of a good reputation. a successful business is not hard to buildif we can concentrate all our mental forces upon it. it is the manthat is unsettled because he does not know what he wants thatgoes to the wall. we hear persons say that business is trying onthe nerves, but it is the unsettling elements of fret and worryand suspense that are nerve-exhausting and not the business. executingone's plans may

cause fatigue, enjoyment comes with rest.if there has not been any unnatural strain, the recuperative powersreplace what energy has been lost. by attending to each day's work properly youdevelop the capacity to do a greater work tomorrow. it is thisgradual development that makes possible the carrying out of bigplans. the man that figures out doing something each hour of theday gets somewhere. at the end of each day you should be a stepnearer your aim. keep the idea in mind, that you mean to go forward,that each day must

mark an advance and forward you will go. youdo not even have to know the exact direction so long as you aredetermined to find the way. but you must not turn back once youhave started. even brilliant men's conceptions of the possibilitiesof their mental forces are so limited and below theirreal worth that they are far more likely to belittle their possibilitiesthan they are to exaggerate them. you don't want to thinkthat an aim is impossible because it has never been realizedin the past. every day someone is doing something that was neverdone before. we are

pushing ahead faster. formerly it took decadesto build up a big business, but today it is only but a matterof years, sometimes of months. plan each day's activities carefully and youcan reach any height you aim at. if each thing you do is done withconcise and concentrated thought you will be able to turnout an excellent quality and a large quantity of work. planto do so much work during the day and you will be astonishedto see how much more you will do, than on other days, when youhad not decided on any

certain amount. i have demonstrated that theaverage business working force could do the same amount ofwork in six hours that they now do in eight, without using up anymore energy. never start to accomplish anything in an indecisive,indefinite, uncertain way. tackle everything with a positivenessand an earnestness that will concentrate your mindand attract the very best associated thoughts. you will in a shorttime find that you will have extra time for planning bigger things. the natural leader always draws to himself,by the law of mental

attraction, ideas in his chosen subject thathave ever been conceived by others. this is of the greatestimportance and help. if you are properly trained you benefit muchby others' thoughts, and, providing you generate from within yourselfsomething of value, they will benefit from yours. "we areheirs of all the ages," but we must know how to use our inheritance. the confident, pushing, hopeful, determinedman influences all with whom he associates, and inspires thesame qualities in them. you feel that his is a safe example to followand he rouses the

same force within you that is pushing himonward and upward. one seldom makes a success of anything thathe goes at in a listless, spiritless way. to build up a businessyou must see it expanding in your mind before it actuallytakes tangible shape. every great task that has ever been accomplishedhas first been merely a vision in the mind of its creator.detail after detail has had to be worked out in his mind fromhis first faint idea of the enterprise. finally a clear idea was formedand then the accomplishment, which was only the materialresult of the mental

concept, followed. the up-to-date business man is not contentto build only for the present, but is planning ahead. if he doesnot he will fall behind his competitor, who is. what we areactually doing today was carefully thought out and planned by othersin the past. all progressive businesses are conducted thisway. that is why the young business man of today is likely to accomplishmore in a few years than his father did in all his life.there is no reason why your work or business should fag you out.when it does there is

something wrong. you are attracting forcesand influence that you should not, because you are not in harmonywith what you are doing. there is nothing so tiring as to tryto do the work for which we are unfitted, both by temperamentand training. each one should be engaged in a business thathe loves; be should be furthering movements with which he is insympathy. he will then only do his best work and take intensepleasure in his business. in this way, while constantly growingand developing his powers, he is at the same time renderingthrough his work,

genuine and devoted service to humanity. business success is not the result of chance,but of scientific ideas and plans carried out by an aggressiveand progressive management. use your mental forces so thatthey will grow and develop. remember that everything you do isthe result of mental action, therefore you can completely controlyour every action. nothing is impossible for you. don't be afraidto tackle a difficult proposition. your success will dependupon the use you make of your mind. this is capable of wonderfuldevelopment. see

that you make full use of it, and not onlydevelop yourself but your associates. try to broaden the visionsof those with whom you come in contact and you will broaden yourown outlook of life. are you afraid of responsibilities? in orderfor the individual soul to develop, you must have responsibilities.you must manifest the omnipotence of the law of supply.the whole world is your legitimate sphere of activity. how muchof a conqueror are you? what have you done? are you afraid ofresponsibility, or are

you ever dodging, flinching, or side steppingit. if you are, you are not a real man. your higher self neverwinces, so be a man and allow the powers of the higher self tomanifest and you will find you have plenty of strength and you willfeel better when you are tackling difficult propositions. lesson xi. concentrate on courage courage is the backbone of man. the man withcourage has persistence. he states what he believes andputs it into execution. the courageous man has confidence.he draws to himself

all the moral qualities and mental forceswhich go to make up a strong man. whereas, the man without couragedraws to himself all the qualities of a weak man, vacillation,doubt, hesitancy, and unsteadiness of purpose. you can thereforesee the value of concentration on courage. it is a most vitalelement of success. the lack of courage creates financial, aswell as mental and moral difficulties. when a new problem comes,instead of looking upon it as something to be achieved, the manor woman without courage looks for reasons why it cannot bedone and failure is

naturally the almost inevitable result. thisis a subject well worthy of your study. look upon everythingwithin your power as a possibility instead of as merely a probabilityand you will accomplish a great deal more, because by consideringa thing as impossible, you immediately draw to yourselfall the elements that contribute to failure. lack of couragedestroys your confidence in yourself. it destroys that forceful,resolute attitude so important to success. the man without courage unconsciously drawsto himself all that

is contemptible, weakening, demoralizing anddestructive. he then blames his luck when he does not secure thethings he weakly desires. we must first have the courage tostrongly desire something. a desire to be fulfilled must bebacked by the strength of all our mental forces. such adesire has enough commanding force to change all unfavorableconditions. the man with courage commands, whether be is on thebattlefield or in business life. what is courage? it is the will to do. ittakes no more energy to

be courageous than to be cowardly. it is amatter of the right training in the right way. courage concentratesthe mental forces on the task at hand. it then directs themthoughtfully, steadily, deliberately, while attracting all the forcesof success, toward the desired end. cowardice on the other hand,dissipates both our mental and moral forces, thereby invitingfailure. as we are creatures of habits, we should avoidpersons that lack courage. they are easy to discover becauseof their habits of fear in attacking new problems. the man withcourage is never

afraid. start out today with the idea that there isno reason why you should not be courageous. if any fear-thoughtscome to you cast them off as you would the deadly viper. formthe habit of never thinking of anything unfavorable to yourselfor anyone else. in dealing with difficulties, new or old, holdever the thought, "i am courageous." whenever a doubt crosses thethreshold of your mind, banish it. remember, you as master ofyour mind control its every thought, and here is a good one to oftenaffirm, "i have

courage because i desire it; because i needit; because i use it and because i refuse to become such a weaklingas cowardice produces." there is no justification for the loss ofcourage. the evils by which you will almost certainly be overwhelmedwithout it are far greater than those which courage will helpyou to meet and overcome. right, then, must be the moralistwho says that the only thing to fear is fear. never let another's opinion affect you; hecannot tell what you

are able to do; he does not know what youcan do with your forces. the truth is you do not know yourselfuntil you put yourself to the test. therefore, how can someoneelse know? never let anyone else put a valuation on you. almost all wonderful achievements have beenaccomplished after it had been "thoroughly" demonstrated that theywere impossibilities. once we understand the law,all things are possible. if they were impossibilities wecould not conceive them.

just the moment you allow someone to influenceyou against what you think is right, you lose that confidencein yourself that inspires courage and carries with it all theforces which courage creates. just the moment you begin to swervein your plan you begin to carry out another's thought and notyour own. you become the directed and not the director. you forsakethe courage and resolution of your own mind, and you thereforelack the very forces that you need to sustain and carryout your work. instead of being self-reliant you become timid andthis invites failure.

when you permit yourself to be influencedfrom your plan by another, you are unable to judge as you should,because you have allowed another's influence to deprive youof your courage and determination without absorbing any of hisin return so you are in much the same predicament, as you wouldbe in if you turned over all your worldly possessions to anotherwithout getting "value received." concentrate on just the opposite of fear,want, poverty, sickness, etc. never doubt your own ability.you have plenty, if

you will just use it. a great many men arefailures because they doubt their own capacity. instead of buildingup strong mental forces which would be of the greatest useto them their fear thoughts tear them down. fear paralyzes energy.it keeps us from attracting the forces that go to make up success.fear is the worst enemy we have. there are few people that really know thatthey can accomplish much. they desire the full extent of theirpowers, but alas, it is only occasionally that you find a man thatis aware of the

great possibilities within him. when you believewith all your mind and heart and soul that you can do something,you thereby develop the courage to steadily and confidentlylive up to that belief. you have now gone a long way towardsaccomplishing it. the chances are that there will be obstacles,big and little, in your way, but resolute courage will overcomethem and nothing else will. strong courage eliminates the injuriousand opposing forces by summoning their masters, the yetstronger forces that will serve you.

courage is yours for the asking. all you haveto do is to believe in it, claim it and use it. to succeed inbusiness believe that it will be successful, assert that it is successful,and work like a beaver to make it so. difficultiessoon melt away before the courageous. one man of courage can firewith his spirit a whole army of men, whether it be militaryor industrial, because courage, like cowardice, is contagious. the man of courage overcomes the trials andtemptations of life; he commands success; he renders sound judgment;he develops

personal influence and a forceful characterand often becomes the mentor of the community which he serves. how to overcome depression and melancholia.both of the former are harmful and make you unhappy. these arestates that can be quickly overcome through concentrating moreclosely on the higher self, for when you do you cut off the connectionwith the harmful force currents. you can also drive away moodsby simply choosing and fully concentrating on an agreeable subject.through will power and thought control we can accomplishanything we want to

do. there is wonderful inherent power withinus all, and there is never any sufficient cause for fear, exceptignorance. every evil is but the product of ignorance,and everyone that possesses the power to think has the powerto overcome ignorance and evil. the pain that we suffer from doingevil are but the lessons of experience, and the object of thepain is to make us realize our ignorance. when we become depressedit is evidence that our thought faculties are combining improperlyand thereby attracting the wrong force-currents.

