Chapter 1: Thought and Character
“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”
“Man is made or unmade by himself. In the armory of thought 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.”
“For only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the door of the temple of knowledge.”
Chapter 2 – Effect of Thought on Circumstance
“A man’s mind maybe 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.”
“Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires so may and man tend the garden of his mind, weirding out all the wrong, useless and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful and pure thoughts.”
“…when a man earnestly applies himself to remedy the defects in his character, and makes swift and marked progress, he passes rapidly through a succession of vicissitudes.”
“The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; That which it loves, and also that which it fears; it reaches the height of its cherished aspirations; It falls to the level of its unchastened desires and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.”
“Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.”
“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.
“…Circumstance does not make the man; It reveals him to himself.”
“Not what he wished and prays for it 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.”
“Blessedness, not material possessions, is the measure of right thoughts; wretchedness, not the lack of material possessions, is the measure of wrong thought.”
“A man is not rightly conditioned until he is happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer of the man with his surroundings.”
“Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot. It rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habits solidifies into circumstances.”
“Pure thoughts crystallize into habits of temperance and self-control, which solidify into circumstances of repose and peace.”
“A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances.”
‘Let a man cease from his sinful thoughts, and all the world will soften towards him, and be ready to help him. “Thirty years ago 80% of the resources in an organization were dedicated to operations, and 20% to projects; today, that ratio has flipped. Despite this massive disruption, most organizations still don’t have one senior leader overseeing or supervising all the project activities. A chief project officer (CPO) should fill that void. The role goes far beyond the direct sponsorship of individual projects. The CPO reports directly to the CEO. They must push their organization toward adopting a project-driven structure and foster a collaborative and empowering culture that reaches across silos. They must also ensure that project-management competencies are developed throughout the organization. This article will explore the benefits a CPO can bring, how to understand whether your organization needs a CPO, and how to hire one.
Chapter 3 – Effects of Thoughts On Health and Body
“Strong pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. The body is a delicate and plastic instrument, which responds readily to thoughts by which it is impressed, and habits of thought will produce their own effects, good or bad, upon it.”
“Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts.”
“Clean thoughts make clean habits.”
“If you would perfect your body, guard your mind. If you would renew your body, beautify your mind.”
“With those who have lived righteously, age is calm, peaceful, and softly mellowed, like the setting sun.”
“To live continually in thoughts of ill will, cynicism, suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison. But to think well 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; and to dwell it day by day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring abounding peace to their possessor.”
Chapter 4- Thoughts and Purpose
“They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pitying’s, all of which are indications of weakness, which lead, just as surely as deliberately planned sins (though by a different route), to failure, unhappiness, and loss, for weakness cannot persist in a power-evolving universe.”
“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 thoughts be gathered and focused, and resolution and energy be developed. Once this is done there is nothing which may not be accomplished.”
“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 thinks 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 or left. Doubts and fears should be rigorously excluded.”
“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.”
“Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force.”
Chapter 5 – 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 strong man cannot help but weaker unless the weaker is willing to be helped. And even a weak man must become strong himself. He must, by his own efforts, develop the strength which he admires in another. None but himself can alter his condition.”
“He who has conquered weakness and has pushed away all selfish thoughts belongs neither to oppressor nor oppressed. He is a free man.”
“A man can only rise, conquer, and achieve by lifting up his thoughts. He can only remain weak, abject, and miserably by refusing to lift up his thoughts.”
“The universe does not favor the greedy, the dishonest, the vicious… although on the mere surface it sometimes may appear to do so. It helps the honest, the magnanimous, the virtuous. All the great teachers of the ages have declared this in varying ways and to prove it to know it a man but has to persist in making himself increasingly virtuous by lifting his thoughts.”
“Intellectual achievements are the result of thought consecrated to the search for knowledge or the beautiful and true in nature.”
“Spiritual achievements are the consummation of holy aspirations.”
“Achievement of any kind is the crown of effort, the diadem of thought.”
“Victories attained by right thought can be maintained only by watchfulness. Many give way when success is assured, and rapidly fall back into failure.”
“He who would accomplish little need sacrifice little; He would achieve much must sacrifice much. He would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.”
Chapter 6 – Visions and Ideals
“The dreamers are the saviors of the world.”
He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it. Columbus cherished a vision of another world and he discovered it. Copernicus fostered division at multiplicity of worlds and a wider universe, and he revealed it. Buddha beheld the vision of a spiritual world of stainless beauty in perfect peace, and he entered into it.”
“Cherish your visions; Cherish your ideals…”
“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is a promise of what you shall one day be; Your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall last unveil.”
“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. Whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain, or rise with your thoughts – your vision, your ideal. You will become as small as your controlling desire; As great as your dominant aspiration.”
“In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results. The strength of the intellectual and spirit 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.”
Chapter 7 -Serenity
“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is a result of long and patient effort and self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.”
“A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought-evolved being.”
“The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good.”
“Yes, humanity surges with uncontrolled passion, is tumultuous with ungoverned grief, is blown about by anxiety and doubt. Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified, makes the winds and the storms of the soul will obey him.”
“Tempest tossed souls, wherever you may be, under whatever conditions you may live, know this: in the ocean of life the Isles of blessedness are smiling and the sunny shore of your ideal awaits your coming. Keep your hands firmly upon the helm of thought.”
“Self-control is strength. Right thought is mastery. Calmness is power. Say unto your heart, “Peace. Be still.”