Excerpts from
Your Forces and
How
to Use Them
by
Christian D. Larson
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Book
Contents
The Ruling Principle in Man;
How we
Govern the Forces We Possess; The Use of Mind in Practical Action; The
Forces of the Subconscious; Training the Subconscious for Special
Results; The Power of Subjective Thought; How Man Becomes What He
thinks; The Art of changing for the Better; He Can Who Thinks He Can;
How We Secure What We Persistently Desire; Concentration and the Power
Back of Suggestion; The Development of the Will; The Building of a
Great Mind; How Character Determines Constructive Action; The Art of
Building Character; The Creative Forces in Man; The Building Power of
Consecutive Speech; Imagination and the Master Mind; The Higher Forces
in Man; The Greatest Power in Man.
FOREWORD
"There
are a million energies in man. What may we not become when we learn to
use them all." This is the declaration of the poet; and though poetry
is usually inspired by transcendental visions, and therefore more or
less impressed with apparent exaggerations, nevertheless there is in
this poetic expression far more actual, practical truth than we may at
first believe.
How
many
energies there are in man, no one knows; but there are so many that
even the keenest observers of human activity have found it impossible
to count them all. And as most of these energies are remarkable, to say
the least, and some of them so remarkable as to appear both limitless
in power and numberless in possibilities, we may well wonder what man
will become when he learns to use them all.
When
we
look upon human nature in general we may fail to see much improvement
in power and worth as compared with what we believe the race has been
in the past; and therefore we conclude that humanity will continue to
remain about the same upon this planet until the end of time. But when
we investigate the lives of such individuals as have recently tried to
apply more intelligently the greater powers within them, we come to a
different conclusion. We then discover that there is evidence in
thousands of human lives of a new and superior race of people -- a race
that will apply a much larger measure of the wonders and possibilities
that exist within them.
It
is
only a few years, not more than a quarter of a century, since modern
psychology began to proclaim the new science of human thought and
action, so that we have had but a short time to demonstrate what a more
intelligent application of our energies and forces can accomplish. But
already the evidence is coming in from all sources, revealing results
that frequently border upon the extraordinary. Man can do far more with
himself and his life than he has been doing in the past; he can call
into action, and successfully apply, far more ability, energy and worth
than his forefathers ever dreamed of. So much has been proven during
this brief introductory period of the new-age. Then. what greater
things may we not reasonably expect when we have had fifty or a hundred
years more in which to develop and apply those larger possibilities
which we now know to be inherent in us all.
It
is the
purpose of the following pages, not only to discuss these greater
powers and possibilities in man, but also to present practical methods
through which they may be applied. We have been aware of the fact for
centuries that there is more in man than what appears on the surface,
but it is only in recent years that a systematic effort has been made
to understand the nature and practical use of this “more,” as well as
to work out better methods for the thorough and effective application
of those things on the surface which we have always employed.
In
dealing with a subject that is so large and so new, however, it is
necessary to make many statements that may, at first sight, appear to
be unfounded, or at least exaggerations. But if the reader will
thoroughly investigate the basis of such statements as he goes along,
he will not only find that there are no unfounded statements or
exaggerations in the book, but will wish that every strong statement
made had been made many times as strong.
When
we
go beneath the surface of human life and learn what greater things are
hidden beneath the ordinary layers of mental substance and vital
energy, we find man to be so wonderfully made that language is wholly
inadequate to describe even a fraction of his larger and richer life.
We may try to give expression to our thoughts, at such times, by
employing the strongest statements and the most forceful adjectives
that we can think of; but even these prove little better than nothing;
so therefore we may conclude that no statement that attempts to
describe the “more” in man can possibly be too strong. Even the
strongest fails to say one thousandth of what we would say should we
speak the whole truth. We shall all admit this, and accordingly shall
find it advisable not to pass judgement upon strong statements but to
learn to understand and apply those greater powers within ourselves
that are infinitely stronger than the strongest statement that could
possibly be made.
Those
minds who may believe that the human race is to continue weak and
imperfect as usual, should consider what remarkable steps in advance
have recently been taken in nearly all fields of human activity. And
then they should remember that the greater powers in man, as well as a
scientific study of the use of his lesser powers, have been almost
wholly neglected. The question then that will naturally arise is, what
man might make of himself if he would apply the same painstaking
science to his own development and advancement as he now applies in
other fields. If he did, would we not, in another generation or two,
witness unmistakable evidence of the coming of a new and superior race,
and would not strong men and women become far more numerous than ever
before in the history of the world?