all that it is necessary to do is to exercisethe will and concentrate upon happy subjects. i will onlythink of subjects worthy of my higher self and its powers. lesson xii. concentrate on wealth it was never intended that man should be poor.when wealth is obtained under the proper conditions it broadensthe life. everything has its value. everything has agood use and a bad use. the forces of mind like wealth can bedirected either for good or evil. a little rest will re-createforces. too much rest

degenerates into laziness, and brainless,dreamy longings. if you acquire wealth unjustly from others,you are misusing your forces; but if your wealth comes through theright sources you will be blessed. through wealth we can dothings to uplift ourselves and humanity. wealth is many persons' goal. it thereforestimulates their endeavor. they long for it in order to dressand live in such a way as to attract friends. without friendsthey would not be so particular of their surroundings. the factis the more attractive

we make ourselves and our surroundings themore inspiring are their influences. it is not conducive to properthought to be surrounded by conditions that are uncongenialand unpleasant. so the first step toward acquiring wealthis to surround yourself with helpful influences; to claim for yourselfan environment of culture, place yourself in it and be moldedby its influences. most great men of all ages have been comparativelyrich. they have made or inherited money. without moneythey could not have accomplished what they did. the man engagedin physical drudgery

is not likely to have the same high idealsas the man that can command comparative leisure. wealth is usually the fruit of achievement.it is not, however, altogether the result of being industrious.thousands of persons work hard who never grow wealthy. others withmuch less effort acquire wealth. seeing possibilities is anotherstep toward acquiring wealth. a man may be as industriousas he can possibly be, but if he does not use his mental forceshe will be a laborer, to be directed by the man that usesto good advantage

his mental forces. no one can become wealthy in an ordinary lifetime,by mere savings from earnings. many scrimp and economizeall their lives; but by so doing waste all their vitality andenergy. for example, i know a man that used to walk to work. ittook him an hour to go and an hour to return. he could have takena car and gone in twenty minutes. he saved ten cents a day butwasted an hour and a half. it was not a very profitable investmentunless the time spent in physical exercise yielded him largereturns in the way

of health. the same amount of time spent in concentratedeffort to overcome his unfavorable business environment mighthave firmly planted his feet in the path of prosperity. one of the big mistakes made by many personsof the present generation is that they associate with thosewho fail to call out or develop the best that is in them. whenthe social side of life is developed too exclusively, as it oftenis, and recreation or entertainment becomes the leading motive ofa person's life, he

acquires habits of extravagance instead ofeconomy; habits of wasting his resources, physical, mental, moraland spiritual, instead of conserving them. he is, in consequence,lacking in proper motivation, his god-given powers andforces are undeveloped and he inevitably brings poorjudgment to bear upon all the higher relationships of life, while,as to his financial fortunes, he is ever the leaner; often a parasite,and always, if opportunity affords, as heavy a consumer ashe is a poor producer.

it seems a part of the tragedy of life thatthese persons have to be taught such painful lessons before theycan understand the forces and laws that regulate life. few profitby the mistakes of others. they must experience them for themselvesand then apply the knowledge so gained in reconstructingtheir lives. any man that has ever amounted to anythinghas never done a great deal of detail work for long periods at anygiven time. he needs his time to reflect. he does not do his dutiestoday in the same way as yesterday, but as the result of deliberateand

concentrated effort, constantly tries to improvehis methods. the other day i attended a lecture on prosperity.i knew the lecturer had been practically broke for tenyears. i wanted to hear what he had to say. he spoke very well.he no doubt benefited some of his hearers, but he hadnot profited by his own teachings. i introduced myself and asked himif he believed in his maxims. he said he did. i asked him ifthey had made him prosperous. he said not exactly. i asked himwhy. he answered that he thought he was fated not to experienceprosperity.

in half an hour i showed that man why povertyhad always been his companion. he had dressed poorly. he heldhis lectures in poor surroundings. by his actions and beliefs heattracted poverty. he did not realize that his thoughts and hissurroundings exercised an unfavorable influence. i said: "thoughtsare moving forces; great powers. thoughts of wealth attract wealth.therefore, if you desire wealth you must attract the forcesthat will help you to secure it. your thoughts attract a similarkind of thoughts. if you hold thoughts of poverty you attractpoverty. if you make

up your mind you are going to be wealthy,you will instil this thought into all your mental forces, and youwill at the same time use every external condition to helpyou." many persons are of the opinion that if youhave money it is easy to make more money. but this is not necessarilytrue. ninety per cent of the men that start in business fail.money will not enable one to accumulate much more, unlesshe is trained to seek and use good opportunities for its investment.if he inherits money the chances are that he will lose it.while, if he has made

it, he not only knows its value, but has developedthe power to use it as well as to make more if he losesit. business success today depends on foresight,good judgment, grit, firm resolution and settled purpose. but neverforget that thought is as real a force as electricity.let your thoughts be such, that you will send out as good as youreceive; if you do not, you are not enriching others, and thereforedeserve not to be enriched. the man that tries to get all he can fromothers for nothing

becomes so selfish and mean that he does noteven enjoy his acquisitions. we see examples of this everyday. what we take from others, will in turn, be taken from us.all obligations have to be met fairly and squarely. we cannot reachperfection until we discharge every obligation of our lives.we all realize this, so why not willingly give a fair exchangefor all that we receive? again i repeat that the first as well as thelast step in acquiring wealth is to surround yourself withgood

influences--good thought, good health, goodhome and business environment and successful business associates.cultivate, by every legitimate means, the acquaintance ofmen of big caliber. bring your thought vibrations in regard tobusiness into harmony with theirs. this will make your society notonly agreeable, but sought after, and, when you have formed intimatefriendships with clean, reputable men of wealth, entrust tothem, for investment, your surplus earnings, however small, untilyou have developed the initiative and business acumen to successfullymanage your

own investments. by this time you will, throughsuch associations, have found your place in lifewhich, if you have rightly concentrated upon and used your opportunities,will not be among men of small parts. with a competencesecured, you will take pleasure in using a part of it in makingthe road you traveled in reaching your position easierfor those who follow you. there is somewhere in every brain the energythat will get you out of that rut and put you far up on themountain of success if

you can only use the energy. you know that gasoline in the engine of anautomobile doesn't move the car until the spark comes to explodethe gasoline. so it is with the mind of man. we are notspeaking now of men of great genius, but of average, able citizens. each one of them has in his brain the capacityto climb over the word impossible and get into the successfulcountry beyond. and hope, self-confidence and the determinationto do something supply the spark that makes the energy work.

lesson xiii. you can concentrate, but willyou? all have the ability to concentrate, but willyou? you can, but whether you will or not depends on you. itis one thing to be able to do something, and another thing todo it. there is far more ability not used than is used. why donot more men of ability make something of themselves? thereare comparatively few successful men but many ambitious ones. whydo not more get along? cases may differ, but the fault isusually their own. they have had chances, perhaps better ones thansome others that have

made good. what would you like to do, that you are notdoing? if you think you should be "getting on" better, why don'tyou? study yourself carefully. learn your shortcomings. sometimesonly a mere trifle keeps one from branching out and becominga success. discover why you have not been making good--the cause ofyour failure. have you been expecting someone to lead you, orto make a way for you? if you have, concentrate on a new line ofthought. there are two things absolutely necessaryfor success--energy and

the will to succeed. nothing can take theplace of either of these. most of us will not have an easy pathto follow so don't expect to find one. the hard knocks developour courage and moral stamina. the persons that live in an indolentand slipshod way never have any. they have never faced conditionsand therefore don't know how. the world is no better fortheir living. we must make favorable conditions and notexpect them to shape themselves. it is not the man that says, "itcan't be done," but the man that goes ahead in spite of adverseadvice, and shows

that "it can be done" that "gets there" today."the lord helps those that help themselves," is a true saying.we climb the road to success by overcoming obstacles. stumblingblocks are but stepping stones for the man that says, "ican and i will." when we see cripples, the deaf and dumb, the blindand those with other handicaps amounting to something inthe world, the able-bodied man should feel ashamed of himselfif he does not make good. there is nothing that can resist the forceof perseverance. the

way ahead of all of us is not clear sailing,but all hard passages can be bridged, if you just thinkthey can and concentrate on how to do it. but if you thinkthe obstacles are unsurmountable, you will not of course try,and even if you do, it will be in only a half-hearted way--a waythat accomplishes nothing. many men will not begin an undertaking unlessthey feel sure they will succeed in it. what a mistake! this wouldbe right, if we were sure of what we could and could not do.but who knows? there

may be an obstruction there now that mightnot be there next week. there may not be an obstruction therenow that will be there next week. the trouble with most personsis that just as soon as they see their way blocked they losecourage. they forget that usually there is a way around the difficulty.it's up to you to find it. if you tackle something with littleeffort, when the conditions call for a big effort, you willof course not win. tackle everything with a feeling that youwill utilize all the power within you to make it a success. thisis the kind of

concentrated effort that succeeds. most people are beaten before they start.they think they are going to encounter obstacles, and they lookfor them instead of for means to overcome them. the result isthat they increase their obstacles instead of diminishing them.have you ever undertaken something that you thought wouldbe hard, but afterwards found it to be easy? that is theway a great many times. the things that look difficult in advanceturn out to be easy of conquest when once encountered. sostart out on your

journey with the idea that the road is goingto be clear for you, and that if it is not you will clear the way.all men that have amounted to anything have cleared their wayand they did not have the assistance that you will have today. the one great keynote of success is to dowhatever you have decided on. don't be turned from your path,but resolve that you are going to accomplish what you set out todo. don't be frightened at a few rebuffs, for they cannotstop the man that is determined--the man that knows in his heartthat success is only

bought by tremendous resolution, by concentratedand whole-hearted effort. "he who has a firm will," says goethe, "moldsthe world to himself." "people do not lack strength," says victorhugo; "they lack will." it is not so much skill that wins victoriesas it is activity and great determination there is no such thingas failure for the man that does his best. no matter what you maybe working at, at the

present time, don't let this make you losecourage. the tides are continually changing, and tomorrow or someother day they will turn to your advantage if you are a willingand are an ambitious worker. there is nothing that develops youand increases your courage like work. if it were not for workhow monotonous life would at last become! so i say to the man that wants to advance,"don't look upon your present position as your permanent one. keepyour eyes open, and add those qualities to your makeup that willassist you when your

opportunity comes. be ever alert and on thewatch for opportunities. remember, we attract what weset our minds on. if we look for opportunities, we find them. if you are the man you should be, some oneis looking for you to fill a responsible position. so when he findsyou, don't let your attention wander. give it all to him. showthat you can concentrate your powers, that you have themakeup of a real man. show no signs of fear, uncertainty or doubt.the man that is sure of himself is bound to get to the front. nocircumstances can

prevent him. lesson xiv. the art of concentrating by meansof practical exercises select some thought, and see how long youcan hold your mind on it. it is well to have a clock at first andkeep track of the time. if you decide to think about health,you can get a great deal of good from your thinking besides developingconcentration. think of health as being the greatest blessingthere is, in the world. don't let any other thought drift in.just the moment one

starts to obtrude, make it get out. make it a daily habit of concentrating onthis thought for, say, ten minutes. practice until you can hold itto the exclusion of everything else. you will find it of the greatestvalue to centralize your thoughts on health. regardlessof your present condition, see yourself as you would liketo be and be blind to everything else. you will find it hard atfirst to forget your ailments, if you have any, but after a shortwhile you can shut out these negative thoughts and see yourselfas you want to be.

