Help Yourself By Helping Others

You cannot teach a subject to others unless you are familiar with it yourself. And, the longer you teach it, the more proficient you become.

I have lectured on subjects relating to self-improvement in most of the principal cities in this country and Canada. After a lecture I often hope that my listeners have gained as much from the talk as I have from giving it.

Explaining principles to others fixes them more firmly in your own mind. You may read about a certain theory and be impressed with it at the time but, unless you make use of it, it will soon be forgotten. Talking about it will have a tendency to fix it in your consciousness so that it will be ever ready for use.

Using what you have learned so far in this book will forever keep you from want. Moreover, it will keep you supplied with an abundance of worldly goods. But this knowledge will be of little good unless you make use of it.

Provide yourself with everything you have been hoping for: a fine home, lots of money, etc. Then, instead of permitting others to become envious over what you have, show them how they may acquire what they want.

Some readers of this book will become so enthusiastic they will try to force its teachings on their friends and relatives. This will do no good and will make them unpopular. Many people have such negative minds they will not believe that by merely reading a book their circumstances can be changed. They will declare that others' wealth was acquired through sheer good luck.

Tell them about the book, if you wish, and offer to lend it to them, if they want to read it; but go no further. If they are really enthusiastic (and not jealous) over your progress, they will gladly ask to read the book; or, better still, they can buy a copy to have as their very own.

Frank Barry was an ordinary fellow. He had a job and was able to provide food, shelter and clothes for his wife and child. Then he read one of my books and took its principles to heart. Soon he was able to earn more money than he had been earning and to move into a much better apartment.

A friend of Barry asked him what had happened to enable him to improve his circumstances so dramatically. Frank liked this man and spent much time virtually giving him a course in positive thinking and how to change his circumstances through the establishment of correct mental images.

The effect of this teaching was not immediately noticeable upon Barry's friend, but it was on Frank Barry. His thoughts went back to his circumstances before he learned the facts and to what had happened since he began to apply the power of right thinking.

"If positive thinking could do what it has already done for me, why can't it continue to improve my condition until I can move my family into the home of our dreams, with everything necessary to go with it?"

There was no negative answer to this question. Frank Barry continued to climb until today he is vice-president of the company for which he works. He is living in a most modern home of his own; he has a maid and gardener, and he is now setting his sights even higher. Here is a specific case of one man's helping himself by helping another.

Or, consider another case, of two brothers, married and living close to each other. Their circumstances were about the same, and both of them were negative as to their outlook on life.

One brother became acquainted with positive thinking and how it can affect one's life. He practiced it and soon bettered his condition quite materially.

"Bunk!" exclaimed the other brother with much disgust. "You just happened to get a few good breaks," this critic continued.

"I have the answer to all of your problems. If you ever want it, come by and I'll give it to you," the fortunate brother said.

Several months went by before the negative brother took advantage of the offer made by his more successful brother. However, seeing his brother continuing to climb, he finally realized that more than luck was involved. There must be a more substantial reason.

Reluctantly, and with much humility, the negative brother approached his more successful one.

"You win, what is it?" he asked him.

For over two hours, he got a lesson in the difference between negative and positive thinking and how his life could be changed.

A few weeks after this thought-provoking conference, the positive-thinking brother was offered an opportunity so big he could not turn it down. He was given a job which required the assistance of several good men.

In his new role, he thought of his brother and offered him a position as an assistant. Now, both brothers are climbing, and neither one of them would waste time in listening to anyone who might argue that positive thinking is mere bunk.

Do not attempt to force your type of thinking on those not yet ready for it. You will be wasting your time as well as arousing the animosity of those you're trying to teach.

On one of my frequent lecture tours, I met a man who invited me to join him for dinner. This man, I later learned, was a food faddist. He did not give me a chance to order what I wanted, but explained to the waiter exactly what he should serve to me.

This experience was embarrassing because, when I didn't eat some of the concoctions served, my host did everything except force me to eat the food.

I am sure this man knew much about nutrition and that he was sincere in wanting to help me; but he was forcing his knowledge on one not ready to receive it.

The motive in writing this book is my desire to help others gain as much happiness and success from life as I am enjoying. No one can force you to read it. If they could, it is doubtful if you would be helped. Your mind would not be on the subject matter, but on the one who was trying to control you.

If, however, you read the book because you want to read it, because you have learned it holds the key to success through positive thinking, then you are in for an exciting revelation.