Each
individual will want to answer these questions according to his own
point of view, but whatever his answer may be, we all must agree that
man can be, become and achieve far more than even the most sanguine
indications of the present may predict. And it is the purpose of the
following pages to encourage as many people as possible to study and
apply these greater powers within them so that they may not only become
greater and richer and more worthy as individuals, but may also become
the forerunners of that higher and more wonderful race of which we all
have so fondly dreamed.
Chapter 1
THE RULING PRINCIPLE OF MAN
PROMISE YOURSELF
To
be
so strong that nothing can disturb your peace of mind. To talk health,
happiness and prosperity to every person you meet. To make all your
friends feel that there is something in them. To look at the sunny side
of everything and make your optimism come true. To think only of the
best, to work only for the best, and to expect only the best. To be
just as enthusiastic about the success of others as you are about your
own. To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to the greater
achievements of the future. To wear a cheerful countenance at all timed
and give every living creature you meet a smile. To give so much time
to the improvement of yourself that you have no time to criticise
others. To be too large for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for
fear; and too happy to permit the presence of trouble. To think well of
yourself and to proclaim this fact to the world, not in loud words but
in great deeds. To live in the faith that the whole world is on your
side so long as you are true to the best that is in you.
The
purpose of the following pages will be to work out the subject chosen
in the most thorough and practical manner; in brief, to analyse the
whole nature of man, find all the forces in his possession, whether
they be apparent or hidden, active or dormant, and to present methods
through which all those forces can be applied in making the life of
each individual richer, greater and better.
To
make
every phase of this work as useful as possible to the greatest number
possible, not a single statement will be made that all cannot
understand, and not a single idea will be presented that anyone cannot
apply to everyday life. We all want to know what we actually possess
both in the physical, the mental and the spiritual, and we want to know
how the elements and forces within us can be applied in the most
successful manner. It is results in practical life that we want, and we
are not true to ourselves or the race until we learn to use the powers
within us so effectively, that the greatest results possible within the
possibilities of human nature are secured.
When
we
proceed with a scientific study of the subject, we find that the
problem before us is to know what is in us and how to use what is in
us. After much study of the powers in man, both conscious and
subconscious, we have come to the conclusion that if we only knew how
to use these powers, we could accomplish practically anything that we
may have in view, and not only realize our wants to the fullest degree,
but also reach even our highest goal. Though this may seem to be a
strong statement, nevertheless when we examine the whole nature of man,
we are compelled to admit that it is true even in its fullest sense,
and that therefore, not a single individual can fail to realize his
wants and reach his goal, after he has learned how to use the powers
that are in him.
This
is
not mere speculation, nor is it simply a beautiful dream. The more we
study the lives of people who have achieved, and the more we study our
own experience every day, the more convinced we become that there is no
reason whatever why any individual should not realize all his ambitions
and much more.
The
basis
of this study will naturally be found in the understanding of the whole
nature of man, as we must know what we are, before we can know and use
what we in inherently possess. In analysing human nature a number of
methods have been employed, but there are only three in particular that
are of actual value for our present purpose. The first of these
declares that man is composed of ego, consciousness and form, and
though this analysis is the most complete, yet it is also the most
abstract, and is therefore not easily understood. The second analysis,
which is simpler, and which is employed almost exclusively by the
majority, declares that man is body, mind and soul; but as much as this
idea is thought of and spoken of there are very few who actually
understand it. In fact, the usual conception of man as body, mind and
soul will have to be completely reversed in order to become absolutely
true. The third analysis, which is the simplest and the most
serviceable, declares that man is composed of individuality and
personality, and it is this conception of human nature that will
constitute the phases of our study in this work.
Before
we
pass to the more practical side of the subject, we shall find it
profitable to examine briefly these various ideas concerning the nature
of man; in fact, every part of our human analysis that refers to the
ego, simply must be understood if we are to learn how to use the forces
we possess, and the reason for this is found in the fact that the ego
is the "I Am," the ruling principle in man, the centre and source of
individuality, the originator of everything that takes place in man,
and that primary something to which all other things in human nature
are secondary.
When
the
average person employs the term "ego," he thinks that he is dealing
with something that is hidden so deeply in the abstract that it can
make but little difference whether we understand it or not. This,
however, does not happen to be true, because it is the ego that must
act before any action can take place anywhere in the human system, and
it is the ego that must originate the new before any step in advance
can be taken. And in addition, it is extremely important to realize
that the power of will to control the forces we possess, depends
directly upon how fully conscious we are of the ego as the ruling
principle within us.