each time you concentrate you form a moreperfect image of health, and, as you come into its realization,you become healthy, strong and wholesome. i want to impress upon your mind that thehabit of forming mental images is of the greatest value. it has alwaysbeen used by successful men of all ages, but few realizeits full importance. do you know that you are continually actingaccording to the images you form? if you allow yourself tomould negative images you unconsciously build a negative disposition.you will think of

poverty, weakness, disease, fear, etc. justas surely as you think of these will your objective life expressitself in a like way. just what we think, we will manifestin the external world. in deep concentration you become linked withthe great creative spirit of the universe, and the creative energythen flows through you, vitalizing your creations intoform. in deep concentration your mind becomes attuned withthe infinite and registers the cosmic intelligence and receivesits messages. you become so full of the cosmic energy that youare literally

flooded with divine power. this is a mostdesired state. it is then we realize the advantages of being connectedwith the supra-consciousness. the supra-consciousnessregisters the higher cosmic vibrations. it is often referred toas the wireless station, the message recorded coming fromthe universal mind. there are very few that reach this stage ofconcentration. very few even know that it is possible. they thinkconcentration means limitation to one subject, but this deeperconcentration that brings us into harmony with the infinite isthat which produces

and maintains health. when you have once come in contact with yoursupra-consciousness you become the controller of your human thoughts.that which comes to you is higher than human thoughts.it is often spoken of as cosmic consciousness. once it is experiencedit is never forgotten. naturally it requires a good dealof training to reach this state, but once you do, it becomes easiereach time to do, and in the course of time you can become possessedof power which was unknown to you before. you are able todirect the expression

of almost infinite power while in this deeperstate of exercises in concentration. the rays of thesun, when focused upon an object by means of a sun glass, producea heat many times greater than the scattered rays of the samesource of light and heat. this is true of attention. scatter itand you get but ordinary results. but center it upon one thingand you secure much better results. when you focus your attentionupon an object your every action, voluntary and involuntary,is in the direction of attaining that object. if you will focusyour energies upon a

thing to the exclusion of everything else,you generate the force that can bring you what you want. when you focus your thought, you increaseits strength. the exercises that follow are tedious and monotonous,but useful. if you will persist in them you will find theyare very valuable, as they increase your powers of concentration. before proceeding with the exercises i willanswer a question that just comes to me. this person says afterhe works all day he is too tired to practice any exercise. butthis is not true. we

will say he comes home all tired out, eatshis supper and sits down to rest. if his work has been mental,the thought which has been occupying his mind returns to him andthis prevents him from securing the rest he needs. it is an admitted fact that certain thoughtscall into operation a certain set of brain cells; the other cells,of course, are not busy at that time and are rested. now if youtake up something that is just different from what you havebeen doing during the day, you will use the cells that have notdone anything and give

those that have had work to do a rest. soyou should regulate the evenings that you have and call forth an entirelydifferent line of thought so as not to use the cells whichyou have tired out during the day. if you will center your attentionon a new thought, you relieve the old cells from vibratingwith excitement and they get their needed rest. the othercells that have been idle all day want to work, and you will findyou can enjoy your evenings while securing needed rest. when once you have learned to master yourthoughts, you will be

able to change them just as easily as youchange your clothes. remember, the real requisite of centeringis to be able to shut out outside thoughts--anything foreign tothe subject. now, in order to control your intention first gaincontrol over the body. this must be brought under direct controlof the mind; the mind under the control of the will. your will isstrong enough to do anything you wish, but you must realize thatit is. the mind can be greatly strengthened by being brought underthe direct influence of the will. when the mind is properlystrengthened by

the impulse of the will it becomes a morepowerful transmitter of thought, because it has more force. the best time to concentrate is after readingsomething that is inspiring, as you are then mentally and spirituallyexalted in the desired realm. then is the time you areready for deep concentration. if you are in your room firstsee that your windows are up and the air is good. lie downflat on your bed without a pillow. see that every muscle isrelaxed. now breathe slowly, filling the lungs comfortably fullof fresh air; hold

this as long as you can without strainingyourself; then exhale slowly. exhale in an easy, rhythmic way. breathethis way for five minutes, letting the divine breath flowthrough you, which will cleanse and rejuvenate every cell ofbrain and body. you are then ready to proceed. now think howquiet and relaxed you are. you can become enthusiastic overyour condition. just think of yourself as getting ready to receiveknowledge that is far greater than you have ever received before.now relax and let the spirit work in and through you and assistyou to accomplish

what you wish. don't let any doubts or fears enter. justfeel that what you wish is going to manifest. just feel it alreadyhas, in reality it has, for just the minute you wish a thingto be done it manifests in the thought world. whenever you concentratejust believe it is a success. keep up this feeling and allownothing to interfere and you will soon find you have become themaster of concentration. you will find that this practicewill be of wonderful value to you, and that rapidly youwill be learning to

accomplish anything that you undertake. it will be necessary to first train the bodyto obey the commands of the mind. i want you to gain control ofyour muscular movements. the following exercise is especiallygood in assisting you to acquire perfect control of the muscles. exercise 1 sit in a comfortable chair and see how stillyou can keep. this is not as easy as it seems. you will haveto center your attention on sitting still. watch and seethat you are not making

any involuntary muscular movements. by a littlepractice you will find you are able to sit still without a movementof the muscles for fifteen minutes. at first i advise sittingin a relaxed position for five minutes. after you are ableto keep perfectly still, increase the time to ten minutes andthen to fifteen. this is as long as it is necessary. but never strainyourself to keep still. you must be relaxed completely. youwill find this habit of relaxing is very good. exercise 2

sit in a chair with your head up and yourchin out, shoulders back. raise your right arm until it is onthe level with your shoulder, pointing to your right. look around,with head only, and fix your gaze on your fingers, and keepthe arm perfectly still for one minute. do the same exercisewith left arm. when you are able to keep the arm perfectly steady,increase the time until you are able to do this five minuteswith each arm. turn the palm of the hand downward when it is outstretched,as this is the easiest position. if you will keep youreyes fixed on the

tips of the fingers you will be able to tellif you are keeping your arm perfectly still. exercise 3 fill a small glass full of water, and graspit by the fingers; put the arm directly in front of you. nowfix the eyes upon the glass and try to keep the arm so steady thatno movement will be noticeable. do this first for one moment andthen increase it to five. do the exercise with first one arm andthen the other. exercise 4

watch yourself during the day and see thatyour muscles do not become tense or strained. see how easy andrelaxed you can keep yourself. see how poised you can be at alltimes. cultivate a self-poised manner, instead of a nervous,strained appearance. this mental feeling will improve your carriageand demeanor. stop all useless gestures and movements of thebody. these mean that you have not proper control over your body.after you have acquired this control, notice how "ill-at-ease"people are that have not gained this control. i have justbeen sizing up a

salesman that has just left me. part of hisbody kept moving all the time. i just felt like saying to him,"do you know how much better appearance you would make if you wouldjust learn to speak with your voice instead of trying to expresswhat you say with your whole body?" just watch those that interviewyou and see how they lack poise. get rid of any habit you have of twitchingor jerking any part of your body. you will find you make many involuntarymovements. you can quickly stop any of these by merely centeringyour attention

on the thought, "i will not." if you are in the habit of letting noisesupset you, just exercise control; when the door slams, orsomething falls, etc., just think of these as exercises in self-control.you will find many exercises like this in your daily routine. the purpose of the above exercises is to gaincontrol over the involuntary muscular movement, making youractions entirely voluntary. the following exercises are arrangedto bring your voluntary muscles under the control of thewill, so that your

mental forces may control your muscular movements. exercise 5 move your chair up to a table, placing yourhands upon it, clenching the fists, keeping the back of thehand on the table, the thumb doubled over the fingers. now fixyour gaze upon the fist for a while, then gradually extend thethumb, keeping your whole attention fixed upon the act, just asif it was a matter of great importance. then gradually extend yourfirst finger, then your second and so on until you open the rest.then reverse the

process, closing first the last one openedand then the rest, and finally you will have the fist again in theoriginal position with the thumb closed over the finger. dothis exercise with the left hand. keep up this exercise first withone hand and then the other until you have done it five times witheach hand. in a few days you can increase it to ten times. the chances are that the above exercises willat first make you "tired," but it is important for you to practicethese monotonous exercises so you can train your attention.it also gives you

control over your muscular movement. the attention,of course, must be kept closely on each movement of thehand; if it is not, you of course lose the value of the exercise. exercise 6 put the right hand on knee, both fingers andthumb closed, except the first finger, which points out in frontof you. then move the finger slowly from side to side, keeping theattention fixed upon the end of the finger. you can make up a varietyof exercises like these. it is good training to plan outdifferent ones. the

main point you should keep in mind is thatthe exercise should be simple and that the attention should be firmlyfixed upon the moving part of the body. you will find yourattention will not want to be controlled and will try to driftto something more interesting. this is just where these exercisesare of value, and you must control your attention and see itis held in the right place and does not wander away. you may think these exercises very simpleand of no value, but i promise you in a short time you will noticethat you have a much

better control over your muscular movements,carriage and demeanor, and you will find that you havegreatly improved your power of attention, and can center your thoughtson what you do, which of course will be very valuable. no matter what you may be doing, imagine thatit is your chief object in life. imagine you are not interestedin anything else in the world but what you are doing. do notlet your attention get away from the work you are at. your attentionwill no doubt be rebellious, but control it and do not letit control you. when

once you conquer the rebellious attentionyou have achieved a greater victory than you can realize at thetime. many times afterwards you will be thankful you have learnedto concentrate your closest attention upon the object athand. let no day go by without practicing concentratingon some familiar object that is uninteresting. neverchoose an interesting object, as it requires less attention.the less interesting it is the better exercise willit be. after a little practice you will find you can center yourattention on

uninteresting subjects at will. the person that can concentrate can gain fullcontrol over his body and mind and be the master of his inclinations;not their slave. when you can control yourself you cancontrol others. you can develop a will that will make you a giantcompared with the man that lacks will power. try out your willpower in different ways until you have it under such controlthat just as soon as you decide to do a thing you go ahead anddo it. never be satisfied with the "i did fairly well" spirit,but put forward

