This is one of those books that will make you step back and say, in your best Dr. Phil voice, “What were you thinking?” This book made me look at how my mind would wonder at times. To places that were not good nor would add to my character. This book identifies the thoughts we have in our heads that are helping us or hurting us. I narrowed the book down to three key take aways that I think we all should remember.
*** Don’t worry if you are a woman and not a man. The book applies to you too!!!
“A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”
This is sort of a profound thought, but one I believe to be so true. We all can have some thoughts that we would not want others to know about. Whether they be greed, lust, or any type of ill will, we don’t want others to know. The problem with having these thoughts is that you know you are having them. Based upon this quote from the book, these thoughts will mold your character. We are literally what we tell ourselves in our mind. If we are thinking bad thoughts all the time, our character will be diminished. Good thoughts equal a good character.
*** Be a guardian of your thoughts and correct any thoughts that are not good natured.
“Circumstances does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.”
This is so true. If you want to see what you are made of, then look at yourself when you are challenged…when circumstances are less than favorable. How do you react? When challenged with an argument, are you quick to step up and argue back? If someone does you a wrong, do you insist on doing them a wrong back? If you are in a stressful situation, do you think of yourself or others first? If you suddenly come into a lot of money, do you immediately share some of it with charity?
*** The situations you are in, whether favorable or unfavorable, will tell you a lot about yourself. I hope you are listening!!!
“Live your life according to principle, and not according to passion.”
Living your life according to principle is simply stating that you should live your life based upon what you know to be right and wrong and not upon what you are feeling at any given moment. Too many times people will react poorly to situations where anger, love, or some other feeling arises that is fueled by passion. Have you ever said something you didn’t mean when you were in a passionate argument? Have you ever done something you shouldn’t have done simply because passion pushed you in a given direction? I bet you have. We all have. This quote is telling us that we need to identify principles we can live by and rely on when we are blinded by passion. The kind of principles that will govern how we act, not give way to what we are feeling. We all have some principles already, but may not realize it. You may be the kind of person that would never steal. You may be someone who will give of themselves to help someone else. I am sure you can think of many more things you would or wouldn’t do just because of the principle of it.
*** Establish principles in your life you can live by. They will guide you the right way when passion stirs you the wrong way.
Final Thoughts
This is another great book I would highly recommend you read. It is only 30 pages but packed with little bits of information that, if sincerely thought upon, can help change the entire way you think. The way we think guides how we respond to situations, how happy we are, and how we will live our lives. You must be the master of your thoughts, or they will be the master of you!!!
If you want to read this great book by James Allen, you can get it on Amazon for under $5.00 via my affiliate link:
