As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
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Web ID: 16836459My book notes
Below are my notes for Littler Books. I hope you find them helpful! 1. A person’s character is the sum of their thoughts. Every action, whether spontaneous or deliberate, comes from these thoughts. a. "As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought... Act is the blossom of thought, and joy and suffering are its fruits..." 2. You control your destiny. Change your destiny by changing your thoughts. a. "Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armoury 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." 3. The mind acts like a garden that produces results based on whether it is carefully cultivated or allowed to run wild. a. "Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts..." 4. Your thoughts shape how we view our external circumstances. a. “The outer world of circumstance shapes itself to the inner world of thought…” 5. Suffering comes from the wrong thoughts. Happiness comes from the right thoughts, not material things. a. "A man does not come to the almshouse or the jail by the tyranny of fate or circumstance, but by the pathway of grovelling thoughts and base desires... Blessedness, not material possessions, is the measure of right thought; wretchedness, not lack of material possessions, is the measure of wrong thought." 6. Repeated specific thoughts will develop into habits, which then changes external circumstances. a. "Bestial thoughts crystallize into habits of drunkenness and sensuality... pure thoughts crystallize into habits of temperance and self-control... thoughts of courage, self-reliance, and decision crystallize into manly habits, which solidify into circumstances of success, plenty, and freedom..." 7. The mind affects the body. a. "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." 8. Health and illness are rooted in thought. Fear and anxiety are especially destructive to the body. a. "Thoughts of fear have been known to kill a man as speedily as a bullet... Anxiety quickly demoralizes the whole body, and lays it open to the entrance of disease..." 9. A cheerful, serene, and pure mind is the best doctor. a. "There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body... a strong body and a bright, happy, or serene countenance can only result from the free admittance into the mind of thoughts of joy and goodwill and serenity." 10. Success comes from aligning our thoughts to a central purpose. Avoid aimlessness. a. "Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment... Aimlessness is a vice, and such drifting must not continue for him who would steer clear of catastrophe and destruction." b. "A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart... 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..." 11. Doubts and fears lead to failure. a. “He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure.” 12. "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..." 13. "He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much... There can be no progress, no achievement without sacrifice..." 14. Dreamers will shape our future. a. "The dreamers are the saviours of the world. As the visible world is sustained by the invisible, so men... are nourished by the beautiful visions of their solitary dreamers." 15. Strive towards a high ideal and your circumstances will change. a. "Whatever your present environment may be, you will fall, remain, or rise with your thoughts, your Vision, your Ideal." 16. What people call luck is actually the visible result of unseen effort, sacrifice, and persistence. a. "They do not see the trials and failures and struggles which these men have voluntarily encountered... gifts, powers, material, intellectual, and spiritual possessions are the fruits of effort..." 17. "Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience..." 18. "The strong, calm man is always loved and revered. He is like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land.”
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Life Changing!
I am 31 years old have been doing a self growth journey and this book really steered me even more towards my goals in personal development. This has had such a beautiful impact on my life in such a short amount of time. I will never forget about reading this book.
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Customer review from barnesandnoble.com