CAPSULE | READS: As a Man Thinketh

Key takeaways on: Creating our Visible Worlds, The Power of Thought & Strength of Character.

ON CREATING OUR VISIBLE WORLDS: The visible world is sustained by the invisible.

• cherish your visions, cherish your ideals, cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind…as this is fertile ground for delightful conditions
• in all human affairs, there are efforts and there are results. the strength of the effort is the measure of the result
• the vision is the promise of what you shall one day be. ideals are the prophecy of what will last and prevail

ON THE POWER OF THOUGHT: The body is a servant of the mind.

• thought is the fountain of action, life, and foundation |make the fountain pure and it’ll be pure
• maintain purpose + energy + power to do | rigorously exclude doubts & fear
• self control = strength | right thought = mastery | calmness = power

ON STRENGTH OF CHARACTER: Calmness of the mind is jewel of wisdom.

• a man is literally what he thinks | his character being a complete sum of all his thoughts
• the calm man, having learned how to govern himself knows how to adapt himself to others
• character & thought are one

The mind is the master weaver.

Every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought.

Man is made or unmade by himself.

Thought and character = 1.

Outer circumstances are aligned with inner states.

The who does not shrink from self-crucifixion can never fail to accomplish the object from which his heart is set.

A man only becomes a man when he ceases to whine + prevail & commences to search for hidden justice that runs his life.

Man has right to him — define that the universe is right and during the process of making himself right, he will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things and other people will alter toward him.

Let a man rapidly alter his thoughts and see how it will rapidly alter his material life — in this way he can easily admit to investigation and self-analysis.

Effective Thoughts on Health & the Body

• the body is the servant of the mind
• unselfish thoughts are the portals of heaven

Thought & Purpose

Aimlessness is a vice.

• until thought is linked with purpose, there’s no inherent accomplishment
• doubts and fear should be rigorously excluded
• doubt + fear = great enemies of knowledge
• the strength of character gained will be the measure of true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power & triumph
• purpose + energy + power to do = all strong thoughts, which cease when doubt creeps in
• recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment | all conditions serve a purpose

The Thought Factor in Achievement

All man achieves (and all he fails to achieve) is a direct result of his own thoughts).

• achievement of whatever kind is the crown of effort
• spiritual achievements are the confirmations of holy aspirations — he who is constantly in the conception of noble thoughts who dwells on all that is pure & unselfish will surely become noble in character + rise into a position of blessedness
• all achievements whether in business, intellectual or spiritual worlds are the result of definitely directed thought that are governed by the same law and are of the same method. the only difference lies in the object of attainment. he who will achieve much, must sacrifice much. he who would attain highly, must sacrifice greatly.

Visions & Ideals

The visible world is sustained by the invisible.

• he who cherishes a lofty vision in his heart will one day realize it
• into your hands will be placed the exact results of your own thoughts. you will receive that which you earn, no more no less
• the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, throughout them will grow delightful conditions. all heavenly environments of these (if you remain true to them) will be built.
• you cannot travel within and stand still without
• to desire is to obtain. to aspire is to achieve. the vision is the promise of what you shall one day be. your ideal is the prophecy of what will last and veil.
• the great achievement was at first (at one time) a dream
• in all human affairs, there are efforts and there are results; the strength of the effort is the measure of the result. chance is not.
• gifts, powers, material, intellectual and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort. their thoughts were completed, objects accomplished, and visions realized.
• the vision that we glorify in our mind, the idea that we enthrone in our heart, this is what we’ll will build our life by. this we’ll become.

Serenity

Calmness is a result of long and patient effort and self-control.

• a man becomes calm when he understands himself — this necessitates the understanding of others as a result of thought.
• the calm man, having learned to govern himself knows how to adapt himself to other and they in turn reverence his strength and feel they can learn from + rely on him.
• the more tranquil a man becomes, the greater his success, his influence, and his power for good

Introducing Reads as a capsule in the Learn Segment. Each week for the remainder of the year, we’ll be extracting key takeaways and notes from 26 books read in 26 weeks as a practice to nourish learning. Join us in the (re)wiring!