We
understand therefore, that it is absolutely necessary to associate all
thought, all, feeling and all actions of mind or personality with the
ego, or what we shall hereafter speak of as the " I Am." The first step
to be taken in this connection, is to recognize the “I Am” in
everything you do, and to think always of the “I Am,” as being you --
the supreme you. Whenever you think, realize that it is the “I Am” that
originated the thought. Whenever you act, realize that it is the " I
Am" that gives initiative to that action, and whenever you think of
yourself or try to be conscious of yourself, realize that the “I Am”
occupies the throne of your entire field of consciousness.
Another
important essential is to affirm silently in your own mind that you are
the "I AM," and as you affirm this statement or as you simply declare
positively, “I Am” think of the “I Am” as being the ruling principle in
your whole world, as being distinct and above and superior to all else
in your being, and as being you, yourself, in the highest, largest, and
most comprehensive sense. You thus lift yourself up, so to speak, to
the mountain top of masterful individuality; you enthrone yourself; you
become true to yourself; you place yourself where you belong. Through
this practice you not only discover yourself to be the master of your
whole life, but you elevate all your conscious actions to that lofty
state in your consciousness that we may describe as the throne of your
being, or as that centre of action within which the ruling “I Am “
lives and moves and has its being.
If
you
wish to control and direct the forces you possess, you must act from
the throne of your being, so to speak or in other words, from that
conscious point in your mental world wherein all power of control,
direction and initiative proceeds; and this point of action is the
centre of the " I Am." You must act, not as a body, not as a
personality, not as a, mind, but as the “I Am,” and the more fully you
recognize the lofty position of the “I Am,” the greater becomes your
power to control and direct all other things that you may possess. In
brief, whenever you think or act, you should feel that you stand with
the “I Am,” at the apex of mentality on the very heights of your
existence, and you should at the same time, realize that this “I Am” is
you -- the supreme you. The more you practice these methods, the more
you lift yourself up above the limitations of mind and body, into the
realization of your own true position as a masterful individuality; in
fact, you place yourself where you belong, over and above everything in
your organised existence.
When
we
examine the mind of the average person, we find that they usually
identify themselves with mind or body. They either think that they are
body or that they are mind, and therefore they can control neither mind
nor body. The “I Am” in their nature is submerged in a bundle of ideas,
some of which are true and some of which are not, and their thought is
usually controlled by those ideas without receiving any direction
whatever from that principle within them that alone was intended to
give direction. Such a one lives in the lower story of human existence
but as we can control life only when we give directions from the upper
story, we discover just why the average person neither understands
their forces nor has the power to use them.
They
must
first elevate themselves to the upper story of the human structure, and
the first and most important step to be taken in this direction is to
recognize the “I AM” as the ruling principle and that the “I Am” is
you. Another method that will be found highly important in this
connection is to take a few moments every day and try to feel that you
-- the “I Am” -- are not only above mind and body, but in a certain
sense, distinct from mind and body; in fact, try to isolate the “I Am”
for a few moments every day from the rest of your organised being. This
practice will give you what may be termed a perfect consciousness of
your own individual “I Am,” and as you gain that consciousness you will
always think of the supreme “I Am” whenever you think of yourself.
Accordingly, all your mental actions will, from that time on, come
directly from the “I Am”; and if you will continue to stand above all
such actions at all times, you will be able to control them and direct
them completely.
To
examine consciousness and form in this connection is hardly necessary,
except to define briefly their general nature, so that we may have a
clear idea of what we are dealing with in the conscious field as well
as in the field of expression. The “I Am” is fundamentally conscious:
that is, the “I Am” knows what exists in the human field or in the
human sphere and what is taking place in the human sphere; and that
constitutes consciousness. In brief, you are conscious when you know
that you exist and have some definite idea as to what is taking place
in your sphere of existence.
What
we
speak of as form, is everything in the organised personality that has
shape and that serves in any manner to give expression to the forces
within us. In the exercise of consciousness, we find that the "I Am"
employs three fundamental actions. When the “I Am” looks out upon life
we have simple consciousness. When the “I Am” looks upon its own
position in life we have self consciousness, and when the “I Am” looks
up into the vastness of real life we have cosmic consciousness
.
In
simple consciousness, you are only aware of those things that exist
externally to yourself, but when you begin to become conscious of
yourself as a distinct entity, you begin to develop self consciousness.
When you begin to turn your attention to the great within and begin to
look up into the real source of all things, you become conscious of
that world that seemingly exists within all worlds, and when you enter
upon this experience, you are on the borderland of cosmic
consciousness, the most fascinating subject that has ever been known.
