By James Allen.
Until thought is linked with purpose, there is no intelligent accomplishment.
With the majority the ship of thought is allowed to "drift" upon the ocean of
life. Aimlessness is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who
would steer clear of catastrophe and destruction.
They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty
worries, fears, troubles, and self-pity, all of which are indications of
weakness, which lead, just as surely as deliberately planned sins (though by a
different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot persist
in a power evolving universe.
A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to
accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his
thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly
object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he
should steadily focus his thought-forces upon the object, which he has set
before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote
himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into
ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road to
self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again
to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome),
the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and
this will form a new starting-point for future power and triumph.
Those who are not prepared for the apprehension of a great purpose should fix
the thoughts upon the faultless performance of their duty, no matter how
insignificant their task may appear. Only in this way can the thoughts be
gathered and focused, and resolution and energy be developed, which being done,
there is nothing which may not be accomplished.
The weakest soul, knowing its own weakness, and believing this truth that
strength can only be developed by effort and practice, will, thus believing, at
once begin to exert itself, and, adding effort to effort, patience to patience,
and strength to strength, will never cease to develop, and will at last grow
divinely strong.
As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient
training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself
in right thinking.
To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with purpose, is
to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the
pathways to attainment; who make all conditions serve them, and who think
strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully.
Having conceived of his purpose, a man should mentally mark out a straight
pathway to its achievement, looking neither to the right nor the left. Doubts
and fears should be rigorously excluded; they are disintegrating elements, which
break up the straight line of effort, rendering it crooked, ineffectual,
useless. Thoughts 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 will to do springs from the knowledge that we can do. Doubt and fear are the
great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them.
thwarts himself at every step.
He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure. His every, thought is
allied with power, and all difficulties are bravely met and wisely overcome. His
purposes are seasonably planted, and they bloom and bring forth fruit, which
does not fall prematurely to the ground.
Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force: he who knows this
is ready to become something higher and stronger than a mere bundle of wavering
thoughts and fluctuating sensations; he who does this has become the conscious
and intelligent wielder of his mental powers.
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This is taken from As A Man Thinketh.
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