your best efforts. be satisfied with nothingelse. when you have gained this you are the man you were intendedto be. exercise 7 concentration increases the sense of smell.when you take a walk, or drive in the country, or pass a flowergarden, concentrate on the odor of flowers and plants. see how manydifferent kinds you can detect. then choose one particular kindand try to sense only this. you will find that this strongly intensifiesthe sense of smell. this differentiation requires, however,a peculiarly

attentive attitude. when sense of smell isbeing developed, you should not only shut out from the mind everythought but that of odor, but you should also shut out cognizanceof every odor save that upon which your mind, for the time, isconcentrated. you call find plenty of opportunity for exercisesfor developing the sense of smell. when you are out in theair, be on the alert for the different odors. you will find theair laden with all kinds, but let your concentration upon theone selected be such that a scent of its fragrance in after yearswill vividly recall

the circumstances of this exercise. the object of these exercises is to developconcentrated attention, and you will find that you can,through their practice, control your mind and direct yourthoughts just the same as you can your arm. exercise 8 concentration on the within. lie down andthoroughly relax your muscles. concentrate on the beating of yourheart. do not pay any attention to anything else. think how thisgreat organ is pumping

the blood to every part of the body; try toactually picture the blood leaving the great reservoir and goingin one stream right down to the toes. picture another going downthe arms to the tips of the fingers. after a little practice youcan actually feel the blood passing through your system. if, at any time, you feel weak in any partof the body, will that an extra supply of blood shall go there. forinstance, if your eyes feel tired, picture the blood comingfrom the heart, passing up through the head and out to the eyes. youcan wonderfully

increase your strength by this exercise. menhave been able to gain such control over the heart that theyhave actually stopped it from beating for five minutes. this, however,is not without danger, and is not to be practiced by thenovice. i have found the following a very helpfulexercise to take just before going to bed and on rising in the morning:say to yourself, "every cell in my body thrills withlife; every part of my body is strong and healthy." i have knowna number of people to greatly improve their health in this way.you become what you

picture yourself to be. if your mind thinksof sickness in connection with self you will be sick. ifyou imagine yourself in strong, vigorous health, the image will berealized. you will be healthy. exercise 9 concentrating on sleep. what is known as thewater method is, although very simple, very effective in inducingsleep. put a full glass of clear water on a tablein your sleeping room. sit in a chair beside the table and gaze intothe glass of water

and think how calm it is. then picture yourself, getting into just as calm a state. in a short time youwill find the nerves becoming quiet and you will be able to goto sleep. sometimes it is good to picture yourself becoming drowsyto induce sleep, and, again, the most persistent insomnia has beenovercome by one thinking of himself as some inanimate object--forinstance, a hollow log in the depths of the cool, quietforest. those who are troubled with insomnia willfind these sleep exercises that quiet the nerves very effective.just keep the

idea in your mind that there is no difficultyin going to sleep; banish all fear of insomnia. practice theseexercises and you will sleep. by this time you should have awakened to thepossibilities of concentration and have become aware of theimportant part it plays in your life. exercise 10 concentration will save energy and appearance.watch yourself and see if you are not in the habit of movingyour hands, thumping

something with your fingers or twirling yourmustache. some have the habit of keeping their feet going, as,for instance, tapping them on the floor. practice standing beforea mirror and see if you are in the habit of frowning or causingwrinkles to appear in the forehead. watch others and see how theyneedlessly twist their faces in talking. any movement of theface that causes the skin to wrinkle will eventually cause a permanentwrinkle. as the face is like a piece of silk, you can makea fold in it a number of times and it will straighten out of itself,but, if you

continue to make a fold in it, it will intime be impossible to remove it. by concentration you can stop the worry habit.if you are in the habit of worrying over the merest trifles,just concentrate on this a few minutes and see bow needless itis; if you are also in the habit of becoming irritable or nervousat the least little thing, check yourself instantly when you feelyourself becoming so; start to breathe deeply; say, "i willnot be so weak; i am master of myself," and you will quickly overcomeyour condition.

exercise 11 by concentration you can control your temper.if you are one of those that flare up at the slightest "provocation"and never try to control yourself, just think this overa minute. does it do you any good? do you gain anything by it?doesn't it put you out of poise for some time? don't you know thatthis grows on you and will eventually make you despised by all thathave any dealings with you? everyone makes mistakes and, insteadof becoming angry at their perpetrators, just say to them, "bemore careful next

time." this thought will be impressed on themand they will be more careful. but, if you continually complainabout their making a mistake, the thought of a mistake is impressedon them and they will be more likely to make mistakes in thefuture. all lack of self-control can be conquered if you willbut learn to concentrate. many of you that read this may think you arenot guilty of either of these faults, but if you will carefullywatch yourself you will probably find that you are, and, if so,you will be greatly

helped by repeating this affirmation eachmorning: "i am going to try today not to make a uselessgesture or to worry over trifles, or become nervous or irritable.i intend to be calm, and, no difference what may be thecircumstances, i will control myself. henceforth i resolve to befree from all signs that show lack of self-control." at night quickly review your actions duringthe day and see how fully you realized your aim. at first youwill, of course, have to plead guilty of violation a few times,but keep on, and you

will soon find that you can live up to yourideal. after you have once gained self-control, however, don't relinquishit. for some time it will still be necessary to repeatthe affirmation in the morning and square your conduct with it inthe evening. keep up the good work until, at last, the habit ofself-control is so firmly fixed that you could not break it eventhough you tried. i have had many persons tell me that thisaffirmation and daily review made a wonderful difference in theirlives. you, too, will notice the difference if you live up to theseinstructions.

exercise 12. practice talking before a glass. make twomarks on your mirror on a level with your eyes, and think of themas two human eyes looking into yours. your eyes will probablyblink a little at first. do not move your head, but stand erect.concentrate all your thoughts on keeping your head perfectlystill. do not let another thought come into your mind. then,still keeping the head, eyes and body still, think that youlook like a reliable man or woman should; like a person that anyonewould have

confidence in. do not let your appearancebe such as to justify the remark, "i don't like his appearance.i don't believe he can be trusted." while standing before the mirror practicedeep breathing. see that there is plenty of fresh air in the room,and that you are literally feasting on it. you will find that,as it permeates every cell, your timidity will disappear.it has been replaced by a sense of peace and power. the one that stands up like a man and hascontrol over the

muscles of his face and eyes always commandsattention. in his conversation, he can better impress thosewith whom he comes in contact. he acquires a feeling of calmnessand strength that causes opposition to melt away before it. three minutes a day is long enough for thepractice of this exercise. look at the clock before you commence theexercise, and if you find you can prolong the exercise for morethan five minutes do so. the next day sit in a chair and, withoutlooking at the

picture, concentrate on it and see if youcannot think of additional details concerning it. the chancesare you will be able to think of many more. it might be wellfor you to write down all you thought of the first day, andthen add to the list each new discovery. you will find that thisis a very excellent exercise in concentration. exercise 13 the control of sensations. think how you wouldfeel if you were cool; then how you would feel if you werecold; again, how you

would feel if it were freezing. in this stateyou would be shivering all over. now think of just theopposite conditions; construct such a vivid image of heat thatyou are able to experience the sensation of heat even in thecoldest atmosphere. it is possible to train your imagination untilyou do this, and it can then be turned to practical accountin making undesirable conditions bearable. you can think of many very good exerciseslike this. for instance, if you feel yourself getting hungryor thirsty and for

any reason you do not wish to eat, do notthink of how hungry or thirsty you are, but just visualize yourselfas finishing a hearty meal. again, when you experience pain,do not increase it by thinking about it, but do something todivert your attention, and the pain will seem to decrease. if youwill start practicing along this line systematically you will soongain a wonderful control over the things that affect your physicalcomfort. exercise 14 the eastern way of concentrating. sit in achair with a high back

in upright position. press one finger againstthe right nostril. now take a long, deep breath, drawing thebreath in gently as you count ten; then expel the breath through theright nostril as you count ten. repeat this exercise with the oppositenostril. this exercise should be done at least twenty timesat each sitting. exercise 15 controlling desires. desire, which is oneof the hardest forces to control, will furnish you with excellentexercises in concentration. it seems natural to want totell others what you

know; but, by learning to control these desires,you can wonderfully strengthen your powers of concentration.remember, you have all you can do to attend to yourown business. do not waste your time in thinking of others or ingossiping about them. if, from your own observation, you learn somethingabout another person that is detrimental, keep it to yourself.your opinion may afterwards turn out to be wrong anyway, butwhether right or wrong, you have strengthened your will bycontrolling your desire to communicate your views.

if you hear good news resist the desire totell it to the first person you meet and you will be benefitedthereby. it will require the concentration of all your powersof resistance to prohibit the desire to tell. after you feelthat you have complete control over your desires you canthen tell your news. but you must be able to suppress the desireto communicate the news until you are fully ready to tell it.persons that do not possess this power of control over desiresare apt to tell things that they should not, thereby often involvingboth themselves and

others in needless trouble. if you are in the habit of getting excitedwhen you hear unpleasant news, just control yourself andreceive it without any exclamation of surprise. say to yourself,"nothing is going to cause me to lose my self-control. you willfind from experience that this self-control will be worth muchto you in business. you will be looked upon as a cool-headed businessman, and this in time becomes a valuable business asset. ofcourse, circumstances alter cases. at times it is necessary to becomeenthused. but be

ever on the lookout for opportunities forthe practice of self-control. "he that ruleth his spirit isgreater than he that ruleth a city." exercise 16 when you read. no one can think without firstconcentrating his thoughts on the subject in hand. every manand woman should train himself to think clearly. an excellent exerciseis to read some short story and then write just an abridgedstatement. read an article in a newspaper, and see in how fewwords you can express

it. reading an article to get only the essentialsrequires the closest concentration. if you are unable towrite out what you read, you will know you are weak in concentration.instead of writing it out you can express it orally ifyou wish. go to your room and deliver it as if you were talkingto some one. you will find exercises like this of the greatest valuein developing concentration and learning to think. after you have practiced a number of thesesimple exercises read a book for twenty minutes and then write downwhat you have read.

the chances are that at first you will notremember very many details, but with a little practice you willbe able to write a very good account of what you have read. thecloser the concentration the more accurate the accountwill be. it is a good idea when time is limited toread only a short sentence and then try to write it down wordfor word. when you are able to do this, read two or more sentencesand treat similarly. the practice will produce verygood results if you keep it up until the habit is fixed.