When
we
come to define body, mind and soul, we must, as previously stated,
reverse the usual definition. In the past, we have constantly used the
expression, "I have a soul," which naturally implies the belief that “I
am a body”; and so deeply has this idea become fixed in the average
mind that nearly everybody thinks of the body whenever the term “me” or
“myself “ is employed. But in this attitude of mind the individual is
not above the physical states of thought and feeling; in fact, he is
more or less submerged in what may be called a bundle of physical facts
and ideas, of which he has very little control. You cannot control
anything in your life, however, until you are above it. You cannot
control what is in your body until you realize that you are above your
body. You cannot control what is in your mind until you realize that
you are above your mind, and therefore no one can use the forces within
them to any extent so long as they think of themselves as being the
body, or as being localised exclusively in the body.
When
we
examine the whole nature of man, we find that the soul is the man
himself, and that the ego is the central principle of the soul; or to
use another expression, the soul, including the "I Am," constitutes the
individuality, and that visible something through which individuality
finds expression, constitutes the personality. If you wish to
understand your forces, and gain that masterful attitude necessary to
the control of your forces, train yourself to think that you are a
soul, but do not think of the soul as something vague or mysterious.
Think of the soul as being the individual you and all that that
expression can possibly imply. Train yourself to think that you are
master of mind and body, because you are above mind and body, and
possess the power to use everything that is in mind and body.
Chapter 3
THE USE OF MIND IN PRACTICAL,
ACTION
Man
lives to move forward, To move forward is to live more. To live more is
to be more and do more; and it is being and doing that constitutes the
path to happiness. The more you are the more you do, the richer your
life, the greater your joy. But being and doing must always live
together as one. To try to be much and not try to do much is to find
life a barren waste. To try to do much and not try to be much is to
find life a burden too heavy and wearisome to bear. The being of much
gives the necessary inspiration and the necessary power to the doing of
much. The doing of much gives the necessary expression to the being of
much. And it is the bringing forth of being through the act of doing
that produces happiness that is happiness. Being much gives capacity
for doing much. Doing much gives expression to the richest and the best
that is within us. And the more we increase the richness of that which
is within us, the more we increase our happiness, provided we increase,
in the same proportion, the expression of that greater richness. The
first essential is provided for by the being of much; the second, by
the doing of much; and the secret of both may be found by him who lives
to move forward.
In
the
present age, it is the power of mind that rules the world, and
therefore it is evident that he who has acquired the best use of the
power of mind, will realize the greatest success, and reach the highest
places that attainment and achievement hold in store. The man who wins
is the man who can apply in practical life every part of his mental
ability, and who can make every action of his mind tell.
We
sometimes wonder why there are so many capable men and admirable women
who do not reach those places in life that they seem to deserve, but
the answer is simple. They do not apply the power of mind as they
should. Their abilities and qualities are either misdirected or applied
only in part. These people, however, should not permit themselves to
become dissatisfied with fate, but should remember that every
individuality who learns to make full use of the power of their mind
will reach their goal; they will realize their desire and will
positively win.
There
are
several reasons why, though the principle reason is found in the fact
that when the power of the mind is used correctly in working out what
we wish to accomplish, the other forces we possess are readily applied
for the same purpose, and this fact becomes evident when we realise
that the power of mind is not only the ruling power in the world, but
is also the ruling power in man himself. All other faculties in man are
ruled by the power of his mind. It is the action of his mind that
determines the action of all the other forces in his possession.
Therefore, to secure the results desired, he must give his first
thought to the scientific and constructive application of mental
action.
In
a
preceding chapter, it was stated that the "I Am” is the ruling
principle in man, and from that statement the conclusion may be drawn
that the “I Am” is the ruling power as well, but this is not strictly
correct. There is a difference between principle and power, though for
practical purposes it is not necessary to consider the abstract phase
of this difference. All that is necessary is to realize that the “I Am”
directs the mind, and that the power of the mind directs and controls
everything else in the human system. It is the mind that occupies the
throne but the “I Am” is the power behind the throne. This being true,
it becomes highly important to understand how the power of the mind
should be used, but before we can understand the use of this power, we
must learn what this power actually is.
Generally
speaking, we may say that the power of mind is the sum-total of all the
forces of the mental world, including those forces that are employed in
the process of thinking. The power of mind includes the power of the
will, the power of desire, the power of feeling, and the power of
thought. It includes conscious action in all its phases and
subconscious action in all its phases; in fact, it includes anything
and everything that is placed in action through the mind, by the mind
or in the mind.
To
use
the power of the mind, the first essential is to direct every mental
action toward the goal in view, and this direction must not be
occasional, but constant. Most minds, however, do not apply this law.
