People say: "One can't help one's thoughts." But one can. The control of the thinking machine is perfectly possible. And since nothing whatever happens to us outside our own brain; since nothing hurts us or gives us pleasure except within the brain, the supreme importance of being able to control what goes on in that mysterious brain is patent. This idea is one of the oldest platitudes, but it is a platitude whose profound truth and urgency most people live and die without realising. People complain of the lack of power to concentrate, not witting that they may acquire the power, if they choose.
And without the power to concentrate; that is to say, without the power to dictate to the brain its task and to ensure obedience; true life is impossible. Mind control is the first element of a full existence.
Hence, it seems to me, the first business of the day should be to put the mind through its paces. You look after your body, inside and out; you run grave danger in hacking hairs off your skin; you employ a whole army of individuals, to enable you to bribe your stomach into decent behaviour. Why not devote a little attention to the far more delicate machinery of the mind, especially as you will require no extraneous aid? It is for this portion of the art and craft of living that I have reserved the time from the moment of quitting your door to the moment of arriving at your office.
"What? I am to cultivate my mind in the street, at the office, in the bus, and in the crowded street again?" Precisely. Nothing simpler! No tools required! Not even a book. Nevertheless, the affair is not easy.
When you leave your house, concentrate your mind on a subject (no matter what, to begin with). You will not have gone ten yards before your mind has skipped away under your very eyes and is larking round the corner with another subject.
Bring it back by the scruff of the neck. There you have reached the station you will have brought it back about forty times. Do not despair. Continue. Keep it up. You will succeed. You cannot by any chance fail if you persevere. It is idle to pretend that your mind is incapable of concentration. Do you not remember that morning when you received a disquieting letter which demanded a very carefully worded answer? How you kept your mind steadily on the subject of the answer, without a second's intermission, until you reached your office; whereupon you instantly sat down and wrote the answer? That was a case in which "you" were focused by circumstances to such a degree of vitality that you were able to dominate your mind like a tyrant. You would have no trifling. You insisted that its work should be done, and its work was done.
By the regular practice of concentration (as to which there is no secret; save the secret of perseverance) you can tyrannise over your mind (which is not the highest part of "you") every hour of the day, and in no matter what place. The exercise is a very convenient one. If you got into your morning bus with a pair of dumbbells for your muscles or an encyclopaedia in ten volumes for your learning, you would probably excite remarks. But as you walk in the street, or sit in the corner of the compartment behind a pipe, or "strap-hang" on the Subterranean, who is to know that you are engaged in the most important of daily acts? Who can laugh at you?
I do not care what you concentrate on, so long as you concentrate. It is the mere disciplining of the thinking machine that counts. But still, you may as well kill two birds with one stone, and concentrate on something useful. Something that you like and are passionate about.
I wish you the best of luck in the control of your mind. ( Which by the way I don't belive in, I believe in self-effort, not luck!). Persevere and be patient, you will succeed!
**Attn Ezine Editors / Site Owners** Feel free to reprint this article in its entirety in your ezine or on your site so long as you leave all links in place.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Carl Cholette is a young entrepreneur who is specialized for finding and creating business opportunities.Discover, how you can travel the world at wholesale prices while making $2,000 to $10,000 a month with 95% of the work done for you! Click NOW =====> http://www.coastalcenter.ca
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you failed before and wished the earth could open... Read More
"I have learned, that if one advances confidently in the... Read More
Are you:- feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied with your life?- ready... Read More
A More Effective WayI own a stack of self improvement... Read More
Think out of the box, they say. But what's a... Read More
"Most people don't plan to fail. They just fail to... Read More
Use birthdays and other gift-giving holidays to help reach your... Read More
I am writing this article to cement two key success... Read More
Each and every day, there are people all around the... Read More
I am going to tell you something you already know... Read More
We have all read about people who are successful briefly.... Read More
"Well, you're just a busy beaver, aren't you?" You've either... Read More
Are you successful? What does that word mean to you?... Read More
1. Open your mind to new ideas: Positive behavior change... Read More
What is Optimum Performance? This question raises different responses from... Read More
We're all adults, and most of us probably like to... Read More
Picture this scene: Little Johnny's mother places a large piece... Read More
"When you talk to yourself, you listen. No matter what... Read More
How do you land your dream job, win... Read More
Your ability to deal constructively and effectively with mistakes and... Read More
The TRUE BMI of SUCCESS (B)e a (M)illionaire (I)ndexWhy am... Read More
Wealthy people share common traits. That's why they are wealthy.... Read More
To be clear about what success is must be the... Read More
I spoke recently with the owner of a large clothing... Read More
Hope you're having a GREAT Day!Last night I was reading... Read More
Fear.Everything in this world has its opposite.Good has bad.Optimism has... Read More
Very few of us can pick up a complex task... Read More
The HungryIn May of 2005 there were over 2 million... Read More
Do you ever stop to consider how much we change... Read More
Understand and apply this one secret to your own life,... Read More
Over the years many people have offered their models of... Read More
(1) Climb up from under the limitations of circumstances and... Read More
I thought this was unbelievable, but it's true.On average, security... Read More
Why do so many of us lack belief in ourselves?... Read More
With the long-term trend of protecting employees' individual self esteem... Read More
Did you know you can literally program your mind so... Read More
Every man who accomplishes things sees first in his mind... Read More
"When I think back on all the crap I learned... Read More
No one becomes successful by accident. Success requires making a... Read More
Unexpected life changes. Anticipated transitions. Long, sleepless nights. What do... Read More
Why is true success so rare?Why does research show that... Read More
J. Paul Getty appeared to be incredibly lucky, but it... Read More
About six years ago I began to study tai chi.... Read More
I prefer to call the challenges, obstacles, side-tracks, and barriers... Read More
Unfortunately we come into contact with negativity everyday. We can't... Read More
The Definition Of PerseveranceFrom a dictionary: "Persisting in or remaining... Read More
Don't expect results over night - what??If you were to... Read More
With three kids, a business, a husband with a business,... Read More
Why do diets end up in gained weight? Why do... Read More
All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy... Read More
Time taken for self-analysis is so important in developing your... Read More
Wow, what an outrageous claim! Why do I say this?... Read More
There are twelve necessary elements involved in achieving success:1. Spend... Read More
As a golfer and coach, I've been thrilled to watch... Read More
Recently, I was asked to write a Top 10 list... Read More
Do you know that there is a formula for attaining... Read More
In my private practice for the past 13+ years I... Read More
For our family, the Fall is filled with Friday Night... Read More
Are you consistently chasing success? Once you achieve it, do... Read More
Temp your way to the top Want to take the... Read More
Self-esteem is very important. It is the way we view... Read More
Man is the most advanced being on this earth. We... Read More
Many people ask me how they can be more successful.The... Read More
Noted author and self-worth teacher Eric Butterworth* says, "Poverty is... Read More
What are your fears? Fear of failure? Fear of success?What... Read More
Are you successful? What does that word mean to you?... Read More
Success |