These are my favorite quotes from James Allen's book. Very good read that helped me during and since the mission.
THOUGHT AND CHARACTER
As a man thinketh in his heart so it he
A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts
Every act of man springs from the hidden seeds of though, and could not have appeared without them
Act is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are its fruit; thus does a man garner in the sweet and bitter fruitage of his own husbandry
A noble and God-like character is not a thing of favor or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with God-like thoughts
Man is made or unmade by himself. In the armory of though he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself. He also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace
By the right choice and true application of though, man ascends to the divine perfection
Man is the master of thought, the molder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny
Only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the door of the temple of knowledge
EFFECT OF THOUGHT CIRCUMSTANCES
A man’s mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will bring forth. If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed-seeds will fall therin, and will continue to produce their kind
Thought and character are one, and as character can only manifest and discover itself through environment and circumstance, the outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state
The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which is loves, and also that which it fears
The outer world of circumstances shapes itself to the inner world of thought, and both pleasant and unpleasant external conditions are factors which make for the ultimate good of the individual. As the reaper of his own harvest, man learns both of suffering and bliss
A man does not come to the alms-house or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of groveling thoughts and base desires. Nor does a pure-minded man fall suddenly into crime by stress of an mere external fore; the criminal thought had long been secretly fostered in the heart, and the hour of opportunity revealed its gathered power.
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself
Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are
Not what he wished and prays for does a man get, but what he justly earns
His wishes and prayers are only gratified and answered when they harmonize with his thoughts and actions
Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves; they therefore remain bound.
Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results
Suffering is always the effect of wrong thought in some direction. It is an indication that the individual is out of harmony with himself, with the law of his being. The sole and supreme use of suffering is to purify, to burn out all that is useless and impure. Suffering ceases for him who is pure.
Blessedness, not material possessions, is the measure of right thought; wretchedness, not lack of material possessions, is the measure of wrong thought. A man may be cursed and rich; he may be blessed and poor. Blessedness and riches are only joined together when the riches are rightly and wisely used.
Happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer of the man with his surroundings
A man only beings to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life. And he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of discovering the hidden powers and possibilities within himself
Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot. It rapidly crystallizes into habit, and bait solidifies into circumstance.
Thoughts of fear, doubt, and indecision crystallize into weak, unmanly, and irresolute habits, which solidify into circumstances of failure, indigence, and slavish dependence
On the other hand, beautiful thoughts of all kinds crystallize into habits of grace and kindliness, which solidify into genial an sunny circumstances. Pure thoughts crystallize into habits of temperance and self-control, which solidify into circumstances of repose and peace. Thoughts of courage, self-reliance, and decision crystallize into manly habits, which solidify into circumstances of success, plenty, and freedom. Energetic thoughts crystallize into habits of cleanliness an industry, which solidify into circumstances of pleasantness.
Gentle and forgiving thoughts crystallize into habits of gentleness, which solidify into protective and preservative circumstances. Loving and unselfish thoughts solidify into circumstances of sure and abiding prosperity and true riches.
Let a man cease from his sinful thoughts, and all the world will soften towards him, and be ready to help him
EFFECTS OF THOUGHTS OF HEALTH AND BODY
The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen of automatically expressed. At the bidding of unlawful thoughts the body sinks rapidly into disease and decay; at the command of glad and beautiful thoughts it becomes clothed with youthfulness and beauty
If you would perfect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind
To think will of all, to be cheerful with all, to patiently learn to find the good in all – such unselfish thoughts are the very portals of heaven
THOUGHT AND PURPOSE
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
Strength can only be developed by effort and practice
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
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
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
THE THOUGHT-FACTOR IN ACHIEVEMENT
All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts
A man’s weakness and strength, purity and impurity, are his own and not another man’s.
His sufferings and his happiness are evolved from within. As he thinks, so is he; as he continues to think, so he remains
A strong man cannot help a weaker unless that weaker is willing to be helped
A man can only rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts
He is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses
The can be no progress nor achievement without sacrifice, and a man’s worldly success will be by the measure that he sacrifices his confused animal thoughts, and fixes his mind on the development of his plans, and the strengthening of his resolution and self-reliance.
The higher his he lifts his thoughts, the greater will be his success, the more blessed and enduring will be his achievements
Spiritual achievements are the consummation of holy aspirations
He who lives constantly in the conception of noble and lofty thoughts, who dwells upon all that is pure and selfless, will, as surely as the sun reaches its zenith and the moon its full, become wise and noble in character and rise into a position of influence and blessedness
Achievement of any kind is the crown effort, the diadem of thought
By the aid of self-control, resolution, purity, righteousness, and well-directed thought a man ascends
He who would accomplish little need sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much. He who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly
VISIONS AND IDEALS
He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it
To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve
Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become
The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream
Dreams are the seedlings of realities
For you will always gravitate toward that which you, secretly, most love.
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 strength of the effort is the measure of the result
Gifts, powers, material, intellectual and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort. They are thoughts completed, objectives accomplished, visions realized
The vision that you glorify in your mind, the ideal that you enthrone in your heart – this you will build your life by; this you will become
SERENITY
Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom
Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified, makes the winds and the storms of the soul obey him.
In the ocean of life the isles of blessedness are smiling and the sunny shore of your ideal awaits you coming.
Keep your hands firmly upon the helm of thought. In the core of your soul reclines the commanding master; He does but sleep; wake Him.
Self control is strength. Right thought is mastery.
Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, “Peace. Be still”