They think about a certain thing one moment, and about something else
the next moment. At a certain hour their mental actions work along a
certain line, and at the next hour those actions work along a different
line. Sometimes the goal in view is one thing, and sometimes another,
so the actions of the mind do not move constantly toward a certain
definite goal, but are mostly scattered. We know, however, that every
individual who is actually working themselves steadily and surely
toward the goal they have in view, invariably directs all the power of
their thought upon that goal. In their mind not a single mental action
is thrown away, not a single mental force wasted. All the power that is
in them is being directed to work for what they wish to accomplish, and
the reason that every power responds in this way is because they are
not thinking of one thing now and something else the next moment. They
are thinking all the time of what they wish to attain and achieve. The
full power of mind is turned upon that object, and as mind is the
ruling power, the full power of all their other forces will tend to
work for the same object.
In
using
the power of mind as well as all the other forces we possess, the first
question to answer is what we really want, or what we really want to
accomplish; and when this question is answered, the one thing that is
wanted should be fixed so clearly in thought that it can be seen by the
mind's eye every minute. But the majority do not know what they really
want. They may have some vague desire, but they have not determined
clearly, definitely and positively what they really want, and this is
one of the principal causes of failure. So long as we do not know
definitely what we want, our forces will be scattered, and so long as
our forces are scattered, we will accomplish but little, or fail
entirely.
When
we
know what we want, however, and proceed to work for it with all the
power and ability that is in us, we may rest assured that we will get
it. When we direct the power of thinking, the power of will, the power
of mental action, the power of desire, the power of ambition, in fact,
all the power we possess on the one thing we want, on the one goal we
desire to reach, it is not difficult to understand why success in a
greater and greater measure must be realized.
To
illustrate this subject further, we will suppose that you have a
certain ambition and continue to concentrate your thought and the power
of your mind upon that ambition every minute for an indefinite period,
with no cessation whatever. The result will be that you will gradually
and surely train all the forces within you to work for the realization
of that ambition, and in the course of time, the full capacity of your
entire mental system will be applied in working for that particular
thing.
On
the
other hand, suppose you do as most people do under average
circumstances. Suppose, after you have given your ambition a certain
amount of thought, you come to the conclusion that possibly you might
succeed better along another line. Then you begin to direct the power
of your mind along that other line. Later on, you come to the
conclusion that there is still another channel through which you might
succeed, and you proceed accordingly to direct your mind upon this
third ambition. Then what will happen? Simply this: You will make three
good beginnings, but in every case you will stop before you have
accomplished anything.
There
are
thousands of capable men and women, however, who make this mistake
every year of their lives. The full force of their mental system is
directed upon a certain ambition only for a short time; then it is
directed elsewhere. They never continue long enough along any
particular line to secure results from their efforts, and therefore
results are never secured. Then there are other minds who give most of
their attention to a certain ambition and succeed fairly well, but give
the rest of their attention to a number of minor ambitions that have no
particular importance. Thus they are using only a fraction of their
power in a way that will tell. The rest of it is thrown away along a
number of lines through which nothing is gained.
But
in
this age efficiency is demanded everywhere in world's work, and anyone
who wants to occupy a place that will satisfy their ambition and
desire, cannot afford to waste even a small part of the power they may
possess. They need it all along the line of their leading ambition, and
therefore should not permit counter attractions to occupy their mind
for a moment.
If
you
have a certain ambition or a certain desire, think about that ambition
at all times. Keep that ambition before your mind constantly, and do
not hesitate to make your ambition as high as possible. The higher you
aim, the greater will be your achievements, though that does not
necessarily mean that you will realize your highest aims as fully as
you have pictured them in your mind; but the fact is that those who
have low aims, usually realize what is even below their aims, while
those who have high aims usually realize very nearly, if not fully,
what their original ambition calls for.
The
principle is to direct the power of mind upon the very highest, the
very largest and the very greatest mental conception of that which we
intend to achieve. The first essential therefore, is to direct the full
power of mind and thought upon the goal in view, and to continue to
direct the mind in that manner every minute, regardless of
circumstances or conditions. The second essential is to make every
mental action positive. When we desire certain things or when we think
of certain things we wish to attain or achieve, the question should be
if our mental attitudes at the time are positive or negative. To answer
this we only have to remember that every positive action always goes
toward that which receives its attention, while a negative action
always retreats. A positive action is an action that you feel when you
realize that every force in your entire system is pushed forward, so to
speak, and that it is passing through what may be termed an expanding
and enlarging state of feeling or consciousness.
