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Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule” by Napoleon Hill

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 22:57:38 +0000

If all your acts toward others, and even your thoughts of others, are registered in your subconscious mind, through the principle of Autosuggestion, thereby building your own character in exact duplicate of your thoughts and acts, can you not see how important it is to guard those acts and thoughts? We are now in the very heart of the real reason for doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, for it is obvious that whatever we do unto others we do unto ourselves. – Napoleon Hill, “The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons – Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule”

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Free Success Ebook: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011-2012

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

Now, for the exciting conclusion to The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons by Napoleon Hill, I am pleased to present you with the final installment - Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule. What a great addition to The Napoleon Hill Success Library!

And a good lesson it is. I can certainly use some of this timeless Wisdom - again, and again, and again. Moreover, Lesson 16 brings together all of the great material from the prior fifteen lessons - The Golden Rule is the glue that binds the other lessons into a cohesive, working fabric.

We have spent some significant time at this site discussing the Golden Rule and have compiled some noteworthy posts on the subject.

The robotic Cassini spacecraft now orbiting Saturn drifted in giant planet's shadow for about 12 hours in 2006 and looked back toward the eclipsed Sun to capture this amazing image of the ringed planet. Far in the distance, at the left, just above the bright main rings, is the almost ignorable pale blue dot of Earth. Image by NASA, JPL and the Cassini Team.

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Earlier this year, we did Success Key: The Law of Compensation, Part 1, on February 8, 2011, and received great feedback on that post.

And, back on March 10, 2010, who could forget Success Key: The Golden Rule - A Lost Success Key?

The bottom line is that The Golden Rule is paramount to achieving Success. Whether we call it the Law of Compensation, Law of Cause and Effect, karma or any number of other terms, how we think about and act towards others will come back to us in kind. If not now, then later. But, it will come back.

Here are a few great quotes from Lesson 16 by Professor Hill to get you on your way:

There is an eternal law through the operation of which we reap that which we sow. When you select the rule of conduct by which you guide yourself in your transactions with others, you will be fair and just, very likely, if you know that you are setting into motion, by that selection, a power that will run its course for weal or woe in the lives of others, returning, finally, to help or to hinder you, according to its nature.
It may be an old-fashioned idea, but somehow I can’t get away from the belief that no man can attain success in its highest form without the aid of earnest prayer!
The Golden Rule philosophy is based upon a law which no man can circumvent. This law is the same law that is described in Lesson Eleven, on Accurate Thought, through the operation of which one’s thoughts are transformed into reality corresponding exactly to the nature of the thoughts.
Those who understand and apply the Golden Rule philosophy are always scrupulously honest, not alone out of their desire to be just with others, but because: of their desire to be just with themselves. They understand the eternal law upon which the Golden Rule is based, and they know that through the operation of this law every thought they release and every act in which they indulge has its counterpart in some fact or circumstance with which they will later be confronted.
If all your acts toward others, and even your thoughts of others, are registered in your subconscious mind, through the principle of Autosuggestion, thereby building your own character in exact duplicate of your thoughts and acts, can you not see how important it is to guard those acts and thoughts? We are now in the very heart of the real reason for doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, for it is obvious that whatever we do unto others we do unto ourselves.
You have noticed frequent reference to Emerson throughout this course. Every student of the course should own a copy of Emerson’s Essays, and the essay on Compensation should be read and studied at least every three months. Observe, as you read this essay, that it deals with the same law as that upon which the Golden Rule is based.
Remember that your reputation is made by others, but your character is made by you!
Throughout this entire course one particular principle has been emphasized for the purpose of illustrating the truth that every personality is the sum total of the individual’s thoughts and acts – that we come to resemble the nature of our dominating thoughts.
No one knows the limitations of the power of thought, or whether or not it has any limitations. Whatever man believes he can do he eventually does.

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And, in Lesson 16, Professor Hill also leaves us with his "Code of Ethics," which, in all its simplicity, is worth noting:

My Code of Ethics

I believe in the Golden Rule as the basis of all human conduct; therefore, I will never do to another person that which I would not be willing for that person to do to me if our positions were reversed.
I will be honest, even to the slightest detail, in all my transactions with others, not alone because of my desire to be fair with them, but because of my desire to impress the idea of honesty on my own subconscious mind, thereby weaving this essential quality into my own character.
I will forgive those who are unjust toward me, with no thought as to whether they deserve it or not, because I understand the law through which forgiveness of others strengthens my own character and wipes out the effects of my own transgressions, in my subconscious mind.
I will be just, generous and fair with others always, even though I know that these acts will go unnoticed and unrecorded, in the ordinary terms of reward, because I understand and intend to apply the law through the aid of which one’s own character is but the sum total of one’s own acts and deeds.
Whatever time I may have to devote to the discovery and exposure of the weaknesses and faults of others I will devote, more profitably, to the discovery and correction of my own.
I will slander no person, no matter how much I may believe another person may deserve it, because I wish to plant no destructive suggestions in my own subconscious mind.
I recognize the power of Thought as being an inlet leading into my brain from the universal ocean of life; therefore, I will set no destructive thoughts afloat upon that ocean lest they pollute the minds of others.
I will conquer the common human tendency toward hatred, and envy, and selfishness, and jealousy, and malice, and pessimism, and doubt, and fear; for I believe these to be the seed from which the world harvests most of its troubles.
When my mind is not occupied with thoughts that tend toward the attainment of my definite chief aim in life, I will voluntarily keep it filled with thoughts of courage, and self-confidence, and goodwill toward others, and faith, and kindness, and loyalty, and love for truth, and justice, for I believe these to be the seed from which the world reaps its harvest of progressive growth.
I understand that a mere passive belief in the soundness of the Golden Rule philosophy is of no value whatsoever, either to myself or to others; therefore, I will actively put into operation this universal rule for good in all my transactions with others.
I understand the law through the operation of which my own character is developed from my own acts and thoughts; therefore, I will guard with care all that goes into its development.
Realizing that enduring happiness comes only through helping others find it; that no act of kindness is without its reward, even though it may never be directly repaid, I will do my best to assist others when and where the opportunity appears.

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Well, my work for now is done - that is, with regard to The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons by Napoleon Hill. We still have much planned for this site and, yes - it's true - we will finally fix the Prosperity Bible site. Actually, we aren't fixing it - we are dumping it and building it anew from scratch. Why we could never get that site working right is beyond me - but that is a story for another time and another day.

Until then, my dear friend, may Peace be with you. Walk with you head high and see the glory of God in all and in everything. Thank you for being my friend and staying with me . . .

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

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Free Success Ebook: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule" by Napoleon Hill Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011-2012

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

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DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

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Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Fifteen: Tolerance” by Napoleon Hill Intolerance is a form of ignorance which must be mastered before any form of enduring success may be attained. It is the chief cause of all wars. It makes enemies in business and in the professions. It disintegrates the organized forces of society in a thousand forms, and stands, like...
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Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Fifteen: Tolerance” by Napoleon Hill

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 22:24:32 +0000

"It is, of course, obvious that anything which impedes the progress of civilization stands, also, as a barrier to each individual; and, stating it conversely, anything that beclouds the mind of the individual and retards his mental, moral and spiritual development, retards, also, the progress of civilization . . . When the dawn of Intelligence shall have spread its wings over the eastern horizon of progress, and Ignorance and Superstition shall have left their last footprints on the sands of Time, it will be recorded in the book of man’s crimes and mistakes that his most grievous sin was that of Intolerance!" - Napoleon Hill, "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Fifteen: Intolerance"

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Free Success Ebook: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Fifteen: Intolerance" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Fifteen: Intolerance" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

Ring, ring!!

That's the school bell. Summer vacation time is over and it's time to hit the books. School is back in session and Professor Hill is ready and waiting . . . with only two Lessons left from his Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons series.

Today's session is Lesson 15 and it is on Intolerance. What the world could learn from that.

Intolerance is a form of ignorance which must be mastered before any form of enduring success may be attained. It is the chief cause of all wars. It makes enemies in business and in the professions. It disintegrates the organized forces of society in a thousand forms, and stands, like a mighty giant, as a barrier to the abolition of war. It dethrones reason and substitutes mob psychology in its place.

Okay, so we are struggling a bit on this side, too. We will finish this post tomorrow. In the meantime, please make sure to download Lesson 15 and crack the books. There is homework tonight . . . and possible a pop quiz tomorrow!

"Rime Ice Above Peak Foliage." As the trees below radiate the colors of autumn in all of its splendor, rime ice cakes to the exposed rocks above the tree line in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Winter is on it's way! Photo by Ryan Knapp on October 16, 2011. Copyright © Mount Washington Observatory MWOBS at www.mountwashington.org. Thanks, Crew!

Until then, my dear friend, may Peace be with you. Walk with you head high and see the glory of God in all and in everything. Thank you for being my friend and staying with me . . .

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

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Free Success Ebook: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Fifteen: Intolerance" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Fifteen: Intolerance" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

Download Instructions

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Fifteen: Intolerance" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory. Thanks, Crew!

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Success Key: The Law of Compensation, Part I

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 14:52:47 +0000

"The law is this: We reap what we sow. When you select a rule of conduct which you use to guide yourself in your transactions with others, you will be fair and just if you know that you are setting in motion a power that will run its course (for good or bad) in the lives of others, returning finally to help or hinder you according to its nature." - Napoleon Hill

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Success Key: The Law of Compensation, Part I

[Ed. Note: Today’s Post is Part I of III on the highly crucial Law of Compensation. Part I of this essay defines the Law, Part II examines the nature of the Law in greater detail, and Part III explores how we may implement the Law in our daily lives to our advantage and benefit].

The Law of Compensation, Part I

The Law of Compensation: Defined

In the Success Post that accompanies “The Law of Success – Lesson Nine: The Habit of Doing More Than Paid For” by Napoleon Hill (Posted in The Success Manual Free Download Library and The Napoleon Hill Success Library on January 22, 2011), we discussed, among other matters, The Law of Compensation.

Interestingly, after that Post was published, I came across several references to The Law of Compensation, which provided me with the Opportunity to further reflect upon the Law – what it is, how it works and how we may better invoke it to our benefit. That reflection and study is embodied in this Post and the two to follow.

The Law of Compensation is such a simple law; yet, it works with amazing precision in our Lives – each and every day.

What exactly is the Law of Compensation?

