Thursday, November 29, 2007
With Determination and Will, all things are Possible
There it was, just lying on the ground, what looked like a discarded gum wrapper. Since I wasn’t too busy and being of good conscience, I walked over to pick it up to place in a trash can latter, following my motive of always leaving a place better than I found it. Upon examination it turned out the object was not trash, but to my surprise was a fine little medallion of an odd shape. Hundreds of people had seen it, thought they knew all about it, or what it was, and then walked on by, little suspecting its real value.
There is a spiritual parallel for this incident; almost everybody in the hurrying of life has glanced at an object, yet no one examined it, until someone with a spirit of curiosity, or inspired by quaint self imposed duty, pauses, picks it up, looks at it, and finds that it is far more than it appeared to be. Consequently, it is proven that by special attention to a subject, very remarkable results may be produced.
Learning to control or strengthen the Will is closely allied to developing Attention and Interest. Let us consider together the popular and common erroneous belief that everyone has an allotted amount of ability as it has pleased Nature to give; the same being true as regards Memory, Will, the Constructive or Artistic abilities, and so on. This erroneous belief has stifled many of us all our lives. The truth of the matter is the opposite of that belief; with attention and experience all our abilities may be increased infinitely, there is no thing that we can not do should we make up our minds to do it.
All of us know, or know of, ignorant people who complacently explain their indifference on the ground that they have no ability in such areas, as if ability were a special heaven sent gift. No one can be expected to take an interest and at once have ability, but where earnest and serious Attention has been directed to it; Interest soon follows. That's why it happens that those who deliberately train themselves in any given endeavor are invariably rewarded by acquiring skill and ability. The saying that “perseverance subdues impatience” sounds like a dull common place saying, but it is a silver medallion disguised as a discarded gum wrapper; there is a deep meaning hidden in plain sight. Your will, if it be allowed, with a little intelligence, forethought, and determination towards a purpose, can be developed into a keen mechanism by which you can control your very destiny.
Attention can be spontaneous, deliberate, or reflexive. The voluntary choosing or fixing of our mind upon an idea, image, or subject is deliberate, the noticing of something that we previously ignored is spontaneous attention, and when the idea for some reason impresses itself upon us then we have reflex attention.
Determination is a simple thought; if before we begin anything, we pause, and resolve that we will be meticulous, and not quit until we have mastered it: For strange as it may seem, doing this actually has a positive, and very often a remarkable result. This Forethought is far more easily awakened, or exerted, than Attention itself, but it prepares it, just as Attention prepares Interest.
Involuntary memory, or reflex attention excited by different causes often compels us to attend to subjects whether we will to or not. Everyone has been haunted with images or ideas even unto being tormented by them; like a tune that randomly appears in your head and you hear it all day long. That even a person of plain common-sense and strong will may be driven to sleeplessness, by some trifle, some mere jingle or rhyme, or idle memory, infers that we have within us a great power which must in some way be capable of being led to great or useful results by some process.
This process is so simple you will be stunned into angry stupor as to it ease and simplicity. Please sit down… This great spiritual and sacred hidden secret is repetition. That’s it, one word, which in this context means so much.
It is true that an image or idea may be often repeated to minds which do not think or reflect, without awakening attention; in a vast majority of cases forms a nucleus, or beginning, which may be easily increased to an indefinite extent. This was proven with subliminal advertising. Conversely a little exercise of the Will suffices in most cases to fix the attention on a subject, but in many cases Attention is attracted with little or no voluntary effort. On this fact is based the truth that when or where it is desired, Attention and Interest may be awakened with great ease by a simple process. Speaking of repetition; it must be mentioned that a vast proportion of senseless superstitions, traditions or customs, which no one can explain, originate in this way, and that in fact what we call habit or second nature is only another form or result of REPEATED involuntary attention and the unconscious giving of a place in the memory that which we have heard repeatedly.
A deliberate reflection on this can make it clear that if anyone really desires to take an interest in any subject, it is possible to do so, because Nature has placed in every mind a vast capacity for attention on ideas, and where the Attention is fixed, Interest, by an equally easy process, may always be induced to follow.
The best way to begin is to carefully read the simplest and easiest book of it which we can obtain, in order that we may know just exactly what it is, or its definition. With this done, at once, while the memory is fresh in mind, follow it up by other research or reading, observations or inquiries, on the same subject, for three books read together on anything will profit more than a hundred on differing subjects. In fact, a great deal of broken, irregular or disjointed reading is almost worse than none at all, as a little coherent study is more advantageous than a lot of disconnected fact gathering.
