Top 25 growth books - VII

As A Man Thinketh

James Allen

James Allen (1864 -1912) was a British philosophical  who is considered to be a pioneer of the self-help movement. His best known work, As a Man Thinketh, was published in 1903.

Quote from the book:

“A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him.  He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought.  Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph"

Another quote from the book:

“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 therein, and will continue to produce their kind.” 

The title of the book is based off a verse from King James’ Bible, which illustrates the Christian overtones of the advice. While originally published with Christians in mind, this book has evolved in to a classic which transcends all faiths and religions.

The effect of our thought processes on every aspect of our living has been dealt in this book.

All the modern day masters of "Mind over Matter" draw their inspiration from the thoughts of James Allen and this book. Every sentence of this book will ring a bell in your heart and compel you to introspect.

It is a thin book which one could finish in an hour. Every second of that hour will be well spent.

Namaste

Prabir