Quite simply, it is that principle that “we reap what we sow.” As St. Paul stated approximately two thousand years ago: “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap.” Gal. 6:7.

In this case, the sowing concerns the Garden of Thought, Emotion and Action. What we think, how we feel and how we act all determines what is returned to us – with mathematical precision.

In his master classic, Working with the Law, Raymond Holliwell defines it thusly: “Compensation means equal returns for that which is given; it means a balance of that quality or service that is extended to another . . . You can only build on that which you create.”

It is also known as Karma and “what goes around, comes around.”

Or, as two, young Brits in the 1960s lyrically penned it, “And in the end, the Love you take is equal to the Love you make.” Perfectly stated. (“The End” is a song by The Beatles composed by Paul McCartney (credited to Lennon/McCartney) for the album Abbey Road. It was the last song recorded collectively by all four of the Beatles, and is the final song of a 16-minute medley that dominates side two of the LP version of the album.)

Throughout his illustrious career as a preeminent Success Teacher, Napoleon Hill often referred to the Law of Compensation as “the Golden Rule” (he also referred to it, as noted in Lesson Nine of The of Success in Sixteen Lessons, as The Law of Compensation). In an article in Hill’s Success Unlimited magazine, Napoleon Hill explained it thusly:

“Inherent in the principle of applied faith is the sustained application of the Golden Rule in your daily life. For more than four thousand years, men have been preaching the Golden Rule as a suitable rule of conduct, but, unfortunately, the world has accepted the letter while totally missing the spirit of this universal injunction. We have accepted the Golden Rule merely as a sound rule of ethical conduct but we have failed to understand the law upon which it is based.

“The law is this: We reap what we sow. When you select a rule of conduct which you use to guide yourself in your transactions with others, you will be fair and just if you know that you are setting in motion a power that will run its course (for good or bad) in the lives of others, returning finally to help or hinder you according to its nature.

“It is your privilege to deal unjustly with others, but if you understand the basis for the Golden Rule, you must know that your unjust dealings will come home to roost. The law does not mean merely the flinging back upon you your acts of injustice and unkindness toward others; it goes much further and returns to you the results of every thought you release.

“Therefore, not only is it advisable to 'do unto others as you wish them to do unto you,' but you must 'think of others as you wish them to think of you,' to avail yourself fully of the benefits of this great universal law.”

Similarly, Holliwell further notes that, “Sooner or later we must come face to face with this Law of Compensation, and inevitably, our own comes to us – and only what is our own.”

Because the Law of Compensation works to equally balance our “reaping” with our “sowing,” the Law may be invoked with accuracy and precision. As Raymond Holliwell again profoundly instructs in Working with the Law:

“The Law that we reap what we sow is mathematically accurate. Each experience through which we pass operates ultimately for our good. If we attract the unpleasant, it is often because some dormant or neglected phase of our nature needs to be awakened and developed; also, we learn from the experience to create something better. Hence the degree of contentment and satisfaction attained in whatever sphere of life we may dwell is largely dependent upon our ability to use constructively the experiences of life; for, in every case, the Law of Attraction will only bring what may serve us in our upward development. To interpret this Law in a simple form, it should be stated that whatever we attract, we require and whatever we need is always good. This is a correct attitude to adopt, because all experience is for our good and we must be able to see it in that light.”

Consider the last two sentences of this passage from Holliwell again: “To interpret this Law in a simple form, it should be stated that whatever we attract, we require and whatever we need is always good. This is a correct attitude to adopt, because all experience is for our good and we must be able to see it in that light.”

If we can truly comprehend the full meaning and import of what Holliwell states here, the magnificence of the Law of Compensation cannot be overstated. Whatever we attract, we require. Whatever we require (need) is Good. Therefore, ALL experience (what we attract) is for our Good.

God seeks to draw out the Good in us through each and every experience – the Desirable and the Undesirable. As such, under the Law of Compensation, every experience is not only a manifestation (Effect) of what we have sowed (Cause) in the past (Result), every experience is a Divine Opportunity for us to GROW and PROSPER - Spiritually, Emotionally, Intellectually, Physically and Financially. In fact, I would take this a step further and submit that every experience is a Divine-Mandated Opportunity to GROW and PROSPER.

In that sense, the Law of Compensation is more than just “what goes around, comes around.” The Law of Compensation is our Infinite Creator providing us with what we need.

“We must be able to see it in that light.”

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Have a beautiful day . . . come back soon for Part II - it promises to be good!

Until next time, dear Friend . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

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Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality” by Napoleon Hill

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 03:49:56 +0000

Do NOT draw the conclusion that any sort of cheap flattery will take the place of genuine heart interest. Understand the real psychology upon which this lesson is based, and make it your business to study other people closely enough to find something about them or their work that you really admire. Only in this way can you develop a personality that will be irresistibly attractive . . . Cheap flattery has just the opposite effect to that of constituting an attractive personality. It repels instead of attracting. It is so shallow that even the ignorant easily detect it. – Napoleon Hill, “The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons – Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality”

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Free Success Ebook: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

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Developing the Art and Skill of an Attractive Personality

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

Moving right along in our Law of Success series by Professor Hill, we come now to Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality.

This is an often overlooked Key to Success; yet so few actually focus on this important character element. As Professor Hill states in Lesson Ten, "Throughout this course on the Law of Success, you will not find a single new principle; every one of them is as old as civilization itself; yet you will find but few people who seem to understand how to apply them."

"Tuckerman Ravine Undercast." Like a giant witch's cauldron, undercast clouds eerily fill mammoth Tuckerman Ravine on a gorgeous, blue-sky winter day in the Presidential Range of the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Photo by Greg Neault February 16, 2010. Copyright © Mount Washington Observatory MWOBS at www.mountwashington.org. Thanks, Crew!

We have all heard the saying, "You attract more bees with honey than you do with vinegar," but we still use vinegar. And then, we complain when we fail to attract any bees.

It must be important. Dale Carnegie wrote an entire book on the subject, How to Make Friends and Influence People, and built an entire industry around the book. In this regard - as to the connection between an attractive, pleasing personality and achieving Success - Napoleon Hill states the following:

We are all alike in this respect – we will listen with intense interest to those who have the tact to talk to us about that which lies closest to our hearts; and then, out of a sense of reciprocity, we will also listen with interest when the speaker finally switches the conversation to the subject which lies closest to his or her heart; and, at the end, we will not only “sign on the dotted line,” but we will say, “What a wonderful personality!”

Professor Hill makes the additional observation:

We look at a successful man in the hour of his triumph, and wonder how he did it, but we overlook the importance of analyzing his methods and we forget the price he had to pay in careful, well organized preparation which had to be made before he could reap the fruits of his efforts.

We must, in order to achieve our Goals and attain Success, employ a genuine interest in those around us. We must offer value with a genuine, heart-felt interest in helping others. Zig Ziglar noted that the level of our Success will be based on the nature, level and extent that we help others achieve Success (get what they want/need). Think about it; it's true.

The key here, from what I take in all that I have read and studied on this precise issue, is that we must be sincere and genuine. If we are only in it for ourselves, we can only fool others - and the Universe - for so long. When that happens, we find ourselves playing the game back on the competitive plane, and that isn't so fun. The creative plan is a much better place to work.

Be sure to download your copy of Lesson Ten today.

Until next time, dear Friend . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

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Free Success Ebook: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

Download Instructions

DOWNLOAD FREE SUCCESS EBOOK: "The Law of Success in Sixteen Lessons - Lesson Ten: Pleasing Personality" by Napoleon Hill (1928) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2011

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory. Thanks, Crew!

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Free Success Ebook: Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen Moral virtues are the foundation and support of prosperity as they are the soul of greatness. They endure for ever, and all the works of man which endure are built upon them. Without them there is neither strength, stability, nor substantial reality, but only ephemeral dreams. To find moral principles...
Free Success Ebook: “The Law of Success – Lesson Sixteen: The Golden Rule” by Napoleon Hill There is an eternal law through the operation of which we reap that which we sow. When you select the rule of conduct by which you guide yourself in your transactions with others, you will be fair and just, very likely, if you know that you are setting into motion,...

Success Key: The Most Wonderful (Stressful) Time of the Year

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 18:10:47 +0000

We create our stress. The External Factors, which we blame as the cause of our stress, are NOT our stress, nor do they create our stress. The Factors just are – they are merely external events and circumstances.

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Success Key: The Most Wonderful Time of the Year - A Stress-Free Holiday Season

Well, it’s that most wonderful – and stressful – time of the year.

People around the world, and in particular, here in the United States, are in full swing of preparing for the most Holy of Days, Christmas. While a Christian Holy Day celebrating the birth of Christ, Christmas has evolved into a commercial holiday (of almost comical proportions) celebrated by Christians and non-Christians alike, depending on applicable customs and cultures.

While we often hear “‘tis the season to be jolly,” the fact is that many of us don’t experience a “wonderful” Christmas season; we experience a stressful Christmas season. In fact, the number of individuals who experience unhealthy levels of stress, anxiety and depression reach epic highs during the Christmas season.

It doesn’t have to be that way.

Bob Proctor once stated that “Stress is a state of Mind.” He is absolutely right.

All Stressed Out? It doesn’t have to be that way. "Stress" is only a Mental State, having no existence outside of your Mind!

Think about it. What is “stress?”

It doesn’t exist outside of the Mind or your Being. You cannot point to it; it doesn’t have a color or size. It is not a tangible, inanimate object.

Some may say that stress is caused by an increase in the collective influence of external events, circumstances and other human behavior that causes us to feel overwhelmed, helpless and fearful. That is only part right.

The part that is right concerns the increase in the nature, level and extent of events, circumstances and other “undesirable” human behavior that we come in contact with during the Christmas season. During the Christmas season, the nature, level and extent of items on our respective plates does increase. There are more events and activities taking place. Time is precious. And, we are more likely to encounter other human behavior that we may perceive as undesirable, such as increased traffic, competitive shoppers, and other (like ourselves) irritable individuals.

But, those are all external events and circumstances. They just are (although some, perhaps most, of many of the external events and circumstances are within our direct control although we may deny it). Let’s call these collective external events, circumstances and behaviors “External Factors.”

Stress is nothing more than our internal response to those External Factors – how we perceive them, what we say about them internally, how we respond (or react) emotionally, our behavior towards them, and, of course, our physical (bodily) response to those External Factors.