Many people would very willingly take an interest in many subjects if they knew how. Sadly, many put no faith in easy manuals to begin with, believing, in their ignorance, that a mere collection of rudiments cannot have much in it. We are all surrounded by thousands of subjects in which we might all take an interest, and do good works, if we would, select one, give it a little attention, and proceed to learn it. As it is, in general society the man or woman who has any special pursuit, accomplishment, or real interest for leisure hours, beyond idle gossip and empty time-killing, is a great exception. Nevertheless in perhaps a majority of cases there is a sincere desire to do something, which is killed by simple ignorance of the fact that with very little trouble, interest in something is within the easy reach of all.
If you wish to learn how to develop your Will and strengthen it, it is absolutely necessary to take an interest in it. Consider how this art of acquiring attention and interest has been obscured in most minds, and the difficulties of acquiring it, highly exaggerated. It is an easy matter to create a strong will, or strengthen that which we have, to a marvelous extent, yet you must first give your Attention firmly and fixedly to your intent or want, it is absolutely necessary that you first know in your own mind what you mean to do, and meditate upon it, not dreamily, or vaguely, but earnestly; and this guarantees your certain success.
Additionally if beginners, before taking up any pursuit, would calmly and deliberately consider the virtues of Attention and Interest, and how to acquire them, or bring them to bear on the proposed study or work, there would in truth be few failures in life if those who undertake anything first gave a long and careful consideration, some observation into detail, and, in fact, becoming familiar with the idea, and not trusting to acquire interest and perseverance in the future. Nine-tenths of the difficulty and doubt or fear which beginners experience, and which often inspires them to retreat, is due entirely to not having begun by training the Attention or awakened an Interest in the subject.
It is often that the reason for failure, or the ultimate failing to attain success, is simply because the people who seek it, are lacking in deep reflection, application, or earnest attention. They are quick to take hold, and as quick to let go. Therefore, they are the least likely to seriously reflect beforehand on the necessity of preparing the mind to patience and application.
Now it seems a simple thing to say, and so it is all the harder to understand, that before going to work at anything which will require perseverance and effort we can facilitate the result amazingly by thinking over and anticipating it. Let it suffice to say that earnest forethought, and the more of it the better, bestowed on that which we intend to undertake, is a thing rarely attempted, but which, when given, eases every burden and lightens every toil.
Plain forethought repeated is the easiest of mental efforts; use it to your benefit as often as you can.
Be Blessed
There is a spiritual parallel for this incident; almost everybody in the hurrying of life has glanced at an object, yet no one examined it, until someone with a spirit of curiosity, or inspired by quaint self imposed duty, pauses, picks it up, looks at it, and finds that it is far more than it appeared to be. Consequently, it is proven that by special attention to a subject, very remarkable results may be produced.
Learning to control or strengthen the Will is closely allied to developing Attention and Interest. Let us consider together the popular and common erroneous belief that everyone has an allotted amount of ability as it has pleased Nature to give; the same being true as regards Memory, Will, the Constructive or Artistic abilities, and so on. This erroneous belief has stifled many of us all our lives. The truth of the matter is the opposite of that belief; with attention and experience all our abilities may be increased infinitely, there is no thing that we can not do should we make up our minds to do it.
All of us know, or know of, ignorant people who complacently explain their indifference on the ground that they have no ability in such areas, as if ability were a special heaven sent gift. No one can be expected to take an interest and at once have ability, but where earnest and serious Attention has been directed to it; Interest soon follows. That's why it happens that those who deliberately train themselves in any given endeavor are invariably rewarded by acquiring skill and ability. The saying that “perseverance subdues impatience” sounds like a dull common place saying, but it is a silver medallion disguised as a discarded gum wrapper; there is a deep meaning hidden in plain sight. Your will, if it be allowed, with a little intelligence, forethought, and determination towards a purpose, can be developed into a keen mechanism by which you can control your very destiny.
Attention can be spontaneous, deliberate, or reflexive. The voluntary choosing or fixing of our mind upon an idea, image, or subject is deliberate, the noticing of something that we previously ignored is spontaneous attention, and when the idea for some reason impresses itself upon us then we have reflex attention.
Determination is a simple thought; if before we begin anything, we pause, and resolve that we will be meticulous, and not quit until we have mastered it: For strange as it may seem, doing this actually has a positive, and very often a remarkable result. This Forethought is far more easily awakened, or exerted, than Attention itself, but it prepares it, just as Attention prepares Interest.
