"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he." This is the 7th verse from the 23rd chapter of the Book of Proverbs. This is where the inspiration for the title of James Allen's book came from. This book basically stems from the concept or doctrine of "responsibility assumption". To put in simpler terms, the doctrine of responsibility assumption has a lot to do with a person being responsible for anything good or bad that happens to his or her personal life. To expound, this may mean that an individual controls situations through the use of his or her mind. We choose and decide using our mind, and in the end despite the many things or other forces that may compel or influence us, the decision will still fall on us and us alone. This is basically what James Allen's book wants to share to its readers.
About James Allen
Who is James Allen and what inspired him to create an intriguing book? James Allen is part of the group of writers and thinkers who espouse the New Thought. New Thought is an ideology that focuses on the ideas of divine selfhood, God, infinite intelligence and right thinking.
James Allen is not as popular as other writers and thinkers, and not much is said or written about him. However, As A Man Thinketh is one of the most inspirational books ever written related to the New Thought. This is why the followers of this ideology refer to him as a mysterious literary writer who was a genius that was unrewarded.
Born in Leicester, Central England, on November 28, 1864, James Allen and his family had to deal with the loss of his father. Their family business failed, and without a father to support them financially, he had to stop school at the age of 15. He worked as a private secretary to several British manufacturers. After 1902, he decided to pursue writing as a career.
Though his literary career was only a short one, for the whole 9 years of his being a writer, he was able to write 19 books in total. As A Man Thinketh was the 2nd book that Allen wrote. The first one was entitled From Poverty to Power. As A Man Thinketh was a book that James Allen thought was not good enough, even when it is considered to be the most eloquent of his works. It was his wife who was able to convince him to publish it.
As A Man Thinketh by James Allen-Key to the Correct Mindset for Success
One striking line in the first chapter of James Allen's book talks about how the complete sum of a man's thoughts is what makes up his character. To put simply, you are what you think, and if you believe that you can do something, you will. It's all in the mind. This makes As A Man Thinketh a good inspirational book for people who do not seem to know how to condition their minds to achieving something.
Here are some of the most important points in the book that will make it a significant key for knowledge that people who are striving for success can use.
Thought and Its Effects
According to the book, we humans are beings of love, power and intelligence. We also own our thoughts. This basically means that we have control over the things that we want to do and what we want to happen. We also hold the key to anything or any circumstance that we are in.
That is why it is important to take control of our thoughts because these thoughts can have a great impact to our lives. According to James Allen, we are supposed to treat our minds like a garden. We need to weed out whatever is wrong and whatever negative is in there that can affect the growth of beautiful things. The circumstances that we are in and the different situations in life are all products of thought. This just means to say that if you entertain bad thoughts, it will make its way to your actions, to your environment and to your life.
Our thoughts can also affect our body and our health, according to James Allen. What builds up the body with vigor and grace are happy, pure and strong thoughts. This is probably the reason why most people who are always stressed and problematic are more likely to get sick than those who are worry-free.
Purpose
One important point that a person striving for success can learn from James Allen's book is that intelligent accomplishment cannot be attained without linking thought with purpose. We all want to be successful, but success is a word that is so relative, that it can mean different things to different people. A legitimate purpose for doing something and achieving something is important to feel the real essence of success.
Visions, Dreams and Ideals
Aside from the concepts of purpose and positive thought, one important thing that we can really learn from As A Man Thinketh is to have a vision and to stick to a set of ideals that make you happy and better as a person. More than that, James Allen teaches us in this book, that it is not enough to have a vision. We need to do more than that. We need to hold on those ideals and cherish them. It is only by doing this that we learn not to give up on them. If you love something, you don't give up on it. If you love your dreams, you will not give up on them.
These are just three of the most important points in As A Man Thinketh. James Allen is indeed a genius. One does not have to over analyze the concepts that are indicated in this book. You just have to realize that in success, working hard is not the only way to go. We need to have good thoughts. We need to think of the implications of our thoughts, know and have a purpose, and most importantly, dream.
Drew Davis, owner of [http://www.mindset2succeed.com/] is obsessed with the subject of success. His main focus is on the mindset required for success in all areas of life. For more information and tips on this subject, please go now to Thoughts Become Things [http://www.mindset2succeed.com/]
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