We create our stress. The External Factors, which we blame as the cause of our stress, are NOT our stress, nor do they create our stress. The Factors just are – they are merely external events and circumstances.

As such, in order to reduce and/or eliminate our experience of stress, we MUST start (and end) with ourselves: our own Mental State. As Mary Morrissey teaches, we must “pay attention to what we are paying attention to.”

If our internal thinking and responses to these External Factors are along the lines of “This is awful . . . I will never get all my shopping done . . . . I really cannot afford to be buying all of these gifts . . . I shouldn’t be doing this . . . . I simply don’t have time for all of this . . . [etc.],” we necessarily increase our State of Stress. Of course with that kind of thinking we are going to feel overwhelmed.

In fact, this is precisely HOW we create our own stress.

What happens when we think and respond in such fearful, negative fashion? Besides broadcasting such negativity (negative thoughts) into the Universe – which has its own repercussions – our brain and bodies release harmful stress hormones, corticosteroids and other chemicals into our physical being.

These chemicals are great for a real “fight or flight” situation. But, this is not that. This is everyday life. And the result is that continued exposure to these chemicals does awful damage to our bodies. We become “stressed out.”

Moreover, such negative, anxious thinking not only causes us to experience the Emotional and Mental State of stress, but it further manifests itself in physical symptoms. Such as, you ask? Symptoms like headaches, neck aches, indigestion, other digestive problems, heart palpitations, fatigue, irritability, insomnia . . . and in rare cases, stroke, heart attack and death.

Stress can kill. Over the long term, constant exposure to high levels of “stress chemicals” eats away at your body and eventually it can kill you.

Since all stress originates in the Mind and is nothing more than a Mental State, the obvious recourse is to take Personal Action and reduce and/or eliminate it.

As I said, it doesn’t have to be this way.

So, what are the immediate Action items that you can take to reduce and/or eliminate your Stress starting RIGHT NOW? Here is a great starting (and not all-inclusive) list:

Immediately start “paying attention to what you are paying attention to.” Remember, stress has no existence in and of itself, and certainly no external existence outside of your Mind. You create your stress by your thoughts and emotions. When you catch yourself engaging in such “stressful” thinking – STOP!
Put a limit on planned activities. You can’t do everything; there must be some limitations. Remember, work continues, routine family obligations continue, life goes on. Without the holidays you are already busy and your schedule is packed. Now, you need to find even more time for shopping, parties, decorating, etc. There is only so much you can do without your rain barrel overflowing, so recognize that fact and put limits on that to which you will (and can) commit.
Don’t engage in behavior and activities that are incongruent with your Core Principles. What does that mean? As an example (and an example only), if you are already deeply in debt, and it is already an issue in your life, don’t go deeper into debt with the shopping simply because you feel you “have to.” Tell friends and family that you are cutting back on spending this year. They will understand. And, if they don’t – that is their problem, NOT yours. Remember, Christmas is not about spending the most (you already know that), so don’t engage in spending behavior that is going to create additional problems for you down the road.
Overburdened with things on your “to do” list? Put some of the items away – for now. A psychologist friend of mine long ago taught me the “storage shelf” technique. When we have too much on our plate – more than we can possibly handle at any one time and we feel overwhelmed – we need to prioritize as to what is MOST Important Now (See my WIN Post here). As to those items that can wait, put them away on an imaginary storage shelf, to be addressed at a later time. This is important: Actually vision yourself taking the item and placing it on your Personal Storage Shelf. See it, feel it, believe it. As soon as it is placed there, FORGET ABOUT IT. It is now out of your hands and it should be out of your Mind. You will deal with it later and it is no longer a present concern of yours. Let it go. If you employ this technique just as described, you will actually experience a sense of relief as you place the item/task on your Personal Storage Shelf. Just knowing that it need not be addressed immediately brings on a welcomed sense of relief. Experience the Relief!
Take daily time for yourself – this is an absolute MUST. Find ten minutes (at least) in the morning and ten minutes (at least) in the evening for reflection, meditation, prayer, stretching, exercise, a hot bath, anything where you are doing something that YOU enjoy and that brings YOU peace and serenity. I can hear you: “But I don’t have the time!” Baloney. You DO have the time. It’s a funny thing – it is when we most need the time for ourselves that we are most likely to deprive ourselves by claiming that we don’t have the time! You absolutely, positively need time to recharge, reconnect and relax – and it only takes a little time to realize huge benefits. Just do it.
Remember, you WILL get through this time period and everything and everybody – yourself included – will be just fine! As such, why not re-frame your perspective? Instead of viewing tasks as “drudgery,” why not view them as a “challenge,” or even better, “a Mission from God?” Years ago, I would intentionally wait until Christmas Eve to do all of my shopping because I actually enjoyed the challenge of waking up at 5:00 am, hitting the stores, getting what I needed and getting it all done by 3:00 in the afternoon. Okay, now with three young children that doesn’t quite work for me anymore, but, years ago, I enjoyed the thrill of the challenge. I LOVED it. Make it fun!
Maintain your sense of Gratitude. Be Grateful for the things that really matter (and you know what I mean). Keep that in Mind and Heart at all times. The stuff “out there” is just the stuff “out there.” (See my Attitude of Gratitude Post here).

Peace be with you during this most Holy Season!

Until next time . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

___________________________________________

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Success Strategy: The Ten (10) Steps to Universal Problem Solving You MUST understand and accept this fact – that every “problem” has a Solution – as TRUE. If you do not accept this proposition as the Truth, the likelihood that you will realize the Solution is highly unlikely. Think about it: if you do not believe that there is a...
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Thanksgiving and the Art of Gratitude

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Fri, 26 Nov 2010 18:36:05 +0000

The Thanksgiving holiday is grounded in deep tradition, originating hundreds of years ago when early settlers of this country, escaping from religious persecution in their European homelands, gathered with native Americans to partake in their annual rites of feast and celebration to “give thanks” after bountiful harvests of grains, vegetables and fish. The symbolism is as profound and meaningful today as it was in the 1600s. We gather together, family and friends, to enjoy the abundance in our lives and to give thanks. It is as simple as that.

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Success Key: Thanksgiving and the Art of Gratitude

Here in the United States, Americans gathered with family and friends yesterday, and, indeed for this entire four-day weekend, to celebrate the most cherished of our country recognized holidays: Thanksgiving.

The Thanksgiving holiday is grounded in deep tradition, originating hundreds of years ago when early settlers of this country, escaping from religious persecution in their European homelands, gathered with native Americans to partake in their annual rites of feast and celebration to “give thanks” after bountiful harvests of grains, vegetables and fish.

The symbolism is as profound and meaningful today as it was in the 1600s. We gather together, family and friends, to enjoy the abundance in our lives and to give thanks. It is as simple as that.

The heart of Thanksgiving – a true recognition of the abundance of which we have been blessed and to give thanks to our Creator for all of the good in our lives – is a powerful mental and spiritual attitude. Much has been written on the “attitude of gratitude” on this site and elsewhere. Being grateful for all that is good in our lives, despite the fact that there may simultaneously exist undesirable circumstances and events, is immensely powerful and empowering. When we focus – and give thanks – for that which is good, we shift our paradigm from that which is “bad” (or, more accurately, from that which we perceive as “bad,” for, as Shakespeare stated, what makes something good or bad is only our saying so), to the “good.”

Seeing (and being grateful for) the good in life is a major paradigm shift. We are all aware of the oft-repeated adage that we may either look at the “glass half empty” or the “glass half full.”

And so, on Thanksgiving Day, Americans from all walks of life gather together, refrain from looking at the glass “half empty,” and express, to the best of our abilities, true gratitude for all that we have been blessed.

Thanksgiving is a beautiful holiday.

"Frosty Morning." A frosty chill greets the sunrise in the White Mountains of New Hampshire on a mid November morning. The Presidential Range drapes the horizon, with Mount Washington taking center stage. Photo by Jim Salge on November 22, 2009.

But, how many of us return to our old ways after the holiday? Indeed, the day after Thanksgiving has been named “Black Friday,” in reference to the mad, insane shopping and sales phenomena that takes place on that day in anticipation of the Christmas holy day yet a month away (Thanksgiving always takes place on the fourth Thursday of November, so the following day – Black Friday – is always on a Friday).

Black Friday is insane. Stores open at 3:00 and 4:00 am. In fact, one famous department store chain opened at midnight! Traffic is a mess, as a significant portion of the population takes to the roads to hit their favorite stores looking for bargains. Customers begin lining up at 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning – some never even taking time to rest or sleep after their Thanksgiving feast! Patience in many tends to run short. Tempers occasionally flare when customers compete for limited stock (or at least at the bargain prices).

Other than the dinner leftovers in the refrigerators, Thanksgiving is already forgotten within the following 24 hours.

Don’t get me wrong – I love the excitement of the entire weekend and the anticipation of the Christmas holy season, too. Even the insanity of Black Friday has a certain appeal, as we are now into the “official Christmas holiday (commercial) season.” In fact, many of my family members partake in the annual Black Friday shopping ritual because, in addition to obtaining great bargains on items that may not be available in a couple of weeks, they simply find it fun. They enjoy the madness, “go with the flow,” and don’t take the extravaganza too seriously.

Yet, I question what happens to our so-called “Attitude of Gratitude” from the previous day.

We need to maintain, and strengthen, our Gratitude EVERY day. It is easy for just about everyone to find it in their hearts to give thanks and express some level of Gratitude on Thanksgiving Day. It comes easy, it comes naturally. It is an annual tradition and ritual, and consciously or not, we prepare for it emotionally and spiritually. When Thanksgiving Day arrives, we have been so conditioned over the years, that it is simply natural to put aside or trials, tribulations and differences, gather with family and friends, feast and give thanks.

Can we cultivate that natural flow of unconditional expression of Gratitude every day? Yes. Do we? Not really. But, what if we did . . . ?

Honest and sincere Gratitude, like many character virtues – most obvious being Patience – MUST be practiced in order for us to become Grateful. The only way to become a Patient person is to practice Patience, particularly when the events and circumstances in our lives seemingly compel anything but Patience. The only way to become a Peaceful and Serene individual is to practice Peacefulness and Serenity, particularly when the events and circumstances in our lives seemingly compel anything but Peacefulness and Serenity. The only way to become a Kind and Loving person is to practice Kindness and to Love, particularly when the events and circumstances in our lives seemingly compel anything but being Kind and giving Love.

And so on and so forth.

