What All The World's A-Seeking: The Vital Law of True Life, True Greatness Power and HappinessTrine, Ralph Waldo
Religion
What All The World's A-Seeking: The Vital Law of True Life, True Greatness Power and Happiness
Trine, Ralph Waldo
Character; Christian life; Conduct of life
Here let us refer to that law of the mind which is the same as is the
law in connection with the reflex nerve system of the body, the law
which says that whenever one does a certain thing in a certain way it is
easier to do the same thing in the same way the next time, and still
easier the next, and the next, and the next, until in time it comes to
pass that no effort is required, or no effort worth speaking of; but on
the contrary, to do the opposite would require the effort. The mind
carries with it the power that perpetuates its own type of thought, the
same as the body carries with it through the reflex nerve system the
power which perpetuates and makes continually easier its own particular
acts. Thus a simple effort to control one's thoughts, a simple setting
about it, even if at first failure is the result, and even if for a time
failure seems to be about the only result, will in time, sooner or
later, bring him to the point of easy, full, and complete control.
Each one, then, can grow the power of determining, controlling his
thought, the power of determining what types of thought he shall and
what types he shall not entertain. For let us never part in mind with
this fact, that every earnest _effort_ along any line makes the end
aimed at just a little easier for each succeeding effort, even if, as
has been said, apparent failure is the result of the earlier efforts.
This is a case where even failure is success, for the failure is not in
the effort, and every earnest effort adds an increment of power that
will eventually accomplish the end aimed at. We _can_, then, gain the
full and complete power of determining what character, what type of
thoughts we entertain.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account