Author
·
James
Allen was a British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and
poetry and as a pioneer of the self-help movement.
·
In
1903, Allen published his third and most famous book As a Man Thinketh. "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," the small work eventually became
read around the world.
Genre: Literary Essay (Self Help)
Summary
1)
Thought and Character
·
A
man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his
thoughts.
·
As
the plant springs from, could not be without the seed, so every act of a man
springs from the hidden seed of thought, and could not have appeared without them.
Act is blossom of thought, and joy and sufferings are its fruits.
·
A
noble character is not a thing of chance, but is the natural result of
continued effort in right thinking.
·
The
correct choice and continue true application of thought, man ascends to the
divine perfection; by the wrong application of thought, he descends below the
level of beast.
·
To
become the wise master, you need to direct your energies with intelligence
which is totally a matter of application, self-analysis, and experience.
·
Gold
and diamonds are found only by much searching and mining. Similarly, a man must
dig deep in the mine of his soul to find every truth connected with his being.
·
Only
by the patience, practice and ceaseless opportunity can a man enter the temple
of knowledge.
2)
Effect of thought on circumstances
·
Your
mind is just like garden, it’s your choice either to cultivate flower and
fruits of right, useful and pure thought or to grow useless weed of wrong and
impure thoughts.
·
The
outer conditions of person’s life will always be found harmoniously related to
his inner state.
·
“When you realize that you are not under the
control of outer circumstances and then you may command the hidden soil and seeds
which you become the rightful master of yourself.”
·
Circumstance does not make the man;
it reveals him to himself. Pure-minded man does not fall suddenly into crime by external force;
the criminal thought had been secretly in the heart, and the hour of
opportunity revealed its gather power.
·
Men do not attract that which they
want, but that which they are. The “divinity that
shapes our ends” is within us; it is our very self.
·
Your
wishes and Prayers are gratified when they harmonize with his thought and
actions.
·
Men
are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve
themselves; they therefore remain bound. There are a lot of people who is
desperately want to improve financial, health and social status without
understanding its basic principles.
·
You
reap what you saw. Your good/ honest thought and act brings happiness,
otherwise suffering is in your hand. Good thought and action can never produce
bad results; bad thought and action cannot produce good results.
·
A
man is not rightly conditioned until he is happy, healthy and prosperous being;
and happiness, health and prosperity are the result of harmonious adjustment of
the man with his surroundings.
·
A
man begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile and commence to
search for hidden justice.
·
Men imagine that thought can be kept
secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit and habit solidifies
into circumstances.
·
A
man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts,
which shape his circumstances.
3)
Effect of thought on health and the
body
·
Your
body is slave of your mind. Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, which
impure the thoughts, even if physically indulged, will soon shatter the nervous
system.
·
Change of diet will not help a man
who will not change his thoughts.
·
If you would protect your body, guard
your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind.
·
To
live continually in thought of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to
be confined in a self-made prison.
·
To
think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to find the good in all -- such
unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven.
4)
Thought and Purpose
·
Aimlessness
is vice. They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to
pretty worries, fear and troubles which lead to failure.
·
Thought
of doubt and fear never accomplished anything, and never can. They always lead
to failure. Purpose, energy, power to do, and all strong thoughts cease when
doubt and fear creep in.
·
The person who conquered doubt and
fear has conquered failure.
5)
The thought-factor in achievement
·
A
man can only rise, conquer, achieve by lifting up his thoughts. He can only
remain weak by refusing to lift up his thoughts.
·
The universe does not favor the
greedy, the dishonest, the vicious, although on the mere surface it may
sometimes appear to do so; it helps the honest, the generous, the virtuous.
·
All
achievements whether in the business, intellectual or spiritual world, are the
result of definitely directed thought.
·
There
can be neither progresses nor achievement without sacrifice. Those who
sacrifice little accomplish little, who sacrifice much achieves much and who
sacrifice greatly would attain highly must.
6)
Vision and Ideas
·
The
dreamers are the saviors of the world.
He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will
one day realize it.
·
Dream
lofty dreams and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise
of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at
last unveil.
·
The vision that you glorify in your
mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart- this you will build your life
by, this you will become.
7)
Serenity
·
Calmness
of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and
patient effort in self-control.
·
Self-control is strength; Right
thought is mastery; calmness is power, say unto your heart, “peace, be still”
Key Concepts
“A person limited only by the thoughts that he choose.”
-James Allen
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