Gratitude is more than an “Attitude.” It is an Art. Attitudes can come and go; they are fleeting. But, when practiced, we may transform that which changes like the weather into that which is stable and lasting. Maintaining a true and lasting state of honest and sincere Gratitude is an Art to be practiced and cultivated if we are ever to reap the fruit.

I urge you to practice and develop the Art of Gratitude. It takes time, effort, and of course, Patience. Take time, as much as possible, to reflect and meditate (usually in solitude, if only for a few minutes at a time) on that for which you really are Grateful. Read Success Manuals that teach and expound upon the Power of Gratitude. Write your “Gratitudes” in your personal Success Manual Journal – often (daily, if you can). When you find yourself overwhelmed with negativity of any kind, you must find time to stop and reflect and “break that funk.” Repetition, repetition, repetition. That is how the Art is developed.

Live in Thanksgiving everyday, for everyday that we live, we must be Thankful. Thanksgiving should not be a one-day annual event.

The true Student of Success will come to understand and realize the miraculous Power and Art of Gratitude and the amazing impact an inner State of Gratitude has on the external events and circumstances of our lives.

Do you seek Success in your Life? Start by being Grateful for that which you have been blessed. Abundance, Prosperity and Success abound, but you will fail to see, realize and experience the bounty if you cannot, or will not, work with the Law of Gratitude. The Power of Gratitude cannot be overstated.

Live the Art of Gratitude.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone – in the U.S. and all around the world.

Until next time . . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

___________________________________________

Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory. Thanks, Crew!

Related Websites

Success Master: Wallace D. Wattles, Law of Attraction Author, Sage, Teacher and Author Wallace D. Wattles’ brand of motivational self-improvement philosophy is best expressed in this quote of his: “The scientific use of thought consists in forming a clear and distinct mental image of what you want; in holding fast to the purpose to get what you want; and in realizing with grateful...
Free Success Ebook: Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen Moral virtues are the foundation and support of prosperity as they are the soul of greatness. They endure for ever, and all the works of man which endure are built upon them. Without them there is neither strength, stability, nor substantial reality, but only ephemeral dreams. To find moral principles...
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Success Master: Wallace D. Wattles, Law of Attraction Author, Sage, Teacher and Author

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 23:50:47 +0000

“The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a certain way. Those who do things in this certain way, whether on purpose or accidentally, get rich. Those who do not do things in this certain way, no matter how hard they work or how able they are, remain poor.” - Wallace D. Wattles, "The Science of Getting Rich"

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Success and Prosperity Master: Wallace D. Wattles, Law of Attraction Teacher and Sage

Finally, after what has seemed an eternity and a relentless deluge of challenges and obstacles, we are putting the finishing touches and running the final tests on The Success Manual Prosperity Library web site, featuring The Wattles Prosperity Bible, The Law of Attraction Prosperity Bible and The Wattles Quotable Bible.

If I was not a Student of Success - as was the case in my prior life - I would have called this venture "a nightmare." In fact, most people who are personally aware of the trials that we have gone through to make this become a reality see it as that - "what a nightmare!" I don't. This challenge was an enormous test of the very principles and teachings to which I subscribe.

If I gave up, quite, walked away - now, that would be failure. Not temporary defeat, but failure, and I would have nobody to blame but myself.

Law of Attraction Master, Wallace D. Wattles, author of such classic Success Manuals as "The Science of Getting Rich," "The Science of Being Great," "The Science of Being Well, "How to Get What You Want," and "How to Promote Yourself." Click on the Image to access The Success Manual Prosperity Library, featuring the Five-Volume set, "The Wattles Prosperity Bible" - The Complete Works of Wallace D. Wattles. On Sale Monday, November 22, 2010.

And so, Monday, November 22, 2010, The Success Manual Prosperity Library will be open for business. Yes, the site is up and running right now and I would love to pass you the URL, but we are doing our final tests.

In light of this Success, today's post consists of the Foreword to The Wattles Prosperity Bible and is a tribute to the man who inspirired the project, Wallace D. Wattles, Master of the Law of Attraction, and author of many powerful and popular Success Manuals, some of which we feature for free at this site in The Success Manual Free Download Library.

Thank you everyone for your support and for visiting our site. Be sure to come back Monday, November 22, 2010 for the official launch post on The Success Manual Prosperity Library!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

Richard

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The Success Manual Prosperity Library, featuring the Five-Volume "The Wattles Prosperity Bible," the Five-Volume "The Law of Attraction Prosperity Bible," and "The Wattles Quotable Bible" ON SALE MONDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2010.

41 EBooks of Timeless Spiritual Knowledge.
5,400 Pages of Secret Wisdom to Living the Life You Desire and Deserve.
REVEALED: Lost KEYS to Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success.
Profound Insight into Universal Truths of YOUR "SELF."
The ORIGINAL TEACHINGS on The Law of Attraction.
Investment: $47.00
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Foreword

The Wattles Prosperity Bible

A Five Volume Compilation of the Works of Wallace D. Wattles

Richard A. Catalina, Jr., Esq.

When Wallace Delois Wattles was growing up in the post-Civil War America, the country was undergoing major changes in the political, economic and social arenas.

While the South was rebuilding its battered infrastructure, the North, where Wattles lived, was prospering, both industrially and agriculturally. This period, known as the Second Industrial Revolution, began in the mid-19^th century, with the growth and expansion of steel, petroleum, as well as chemical and electrical sectors; railways and steam ship industry also thrived in the still- young nation.

In fact, by the time the 19^th century came to a close and the new one dawned, corporate giants such as U.S. Steel and General Electric spawned the legendary tycoons by the names of Cornelius Vanderbilt, Andrew Carnegie, John D. Rockefeller, Andrew P. Mellon, and J.P. Morgan, among other renowned and often notorious wheelers and dealers of that era.

The extravagant lifestyles of these super-rich industrialists and financiers – which prompted Mark Twain to coin the phrase “Gilded Age” to describe the excesses of the wealthy people in the second half of the 1800s – did not, however, reflect the grim living conditions of the working class. Historical records show that in 1890, when Wattles was 30, 11 million of America’s 12 million families earned less than $1,200 a year, with the average annual income of $380, well below the poverty line.

Wallace Delois Wattles: Law of Attraction Sage, Author and Teacher and Master of Success and Prosperity. Mr. Wattles' teachings were a driving force behind Rhonda Byrne's book, "The Secret." How much so? The first time she read "The Science of Getting Rich," she cried!

Not much is known today about Wattles’ life and family, but from the information that is available to us we can surmise that he was born into that modest – not to say poverty-stricken – milieu like the vast majority of his countrymen.

We cannot say with any certainty that he was inspired by the well-heeled tycoons of the era, but we do know that he turned the art of getting rich into a science.

His philosophy about wealth is succinctly summed up in this quote: “Whatever may be said in praise of poverty, the fact remains that it is not possible to live a really complete or successful life unless one is rich.”

*******

Putting together Wattles’ biography is a challenging task because very little is known about him. Whether this dearth was a matter of modesty and humility or merely poor record-keeping we cannot guess, but anyone attempting to research Wattles’ life will hit a brick wall riddled with many gaps and holes. For instance, his schooling remains a mystery, as does his family. We know that he had a daughter, Florence, but have no information about his wife. We also know that early on he worked on a farm and later as a lecturer in Indiana, as well as in some capacity at a Methodist Church, but have no clue about any other jobs he might have held. We know he died young – at 51 – of “frail” health, but possess no details of what illness he suffered from. He was a prolific writer, publishing scores of articles, essays and books. Many of the articles and essays were published as compilations; others as single articles. However, specific details as to many of his published works are few.

What little we do know about his childhood and later life can be gleaned from the letters Florence wrote to Wattles’ publisher, Elizabeth Towne. From those letters we can construct a sketchy portrait of a compassionate and caring man of profound convictions, and a prolific writer who believed his ideas would transform people’s lives.

Although Wattles remains – given the scarcity of information about him – somewhat of an enigma, he wrote some of the most powerful self-help books ever published. As a matter of fact, the young farm boy grew up to be a trailblazer in the area of wealth-building, personal empowerment and success, a field that, while in its infancy during Wattles’ lifetime, blossomed as the “New Thought” era, and which today is a billion-dollar industry. Indeed, the “self improvement” market in the U.S. alone is estimated as worth more than $13.9 billion in 2010.[1]

******

In a way, Wallace Delois Wattles’ life is a quintessential rags-to-riches story.

He was born in 1860 in Illinois, and later lived in Indiana. According to the 1880 US Federal Census, young Wallace was probably the only child of a gardener and a housewife. He lived with his parents on a farm in Nunda Township, McHenry County, Illinois. With little formal education, he spent his early years toiling as a farm laborer. In those days, life on a farm was dismal, requiring long hours of backbreaking labor. Even though new farm equipment was invented and introduced during that period, horses, oxen and people still provided the power that fueled the machines.

Eking out a living from a farm, which relied heavily on weather-dependant crops, was a challenge then, as it is, though maybe to a lesser degree, now. We do not know for sure whether this was the only work Wattles did in his youth, but his life at the time is reported to have been one of poverty, hardship, and failure. We will never know for certain, but perhaps this strife had sparked Wattles’ desire to become successful and rich and to understand proper and healthy living.

One of Florence’s messages to Mrs. Towne provides some insight into what drove her father to overcome his humble beginnings and ultimately led him to pen a series of highly successful self-help books: “For years his life was cursed by poverty and the fear of poverty. He was always scheming and planning to get for his family those things, which make the abundant life possible.”

*******

In 1896, the 36-year-old Midwesterner attended a “convention of reformers” in Chicago, where he met George Davis Herron. Two years Wattles’ junior, Herron was a controversial Congregational Church minister and professor of Applied Christianity at Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa, where he attracted attention for his radical religious views, namely a new philosophy called Christian Socialism. A movement that originated in the mid-19th-century Europe, it combined the fundamentals of Socialism with the principles of Christianity as a means of helping the poor.

Florence wrote to Mrs. Towne that her father caught Herron’s social vision. “I shall never forget the morning he came home,” she related. “It was Christmas. Mother had put her last dollar into a cuff box and we had placed it beneath an evergreen branch which served for our Christmas tree and which we had illuminated with tallow candles and strung with popcorn. Finally Father came. With that beautiful smile he praised the tree, said the cuff box was just what he had been wanting - and took us all in his arms to tell us of the wonderful social message of Jesus, the message which he later embodied in ‘A New Christ.’ From that day until his death he worked unceasingly to realize the glorious vision of human brotherhood.”