The
positive attitude of mind is also indicated by the feeling of a firm,
determined fulness throughout the nervous system. When every nerve
feels full, strong and determined, you are in the positive attitude,
and whatever you may do at the time will produce results along the line
of your desire or your ambition. When you are in a positive state of
mind you are never nervous or disturbed, you are never agitated or
strenuous; in fact, the more positive you are the deeper your calmness
and the better your control over your entire system. The positive man
is not one who rushes helter-skelter here and there regardless of
judgement or constructive action, but one who is absolutely calm and
controlled under every circumstance, and yet so thoroughly full of
energy that every atom in his being is ready, under every circumstance,
to accomplish and achieve.
This
energy is not permitted to act, however, until the proper time arrives,
and then its action goes directly to the goal in view. The positive
mind is always in harmony with itself, while the negative mind is
always out of harmony, and thereby loses the greater part of its power.
Positiveness always means strength stored up, power held in the system
under perfect control, until the time of action; and during the time of
action directed constructively under the same perfect control. In the
positive mind, all the actions of the mental system are working in
harmony and are being fully directed toward the object in view, while
in the negative mind, those same actions are scattered, restless,
nervous, disturbed, moving here and there, sometimes under direction,
but most of the time not.
That
the
one should invariably succeed is therefore just as evident as that the
other should invariably fail. Scattered energy cannot do otherwise but
fail, while positively directed energy simply must succeed. A positive
mind is like a powerful stream of water that is gathering volume and
force from hundreds of tributaries all along its course. The further on
it goes the greater its power, until when it reaches its goal, that
power is simply immense. A negative mind, however, would be something
like a stream, that the further it flows the more divisions it makes,
until, when it reaches its goal, instead of being one powerful stream,
it has become a hundred small, weak, shallow streams.
To
develop positiveness it is necessary to cultivate those qualities that
constitute positiveness. Make it a point to give your whole attention
to what you want to accomplish, and give that attention firmness,
calmness and determination. Try to give depth to every desire until you
feel as if all the powers of your system were acting, not on the
surface, but from the greater world within. As this attitude is
cultivated, positiveness will become more and more distinct, until you
can actually feel yourself gaining power and prestige. And the effect
will not only be noticed in your own ability to better direct and apply
your talents, but others will discover the change. Accordingly, those
who are looking for people of power, people who can do things, will
look to you as the one to occupy the position that has to be filled.
Positiveness
therefore, not only gives you the ability to make a far better use of
the forces you possess, but it also gives you personality, that much
admired something that will most surely cause you to be selected where
people of power are needed. The world does not care for negative
personalities. Such personalities look weak and empty, and are usually
ignored, but everybody is attracted to a positive personality; and it
is the positive personality that is always given the preference. Nor is
this otherwise but right, because the positive personality has better
use of their power, and therefore is able to act with greater
efficiency wherever they are called upon to act.
The
third
essential in the right use of the mind is to make every mental action
constructive, and a constructive mental action is one that is based
upon a deep seated desire to develop, to increase, to achieve, to
attain -- in brief, to become larger and greater, and to do something
of far greater worth than has been done before. If you will cause every
mental action you entertain to have that feeling, constructiveness will
soon became second nature to your entire mental system; that is, all
the forces of your mind will begin to become building forces, and will
continue to build you up along any line through which you may desire to
act.
Inspire
your mind constantly with a building desire, and make this desire so
strong that very part of your system will constantly feel that it wants
to become greater, more capable and more efficient. An excellent
practice in this connection is to try to enlarge upon all your ideas of
things whenever you have spare moments for real thought. This practice
will tend to produce a growing tendency in every process of your
thinking. Another good practice is to inspire every mental action with
more ambition. We cannot have too much ambition. We may have too much
aimless ambition, but we cannot have too much real constructive
ambition. If your ambition is very strong, and is directed toward
something definite, every action of your mind, every action of your
personality, and every action of your faculties will become
constructive; that is, all those actions will be inspired by the
tremendous force of your ambition to work for the realization of that
ambition.
Never
permit restless ambition. Whenever you feel the force of ambition,
direct your mind at once in a calm, determined manner upon that which
you really want to accomplish in life. Make this a daily practice, and
you will steadily train all your faculties and powers not only to work
for the realization of that ambition, but become more and more
efficient in that direction. Before long your forces and faculties will
be sufficiently competent to accomplish what you want.