Involuntary memory, or reflex attention excited by different causes often compels us to attend to subjects whether we will to or not. Everyone has been haunted with images or ideas even unto being tormented by them; like a tune that randomly appears in your head and you hear it all day long. That even a person of plain common-sense and strong will may be driven to sleeplessness, by some trifle, some mere jingle or rhyme, or idle memory, infers that we have within us a great power which must in some way be capable of being led to great or useful results by some process.
This process is so simple you will be stunned into angry stupor as to it ease and simplicity. Please sit down… This great spiritual and sacred hidden secret is repetition. That’s it, one word, which in this context means so much.
It is true that an image or idea may be often repeated to minds which do not think or reflect, without awakening attention; in a vast majority of cases forms a nucleus, or beginning, which may be easily increased to an indefinite extent. This was proven with subliminal advertising. Conversely a little exercise of the Will suffices in most cases to fix the attention on a subject, but in many cases Attention is attracted with little or no voluntary effort. On this fact is based the truth that when or where it is desired, Attention and Interest may be awakened with great ease by a simple process. Speaking of repetition; it must be mentioned that a vast proportion of senseless superstitions, traditions or customs, which no one can explain, originate in this way, and that in fact what we call habit or second nature is only another form or result of REPEATED involuntary attention and the unconscious giving of a place in the memory that which we have heard repeatedly.
A deliberate reflection on this can make it clear that if anyone really desires to take an interest in any subject, it is possible to do so, because Nature has placed in every mind a vast capacity for attention on ideas, and where the Attention is fixed, Interest, by an equally easy process, may always be induced to follow.
The best way to begin is to carefully read the simplest and easiest book of it which we can obtain, in order that we may know just exactly what it is, or its definition. With this done, at once, while the memory is fresh in mind, follow it up by other research or reading, observations or inquiries, on the same subject, for three books read together on anything will profit more than a hundred on differing subjects. In fact, a great deal of broken, irregular or disjointed reading is almost worse than none at all, as a little coherent study is more advantageous than a lot of disconnected fact gathering.
Many people would very willingly take an interest in many subjects if they knew how. Sadly, many put no faith in easy manuals to begin with, believing, in their ignorance, that a mere collection of rudiments cannot have much in it. We are all surrounded by thousands of subjects in which we might all take an interest, and do good works, if we would, select one, give it a little attention, and proceed to learn it. As it is, in general society the man or woman who has any special pursuit, accomplishment, or real interest for leisure hours, beyond idle gossip and empty time-killing, is a great exception. Nevertheless in perhaps a majority of cases there is a sincere desire to do something, which is killed by simple ignorance of the fact that with very little trouble, interest in something is within the easy reach of all.
If you wish to learn how to develop your Will and strengthen it, it is absolutely necessary to take an interest in it. Consider how this art of acquiring attention and interest has been obscured in most minds, and the difficulties of acquiring it, highly exaggerated. It is an easy matter to create a strong will, or strengthen that which we have, to a marvelous extent, yet you must first give your Attention firmly and fixedly to your intent or want, it is absolutely necessary that you first know in your own mind what you mean to do, and meditate upon it, not dreamily, or vaguely, but earnestly; and this guarantees your certain success.
Additionally if beginners, before taking up any pursuit, would calmly and deliberately consider the virtues of Attention and Interest, and how to acquire them, or bring them to bear on the proposed study or work, there would in truth be few failures in life if those who undertake anything first gave a long and careful consideration, some observation into detail, and, in fact, becoming familiar with the idea, and not trusting to acquire interest and perseverance in the future. Nine-tenths of the difficulty and doubt or fear which beginners experience, and which often inspires them to retreat, is due entirely to not having begun by training the Attention or awakened an Interest in the subject.
It is often that the reason for failure, or the ultimate failing to attain success, is simply because the people who seek it, are lacking in deep reflection, application, or earnest attention. They are quick to take hold, and as quick to let go. Therefore, they are the least likely to seriously reflect beforehand on the necessity of preparing the mind to patience and application.
Now it seems a simple thing to say, and so it is all the harder to understand, that before going to work at anything which will require perseverance and effort we can facilitate the result amazingly by thinking over and anticipating it. Let it suffice to say that earnest forethought, and the more of it the better, bestowed on that which we intend to undertake, is a thing rarely attempted, but which, when given, eases every burden and lightens every toil.
Plain forethought repeated is the easiest of mental efforts; use it to your benefit as often as you can.
Be Blessed
Labels: success
http://www.staffofpower.com