if you will just utilize your spare time inpracticing exercises like those suggested you can gain wonderfulpowers of concentration. you will find that in orderto remember every word in a sentence you must keep out every thoughtbut that which you wish to remember, and this power of inhibitionalone will more than compensate for the trouble of the exercise.of course, success in all of the above depends largelyupon cultivating, through the closest concentration, the powerto image or picture what you read; upon the power, as one writerexpresses it, of

letting the mountains of which we hear loombefore us and the rivers of which we read roll at our feet. exercise 17 concentration overcomes bad habits. if youhave a habit that you want to get rid of, shut your eyes and imaginethat your real self is standing before you. now try the powerof affirmation; say to yourself, "you are not a weakling;you can stop this habit if you want to. this habit is bad and youwant to break it." just imagine that you are some one else givingthis advice. this is

very valuable practice. you, in time, seeyourself as others see you. the habit loses its power over you andyou are free. if you will just form the mental image ofcontrolling yourself as another person might, you will take a delightin breaking bad habits. i have known a number of men to breakthemselves of drinking in this way. exercise 18 watch concentration. sit in a chair and placea clock with a second hand on the table. follow the secondhand with your eyes

as it goes around. keep this up for five minutes,thinking of nothing else but the second hand, this isa very good exercise when you only have a few minutes to spare,if you are able to keep every other thought in the stream ofconsciousness subordinate to it. as there is little thatis particularly interesting about the second hand, it is hardto do this, but in the extra effort of will power required tomake it successful lies its value. always try to keep as stillas possible during these exercises.

in this way you can gain control over nervesand this quieting effect is very good for them. exercise 19 faith concentration. a belief in the powerto concentrate is of course very important. i purposely did notput this exercise in the beginning where it naturally belongs becausei wanted you to know that you could learn to concentrate.if you have practiced the above exercises you have now developedthis concentration power to a considerable extent and thereforeyou have faith in

the power of concentration, but you can stillbecome a much stronger believer in it. we will say that you have some desire or wishyou want fulfilled, or that you need some special advice. youfirst clearly picture what is wanted and then you concentrate ongetting it. have absolute faith that your desires will be realized.believe that it will according to your belief be fulfilled.never, at this time, attempt to analyze the belief. you don'tcare anything about the whys and wherefores. you want togain the thing you

desire, and if you concentrate on it in theright way you will get it. a caution. never think you will not succeed,but picture what is wanted as already yours, and yours it surelywill be. self-distrust. do you ever feel distrust inyourself? if you do, just ask yourself, which self do i mistrust?then say: my higher self cannot be affected. then think of thewonderful powers of the higher self. there is a way to overcomeall difficulties, and it is a delight for the human soul to do so.instead of wasting

precious thought-force by dreading or fearinga disagreeable interview or event, instead devote the timeand concentrated thought in how to make the best of the interviewor event and you will find that it will not be as unpleasantas you thought it would be. most of our troubles are but imaginary,and it is the mental habit of so dreading them that reallyacts as a magnet in attracting those that really do come. yourevil circumstances are created or attracted by your own negative,fears and wrong thoughts, and are a means of teaching youto triumph over all

evils, by discovering that which is inherentwithin yourself. you will find it helpful in overcoming self-distrust,to stop and think, why you are, concentrating your forces,and by so doing you become more closely attached to the higherself, which never distrusts. lesson xv. concentrate so you will not forget a man forgets because he does not concentratehis mind on his purpose, especially at the moment he conceivesit. we remember only that which makes a deep impression, hencewe must first

deepen our impressions by associating in ourminds certain ideas that are related to them. we will say a wife gives her husband a letterto mail. he does not think about it, but automatically putsit in his pocket and forgets all about it. when the letter wasgiven to him had he said to himself, "i will mail this letter.the box is at the next corner and when i pass it i must drop thisletter," it would have enabled him to recall the letter the instanthe reached the mail box.

the same rule holds good in regard to moreimportant things. for example, if you are instructed to drop inand see mr. smith while out to luncheon today, you will not forgetit, if, at the moment the instruction is given, you say to yourselfsomething similar to the following: "when i get to the corner of blank street,on my way to luncheon, i shall turn to the right and call on mr.smith." in this way the impression is made, the connection establishedand the sight of the associated object recalls the errand.

the important thing to do is to deepen theimpression at the very moment it enters your mind. this is made possible,not only by concentrating the mind upon the idea itself,but by surrounding it with all possible association of ideas,so that each one will reinforce the others. the mind is governed by laws of association,such as the law that ideas which enter the mind at the same timeemerge at the same time, one assisting in recalling the others. the reason why people cannot remember whatthey want to is that

they have not concentrated their minds sufficientlyon their purpose at the moment when it was formed. you can train yourself to remember in thisway by the concentration of the attention on your purpose,in accordance with the laws of association. when once you form this habit, the attentionis easily centered and the memory easily trained. then your memory,instead of failing you at crucial moments, becomes avaluable asset in your every-day work.

exercise in memory concentration. select somepicture; put it on a table and then look at it for two minutes.concentrate your attention on this picture, observe every detail;then shut your eyes and see how much you can recall aboutit. think of what the picture represents; whether it is a good subject;whether it looks natural. think of objects in foreground,middle ground, background; of details of color and form.now open your eyes and hold yourself rigidly to the correction ofeach and every mistake. close eyes again and notice how muchmore accurate your

picture is. practice until your mental imagecorresponds in every particular to the original. nature is a wonderful instructor. but thereare very few who realize that when we get in touch with naturewe discover ourselves. that by listening to her voice,with that curious, inner sense of ours, we learn the onenessof life and wake up to our own latent powers. few realize that the simple act of listeningand concentrating is our best interior power, for it brings usinto close contact with

the highest, just as our other senses bringus into touch with the coarser side of human nature. the closerwe live to nature the more developed is this sense. "so called"civilization has over developed our other senses at the expenseof this one. children unconsciously realize the value ofconcentration--for instance: when a child has a difficult problemto solve, and gets to some knotty point which he finds himselfmentally unable to do--though he tries his hardest--he will pauseand keep quite still, leaning on his elbow, apparently listening;then you will

see, if you are watching, sudden illuminationcome and he goes on happily and accomplishes his task. a childinstinctively but unconsciously knows when he needs help, hemust be quiet and all great people concentrate and owe theirsuccess to it. the doctor thinks over the symptoms of his patient,waits, listens for the inspiration, though quite unconscious,perhaps, of doing so. the one who diagnoses in this way seldommakes mistakes. an author thinks his plot, holds it in his mind,and then waits, and illumination comes. if you want to be ableto solve difficult

problems you must learn to do the same. lesson xvi. how concentration can fulfillyour desire "it is a spiritual law that the desire todo necessarily implies the ability to do." you have all read of "aladdin's lamp," whichaccomplished such wonderful things. this, of course, is onlya fairy story, but it illustrates the fact that man has within himthe power, if he is able to use it, to gratify his every wish. if you are unable to satisfy your deepestlongings it is time you

learned how to use your god-given powers.you will soon be conscious that you have latent powers withincapable when once developed of revealing to you priceless knowledgeand unlimited possibilities of success. man should have plenty of everything and notmerely substance to live on as so many have. all natural desirescan be realized. it would be wrong for the infinite to createwants that could not be supplied. man's very soul is in his powerto think, and it, therefore, is the essence of all created things.every instinct

of man leads to thought, and in every thoughtthere is great possibility because true thought development,when allied to those mysterious powers which perhaps transcendit, has been the cause of all the world's true progress. in the silence we become conscious of "thatsomething" which transcends thought and which uses thoughtas a medium for expression. many have glimpses of "that something,"but few ever reach the state where the mind is steady enoughto fathom these depths. silent, concentrated thought is morepotent than spoken

words, for speech distracts from the focusingpower of the mind by drawing more and more attention to thewithout. man must learn more and more to depend onhimself; to seek more for the infinite within. it is from this sourcealone that he ever gains the power to solve his practicaldifficulties. no one should give up when there is always the resourcesof infinity. the cause of failure is that men search inthe wrong direction for success, because they are not consciousof their real powers that when used are capable of guiding them.

the infinite within is foreign to those personswho go through life without developing their spiritual powers.but the infinite helps only he who helps himself. there isno such thing as a special "providence." man will not receivehelp from the infinite except to the extent that he believes andhopes and prays for help from this great source. concentrate on what you want and get it. theweakling is controlled by conditions. the strong man controlsconditions. you can be either the conqueror or the conquered.by the law of

concentration you can achieve your heart'sdesire. this law is so powerful that that which at first seems impossiblebecomes attainable. by this law what you at first see as a dreambecomes a reality. remember that the first step in concentrationis to form a mental image of what you wish to accomplish. thisimage becomes a thought-seed that attracts thoughts of a similarnature. around this thought, when it is once planted in theimagination or creative region of the mind, you group orbuild associated

thoughts which continue to grow as long asyour desire is keen enough to compel close concentration. form the habit of thinking of something youwish to accomplish for five minutes each day. shut every otherthought out of consciousness. be confident that you willsucceed; make up your mind that all obstacles that are in your waywill be overcome and you can rise above any environment. you do this by utilizing the natural lawsof the thought world which are all powerful.

a great aid in the development of concentrationis to write out your thoughts on that which lies nearest yourheart and to continue, little by little, to add to it untilyou have as nearly as possible exhausted the subject. you will find that each day as you focus yourforces on this thought at the center of the stream of consciousness,new plans, ideas and methods will flash into your mind.there is a law of attraction that will help you accomplish yourpurpose. an advertiser, for instance, gets to thinkingalong a certain line.

