We talked about solitude and how that is essential for getting your mind ready and receptive. We also talked about “fear” in the Applied Psychology post. Well, today we’re going to read Napoleon Hill’s work again and this time he talks about the importance of Conditioning Your Mind Properly. I bet that 99% or more of you can use this information. Let us know what you think by commenting afterwards!

Condition Your Mind Properly
by Dr. Napoleon Hill

Remember: anything you fear will trail you around like a pet dog: poverty, ill health, criticism, loss of love. The mind attracts the physical counterpart of that on which it dwells. The majority of people going through life think of those things which they don’t want, and they are getting every one of them.

Wouldn’t it, therefore, be a good idea to refuse to think about the things you don’t want and feed your mind with pictures of the things you do want? This is nothing more important in your entire life than learning the art of keeping your mind focused upon the things, conditions and circumstances of life which you really want. This is the greatest application of applied faith you can make. When your mind has definiteness of purpose, you are in a condition to start having faith. And when you have faith, you can call upon the vast reservoir of Infinite Intelligence to assist you in carrying out your objectives.

Have you ever wondered why prayer sometimes doesn’t work? Has it occurred to you that there may be something wrong in the way you pray? Prayer always works, but not always in the way you want it to. When you go to pray with your fingers crossed, after everything else has failed, and only half believe that your prayer will be heard and answered when you approach prayer with an improper mental attitude: you will not receive the answers you want. Because the dominating thought in your mind is negative, you may be sure that Infinite Intelligence will give you a negative answer.

The art of being grateful for the blessings you already possess is of itself the most profound form of worship, and incomparable gem of prayer.

It can be truthfully said that seldom in life will you fail to accomplish an act or achieve a purpose if you condition your mind properly before you start. It all depends on the way you condition your mind.

It is a fact that man is the master of every other living thing on this earth. If we look about us we can see that the birds of the air and the beasts of the jungle have been wisely provided with food and the necessities of their existence through the Diving plan. Is man, then, not worthy of the same blessing?

All that you need to do to get anything you rightfully should have is to take possession of your own mind and use it. You do not have to ask anyone for this privilege. It’s yours … now! The approach to liberty, freedom, good health, love and an abundance of the material things of this life is through your own mind, but the methods described in this and other lessons of the PMA Science of Success philosophy. The purpose of this philosophy is to explain how you may take possession of your own mind and use it intelligently to fulfill the measure of your creation.

Source: PMA Science of Success Course. Pgs. 103 & 104. 

Napoleon Hill is such a master and we’re very lucky to have his words of wisdom to learn from!

Let us know what you think.

Terrie

As the weekend nears and as the children are back in school (or are just going to go back to school) let’s look at Solitude and how important it is in your life and in having a fresh mind.  Once again I’m posting another great article from the master – Napoleon Hill….see if any of this hits home for you. If it does, let us know by commenting. Have a great weekend.

The Importance of Solitude
by Dr. Napoleon Hill

I love my family and my friends. My love for them is deep and sincere. I would do anything within my power to add to their comfort and welfare … but, I also love to get away from the crowds, away from everybody and visit with myself. This may seem rather selfish, but it isn’t. My mental development demands it.

I love to think, to look ahead and anticipate the experiences yet to come in my life, to figure out why I am here and what to do to fulfill my read mission in life. I love to go just a step further in imagination than I have ever gone in realization. In other words, I love to do what many call “dreaming.”

Contrary to what some may believe, dreaming is not harmful. In fact, quite the reverse is true. Getting away from others to dream allows you to rise above commonplace thoughts and things.

Milton did his best work after blindness forced him to turn to solitude for realization.
Francis Scott Key wrote the “Star Spangled Banner” while being held as a prisoner of war on a British ship.

When we are with others, we must be polite and discuss with them whatever subject they may happen to bring up. When we are with ourselves, we can direct our thoughts along any line we choose and concentrate upon those thoughts, impress them upon our minds and keep them where we may get them when we want them.

This is constructive dreaming!

No one ever becomes a “doer” without first becoming a “dreamer.” The architect first draws the picture of a building in his mind and then places it on paper. And so we must all see the object of our labors in our minds before we can see them in reality.

Source: Adapted from the March 1919 issue of Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rule magazine as appearing in the April, 1994, Volume 6, Number 4 issue of Think and Grow Rich Newsletter. Pg. 5.

So, did this mean anything to you? Let us know.

Terrie

Again from Napoleon Hill who is a master and one from whom we should learn something every day:

The Law of Retaliation
by Dr. Napoleon Hill

Every person with whom you come in contact is a mental mirror in which you may see a perfect reflection of your own mental attitude.  I recently had an experience with my two small boys, Blair and James, which illustrated this point.

 We were on our way to the park to feed the birds and squirrels.  Blair had bought a bag of peanuts and James had popcorn.  James took a notion to sample the peanuts.  Without asking permission, he reached over and made a grab for the bag.  He missed and Blair retaliated with a left jab.

I said to James:  “Now, see here, son, you didn’t go about getting those peanuts in the right manner.  Let me show you how to get them.”  When I spoke, I hadn’t the slightest idea what I was going to do, I only hoped that stalling would allow me time to analyze the occurrence and work out a better way than his.

Then I recalled the law of retaliation that says people will always respond in kind, even in greater measure that which is deliver to them, so I said to James:  “Open you box of popcorn and offer your little brother some and see what happens.”

After considerable coaxing, I persuaded him to do this.  Then a remarkable thing happened, out of which I learned my greatest lesson in salesmanship.  Before Blair would touch the popcorn, he insisted on pouring some of his peanuts in James’s overcoat pocket.  He retaliated in kind!

Out of this simple experiment with two small boys, I learned more about the art of managing than I could have learned in any other manner.   None of us have advanced far beyond Blair and James as far as the operation and influence of the Law of Retaliation is concerned.  We are all just grown-up children and easily influenced by this principle. 

The habit of “retaliating in kind” is so universally practiced that we can properly call this habit the Law of Retaliation.  If a person presents us with a gift, we never feel satisfied until we have “retaliated” with something as good or better than that which we received.  If a person  speaks well of us, we increase our admiration for that person, and we “retaliate” in return!

Through the principle of retaliation, we can actually convert our enemies into loyal friends.  If you have an enemy whom you wish to convert into a friend, you can prove the truth of this statement if you will forget that dangerous millstone handing around your neck which we call pride.

Make a habit of speaking to this enemy with unusual cordiality.  Go out of your way to favor him in every manner possible.  He may seem immovable at first, but gradually he will give way to your influence and “retaliate in kind!”

The hottest coals of fire ever heaped upon the head of one who has wronged you are the coals of human kindness.

 Source: Source:  The following is adapted from the March 1919 issue of Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rule magazine.  Printed in the above version March, 1994, Volume 6, Number 3, Page 4 in the Think and Grow Rich Newsletter.