I am not sure that I agree with Emerson, who said: "Our chief want in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can."

All of us can do the things which will bring success and happiness in life, if we are willing to be taught what those things are.

It is true that we need the guidance to help us to make use of the powers we already have. So it might be more correct if Emerson had said need instead of want, making the quotation read: "Our chief need in life is somebody who shall make us do what we can."

The word motivate is used extensively in connection with self-improvement. It has a double meaning. Most of us think of motivation as a force which impels us to act, or to move. The sales manager, for instance, will endeavor to motivate his salesman to action.

In my study of the word, I feel that motivate means to give one a motive, and it is that motive which spurs him on to action.

Elsewhere in this book I refer to the need of having an incentive, which is a synonym of the word motive. It seems to me, therefore, that one of the best ways of helping a person is to give him a motive which will stimulate the urge for self-improvement.

To give you a simple illustration: An acquaintance of mine once visited my hobby shop, which, incidentally, is equipped with a large number of power tools.

"Boy, this is a hobbyist's dream," he said as his eyes moved from machine to machine.

"Why don't you put together a hobby shop of your own?" I ventured.

"Gosh, I'd love to, but it takes every cent I make to keep my home going," he replied dolefully.

"Please do not be embarrassed with the question I am about to ask, but how much money do you spend weekly on liquor?"

"Oh, not over $25," he admitted, as he tried to keep his eyes from meeting mine.

"If you were to cut that amount in half, you'd save enough money each month to make the payments on an outfit which would closely resemble mine," I said with a counseling attitude.

A change was coming over the countenance of this visitor. He stepped over to the shelf where I kept my hobby books, and eagerly glanced over many of the plans.

His eyes fell on some patio furniture plans and, as he studied them, he knew, without doubt, he could build the chairs and table shown.

"By gosh, I'm going to do it," he said with marked enthusiasm.

This man's determination took an unexpected twist. As the tools in his new hobby shop began to accumulate, he became so engrossed that he gave up liquor completely, putting the entire liquor budget into his new interest.

This is a case where a man was helped by giving him a motive.

In my file of case histories I find another instance in which much was accomplished after a motive had been gained.

John Jeffries was a typical plodder. He instinctively felt that he was destined to go through life punching time clocks. The thought of ever establishing a business of his own had never entered his head, so certain was he that he was not "cut out" to be a businessman.

John frequently did menial jobs for me on my property and whenever I could I would talk to him, hoping that I could give him an incentive to want to improve himself. He paid no attention to most of my suggestions because he had not reached a point where he could see himself as anything other than what he was.

One day Jeffries was criticizing the way a certain firm did business.

"I'll wager that you would have made a good businessman, you have such constructive ideas," I told him without making it apparent I was trying to flatter him.

He made no comment, but I could see by the expression on his face that the thought was taking root. Later I had other occasions to remark about his business sense. Each time I was quite subtle so that he would not suspect that I was performing a psychological experiment on him.

One day he came to me and quite eagerly asked me what he should study so that he could go into some kind of business for himself.

I outlined what seemed to be a logical and simple plan for him to pursue. He left me with a spring in his step, a glint in his eyes and an expression of determination which defied failure.

John Jeffries started a business with practically no capital, because he had none. He now has a thriving business which is expanding rapidly.

The motive given to John Jeffries was to gain happiness and success through the development of his latent talent.

DEVELOPING YOUR POWERS WHILE YOU SLEEP

Throughout this book you have learned many things about your Creative Mind and how to make use of it while you sleep.

In this chapter you have learned how to help yourself by helping others. Please know that you can benefit by this thought while you sleep.

Tonight, before retiring, repeat to yourself several times, some such statement as:

"I am growing in influence and affluence so that I can be of help to humanity. I enjoy helping others to help themselves and will constantly draw upon my resources so that I can be generous."

Saying this tonight will assure you of a brighter tomorrow. You will have grown immeasurably during the night as your Creative Mind establishes within itself an image of you as a great benefactor.

Those who have been inclined to lean toward the selfish side of life may have difficulty in understanding why they should continually think in terms of giving instead of receiving. It is my theory that all receiving is preceded by giving. If we are not getting enough in life, it is because we are not giving enough.

There is one thing certain: the generous person gains more happiness in life than the selfish one. But, aside from the spiritual benefit, it is invariably found that the one who gives the most gets the most.