According to Florence, at one time her father had held a position in the Methodist Church, but was fired because of his “heresy,” possibly the Christian Socialism views, which were not quite compatible with the mainstream Christianity. Two of his books, “A New Christ” and “Jesus: The Man and His Work” focused on Christianity from a Socialist perspective. As a matter of fact, Wattles was so involved in the movement, that he twice ran as a Socialist candidate for two public offices: in the Eighth Congressional District in 1908, and two years later, for the office of Prosecuting Attorney for Indiana’s Madison County’s 50th court district. He lost both elections, but Florence became a delegate to the Socialist Party National Committee in 1912 and 1915.

*******

Another new spiritual movement that Wattles embraced with zeal and conviction, and which had, in large measure, influenced his thinking and writing, was called New Thought. This movement started to emerge in the second half of the 19^th century, at about the same time as Christian Socialism.

This was a turning point for Wattles, the moment that likely re-defined and re-directed his life to some degree.

The movement, which remains active to this day, promotes the idea that all of life’s circumstances and events, whether positive or negative, be they physical or mental in nature, originate in the mind as a consequence of our thinking and beliefs, and, therefore, “right thinking” can change our lives positively.

Like many thinkers and philosophers from a variety of churches and religious denominations, and even some secular groups and individuals as well, Wattles became a proponent of these metaphysical tenets relating to the power of positive thinking, the law of attraction, creative visualization, and other essential life forces that formed the basis of his beliefs and writings. Today the self-improvement and personal growth industry is a thriving, multi-billion-dollar sector, but in Wattles’ time it was still in its nascent stages. The New Thought movement, however, marked an important milestone in the development of the self-help phenomenon.

Because of the unbridled optimism, positive energy, and personal empowerment inherent to the New Thought principles, Wattles, along with his contemporaries like Napoleon Hill, Frank Channing Haddock, Thomas Troward, William Walker Atkinson, and, a bit later, Dale Carnegie, had become one of the earliest self-help pioneers – people who believed in improving themselves and all the aspects of their lives by harvesting their spiritual and inner strengths. Essentially, the mind can achieve whatever it can conceive.

Wattles’ brand of motivational self-improvement philosophy is best expressed in this quote of his: “The scientific use of thought consists in forming a clear and distinct mental image of what you want; in holding fast to the purpose to get what you want; and in realizing with grateful faith that you do get what you want.”

Wattles discovered an outlet for his ideas in Nautilus, a magazine for New Thought writers founded in 1898 by Elizabeth Towne. In it, Wattles found a fitting forum to advance his ideas and foster his writing skills. As Florence explained: “When we came to Elwood (Indiana) three years ago, Father began a Sunday night lectureship in Indianapolis. This was our only source of income. Later he began to write for Nautilus and to word out his own philosophy. He wrote almost constantly. Then it was that he formed his mental picture. He saw himself as a successful writer, a personality of power, an advancing man, and he began to work toward the realization of this vision.”

Wattles applied the New Thought principles to his own life through personal experimentation. For example, he tested some of the health and food fads fashionable at that time, such as the “No Breakfast Plan,” before encouraging his readers to try out his theories on themselves.

How a poor man with little education was able to form such a far-reaching vision and bring it to fruition with numerous books remains a mystery. What is certain is that his works, at least by some assessments, are among the most powerful personal improvement books ever written.

While Wattles authored numerous works, his best-known are likely the trilogy of “The Science of Being Rich” (1910), “The Science of Being Well” (1910) and “The Science of Being Great” (1911). All three are fitting examples of self-improvement and personal success theories he had become known for, as demonstrated in Florence’s letter to Mrs. Towne: “The supreme faith of the man never left him; never for a moment did he lose confidence in the power of the master Intelligence to right every wrong and to give to every man and woman his or her share of the good things of life.”

*******

“The ownership of money and property comes as a result of doing things in a certain way. Those who do things in this certain way, whether on purpose or accidentally, get rich. Those who do not do things in this certain way, no matter how hard they work or how able they are, remain poor.”

The above quote is a paragraph from Chapter 2 of Wattles’ “The Science of Getting Rich,” a forerunner of every personal finance and self-help book ever written. His statement that this pragmatic text is “intended for the men and women whose most pressing need is for money; who wish to get rich first, and philosophize afterward,” rings as true in the second decade of the 21^st century as it did when it was first published 100 years ago.

Incredibly, there exists today million dollar self-help businesses founded solely on “The Science of Getting Rich.”

While many people believe that amassing wealth is a matter of hard work, luck, or a combination of both, Wattles promoted a more scientific approach. “There is a science of getting rich, and it is an exact science, like algebra or arithmetic,” he famously noted. “There are certain laws which govern the process of acquiring riches, and once these laws are learned and obeyed by anyone, that person will get rich with mathematical certainty.”

“The Science of Getting Rich,” still widely read and highly acclaimed today, laid ground for “The Science of Being Great,” in which Wattles stated that “Greatness is equally inherent in all, and may be manifested by all. Every person may become great.”

The inspirational and motivational message is also clear in “The Science of Being Well,” where Wattles writes that the work is directed at “those who want health, and who want a practical guide and handbook, not a philosophical treatise. It is an instructor in the use of the universal Principle of Life, and my effort has been to explain the way in so plain and simple a fashion that the reader, though he may have given no previous study to New Thought or metaphysics, may readily follow it to perfect health. While retaining all essentials, I have carefully eliminated all non-essentials; I have used no technical, abstruse, or difficult language, and have kept the one point in view at all times.”

The question that arises is whether Wattles successfully applied his New Thought beliefs and theories on how an average person can become rich, happy and healthy regardless of his or her circumstances to his own life. From Florence’s correspondence to Mrs. Towne it would appear that he did. Before his death in 1911 at 51, Florence reported that “he made lots of money, and had good health, except for his extreme frailty.”

There is no information on how many “regular” people who read Wattles’ works in the past century had been influenced by his message. We do know, however, that the Australian New Thought writer Rhonda Byrne said her inspiration for the hit 2006 movie, “The Secret,” as well as the same-titled book, came from Wattles’ “The Science of Getting Rich.” When she first opened the book in 2004, Byrne relates on her website, “Something inside of me had me turn the pages one by one, and I can still remember my tears hitting the pages as I was reading it. It gave me a glimpse of The Secret and it was like a flame inside of my heart.”

So in the end, the little-known life of Wallace Delois Wattles was, in many ways, a quintessentially American story of pulling oneself up by the bootstraps, succeeding against all odds, and influencing the lives of others. In the words of his daughter Florence, “His life was truly the powerful life.”

[1] The U.S. Market for Self-Improvement Products and Services, (Study from 1996 through 2010), Marketdata Enterprises, Inc. at marketenterprises.com.

Related Websites

The Wattles Prosperity Bible and The Law of Attraction Prosperity Bible The Success Manual is pleased and proud to announce the DEFINITIVE Law of Attraction Resource and Virtual Law of Attraction Library: The Wattles Prosperity Bible, A Five-Volume Compilation of the Complete Works of Wallace D. Wattles, AND, The Law of Attraction Prosperity Bible, A Five-Volume Compilation of the Greatest Works...
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Free Success Ebook: Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 01:44:36 +0000

THERE IS no striking a cheap bargain with prosperity. It must be purchased, not only with intelligent labor, but with moral force. As the bubble cannot endure, so the fraud cannot prosper. He makes a feverish spurt in the acquirement of money, and then collapses. Nothing is ever gained, ever can be gained, by fraud. It is but wrested for a time, to be again returned with heavy interest." - James Allen, "Eight Pillars of Prosperity"

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Free Success Ebook: Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen (1911) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Download Free Success Ebook: "Eight Pillars of Prosperity" by James Allen (1911) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

You simply cannot argue with the Wisdom of James Allen.

I was first introducted to James Allen by a fellow gym-rat almost twenty years ago. We would lift together (spotting each other) during our midday routine at the gym close by my offices at that time. While my roots as a Student of personal development, self improvement and achieving Success go back to the late 1970s, I had never really jumped in with total commitment. Little did I know that James Allen would change all of that.

One day during our weight-lifting sessions, we somehow got on the subject of personal development and self improvement. It turns out my friend was a huge Student and even studied martial arts under a Master teacher. When I asked him what books he liked and would recommend, he kept mentioning James Allen and his most popular book, As A Man Thinketh, already featured on this site in The Success Manual Free Download Library.

"Summit Sunset." A stunning collage of colors and contrasting clouds comprise this sunset view from the Summit of Mount Washington of the Presidential Range of the White Mountains, NH. The higher clouds reflect the warm glow of the setting sun, while the clouds comprising the undercast reveal their inherent nature as white water vapor. Photo by Ed O'Malley on October 25, 2007.

It wasn't long - probably that day - when I purchased As A Man Thinketh. I could not believe how small it was and how few pages it contained. I doubted it was what my friend had hyped it as - how could it be, this tiny little book?

It was some period of time before I read it, perhaps a few months. Actually, I read it the very next New Years Day - about a half dozen times. I was blown away by the simplicity, but absolutely pure Wisdom, of the book. That is the thing about Truth - it IS simple and you don't need hundreds and hundreds of pages to explain it. If you are ready and your heart is open, you will understand the revealed Truths.

All of the works by James Allen are relatively short. But the pure, simple Wisdom resonates freely with the Spirit. While I don't always agree with James Allen on certain "technical" aspects of his teachings, his teachings touch my Heart. The Heart is always right.

That all being said, today's addition to The Success Manual Download Library is, of course, Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen and is specifically focused on achieving Prosperity. The fact that this Success Manual Classic is less than two-months shy of being 100 years old should not deter you from its applicability to modern challenges. Follow what James Allen teaches and you WILL attain Prosperity - honestly, sincerely and rightfully.

What are the Eight Pillars of Prosperity? As Mr. Allen states, they may be explained as follows:

Let us briefly recapitulate, and again view the Eight Pillars in their strength and splendor.

Energy – Rousing one’s self up to strenuous and unremitting exertion in the accomplishment of one’s task.

Economy – Concentration of power, the conservation of both capital and character, the latter being mental capital, and therefore of the utmost importance.

Integrity – Unswerving honesty; keeping inviolate all promises, agreements, and contracts, apart from all considerations of loss or gain.