he has formed his own ideas, but he wantsto know what others think. he starts out to seek ideas and hesoon finds plenty of books, plans, designs, etc., on the subject,although when he started he was not aware of their existence. the same thing is true in all lines. we canattract those things that will help us. very often we seem to receivehelp in a miraculous way. it may be slow in coming,but once the silent unseen forces are put into operation, theywill bring results so long as we do our part. they are ever presentand ready to aid

those who care to use them. by forming a strongmental image of your desire, you plant the thought-seed whichbegins working in your interest and, in time, that desire, ifin harmony with your higher nature, will materialize. it may seem that it would be unnecessary tocaution you to concentrate only upon achievement that willbe good for you and work no harm to another, but there are manywho forget others and their rights, in their anxiety to achievesuccess. all good things are possible for you to have, but onlyas you bring your

forces into harmony with that law that requiresthat we mete out justice to fellow travelers as we journeyalong life's road. so first think over the thing wanted and if itwould be good for you to have; say, "i want to do this; i am goingto work to secure it. the way will be open for me." if you fully grasp mentally the thought ofsuccess and hold it in mind each day, you gradually make a patternor mold which in time will materialize. but by all means keep freefrom doubt and fear, the destructive forces. never allow theseto become associated

with your thoughts. at last you will create the desired conditionsand receive help in many unlooked-for ways that will lift youout of the undesired environment. life will then seem very differentto you, for you will have found happiness through awakeningwithin yourself the power to become the master of circumstancesinstead of their slave. to the beginner in this line of thought someof the things stated in this book may sound strange, even absurd,but, instead of

condemning them, give them a trial. you willfind they will work the inventor has to work out his idea mentallybefore he produces it materially. the architect first sees themental picture of the house he is to plan and from this works outthe one we see. every object, every enterprise, must first be mentallycreated. i know a man that started in business withthirteen cents and not a dollar's worth of credit. in ten years hehas built up a large and profitable business. he attributes hissuccess to two things--belief that he would succeed and hardwork. there were

times when it did not look like he could weatherthe storm. he was being pressed by his creditors who consideredhim bankrupt. they would have taken fifty cents on the dollarfor his notes and considered themselves lucky. but by keepingup a bold front he got an extension of time when needed. whenabsolutely necessary for him to raise a certain sum at a certaintime he always did it. when he had heavy bills to meet he wouldmake up his mind that certain people that owed him would payby a certain date and they always did. sometimes he would not receivetheir check until

the last mail of the day of the extension,and i have known him to send out a check with the prospect of receivinga check from one of his customers the following day. hewould have no reason other than his belief in the power of affectingthe mind of another by concentration of thought for expectingthat check, but rarely has he been disappointed. just put forth the necessary concentratedeffort and you will be wonderfully helped from sources unknown toyou. remember the mystical words of jesus, themaster: "whatsoever

thing ye desire when ye pray, pray as if yehad already received and ye shall have." lesson xvii. ideals developed by concentration through our paltry stir and strife, glowsthe wished ideal, and longing molds in clay, what life carves inthe marble real.--lowell. we often hear people spoken of as idealists.the fact is we are all idealists to a certain extent, and uponthe ideals we picture depends our ultimate success. you must havethe mental image if

you are to produce the material thing. everythingis first created in the mind. when you control yourthoughts you become a creator. you receive divine ideas and shapethem to your individual needs. all things of this worldare to you just what you think they are. your happiness and successdepend upon your ideals. you are responsible for every condition yougo through, either consciously or unconsciously. the next stepyou take determines the succeeding step. remember this; it isa valuable lesson. by

concentrating on each step as you go along,you can save a lot of waste steps and will be able to choose a straightpath instead of a roundabout road. concentrate upon your ideals and they willbecome material actualities. through concentration we workout our ideals in physical life. your future depends upon theideals you are forming now. your past ideals are determiningyour present. therefore, if you want a bright future, youmust begin to prepare for it today.

if persons could only realize that they canonly injure themselves, that when they are apparentlyinjuring others they are really injuring themselves, what a differentworld this would be! we say a man is as changeable as the weather.what is meant is his ideals change. every time you change yourideal you think differently. you become like a rudderlessboat on an ocean. therefore realize the importance of holdingto your ideal until it becomes a reality.

you get up in the morning determined thatnothing will make you lose your temper. this is your ideal of aperson of real strength and poise. something takes place that upsetsyou completely and you lose your temper. for the time being youforget your ideal. if you had just thought a second of what awell-poised person implies you would not have become angry. youlose your poise when you forget your ideal. each time we allowour ideals to be shattered we also weaken our will-power. holdingto your ideals develops will-power. don't forget this.

why do so many men fail? because they don'thold to their ideal until it becomes a mental habit. when theyconcentrate on it to the exclusion of all other things it becomesa reality. "i am that which i think myself to be." ideals are reflected to us from the unseenspirit. the laws of matter and spirit are not the same. one canbe broken, but not the other. to the extent that ideals are keptis your future assured. it was never intended that man should suffer.he has brought it

upon himself by disobeying the laws of nature.he knows them so cannot plead ignorance. why does he breakthem? because he does not pay attention to those ideals flashedto him from the infinite spirit. life is but one continuous unfoldment, andyou can be happy every step of the way or miserable, as you please;it all depends upon how we entertain those silent whisperingsthat come from we know not where. we cannot hear them with mortalear, but from the silence they come as if they were dreams,not to you or me alone,

but to everyone. in this way the grandestthoughts come to us, to use or abuse. so search not in treasured volumesfor noble thoughts, but within, and bright and glowingvision will come to be realized now and hereafter. you must give some hours to concentrated,consistent, persistent thought. you must study yourself and yourweaknesses. no man gets over a fence by wishing himselfon the other side. he must climb. no man gets out of the rut of dull, tiresome,monotonous life by

merely wishing himself out of the rut. hemust climb. if you are standing still, or going backward,there is something wrong. you are the man to find out what iswrong. don't think that you are neglected, or notunderstood, or not appreciated. such thoughts are the thoughts of failure. think hard about the fact that men who havegot what you envy got it by working for it. don't pity yourself, criticise yourself.

you know that the only thing in the worldthat you have got to count upon is yourself. lesson xviii. mental control through creation i attended a banquet of inventors recently.each inventor gave a short talk on something he thought would beaccomplished in the future. many very much needed things werespoken of. one inventor spoke of the possibilities of wireless telephone.distance, he said, would shortly be annihilated. he thoughtwe would soon be able to talk to the man in the submarine fortyfathoms below the

surface and a thousand miles away. when hegot through he asked if there were any that doubted what he said.no one spoke up. this was not a case of tactful politeness,as inventors like to argue, but a case where no one present reallydoubted that the inventor's vision would, in the future, materialize. these shrewd men, some real geniuses, allthought we would in time be able to talk to those a thousand milesaway without media. now, if we can make an instrument sowonderful that we can send wireless messages a thousand miles, isthere any reason why

we should not through mental control transmitmessages from one person to another? the wireless message shouldnot be as easy to send as the projected thought. the day will come when all business will employhighly developed persons to send out influences. these influenceswill be so dominating that employes will be partly controlledby them and so you will profit more and more by your mentalpowers and depend on them to draw to you all forces of a helpfulnature. you will be constantly sending out suggestions to youremployes and friends.

they will receive these unconsciously, butin case yours is the stronger personality they will carry themout the same as if you had spoken them. this is being done even today. a finely organizedcompany secures the combined effort of all its men. they maybe each doing a different kind of work, but all work to bringabout the very best results. the whole atmosphere is impregnatedwith a high standard of workmanship. everyone feels he must dohis best. he could not be in such surroundings and be satisfied todo anything but his

best work. a business will succeed only to the extentthat the efforts of all are co-ordinated towards one result. atleast one person is needed to direct all toward the desired end.the person at the head does not have to exactly outline to theothers what steps to take, but he must possess the mental powerof control over others. an up-to-date business letter is not writtenin a casual, commonplace way today. the writer tries toconvey something he

thinks the receiver will be interested toknow. in this way he awakens a responsive spirit. sometimes justthe addition of a word or two will change a letter of the matter-of-factstyle to one that compels a response. it is not alwayswhat is actually in a letter, but the spirit which it breathesthat brings results. that intangible something that defies analysisis the projected thought of the master that brings back theharvest that it claims. but we should not always claim success forourselves only. if you

are anxious that some friend or relative shouldsucceed, think of this person as becoming successful. picturehim in the position you would like to see him in. if he has aweakness, desire and command that it be strengthened; think ofhis shortcomings which belong to his negative nature as being replacedby positive qualities. take a certain part of the dayto send him thoughts of an up-building nature. you can in this wayarouse his mental powers into activity, and once aroused, theywill assert themselves and claim their own.

we can accomplish a great deal more than manyof us are ready to believe by sending to another our direct,positive and controlling suggestions of leadership, butwhether a man is a success or not is greatly determined by theway he acts on the suggestions he receives. we either advance or decline. we never standstill. every time we accomplish something it gives us ability todo greater things. the bigger the attempt undertaken, the greaterthe things accomplished in the future. as a businessgrows, the head of the

business also has to grow. he must advanceand be ever the guiding influence. by his power to control,he inspires confidence in those associated with him. oftenemployes are superior to their employers in some qualities,and, if they had studied, instead of neglected their development,they could have been employers of more commanding influencethan those whom they serve. through your mental power you can generatein another enthusiasm and the spirit of success, which somehow furnishesan impetus to

do something worth while. in concentrated mental control, there is alatent power more potent than physical force. the person becomesaware that the attitude of the mind has a power of controlling,directing and governing other forces. he has been placedin an attitude capable of acquiring that which he desires. all of us no matter how strong we are, areaffected by the mental forces of our environment. there is no onethat can remain neutral to influences. the mind cannot befreed from the forces

of a place. if the environment of your placeof business is not helpful, it will be harmful. that is why achange of position will often do a person a great deal of good. no person was ever intended to live alone.if you are shut up with only your own thoughts you suffer frommental starvation. the mind becomes narrow; the mental powersweaken. living alone often causes some of the milder forms of insanity.if children do not play with those their own age, but associatewith only older people, they will take on the actions of theolder people. the

same is true of older persons if they associatewith people younger than they are. they take on the spiritof youth. if you wish to retain your youth you need the influencesof youth. like attracts like all over the world. the thought element plays a great part inour lives. every business must not only command physical effortbut it must also command thought effort. there must be co-ordinationof thought. all employers should aim to secure employesthat think along similar lines. they will work in fuller sympathywith each other.

