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As A Man Thinketh
The Power of Thought
Morgan Bedford
February 21, 2024
Our thoughts dictate our lives.
Every action, decision and circumstance is in direct relation to the thoughts we have. Thought is the armoury to which weapons are formed. Weapons used to advance or destroy oneself.
Here is my interpretation of James Allen’s fantastic book: As a Man Thinketh
““He that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened”; for only by patience, practice, and ceaseless importunity can a man enter the Door of the Temple of Knowledge.”
Effort will be rewarded. Knock at the door of opportunity and success is inevitable. To those patient enough to wait and persistent enough to keep going. It is in the consistent pursuit, that the strength of character is forged.
Thought alone does not have the power to create a great life, it must be reinforced with action. But without thought, nothing else follows suit.
“The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state.”
Your mind is like a garden, your thoughts the seeds. Are you planting beautiful rose bushes and evergreen oak trees or nettles which sting your ability to live. Weeds which grow in abundance and dismantle the structure and beauty of the land.
Plant the right seeds and maintain a orderly garden. Your circumstances, destiny and perspective is counting on it. Become the master gardener of your soul.
Remove, detach and dismantle the thoughts which do not serve you until you are left with only that which lifts your life into a greater place.
Circumstance is the way our mind reveals itself upon us. Asif our circumstances are a mirror, reflecting our internal state.
“We don't see the world as it is, we see it as we are”
Through the mind, we attract what we desire and what we fear. To keep both in thought is to bring them into reality. If you are unwilling to change yourself, you will always be bound by unwanted circumstances.
Suffering
We are the creators of our suffering. We cannot change what has already happened, but we can change how we choose to attach to it. We are not a victim of circumstance but a victim of our perspective. We have learned victimhood.
I have created so much unnecessary suffering by replaying the past, worrying about the future and holding unrealistic expectations. The weight of which has held me back for years. It’s taken 4 years to build the courage to post these thoughts online.
To evolve and be rid of endless suffering, we must rise above this chosen mental state. Living in a state of lack, jealousy and complaint is to confine yourself to a prison of your own making.
To complain is to be weak. To fight against an unbeatable force, that which is. Strength is found only when we stop battling against circumstance and begin to use it as fuel for progression.
“A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.”
Weakness remains when worries, fear and self-pity are present in the mind. To develop strength we must see failure as a necessary part of the journey. Who we become in the process of effort and practice is the truest measure of success.
Doubt and fear are the enemies of knowledge and strength. The will to do comes from the thought that we can.
The greatest achievements by anyone were first just a thought, a vision which has guided them to make it a reality.
To create this reality, sacrifices must be made.
Everything comes at a cost. To be lean is to sacrifice unhealthy foods. To work on your business is to sacrifice time spent with loved ones. To create a strong mind is to sacrifice that which does not serve it.
What sacrifices must be made to achieve what you want? Is that a price you are willing to pay?
Calm
“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.”
One becomes calm when they understand themselves and others. When they see the world through the lens of cause and effect. Unwavered by emotion, thought or circumstance. Remaining centred, present and ready to act on a moment’s notice.
Self-control is a powerful tool. Without it, we are at the mercy of our impulses.
Emotional reactivity creates a state of fight or flight. Creating an emotionally charged, altered perception of the situation. Causing the person to react impulsively.
It is not what happens in the world that affects us but our reaction to it. By cultivating the level of self-control James talks about, we are no longer affected by what happens and instead can respond instead of reacting.
This book is 37 pages long, I would highly recommend reading it for yourself.
If you wish to learn more about self-control and mastery, consider subscribing. Above all else,
Stay Curious.
Morgan Bedford