In
the
proper use of the mind therefore, these three essentials should be
applied constantly and thoroughly. First, direct all the powers of
mind, all the powers of thought, and all your thinking upon the goal
you have in view. Second, train every mental action to be deeply and
calmly positive. Third, train every mental action to be constructive,
to be filled with a building spirit, to be inspired with a ceaseless
desire to develop the greater, to achieve the greater, to attain the
greater. When you have acquired these three, you will begin to use your
forces in such a way that results must follow. You will begin to move
forward steadily and surely, and you will be constantly gaining ground.
Your mind will have become like the stream mentioned above. It will
gather volume and force as it moves on and on, until finally that
volume will be great enough to remove any obstacle in its way, and that
force powerful enough to do anything you may have in view.
In
order
to apply these three essentials in the most effective manner, there are
several misuses of the mind that must be avoided. Avoid the forceful,
the aggressive, and the domineering attitudes, and do not permit your
mind to become intense, unless it is under perfect control. Never
attempt to control or influence others in any way whatever. You will
seldom succeed in that manner, and when you do, the success will be
temporary; besides, such a practice always weakens your mind.
Do
not
turn the power of your mind upon others, but turn it upon yourself in
such a way that it will make you stronger, more positive, more capable,
and more efficient, and as you develop in this manner, success must
come of itself. There is only one way by which you can influence others
legitimately and that is through the giving of instruction, but in that
case, there is no desire to influence. You desire simply to impart
knowledge and information, and you exercise a most desirable influence
without desiring to do so.
A
great
many men and women, after discovering the immense power of mind, have
come to the conclusion that they might change circumstances by
exercising mental power upon those circumstances in some mysterious
manner, but such a practice means nothing but a waste of energy. The
way to control circumstances is to control the forces within yourself
to make a greater human being of yourself, and as you become greater
and more competent, you will naturally gravitate into better
circumstances. In this connection, we should remember that like
attracts like. If you want that which is better, make yourself better.
If you want to realize the ideal, make yourself more ideal. If you want
better friends, make yourself a better friend. If you want to associate
with people of worth, make yourself more worthy. If you want to meet
that which is agreeable, make yourself more agreeable. If you want to
enter conditions and circumstances that are more pleasing, make
yourself more pleasing. In brief, whatever you want, produce that
something in yourself, and you will positively gravitate towards the
corresponding conditions in the external world.
But
to
improve yourself along those lines, it is necessary to apply for that
purpose, all the power you possess. You cannot afford to waste any of
it, and every misuse of the mind will waste power. Avoid all
destructive attitudes of the mind, such an anger, hatred, malice, envy,
jealousy, revenge, depression, discouragement, disappointment, worry,
fear, and so on. Never antagonise, never resist what is wrong, and
never try to get even. Make the best use of your own talent and the
best that is in store for you will positively come your way. When
others seem to take advantage of you, do not retaliate by trying to
take advantage of them. Use your power in improving yourself, so that
you can do better and better work. That is how you are going to win in
the race.
Later
on,
those who tried to take advantage of you will be left in the rear.
Remember, those who are dealing unjustly with you or with anybody are
misusing their mind. They are therefore losing their power, and will,
in the course of time, begin to lose ground; but if you, in the mean
time, are turning the full power of your mind to good account, you will
not only gain more power, but you will soon begin to gain ground. You
will gain and continue to gain in the long run, while others who have
been misusing their minds will lose mostly everything in the long run.
That is how you are going to win, and win splendidly regardless of ill
treatment or opposition.
A
great
many people imagine that they can promote their own success by trying
to prevent the success of other, but it is one of the greatest
delusions in the world. If you want to promote your own success as
thoroughly as your capacity will permit, take an active interest in the
success of everybody, because this will not only keep your mind in the
success attitude and cause you to think success all along the line, but
it will enlarge your mind so as to give you a greater and better grasp
upon the fields of success. If you are trying to prevent the success of
others, you are acting in the destructive attitude, which sooner or
later will react on others, but if you are taking an active interest in
the success of everybody, you are entertaining only constructive
attitudes, and these will sooner or later accumulate in your own mind
to add volume and power to the forces of success that you are building
up in yourself.
In
this
connection, we may well ask why those succeed who do succeed, why so
many succeed only in part, and why so many fail utterly. These are
questions that occupy the minds of most people, and hundreds of answers
have been given, but there is only one answer that goes to rock bottom.
Those people who fail, and who continue to fail all along the line,
fail because the power of their minds is either in a habitual negative
state, or is always misdirected. If the power of mind is not working
positively and constructively for a certain goal, you are not going to
succeed. If your mind is not positive, it is negative, and negative
minds float with the stream.