they will better understand each other. thisenables them to help each other, which would be utterly impossibleif they were not in sympathy with each other. it is this thatgoes to make up a perfect organization, which directs and influencesthem toward the one end. instead of each person beinga separate unit, each one is like a spoke in a big wheel. each membercarries his own load, and he would not think of shirking.anyone working in such an atmosphere could not help turning out hisbest work. all great leaders must be able to inspirethis co-operative

spirit. they first secure assistance throughtheir mental control. they then make their assistants realizethe value of mental control. soon there is a close bondbetween them; they are working toward a single purpose. they profitby their combined effort. the result is that they accomplishmuch. if your business is conducted in the rightspirit, you can instill your thoughts and your ideas intoyour employes. your methods and ideas become theirs. they don'tknow it, but your mental forces are shaping their work. theyare just as certain to

produce results as any physical force in nature. the up-to-date business man of the futureis going to take pains to get his employes to think and reason better.he will not want them to become depressed or discouraged. thereis time that instead of being wasted he will endeavor tohave them use in concentrated effort that will be profitableto both employer and employed. there must be more of the spiritof justice enter into the business of the future. there is a firm i know that will not hirean employe until he has

filled out an application blank. no doubtthose that fill it out think it is foolishness, but it is not. acapable manager can look over this application blank and prettynearly tell if this person will fit into his management. the mainthing he wants to know is the applicant's capacity for efficientco-operative effort. he wants persons that have faith inthemselves. he wants them to realize that when they talk of misfortunesand become blue they are likely to communicate the samedepressing influence to others. the up-to-date manager wants toguard against hiring

employes who will obstruct his success. you must realize that every moment spent inthinking of your difficulties of the past, every moment spentin bad company is attracting to you all that is bad; is attractinginfluences that must be shaken off before you can advance. many firms prefer to hire employes that neverworked before so that they have nothing to unlearn. they arethen not trained, but have no bad business habits to overcome. theyare more easily guided and grasp the new methods more effectivelybecause they

are not contrary to what they have alreadylearned. they are at once started on the right road, and as theyco-operate readily they receive the mental support of the managementin learning the methods that have been perfected. this inspiresconfidence in themselves and they soon become efficientand, finally, skilled workers. most big business firms today employ efficiencyexperts. each day or week they are in a different department.they earn their money because they familiarize persons with verylittle business

experience with plans that has taken the "expert"years of training and much money to perfect. the attitude we take has a great deal moreto do with our success than most of us realize. we must be able togenerate those forces that are helpful. there is a wonderful powerin the thought rightly controlled and projected and we mustthrough concentration develop this power to the fullestpossible extent. we are surrounded by many forces of whichwe know but little at present. our knowledge of these is to be wonderfullyincreased.

each year we learn more about these psychicforces which are full of possibilities of which we are not evendimly conscious. we must believe in mental control, learn moreabout it, and use it, if we want to command these higher powersand forces which will unquestionably direct the lives of countlessfuture generations. lesson xix. a concentrated will development new method. you will find in this chaptera most effective and most practical method of developing the will.you can develop a strong one if you want to. you can make yourwill a dynamo to

draw to you untold power. exercises are givenwhich will, if practiced, strengthen your will, just as youwould strengthen your muscles by athletic exercises. in starting to do anything, we must firstcommence with elementary principles. simple exercises willbe given. it is impossible to estimate the ultimate good tobe derived from the mental cultivation that comes through theseattempts at concentration. even the simple exercises arenot to be thought useless. "in no respect," writes doctor oppenheim,"can a man

show a finer quality of will-power than inhis own private, intimate life." we are all subjected to certaintemptations. the will decides whether we will be just, or unjust;pure of thought; charitable in opinion; forbearing in overlookingother's shortcomings; whether we live up to our higheststandard. since these are all controlled by the will, we shouldfind time for plenty of exercises for training of the willin our daily life. you, of course, realize that your will shouldbe trained. you must also realize that to do this requireseffort that you alone

can command. no one can call it forth foryou. to be successful in these exercises you mustpractice them in a spirit of seriousness and earnestness. i canshow you how to train your will, but your success dependsupon your mastery and application of these methods. new methods of will-training. select a quietroom where you will not be interrupted; have a watch to determinethe time, and a note-book in which to enter observations.start each exercise with date and time of day.

time decided on. select some time of the daywhen most convenient. sit in a chair and look at thedoor-knob for ten minutes. then write down what you experienced.at first it will seem strange and unnatural. you will findit hard to hold one position for ten minutes. but keep as stillas you can. the time will seem long for it will probably be thefirst time you ever sat and did nothing for ten minutes. you willfind your thoughts wandering from the door-knob, and you willwonder what there can be in this exercise. repeat this exercisefor six days.

10 p. m. 2nd day. notes. you should be able to sit quieter,and the time should pass more quickly. you will probably feela little stronger because of gaining a better control of yourwill. it will brace you up, as you have kept your resolution.10 p. m. 3rd day. notes. it may be a little harder for you toconcentrate on the door-knob as perhaps you had a very busy dayand your mind kept trying to revert to what you had been doingduring the day. keep on trying and you will finally succeed inbanishing all foreign

thoughts. then you should feel a desire togain still more control. there is a feeling of power thatcomes over you when you are able to carry out your will. this exercisewill make you feel bigger and it awakens a sense of nobilityand manliness. you will say, "i find that i can actually do what iwant to and can drive foreign thoughts out. the exercise, i cannow see, is valuable." 10 p. m. 4th day. notes. "i found that i could look at the door-knoband concentrate my attention on it at once. haveovercome the

tendency to move my legs. no other thoughtstry to enter as i have established the fact that i can do whati want to do and do not have to be directed. i feel that i amgaining in mental strength, i can now see the wonderful valueof being the master of my own will-force. i know now if i makea resolution i will keep it. i have more self-confidence and canfeel my self-control increasing. 10 p. m. 5th day. notes. "each day i seem to increase the intensityof my

concentration. i feel that i can center myattention on anything i wish. 10 p. m. 6th day. notes. "i can instantly center my whole attentionon the door-knob. feel that i have thoroughly masteredthis exercise and that i am ready for another." you have practiced this exercise enough, butbefore you start another i want you to write a summary of justhow successful you were in controlling the flitting impulsesof the mind and will.

you will find this an excellent practice.there is nothing more beneficial to the mind than to pay close attentionto its own wonderful, subtle activities. secure a package of playing cards. selectsome time to do the exercise. each day at the appointed time,take the pack in one hand and then start laying them down on topof each other just as slowly as you can, with an even motion. tryto get them as even as possible. each card laid down should completelycover the under one. do this exercise for six days.

1st day. notes. task will seem tedious and tiresome.requires the closest concentration to make each card completelycover the preceding one. you will probably want to lay them downfaster. it requires patience to lay them down so slowly, but benefitis lost if not so placed. you will find that at first yourmotions will be jerky and impetuous. it will require a little practicebefore you gain an easy control over your hands and arms.you probably have never tried to do anything in such a calm way. itwill require the

closest attention of your will. but you willfind that you are acquiring a calmness you never had before.you are gradually acquiring new powers. you recognize how impulsiveand impetuous you have been, and how, by using your will,you can control your temperament. 2nd day. notes. you start laying the cards down slowly.you will find that by practice you can lay them down much faster.but you want to lay them down slowly and therefore you haveto watch yourself.

the slow, steady movement is wearisome. youhave to conquer the desire of wanting to hurry up. soon you willfind that you can go slowly or fast at will. 3rd day. notes. you still find it hard to go slowly.your will urges you to go faster. this is especially true if youare impulsive, as the impulsive character finds it very difficultto do anything slowly and deliberately. it goes against the"grain." this exercise still is tiresome. but when you doit, it braces you up

mentally. you are accomplishing somethingyou do not like to do. it teaches you how to concentrate on disagreeabletasks. writing these notes down you will find very helpful. 4th day. notes. i find that i am beginning to placethe cards in a mathematical way. i find one card is not completelycovering another. i am getting a little careless andmust be more careful. i command my will to concentrate more. itdoes not seem so hard to bring it under control.

5th day. notes. i find that i am overcoming my jerkymovements, that i can lay the cards down slowly and steadily. ifeel that i am rapidly gaining more poise. i am getting better controlover my will each day, and my will completely controls my movements.i begin to look on my will as a great governing power.i would not think of parting with the knowledge of will i havegained. i find it is a good exercise and know it will help me toaccomplish my tasks. 6th day.

notes. i begin to feel the wonderful possibilitiesof the will. it gives me strength to think of the powerof will. i am able to do so much more and better work now, thati realize that i can control my will action. whatever my task,my will is concentrated on it. i am to keep my will centered thereuntil the task is finished. the more closely and definitelyi determine what i shall do, the more easily the will carriesit out. determination imparts compelling force to the will. it exertsitself more. the will and the end act and react on each other.

7th day. notes. now try to do everything you do todayfaster. don't hurry or become nervous. just try to do everythingfaster, but in a steady manner. you will find that the exercises you havepracticed in retardation have steadied your nerves, andthereby made it possible to increase your speed. the willis under your command. make it carry out resolutions rapidly. thisis how you build up your self-control and your self-command. itis then that the

human machine acts as its author dictates. you certainly should now be able to judgeof the great benefit that comes from writing out your introspectionseach day. of course you will not have the exact experiencesgiven in these examples, but some of these will fit yourcase. be careful to study your experiences carefully and makeas true a report as you can. describe your feelings just as they seemto you. allow your fancies to color your report and it will beworthless. you have pictured conditions as you see them. in afew months, if you

again try the same exercises, you will findyour report very much better. by these introspections, we learnto know ourselves better and with this knowledge can wonderfullyincrease our efficiency. as you become used to writingout your report, it will be more accurate. you thus learn howto govern your impulses, activities and weaknesses. each person should try to plan exercises thatwill best fit his needs. if not convenient for you to practiceexercises every day, take them twice or three times a week. butcarry out any plan you

decide to try. if you cannot devote ten minutesa day to the experiments start with five minutes and graduallyincrease the time. the exercises given are only intendedfor examples. will training without exercise. there aremany people that do not want to take the time to practice exercises,so the following instructions for training the will are givento them. by willing and realizing, the will grows.therefore the more you will, the more it grows, and builds up power.no matter whether your task is big or small, make it a ruleto accomplish it in

order to fortify your will. form the habitof focusing your will in all its strength upon the subject to beachieved. you form in this way the habit of getting a thing done,of carrying out some plan. you acquire the feeling of being ableto accomplish that which lies before you, no matter what it is.this gives you confidence and a sense of power that you getin no other way. you know when you make a resolution that you willkeep it. you do not tackle new tasks in a half-hearted way, butwith a bold, brave spirit. we know that the will is able to carryus over big

obstacles. knowing this despair never claimsus for a victim. we have wills and are going to use them withmore and more intensity, thus giving us the power to makeour resolutions stronger, our actions freer and our livesfiner and better. the education of the will should not be leftto chance. it is only definite tasks that will render it energetic,ready, persevering and consistent. the only way itcan be done is by self-study and self-discipline. the cost iseffort, time and patience, but the returns are valuable. thereare no magical

processes leading to will development, butthe development of your will works wonders for you because itgives you self-mastery, personal power and energy ofcharacter. concentration of the will to win. the adaptabilityof persons to their business environment is more a matterof determination than anything else. in this age we hear a gooddeal of talk about a man's aptitudes. some of his aptitudes, someof his powers, may be developed to a wonderful extent, but heis really an unknown quality until all his latent powers are developedto their

highest possible extent. he may be a failurein one line and a big success in another. there are many successfulmen, that did not succeed well at what they first undertook,but they profited by their efforts in different directions,and this fitted them for higher things, whereas had they refusedto adjust themselves to their environment, the tide of progresswould have swept them into oblivion. my one aim in all my works is to try and arousein the individual the effort and determination to develop hisfull capacities, his

highest possibilities. one thing i want youto realize at the start, that it is not so much ability, asit is the will to do that counts. ability is very plentiful, butorganizing initiative and creative power are not plentiful. it iseasy to get employes, but to get someone to train them is harder.their abilities must be directed to the work they can do. theymust be shown how, while at this work, to conserve their energyand they must be taught to work in harmony with others, formost business concerns are dominated by a single personality.