System – Making all details, subservient to order, and thereby relieving the memory and the mind of superfluous work and strain by reducing many to one.

Sympathy – Magnanimity, generosity, gentleness, and tenderness; being open handed, free, and kind.

Sincerity – Being sound and whole, robust and true; and therefore not being one person in public and another in private, and not assuming good actions openly while doing bad actions in secret.

Impartiality – Justice; not striving for self, but weighing both sides, and acting in accordance with equity.

Self-Reliance – Looking to one’s self only for strength and support by standing on principles which are fixed and invincible, and not relying upon outward things which at any moment may be snatched away.

Now, how can you argue with that?

Following the Dowload Section, immediately below, are a few more great sample quotes from Eight Pillars.

Do yourself a favor and download this timeless Success Manual Classic and begin studying it in earnest - you will enjoy tremendous gains on your journey, including true Prosperity, which must first be claimed in the Heart.

Until next time . . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

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Free Success Ebook: Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen (1911) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Download Free Success Ebook: "Eight Pillars of Prosperity" by James Allen (1911) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Download Instructions

Download Free Success Ebook: "Eight Pillars of Prosperity" by James Allen (1911) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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Other Success Manual Strategist Editions of Works by James Allen:

Download Free Success Ebook: "As A Man Thinketh" by James Allen (1903) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Download Free Success Ebook: "Byways to Blessedness" by James Allen (1904) Success Manual Stategist Edition 2010

Download Free Success Ebook: "The Path to Prosperity" by James Allen (1901) Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory. Thanks, Crew!

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Addtional Quotes from Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen

To talk of having to “kill time” is almost like a confession of imbecility; for who, in the short life at his disposal, and in a world so flooded with resources of knowledge with sound heads and good hearts can fill up every moment of every day usefully and happily, and if they refer to time at all, it is to the effect that it is all too short to enable them to do all that they would like to do.

* * * * *

There is no striking a cheap bargain with prosperity. It must be purchased, not only with intelligent labor, but with moral force. As the bubble cannot endure, so the fraud cannot prosper. He makes a feverish spurt in the acquirement of money, and then collapses. Nothing is ever gained, ever can be gained, by fraud. It is but wrested for a time, to be again returned with heavy interest.

* * * * *

But fraud is not confined to the unscrupulous swindler. All who are getting, or trying to get, money without giving an equivalent are practicing fraud, whether they know it or not. Men who are anxiously scheming how to get money without working for it, are frauds, and mentally they are closely allied to the thief and swindler under whose influence they come, sooner or later, and who deprives them of their capital. What is a thief but a man who carries to its logical or later, and who deprives them of their capital. What is a thief but a man who carries to its logical extreme the desire to possess without giving a just return – that is, unlawfully? The man that courts prosperity must, in all his transactions, whether material or mental, study how to give a just return for that which he receives. This is the great fundamental principle in all sound commerce, while in spiritual things it becomes the doing to others that which we would have them do to us, and applied to the forces of the universe, it is scientifically stated in the formula, “Action and Reaction are equal.”

* * * * *

Life is too short for confusion; and knowledge grows and progress proceeds along avenues of system which prevent retardation and retrogression, so that he who systematizes his knowledge or business, simplifies and enhances it for his successor, enabling him to begin, with a free mind, where he left off.

* * * * *

The sincere man stamps his character upon all that he does, and also upon all people with whom he comes in contact. He speaks a word in season, and some one is impressed; the influence is communicated to another, and another, and presently some despairing soul ten thousand miles away hears it and is restored. Such a power is prosperity in itself, and its worth is not to be valued in coin. Money cannot purchase the priceless jewels of character, but labor in right doing can, and he who makes himself sincere, who acquires a robust soundness throughout his entire being, will become a man of singular success and rare power.

* * * * *

A man should have a firm, fixed, determined mind. He should decide upon those principles which are best to stand by in all issues, and which will most safely guide him through the maze of conflicting opinions, and inspire him with unflinching courage in the battle of life. Having adopted his principles, they should be more to him than gain or happiness, more even than life itself, and if he never deserts them he will find that they will never desert him; they will defend him from all enemies, deliver him safely from all dangers, light up his pathway through all darkness and difficulties. They will be to him a light in darkness, a resting place from sorrow, and a refuge from the conflicts of the world.

* * * * *

Nothing is absent from the Kingdom of heaven; it contains all good, true, and necessary things, and “the Kingdom of God is within you.” I know rich people who are supremely happy, because they are generous, magnanimous, pure and joyful; but I also know rich people who are very miserable, and these are they who looked to money and possessions for their happiness, and have not developed the spirit of good and of joy within themselves.

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Success Master: Wallace D. Wattles, Law of Attraction Author, Sage, Teacher and Author Wallace D. Wattles’ brand of motivational self-improvement philosophy is best expressed in this quote of his: “The scientific use of thought consists in forming a clear and distinct mental image of what you want; in holding fast to the purpose to get what you want; and in realizing with grateful...
Free Success Ebook: As A Man Thinketh by James Allen (1903) – FREE Download ALL that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts. A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances,...
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Free Spiritual Ebook: “The Door of Everything” by Ruby Nelson

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 10:53:35 +0000

"Walk with me, the guiding voice of Father consciousness at the center of your soul, and I will lead you gently onward and raise your thoughts to the height of truth . . . Contrary to appearances, I am not a lazy God who created the world and rested, then kept right on resting, indifferent to the fate of the many souls I made. The truth is that I am always with you, no matter where you are, for in me you live and move and have your being." - Ruby Nelson, "The Door of Everything"

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Free Spiritual Ebook: "The Door of Everything" by Ruby Nelson - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

DOWNLOAD FREE SPIRITUAL EBOOK: "The Door of Everything" by Ruby Nelson - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Today we have something a bit different.

Today's addition to The Success Manual Free Download Library is a highly Spiritual based work that came at the recommendation of a regular visitor to this site (Thanks, Erin). I found a copy of the book and started reading it and was immediately struck by the beauty of this work. "The Door of Everything" by Ruby Nelson really is a beautiful book.

Now, I must confess that I have not read it all - only the first two chapters. And, of course, while compiling and editing the ebook, I have had the opportunity to absorb the material. So, perhaps, it is possible that the remainder of the book - the portions that I have not read - may not continue the same dance as what I have already read. But, I doubt it.

"Morning Undercast from South Twin." In an almost other-worldly image, a thick morning undercast blankets the White Mountains of New Hampshire, as viwed from South Twin Mountain. P Photo by Peter Bosco on October 7, 2007.

My intent is to finish The Door of Everything at first chance. I suppose I could easily read it in an evening, after all it is not that lengthy, but that would defeat the purpose. Beautiful written works, like any beautiful work - such as a beautiful painting or a beautiful landscape painted by our Creator - are to be savored. They nourish our Being. They are food for the Soul and Spirit. Most likely, it may take me some time to complete The Door of Everything. I do want to enjoy it.

In this continued vein, if YOU have any suggestions or recommendations of works to be published as Ebooks and made available through The Success Manual, feel free to drop us a line. We are always open for ideas. Just use the Contact Form by clicking this link.

In addition, we are now experimenting with an Events Calendar, which will be available and may be accessed on our Home Page. We will Post our scheduled Events in that Calendar. But, we also ask you - do you have an Event that you would like posted and publicized for no charge through The Success Manual? If so, send us your information, and we will do our best. This may be a great tool for Success Coaches, Teachers, Speakers, Authors, Students . . . whomever, to Spread the Word of the kind of information that visitors to this site seek. Again, simply send us an email by using the Contact Form. Or, you may contact me by sending an email to richard@successmanual.com.

Thank you all for your amazing support for this Site!

Until next time . . . .

Peace Out, and - Namasté!

To your Health, Wealth, Prosperity and Success,

The Success Manual Team

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Free Spiritual Ebook: "The Door of Everything" by Ruby Nelson - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

DOWNLOAD FREE SPIRITUAL EBOOK: "The Door of Everything" by Ruby Nelson - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

Download Instructions

DOWNLOAD FREE SPIRITUAL EBOOK: "The Door of Everything" by Ruby Nelson - Success Manual Strategist Edition 2010

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Mount Washington image with permission from the Mount Washington Observatory. Thanks, Crew!

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Success Master: Wallace D. Wattles, Law of Attraction Author, Sage, Teacher and Author Wallace D. Wattles’ brand of motivational self-improvement philosophy is best expressed in this quote of his: “The scientific use of thought consists in forming a clear and distinct mental image of what you want; in holding fast to the purpose to get what you want; and in realizing with grateful...
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Success Strategy: The Ten (10) Steps to Universal Problem Solving

Richard Catalina, Jr. — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 19:43:28 +0000

We must understand that the undesirable events, conditions and circumstances, which we refer to as "problems," are EXTERNAL to us; the identification of those events, conditions and circumstances as a “problem,” on the other hand, is INTERNAL – a product of our thinking, beliefs and conditioned habits. The latter is a creature of our Mind; the former is simply a set of facts without any inherent meaning – they just are. The only meaning of those external events, conditions and circumstances is the meaning that we ascribe to these facts internally in our Mind.

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Success Strategy: The Ten (10) Step Technique to Universal Problem Solving

How to Solve ANY Problem

Are you presently facing a “problem” that appears to have no solution? Yes? Good. This Post may be just what you need.

Throughout Life, we all face what we commonly refer to as “problems.” In fact, many individuals view Life itself as a series of problems – one after another – some large, some small, but all problems just the same. Some unfortunate Souls actually perceive Life itself as one giant “problem.” How sad!

People “struggle” with “problems.” And, that is quite unfortunate, because it really doesn’t have to be that way.

In fact, I would suggest that there are no such things as “problems,” and that there doesn’t have to be any “struggling.” “Problems,” in and of themselves, are nothing more than mere creatures of the mind; they have no existence on their own, and to the extent that we “struggle” with them, that is of our own doing.

Stay with me here . . .

Of course, if you presently face a significant challenge in your life (notice that I did not use the word “problem,” thereby already changing the meaning and significance of the undesirable and unwanted set of circumstances that most would refer to as a “problem”), you may find little comfort in such Wisdom. After all, these few simple words will likely not provide the resolution or solution you seek. It is, however, a start.