We
must
remember that we are in the midst of all kinds of circumstances, some
of which are for us and some of which are against us, and we will
either have to make our own way or drift, and if we drift we go
wherever the stream goes. But most of the streams of human life are
found to float in the world of the ordinary and the inferior.
Therefore, if you drift, you will drift with the inferior, and your
goal will be failure .
When
we
analyse the minds of people who have failed, we invariably find that
they are either negative, non-constructive or aimless. Their forces are
scattered, and what is in them is seldom applied constructively. There
is an emptiness about their personality that indicates negativeness.
There is an uncertainty in their facial expression that indicates the
absence of definite ambition. There is nothing of a positive,
determined nature going on in their mental world. They have not taken
definite action along any line. They are dependent upon fate and
circumstances. They are drifting with some stream, and that they should
accomplish little if anything is inevitable. This does not mean,
however, that their mental world is necessarily unproductive; in fact,
those very minds are in many instances immensely rich with
possibilities. The trouble is, those possibilities continue to be
dormant, and what is in them is not being brought forth and trained for
definite action or actual results.
What
these people should do, is to proceed at once to comply with the three
essentials mentioned above, and before many months there will be a turn
in the lane. They will soon cease to drift, and will then begin to make
their own life, their own circumstances, and their own future. In this
connection, it is well to remember that negative people and
non-constructive minds never attract that which is helpful in their
circumstances. The more you drift, the more people you meet who also
drift, while on the other hand, when you begin to make your own life
and become positive, you begin to meet more positive people and more
constructive circumstances.
This
explains why "God helps them that help themselves." When you begin to
help yourself, which means to make the best of what is in yourself, you
begin to attract to yourself more and more of those helpful things that
may exist all about you. In other words, constructive forces attract
constructive forces; positive forces attract positive forces. A growing
mind attracts elements and forces that help to promote growth, and
people who are determined to make more and more of themselves, are
drawn more and more into circumstances through which they will find the
opportunity to make more of themselves. And this law works not only in
connection with the external world, but also the internal world.
When
you
begin to make a positive determined use of those powers in yourself
that are already in Positive action, you draw forth into action powers
within you that have been dormant, and as this process continues, you
will find that you will accumulate volume, capacity and power in your
mental world, until you finally become a mental giant. As you begin to
grow and become more capable, you will find that you will meet better
and better opportunities, not only opportunities for promoting external
success, but opportunities for further building yourself up along the
lines of ability, capacity and talent. You thus demonstrate the law
that “Nothing succeeds like success,” and “To him that hath shall be
given.” And here it is well to remember that it is not necessary to
possess external things in the beginning to be counted among them “that
hath..” It is only necessary in the beginning to possess the interior
riches; that is, to take control of what is in you, and proceed to use
it positively with a definite goal in view.
He
who
has control of his own mind has already great riches. He has sufficient
wealth to be placed among those who have. He is already successful, and
if he continues as he has begun, his success will soon appear in the
external world. Thus the wealth that existed at first in the internal
only will take shape and form in the external. This is a law that is
unfailing, and there is not a man or woman on the face of the earth
that cannot apply it with the most satisfying results.
The
reason why so many fail is thus found in the fact that they do not
fully and constructively apply the forces and powers they possess, and
the reason why so many succeed only to a slight degree is found in the
fact that only a small fraction of their power is applied properly. But
anyone can learn the full and proper use of all that is in them by
applying faithfully the three essentials mentioned above. The reason
why those succeed who do succeed is found in the fact that a large
measure of their forces and powers is applied according to those three
essentials, and as those essentials can be applied by anyone, even to
the most perfect degree, there is no reason why all should not succeed.
Sometimes
we meet people who have only ordinary ability, but who are very
successful. Then we meet others who have great ability but who are not
successful, or who succeed only to a slight degree. At first we see no
explanation, but when we understand the cause of success as well as the
cause of failure, the desired explanation is easily found. The man or
woman with ordinary ability, if they comply with the three essentials
necessary to the right use of mind, will naturally succeed, though if
they had greater ability, their success would of course become greater
in proportion. But the individual who has great ability, yet does not
apply the three essentials necessary to the right use of mind, cannot
succeed.
The
positive and constructive use of the power of mind, with a definite
goal in view will invariably result in advancement, attainment and
achievement, but if we wish to use that power in its full capacity, the
action of the mind must be deep. In addition to the right use of the
mind, we must also learn the full use of mind, and as the full use
implies the use of the whole mind, the deeper mental fields and forces,
as well as the usual mental fields and forces, it is necessary to
understand the subconscious as well as the conscious.
"Your Forces and How
to Use Them" by
Christian D. Larson
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