Applying this principle to business, I will relate the policy of the head of a large chain of dime stores: A salesman showed a sample of an item to the buyer of this chain and told him its wholesale price was 6¢ and if he sold it at 10¢, he'd realize a good profit.

"Go back to your factory and find out how much better it can be made at 7½¢," the buyer replied. His attitude indicated that his large company was more interested in quality than price and was willing to make 1½¢ less on each sale in order to raise the quality of the product. It is no wonder that the chain is rapidly growing with such a policy.

You are nearing the end of this book and it is my feeling that you are now looking upon it with reverence because it has given you the key to a life more abundant.

Read the last two chapters and then allow yourself a few days to digest mentally all you have learned; then reread the entire book.

As much as I am sure you have gained so far, it is nothing to what you will gain during your second reading. Why? Because before reading it you were promised many wonderful results, many of which you might have greeted with a bit of skepticism. By now you know how to take advantage of your internal power, so the next time you read this book you will do so with the conviction that you will accept and apply every principle given.

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You are Twice as Good as You Think You Are

With many people, the title of this chapter is a gross understatement.

At a sales meeting, the men were told that they were at least twice as good as they thought they were.

One particular salesman took the statement seriously. He decided to prove - or disprove - the assertion. He studied his work, the average daily number of interviews he was making. He considered the percentage of interviews which resulted in sales. He estimated the average size of the orders he had been booking.

His study revealed one worth-while fact. He was not getting any really large orders because he had been timid in calling upon those who could place large orders.

This salesman made a many-sided decision. 1) He would call upon those who could place big orders. 2) He would make more calls per day. 3) He would improve his salesmanship so that he could close a larger percentage of orders.

Was this man twice as good as he had thought he was? Believe it or not, at the end of a month he came near closing ten times as much business as he had formerly been doing.

Think what this did to his income! Instead of wishing for a better home, he was able to buy one. Instead of driving an old cheap car, he called upon his prospects in a new and far more expensive one. Both he and his wife now wear better clothes.

A man who had gone a bit overboard in the height to which he had raised his standard of living, was constantly "in a bind" in making his income meet his outgo. He was told that he was twice as good as he thought he was. Thinking about this provocative idea, he began to see his situation in a new perspective.

"Other men can live in even better homes than I do, and they get by. How do they do it?" he asked himself. This man's income was sufficient to meet customary expenses, but when illness came into the family his budget would be shot.

A careful study of his circumstances revealed two means of increasing his earnings. First, he could strive to do a better job with his company. Second, he could find a means of adding to his income through part-time work. He decided to explore both avenues.

With a new spirit on his job and a desire to do his work better than it had ever been done before, our friend was soon observed by the management and properly rewarded. Taking the agency for a good product, he added about $100 weekly to his income, by just working in his spare time.

This formerly harassed individual is now not only meeting all his obligations without effort, but is putting away a tidy sum each month for his future security.

A small-town merchant was just barely making a living from his grocery store. If he hadn't been able to get his own food at wholesale prices, he couldn't have made ends meet. Day after day, he would sit by the heater in his store, listening to his radio while waiting for the few customers to come in.

This merchant was exposed to the thought that he was twice as good as he thought he was. It gave him a lot of ideas; as he looked around his store, he saw many opportunities of proving the correctness of the statement.

His windows hadn't been changed in months. Dusty cans were displayed on paper littered with dead flies. The windows had not been washed for so long they offered a barrier to those who might attempt to peer within.

The first thing this grocer did was to remove the easy chair which had been used too many hours during the day. The next thing he did was to put his stock in shape. All cans and cartons were cleaned and the shelves dusted.

The windows were made brilliantly clean and a fresh stock of merchandise was attractively displayed.

Then, using a list of all residents in the immediate neighborhood, he sent out a weekly bulletin offering interesting specials.

Was this man twice as good as he had thought he was? Just six times as good! It was not long before he had to hire help to take care of his increasing business, and since it was no longer a one-man store, the grocer could now take time to go home for his meals.

HOW ABOUT DOUBLING YOUR INCOME?

Unless you are already in the big money brackets, such a question will arouse your interest. Naturally, most people would be happy to have their incomes doubled. All right, here is the magic formula, in a single sentence:

Assume that the statement You Are Twice as Good as You Think You Are is true, then go about proving it.

