As a Man Thinketh, by James Allen →

Allen’s book, “As a Man Thinketh” starts out :

“Mind is the Master power that molds and makes,

And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes

The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,

Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:

He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:

Environment is but his looking-glass.”

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Published in 1903, Allen's book remains a timeless beacon of self-help literature. It was an early leader in the genre  , drawing profound insights from Proverbs 23:6-8 in the King James version of the Bible, and focusing on the enduring power of thought.

The book vividly illustrates how the power of thought, when consciously applied, can be a transformative force in each individual's life, leading to the creation of both favorable and unfavorable conditions.

Allen's book is not just a theoretical guide but a practical tool that empowers readers to take control of their lives. He aptly described it as " a book that will help you to help yourself,” "a pocket companion for thoughtful people,” and "a book on the power and proper application of thought.”

Quotes

  • "Men do not attract what they want, but what they are."

  • "A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts."

  • "Cherish your visions. Cherish your ideals. Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment, of these if you but remain true to them your world will, at last, be built."

  • "The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reached the height of its cherished aspirations. It falls to the level of its unchastened desires– and circumstances are how the soul receives its own."

  • "Men are anxious to improve their circumstances but are unwilling to improve themselves; they, therefore, remain bound."

  • A thought precedes "Every action and feeling."

  • "Right thinking begins with the words we say to ourselves."

  • "Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself."

  • "You cannot travel within and stand still without.