Indeed, there is a magical, surefire way to solve or eliminate ANY “problem” that may be plaguing you. Follow these Ten (10) Steps – honestly and diligently – and I assure you that you will realize one of the following three (3) outcomes: 1) You will solve your “problem,” 2) The problem will resolve itself, or 3) You will simply no longer view the “problem” as a “problem” – it will simply seek to exist.

Regardless of which of the three outcomes you experience, the result is the same: Freedom from the “problem.”

It is really quite simple and the beauty of it is that – IT WORKS! I personally use this technique consistently and it has never, ever failed me. It has been thoroughly developed, re-tooled and time-tested, and it is powerfully effective.

Step One: Every Problem Has a Solution

Every “problem” has a Solution. Not some, not most – ALL. All “problems” have Solutions and are resolvable.

In fact, there are likely many possible resolutions to a particular undesired set of facts and circumstances. More than one possible solution may even be optimal.

The First Step in resolving any “problem” is to know, understand and believe that there IS a solution, there is an answer. To realize the ultimate Solution, all that is required is that you increase your personal Level of Awareness to discover the possible Solutions and then implement the one that provides the greatest benefit towards your Desired outcome.

You MUST understand and accept this fact – that every “problem” has a Solution – as TRUE. If you do not accept this proposition as the Truth, the likelihood that you will realize the Solution is highly unlikely. Think about it: if you do not believe that there is a Solution to your dilemma, what are the chances that you will attempt to realize it? You won’t. And, your “problem” will remain unresolved and continue to fester.

The simple fact is that, at present, you simply do not see the Solution. For if you did, then the “problem” would no longer exist; it would be resolved. Simply start with the unconditional Believe and Faith that your “problem” has a solution – many solutions – and all that is needed is for you to discover it.

Step Two: De-Personalize the “Problem”

Having accepted the Truth that there is a Solution to your so-called “problem,” the next step is to “de-personalize the problem.”

What does that mean and why is it important?

What it means is that YOU are NOT your “problem” (okay, sometimes we are our own worst enemies, but you get the point). You are separate from your “problem” – it exists entirely outside of you.

Wait a minute – didn’t I just say earlier that “problems,” in and of themselves, are nothing more than mere creatures of the mind; they have no existence on their own, and to the extent that we “struggle” with them, that is of our own doing? Yes, I did. To avoid undue confusion, let’s immediately reconcile these concepts.

First, we must define what we mean when we use the term “problem.” After all, “problem” has many meanings (e.g., “Did you finish your math problems in your homework assignment?”) Essentially, what we all commonly refer to as “problems” are mere UNDESIRABLE conditions and/or circumstances. “Undesirable” to whom? The person who claims them to be a “problem.” What may be one person’s “problem” may be another persons’ joy. In other words, the nature, level and extent of a particular “problem” are in the eye of the beholder.

As such, we must understand that the undesirable events, conditions and circumstances are EXTERNAL to us; the identification of those events, conditions and circumstances as a “problem,” on the other hand, is INTERNAL – a product of our thinking, beliefs and conditioned habits. The latter is a creature of our Mind; the former is simply a set of facts without any inherent meaning – they just are. The only meaning of those external events, conditions and circumstances is the meaning that we ascribe to these facts internally in our Mind.

And that is where we need to draw the line and depersonalize the “problem.” The undesirable events, conditions and circumstances are external facts. They are not us – they just are. So, as part of the Second Step, we need to distinguish and understand that the nature of the “problem” is something outside of ourselves; how we perceive a problem, contrarily, is internal and a function of Mind – something over which we may assert control and change.

We must depersonalize the “problem” and personalize the Solution. The “problem” lies without; the Solution will be realized within.

Step Three: Open Your Creative Mind

Some “problems” may be resolved through simple, deductive reasoning (e.g., 2+2=4). Other “problems” are not that easy – there are too many intangible variables – and, therefore, more is required.

Most so-called “problems” require something more than deductive reasoning, for if it were that simple (relatively speaking, of course), then “problems” wouldn’t (or shouldn’t) linger on without resolution – assuming that one is making bona fide attempts to resolve the “problem.” So, how do we resolve “problems” that elude conscious analyzation?

The answer is to open your Creative Mind, your Subconscious, to the Infiniteness of Universe and all that is possible.

We have already accepted the fact that every “problem” has a Solution (Step One). And, we have depersonalized the “problem,” and have further accepted as Truth that the Solution must come from within (Step Two). If you don’t have the Solution now, and you have been working on resolving your “problem” for some time, from whence shall the Solution come?

When you open your Creative Mind to what is possible, you allow the answer to come to you. Let’s face it: our Conscious Mind is not always the best “problem” solver; in fact, it probably gets us into “problems” more than it gets us out of them.

The Wright Brothers had a firm belief that they could build a flying-machine. The ability to build a “flying machine” – today a fact not even questioned – has been in existence as long as the Universe, and the Wright Brothers knew that. It (the Principle of Flight) merely required that man finally achieve the requisite Level of Awareness where the principle of fixed wing flight could be realized.

Think of the Wright Brothers and their firm belief that they could build a flying-machine. People at that time thought the Wrights were crazy. Moreover, their own father, a minister, harshly admonished them, claiming that they would burn in hell merely for suggesting the idea! Yet, the ability to build a “flying machine” – today a fact not even questioned – has been in existence as long as the Universe, and the Wright Brothers knew that. It (the Principle of Flight) merely required that man finally achieve the requisite Level of Awareness where the principle of fixed wing flight could be realized. Nonetheless, the Principle of Flight, and the scientific laws governing that principle, always existed.

In fact, every law and principle of what may be possible in the future already exists here and now – simply waiting to be discovered. Think of it: a unified theory of the Universe, from the grand to the subatomic, which has eluded scientists since the time of Einstein already exists. We just don’t know it – yet. As a race (human race), our Level of Awareness requires greater Understanding.

The same holds true for the Solution to your “problem.” You just don’t know it yet and the way you will discover it is to open your Creative Mind.

Step Four: Remove Obstructions to Overcome Obstacles

So, how does one open his or her Creative Mind?

The crucial first step is to remove all Obstructions. You will not realize the proper Solution to your “problem” if your Mind is clogged with needless, destructive clutter - Obstructions.

What are “Obstructions?” Fear. Doubt. Worry. Anxiety. Negative thinking. These are all States of Mind (mental states) that not only will fail to resolve your “problem,” but will actively and affirmatively work against realizing a Solution. As long as you harbor Obstructions, the likelihood that you will solve your “problem” is very, very slim.

Obstructions such as Fear, Doubt, Worry, Anxiety and Negative Thinking literally clog the channels of your Creative Mind. You cannot think in a constructive, creative fashion when you are focused on the negative and gripped with Fear and Worry. It is simply not possible.

Moreover, Obstructions are just that: Obstructions. They block the flow of Creative Spirit through your Conscious and Subconscious Minds. If you were so ensconced with Fear and Anxiety – to the point of paralysis – do you think you would hear God whispering the answer to you? God rarely shouts, and outside of Biblical accounts, I don’t know of anyone to whom God appeared or spoke accompanied by bolts of lighting and fire.

God speaks to our Heart and the way to hear God in this fashion is to quiet the Mind. Obstructions are anything but quiet and can produce compulsive thought and action.

In Step One we accepted the uncontroverted Truth that all “problems” have Solutions. Truly knowing that – with unconditional Faith and Believe – is usually sufficient to instill a Peace of Heart that clears the Obstructions. If you find yourself still hindered by these negative States of Mind, work (but don’t struggle) to remove the blockage.

Step Five: Understand that Obstructions Are a Result of Ignorance

So, how do we remove Obstructions with Peace and without struggling? Through Understanding, Knowledge and Awareness.

We must increase our Level of Awareness, gain Knowledge and Understand the causes of Fear, Doubt, Worry, Anxiety and Negative Thinking. While tomes may be (and are) written on the subject, it is critical to UNDERSTAND that such destructive Mental States are caused by or a result of Ignorance.

Ignorance of what?

First, not knowing WHERE the answer or solution lies.

Consider. A young couple is deeply in debt and they both lost their jobs. With each passing month, they sink deeper and deeper into debt. Their levels of Fear, Doubt and Worry increase. Negative Thinking persists. They see no way out.

Therein lays the problem: They see no way out.

Suppose I had a bona fide magic crystal ball and could convince the young couple that the crystal ball really could show the future. Taken a step further, I consult my crystal ball and show them the winning multimillion dollar lottery numbers for the following week. All they would need to do is play that winning combination of numbers on the right day and they become instant winners of $50 million.

What do you think would happen to their Doubt, Worry, Anxiety, Fear and Negative Thinking (at least with respect to their debt and unemployment “problem”)? It would immediately vanish into thin air! Why? Because they now see their Solution!

When we see the Solutions to our “problems” – even if those answers are not immediately available – the levels of our Obstructions immediately drop, if not completely dissipate. As such, it is the Ignorance as to the Solution that gives rise to the Obstructions. We fail to see from where the Good that we Desire is going to come and that fuels our Obstructive Mental States.

If we can begin to truly and honestly Understand that there IS a Solution (or multiple solutions) to our “problem,” and all that is required is that we raise our Level of Awareness to realize the Solution, an immediate effect is that we begin to overcome the Ignorance giving rise to our Obstructions. Just knowing that there IS a solution already begins to bring Peace, which, in turn, opens our Creative Mind to receive the answer!

As long as we remained locked in the Negative, we will not see the Positive. We need to clean the House of our Minds, and like a skilled surgeon who removes blockage from diseased arteries, we must remove the Obstructions of our Creative Mind and allow Life to flow freely.

Step Six: Reframe the “Problem”

All along, I have been using the word “problem” to describe and define the undesired set of conditions and circumstances. Step Six is to “reframe” the nature of “problem,” including the very word “problem.”

We may start by no longer using the word “problem” as the definition or indicia of the undesired conditions and circumstances. The term “problem” immediately delivers a negative connotation – almost signifying a situation to which there is no Solution. That is why I have been using quotes with the word throughout this article – to establish the significance (or, more appropriately, the insignificance) of the actual word.

Instead of the word “problem,” use either the terms “Challenge” or “Obstacle.” Immediately your perspective changes towards the undesired conditions and circumstances, for both words convey a more positive meaning and both inherently suggest that there exist solutions or answers.

Think about it: who likes “problems?” In fact, we try to avoid “problems.” It is human nature to run from “problems” (who awakes in the morning thinking “Boy, I can’t wait to deal with the scourge of my problems today!”)