"Easier said than done," many doubtful ones will say. And, of course, such an expression is a definite admission of one's lack of confidence in himself and his ability to prove that he is twice as good as he thinks he is. Remembering what we learned in the previous chapter, You Are What You Think You Are, the first thing one must do is to see himself as being at least twice as good as he thinks he is.

A desire to double one's income is not enough. It will get him nowhere. Right here we might find an application of the law of cause and effect. A large income is not a cause, it is an effect. Then, what is the cause? A large income is the result of ideas - ideas put into action.

So, let us talk about ideas!

Ideas are the spark plugs of success. Industries, fortunes, even empires have been built on ideas. Everything you buy is the projection of an idea. None of us will belittle the value of good constructive ideas, but strangely enough, only a few people have any faith in the value of their own ideas.

"If that idea was any good, someone else would have thought of it." You hear this expression all the time, yet in many cases the abandoned idea will form the basis of an outstanding success - by someone else.

Let me give you a few illustrations showing the value of simple ideas, then I'll show you how to make that mind of yours a veritable fountain of ideas.

In an eastern city, a manufacturer of oil burners had advertised for a salesman. There was one young man who wanted that job, and he decided he would not follow the pattern of the herd by merely writing a letter of application. The job available was a good one, and this chap knew there would be an avalanche of applications for it.

Before approaching the company, he did a little investigating, so that he would know something about the field he was attempting to enter.

This young man of ideas called upon several people who were using the burner he hoped to sell. He asked them why they liked it. Then he called upon several people who were using a competitive burner, and asked them why they liked the one they had.

After this brief survey, this fellow put the information he had gathered into the form of a presentation. He next went to the company and sent word to the sales manager, advising him that he believed he could give information which would enable them to increase their sales. Naturally, such a statement is music to the ears of any sales manager, so the visitor was invited in. The sales manager was so delighted with the outline that he sent it to the board of directors with the recommendation that it be given a thorough trial. The aggressiveness of our bright young man, secured him even a better position in the company than the one advertised. That man had an idea - and he made use of it.

In a Midwestern city, another young man wanted a position with one of the better advertising agencies. Merely to write a letter soliciting the position would have little chance of success, because executives receive so many such letters that, as a rule, they give them little attention. The young man found a way of meeting one of the heads of the company he had selected. He approached this official with this unusual statement: "Mr. Osgood, I believe I can prove of value to your fine agency. Will you be good enough to give me a desk and try me out for one week? At the end of that time you can decide if you would like to have me continue." He was given the trial, he made good, he kept climbing and today he is vice-president of the company. He had an idea - and he made use of it.

A man opened a market in a small farming town. The village was so small that if this man had all of the business in it, he could do no more than make a scanty living. Here was the problem facing this merchant. He liked the atmosphere of a small community, yet he would not be happy with a small business. He called upon his creative intelligence for an idea - and he got it.

With his car he drove to all of the other small towns within a range of 50 miles from his store. He obtained the names and addresses of all the residents in each place he visited.

Around his store he arranged a large parking lot, and put in a small playground for children, fully equipped with swings, a wading pool, and other means of amusement. An attendant was employed to look after the safety of the children.

Once each week a post card would be mailed to all of those on his mailing list, offering a weekly special. Guess what happened! A business grossing over $300,000 annually was developed. This man had an idea and made use of it.

Every patent in the United States Patent Office is the result of an idea. From whom did they come? A large percentage of them are the brainchildren of just plain folks - like you and me.

In regard to patents, it is often said that there are so many of them that it is becoming increasingly difficult to conceive new ones. This, of course, is not true. Each new patent issued opens up avenues for countless more patents.

An automobile is made up of thousands of different patents, and each year's new models include many more.

With the creation of radio, an entirely new field of invention and discovery came into being. Television paved the way for countless hundreds of new patents. So, as we face facts we find that instead of opportunities for invention decreasing, they are multiplying rapidly.

Every time anything goes wrong you are confronted with an opportunity for an invention. The first can openers were gadgets which were inserted in the top of a can and pumped up and down, leaving a protruding saw-toothed edge around the top of the can. Many people opening a can would cut a finger - but do nothing about it, except use a bit of bad language.

One man, however, instead of swearing when he cut his finger, asked himself why a can opener could not be invented which would leave a smooth edge. It seemed perfectly possible, so he went ahead and invented such an opener, which not only prevented others from cutting themselves, but built up a tidy fortune for him.

