"Allen, James - As a Man Thinketh" - читать интересную книгу автора (Allen James)

indications of weakness, which lead, just as surely as deliberately
planned sins (though by a diff route), to failure, unhappyness, 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. Whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought-forces
upon the object he had 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 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 focussed, and resolution and energy be
developed. Once this is 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
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 can never accomplish anything. 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 overcome. His purposes are seasonably planted, and they bloom