concentrating on driving force within. weare all conscious, at times, that we have somewhere within us anactive driving force that is ever trying to push us onward to betterdeeds. it is that "force" that makes us feel determined at timesto do something worth while. it is not thought, emotion orfeeling. this driving force is something distinct from thought oremotion. it is a quality of the soul and therefore it has aconsciousness all its own. it is the "i will do" of the will. itis the force that makes the will concentrate. many have feltthis force working

within them, driving them on to accomplishtheir tasks. all great men and women become conscious that this supremeand powerful force is their ally in carrying out greatresolutions. this driving force is within all, but untilyou reach a certain stage you do not become aware of it. it ismost useful to the worthy. it springs up naturally without anythought of training. it comes unprovoked and leaves unnoticed.just what this force is we do not know, but we do know that it iswhat intensifies the will in demanding just and harmonious action.

the ordinary human being, merely as merchandise,if he could be sold as a slave, would be worth ten thousanddollars. if somebody gave you a five thousand dollar automobileyou would take very good care of it. you wouldn't put sand inthe carburetor, or mix water with the gasoline, or drive it furiouslyover rough roads, or leave it out to freeze at night. are you quite sure that you take care of yourown body, your own health, your only real property, as well asyou would take care of a five thousand dollar automobile if itwere given to you?

the man who mixes whiskey with his blood ismore foolish than a man would be if he mixed water with gasolinein his car. you can get another car; you cannot get anotherbody. the man who misses sleep lives irregularly--boltshis food so that his blood supply is imperfect. that isa foolish man treating himself as he would not treat anyother valuable piece of property. do you try to talk with men and women whoknow more than you do, and do you listen rather than try to tellthem what you know?

there are a hundred thousand men of fifty,and men of sixty, running along in the old rut, any one of whomcould get out of it and be counted among the successful men ifonly the spark could be found to explode the energy within themnow going to waste. each man must study and solve his own problem. lesson xx. concentration reviewed in bringing this book to a close, i againwant to impress you with the inestimable value of concentration,because those that lack this great power or, rather that failto develop it, will

generally suffer from poverty and unhappinessand their life's work will most often be a failure, while thosethat develop and use it will make the most of life's opportunities, i have tried to make these lessons practicaland i am sure that many will find them so. of course the merereading of them will not do you a great deal of good, but, if theexercises are practiced and worked out and applied to yourown individual case, you should be able to acquire the habit ofconcentration in such measure as to greatly improve your work andincrease your

happiness. but remember the best instruction can onlyhelp you to the extent to which you put it into practice. i havefound it an excellent idea to read a book through first, and thenre-read it, and when you come to an idea that appeals to you, stopand think about it, then if applicable to you, repeat it overand over, that you will be impressed by it. in this way you can formthe habit of picking out all the good things you read and thesewill have a wonderful influence on your character.

in this closing chapter, i want to impressyou to concentrate on what you do, instead of performing most ofyour work unconsciously or automatically, until youhave formed habits that give you the mastery of your work and yourlife powers and very often the hardest part of work is thinkingabout it. when you get right into it, it does not seem sodisagreeable. this is the experience of many when they first commenceto learn how to concentrate. so never think it a difficulttask, but undertake it with the "i will spirit" and you will findthat its acquirement

will be as easy as its application will beuseful. read the life of any great man, and you willgenerally find that the dominant quality that made him successfulwas the ability to concentrate. study those that have been failuresand you will often find that lack of concentration wasthe cause. "one thing at a time, and that done will is a good rule as i can tell." all men are not born with equal powers, butit is the way they are used that counts. "opportunity knocksat every man's door."

those that are successful hear the knock andgrasp the chance. the failures believe that luck and circumstancesare against them. they always blame someone else insteadof themselves for their lack of success. we get what is comingto us, nothing more or less. anything within the universe is withinyour grasp. just use your latent powers and it is yours. youare aided by both visible and invisible forces when you concentrateon either "to do" or "to be." everyone is capable of some concentration,for without it you

would be unable to say or do anything. peoplediffer in the power to concentrate because some are unable towill to hold the thought in mind for the required time. theamount of determination used determines who has thestrongest will. no one's is stronger than yours. think of thiswhenever you go against a strong opponent. never say "i can't concentrate today." youcan do it just the minute you say "i will." you can keep yourthoughts from straying, just the same as you can controlyour arms. when once

you realize this fact, you can train the willto concentrate on anything you wish. if it wanders, it is yourfault. you are not utilizing your will. but, don't blame it onyour will and say it is weak. the will is just the same whetheryou act as if it were weak or as if it were strong. when you actas if your will is strong you say, "i can." when you act as ifit were weak you say, "i can't." it requires the same amount ofeffort, in each case. some men get in the habit of thinking "i can't"and they fail. others think "i can" and succeed. so remember,it is for you to

decide whether you will join the army of "ican't" or "i can." the big mistake with so many is that theydon't realize that when they say "i can't," they really say, "i won'ttry." you can not tell what you can do until you try. "can't"means you will not try. never say you cannot concentrate, for,when you do, you are really saying that you refuse to try. whenever you feel like saying, "i can't,"say instead, "i possess all will and i can use as much as i wish."you only use as much as you have trained yourself to use.

an experiment to try. before going to bedtonight, repeat, "i am going to choose my own thoughts, and to holdthem as long as i choose. i am going to shut out all thoughtsthat weaken or interfere; that make me timid. my will isas strong as anyone's else. while going to work the next morning,repeat this over. keep this up for a month and you will findyou will have a better opinion of yourself. these are the factorsthat make you a success. hold fast to them always. concentration is nothing but willing to doa certain thing. all

foreign thoughts can be kept out by willingthat they stay out. you cannot realize your possibilities untilyou commence to direct your mind. you then do consciouslywhat you have before done unconsciously. in this way you note mistakes,overcome bad habits and perfect your conduct. you have at times been in a position thatrequired courage and you were surprised at the amount you showed.now, when once you arouse yourself, you have this courage allthe time and it is not necessary to have a special occasion revealit to you. my object

in so strongly impressing this on your mindis to make you aware that the same courage, the same determinationthat you show at certain exceptionable times you have at yourcommand at all times. it is a part of your vast resources.use it often and well, in working out the highest destiny ofwhich you are capable. final concentration instruction. you now realizethat, in order to make your life worthy, useful and happy,you must concentrate. a number of exercises and all the needed instructionhas been

given. it now remains for you to form thehighest ideal that you can in the present and live up to that ideal,and try to raise it. don't waste your time in foolish reading.select something that is inspiring, that you may become enrapportwith those that think thoughts that are worth while. theirenthusiasm will inspire and enlighten you. read slowly andconcentrate on what you are reading. let your spirit and the spiritof the author commune, and you will then sense what is betweenthe lines--those great things which words cannot express.

pay constant attention to one and one thingonly for a given time and you will soon be able to concentrate.hang on to that thought ceaselessly until you have attained your object.when you work, let your mind dwell steadily on your task.think before you speak and direct your conversation to the subjectunder discussion. do not ramble. talk slowly, steadily and connectedly.never form the hurry habit, but be deliberate in all youdo. assume static attitudes without moving a finger or an eyelid,or any part of your body. read books that treat of but onecontinuous subject.

read long articles and recall the thread ofthe argument. associate yourself with people who are steady,patient and tireless in their thought, action and work.see how long you can sit still and think on one subject withoutinterruption. concentrating on the higher self. father timekeeps going on and on. every day he rolls around means one lessday for you on this planet. most of us only try to master theexternal conditions of this world. we think our success and happinessdepends on us doing so. these are of course important andi don't want you to

think they are not, but i want you to realizethat when death comes, only those inherent and acquired qualitiesand conditions within the mentality--your character, conductand soul growth--will go with you. if these are whatthey should be, you need not be afraid of not being successfuland happy, for with these qualities you can mold external materialsand conditions. study yourself. find your strong points andmake them stronger as well as yo weak ones and strengthen them.study yourself carefully and you will see yourself as youreally are.

the secret of accomplishment is concentration,or the art of turning all your power upon just one pointat a time. if you have studied yourself carefully youshould have a good line on yourself, and should be able to makethe proper interior re-adjustments. remember first, last, andalways, right thinking and right living necessarily results in happiness,and it is therefore within your power to obtain happiness.anyone that is not happy does not claim their birthright. keep in mind that some day you are going toleave this world and

think of what you will take with you. thiswill assist you to concentrate on the higher forces. now startfrom this minute, to act according to the advice of the higherself in everything you do. if you do, its ever harmonious forceswill necessarily insure to you a successful fulfilment of all yourlife purposes. whenever you feel tempted to disobey yourhigher promptings, hold the thought "my-higher-self-insures-to-me-the-happiness-of-doing-that-which-best-answers-my-true-relations-to-all-others." you possess latent talents, that when developedand utilized are

of assistance to you and others. but if youdo not properly use them, you shirk your duty, and you will bethe loser and suffer from the consequences. others will also beworse off if you do not fulfil your obligations. when you have aroused into activity your thoughtpowers you will realize the wonderful value of these principlesin helping you to carry out your plans. the right in the endmust prevail. you can assist in the working out of the great planof the universe and thereby gain the reward, or you can work againstthe great plan

and suffer the consequences. the all consumingfires are gradually purifying all discordant elements.if you choose to work contrary to the law you will burn inits crucible, so i want you to learn to concentrate intelligentlyon becoming in harmony with your higher self. hold the thought:"i-will-live-for-my-best. i-seek-wisdom, self-knowledge, happiness-and-power-to-help-others. i-act-from-the-higher-self,therefore-only-the-best-can-come-to-me. the more we becomeconscious of the presence of the higher self the more we shouldtry to become a true representative of the human soul in all itswholeness and holiness, instead of wasting

our time dwelling onsome trifling external quality or defect. we should try to securea true conception of what we really are so as not to over valuethe external furnishings. you will then not

lack of desire,surrender yourdignity or self respect, when others ignorantly make a display ofmaterial things to show off. only the person that realizes thathe is a permanent being knows what the true self is.