“Challenges,” on the other hand, are an invitation for Action! (Some definitions for the word “challenge” include: “an invitation to someone to compete or fight, especially in a sport; to invite someone to compete or fight; used in the names of competitions, especially sports competitions; to test someone's skill and abilities”). Who can turn down a legitimate Challenge – whether from someone else or ourselves?

Really, reframing the term “problem” to “Challenge” or “Obstacle” should be done as soon as one begins thinking that he or she has a “problem.” In terms of actual timing, therefore, Step Six should be tackled right along with Step One. Thinking of your undesired conditions or circumstances as a Challenge or mere Obstacle ab initio will do wonders for your Mental State and accelerate your progress in realizing your optimum Solution.

Next, it is highly important to understand – and further reframe the undesired conditions and circumstances that we now call a Challenge or Obstacle – that ALL Challenges or Obstacles are invitations to Growth. Yes, indeed! When faced with a Challenge or Obstacle, your present inability to solve or find the Solution stems from your present Level of Awareness. In Step Five, we explored how this Ignorance gives rise to fatal-thinking Obstructions and how they must be eliminated. This MUST be true, for if your present Level of Awareness was sufficient, you would already have the Solution. As such, to realize the Solution, you must Grow your current Level of Awareness.

The fact that you don’t have the Solution is evidence that you must increase your present Level of Awareness.

Understand that reasons for Growth are usually irrelevant, for Growth is inherently Good. Nature is always seeking further Expansion, Expression and Growth. By Growing – whether intellectually, Spiritually, emotionally, physically – you are fulfilling one of the greatest of our human duties. We were born to Grow and it is God’s calling that we all Grow and live to our full Potential. Face it: We were not born to spend our lives on the sofa watching television.

It is therefore critical to Understand that whatever your Challenge or Obstacle, it is an invitation to GROW. And, in some strange fashion which we may not readily comprehend, it may be a Divine mandate to do so.

When you realize the Solution to your Challenge or Obstacle, you will necessarily be at a higher Level of Awareness. And, if the nature of your Challenge or Obstacle was most difficult – perhaps oppressive – your Level of Awareness will be even higher. You may have even developed Character along the way, one of the greatest of all personality traits.

Lastly, keep in mind that all Obstacles are mere stepping stones to achieving a greater Good – a certain Goal or Success. In order to achieve any objective, you must necessarily face and overcome the Obstacles or Challenges along the way requisite to attaining that Success. (See Posts, "Success Strategy: Converting Obstacles to Stepping Stones: The Key to Victory," March 7, 2010, and "Success Key 5: Embrace Obstacles, the Stepping Stones to Success," January 23, 2010).

Step Seven: Take Action

Step Seven is simple: Take Action.

What kind of Action? Any Action.

The key here is that you need not necessarily know precisely what to do to – just begin. If you knew the precise set of Action Steps to realize the Solution, you would have already taken that course and the Obstacle resolved. What is important is that you begin solving the Obstacle by taking any Action – as long as it is not impulsive and based on irrational emotion or Obstruction.

Action is Empowering. Action increases Levels of Awareness. Action creates Opportunity.

Once you have taken that first Action step, you are on the path to finally addressing the undesired conditions and circumstances. Even if those first Action steps are just tiny steps, you are nonetheless on the way and knowledge of the simple fact is quite empowering.

It is important to note that, while the initial Action Steps may not lead you in the right direction, valuable information – in the form of feedback – is always gained. At the very least, you will discover what doesn’t work – and you may move on to Plan B. No Action taken ever results in failure; valuable information is always obtained. The key is to keep trying, keep moving, and keep taking Action. You will find the way!

Sometimes taking Action is 50% of the process towards realizing the Solution. You may think that attaining the resolution will take much time and effort, but then after taking that first Action step, you come to realize that the Challenge is not as substantial as you previously thought – perhaps it is even easy. I cannot tell you how many times that the “bark” that I feared was actually worse than the “bite.” The so-called “problem” turned out to be an easy, no-brainer and I regretted the fact that I had not taken Action earlier – it would have saved me significant time, energy and resources.

You will usually discover as you take Action that what you perceived to be insurmountable isn’t, and that solving the situation will not be the effort that you imagined. You will not come to that realization, however, unless and until Action is actually taken.

Roll up your sleeves and get started.

Step Eight: Time and the Law of Gestation

Everything has its season and the Universe works in cyclic, rhythmic fashion.

If your present Challenge is to find a way to feed your family today, the solution is not planting corn. There is the Law of Gestation: after planting, the corn seed must geminate, sprout, grow (and grow and grow and grow) and bear fruit. The fruit, the ears of corn (really a grain) must properly mature and then you must harvest it. All of this will take a certain amount of time over which you have very little control.

All seeds – including Seeds of Thought and Greatness – have a gestation period. There is a Law of Cause and Effect, but there also is the Law of Gestation, which states that the Effects of the Cause will take the time that the Universe (Nature, through our Infinite Creator) requires.

Depending on your particular Challenge or Obstacle, and the Action steps that you take – and the ultimate Solution desired – there will be the factor of time as determined by the applicable Law of Gestation. Often, we don’t know how long it may take for fruit to bear, but as long as we remain steadfast and true to realizing the Desired result, there will be fruit.

This is also another reason why it is important to be consistent – and persistent – with our Action steps. With continued Action, Persistence and Perseverance, it is possible to accelerate the process of realizing our Solution within the confines of the Law of Gestation.

For example, suppose that realizing the Solution to a particular Challenge by a particular individual necessarily must require a total of fifty (50) hours of bona fide, consistent Action (by application of the Law of Gestation). If the individual only dedicates one (1) hour per day towards that objective, it will take fifty (50) days before she finally realizes the ultimate Solution . However, by devoting two (2) hours of bona fide, consistent Action per day (instead of only one hour), she can accelerate the process and realize the ultimate Solution in half the time: twenty-five (25) days. Now, if she was really motivated and determined, in theory, she may dedicate ten (10) hours of bona fide, consistent Action per day towards overcoming her Challenge. Assuming that fatigue, Obstructions, and other inhibiting factors are kept at bay, she can further accelerate the process and realize her ultimate Solution in a mere five (5) days! So while the Law of Gestation may establish certain time constraints over which we have no or little control, we may accelerate the overall process by more continuous, consistent and persistent Action.

Another insight to understanding the Law of Gestation is a quote from Anthony Robbins: “God’s delays are not God’s denials.” In other words, God works on a different calendar and clock than we do.

Why is this so important? Because when many individuals fail to realize the Solution to their Challenge or Obstacle immediately, they simply quit. Give up. Abandon ship. When that happens, one thing is for certain: they will NOT solve the Challenge.

Quitting is “game over.” Failure.

If you do not immediately realize your Solution, keep trying, keep taking Action steps, keep working these Ten Steps. You WILL realize the solution. Chances are that the mess you are in didn’t happen overnight, so it may be unreasonable to think or expect that it may be cleaned up overnight.

Time itself may be just another aspect or feature of the Challenge that you face, so view it as such. Reframe the nature of the Challenge or Obstacle to further include the time variable. Don’t make the issue of time another, separate “problem.” Patience may be required and that virtue is yet another characteristic of Growth.

Persevere. Persist. Work it.

Step Nine: Have Faith

The importance of Faith – Faith in yourself and Faith in God – cannot be overstated.

We could write volumes on the significance of Faith to finding a Solution to your Challenge or Obstacle; time and space do not permit that here.

Napoleon Hill has stated many times, “The man who can is the man who thinks he can.”

If you already accepted the notion that every Challenge or Obstacle has a Solution (Step One), then why not accept the Faith and Belief that you will realize that Solution?

“Ya gotta believe, baby, ya gotta believe.”

If you do not Believe or have no Faith that you will realize a Solution, will you honestly pursue the Solution? If you answered this question in the affirmative, then you must fancy in chasing ghosts.

Step Ten: The Attitude of Gratitude

Finally, as Step Ten, despite the nature, level and extent of your Challenge or Obstacle, remain Grateful for all that you have. Seek the Good in your Life and by doing so, the significance of the Challenge or Obstacle will diminish.

Relinquish resentment. Drop jealousy and envy. Adopt the Attitude of Gratitude.

Studies have shown that patients with the most severe illnesses fair best in treatment when they are grateful for the Good in their lives – despite the illness – and they reject negative attitudes such as resentment, anger, jealously or envy. Such mental states are nothing more than Obstructions, discussed in Steps Four and Five. They not only block your Creative Mind, but they stain your Spirit and become a focal point of your concentration. This eventually leads to self-absorbed self-pity – and there is no way you will overcome your Challenge or Obstacle if you are engaged in that game.

Be grateful. Rejoice in the Good all around you! If you focus on the Good, more Good will come; contrarily, if you focus on the Negative, then you will receive more of the Negative. This is the Law of Attraction, pure and simple.

If you have trouble seeing the Good and finding Gratitude, grab a notebook and pen and find a quiet, comfortable place to sit by yourself for an hour or so and begin writing all that for which you are grateful. It may take a little time to get started, but once the juices start flowing, you will be astounded at how much you have written – how much there is in your life for which you should be Grateful. By the time this exercise is done, you will feel profoundly different and view your Challenge or Obstacle in an entirely different light.

When I feel overwhelmed by a Challenge or Obstacle and see myself starting to slide in a negative fashion, I work my “Gratitudes” by stopping whatever I am doing and spending some time with my children. An hour of building blocks, reading or just playing with them – and seeing the unconditional Love and excitement of Life in their eyes – has an amazing impact. Problem? What Problem?

Adopting the Attitude of Gratitude with honesty and sincerity is the quickest way to jump start out of a “stuck” position. It works – every time. But, you need to actually work it, and if that requires some quiet time in isolation with your thoughts and a notebook, then do it.

Conclusion

That’s it. The Ten Steps to Universal Problem Solving. With continued practice and patience, you will find these Ten Steps will work Miracles in your Life.

Believe.

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Step One: Every Problem Has a Solution

Step Two: De-Personalize the “Problem”

Step Three: Open Your Creative Mind

Step Four: Remove Obstructions to Overcome Obstacles

Step Five: Understand that Obstructions Are a Result of Ignorance

Step Six: Reframe the “Problem”

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Step Eight: Time and the Law of Gestation

Step Nine: Have Faith

Step Ten: The Attitude of Gratitude

Conclusion