Ideas might be referred to as crystallized thought, or thought which has taken form: a foundation on which to build.

Every place you look you see ideas which have become realities. Every business is built upon an idea. The clothes you wear; the house in which you live; the automobile you drive - all resulted from ideas.

You can struggle all your life without making much progress, when suddenly a single idea can lift you out of obscurity into the limelight of success and happiness.

There is no age limit to those who may develop ideas of value. Many people in their sixties, seventies, and even beyond, have perfected ideas which have enabled them to make more progress in a limited time than they had made throughout all of their previous years.

In my own personal case, my greatest progress in life came after I was fifty. Age is often an advantage. The knowledge one gains throughout life seasons the mind so that one may better evaluate his ideas.

I know that you, reading these lines, have within your mental make-up all that is necessary to enable you to form ideas which will have a definite value to humanity, and which, at the same time, will reap handsome rewards for you.

Following are three steps which will show you how to condition your Creative Mind so that it will bring forth ideas at will; ideas to assist you in any direction in which you may wish to travel; ideas which will help you prove, conclusively, that you are at least twice as good as you thought you were.

Step 1. You have already learned that the way to create an awareness of any truth is by instructing your mental self. The development of ideas is no exception. In order to have a fertile mind capable of creating new and important ideas, you must see yourself with that type of mind. Make positive declarations regarding your idea-producing mind, such as:

"My mind is alert and active, continually bringing into consciousness a flow of constructive ideas of value to humanity."

Whenever you do anything of a creative nature, precede your action with the suggestion just given. Notice how your ideas will flow. If you are writing a letter, a newspaper item, or a book, you'll not be at a loss for words if you follow this routine.

A good conversationalist is one who has the faculty of expressing ideas in an interesting manner. When in conversation with others, you will find greater ease in talking if you will repeat the affirmation to yourself, adding, perhaps, the thought: "and I will find ease in expressing my thoughts and ideas to others."

Step 2. The purpose of this step is to develop within your mind an idea-consciousness. Develop a curious mind. As suggested in my book, I Will!, become happily discontented with things as they are. This state of mind is gratitude for all of your blessings - as they are - but you are always alert for ideas as to how they may be improved. With that curious mind of yours, you will forever be asking yourself the question: "What can I do to improve this, or make it better?"

If you are employed, study the work you are doing. How can you do it better? Faster? Approaching your work with such an attitude will make it far more enjoyable. The time will pass more quickly and pleasantly and, from your constructive thinking, ideas may come into being which will reward you handsomely for your greater interest.

Step 3. An idea becomes something tangible the moment you do something about it. An idea has its greatest intensity at the time of its birth. Preserve it before it begins to fade. Start an idea file. Each time an idea comes into consciousness, write it down, unless you are so situated that you can work on it immediately. Put down everything which comes into mind regarding that idea. The very act of describing the idea in writing prevents it from fading. If the idea can be pictured - and you are adept with a pencil - make a sketch of it. Remember: the more you do in connection with the idea, the bigger it grows.

Review your ideas frequently to keep them alive in your mind. Also, should you gain additional ideas which pertain to those already in your file, bring it up to date by adding the new thoughts.

As I glance back over the material I have been writing, I wonder if I am not too conservative when I say you are twice as good as you think you are. It is easy to prove to your own satisfaction that you are worth many times what you think you are.

A metal stamper in a factory was bored doing the same thing eight hours every day. He didn't think that ideas played any part in his work.

After becoming conscious of the fact that his mind could and would create new ideas, he began, with open eyes, to study his work. In die-cutting small objects from large sheets of metal, large quantities of scrap pieces resulted. Formerly, this scrap was sold at a small price per ton to steel companies to be melted and made into new sheets.

The man who was formerly bored with his work conceived a novel use for the scrap pieces. He passed the idea on to his superior, who made profitable use of it. In a short period of time the man with the idea was promoted to a foreman's job at more than double what he had been receiving.

BE HAPPY!

These two words are among the most potent ones in our language. Gloom creates a mental structure which prevents the flow of constructive thoughts.

Think of the times when you were gloomy and sad. Were you inspired to do big things? Did you conceive any ideas which could add to your prosperity? Did you feel ambitious to blaze new trails? The answer to all of these questions is, of course, no.

Think of the times when you were exuberant, when every fiber of your being was scintillating with joy. Didn't you have the urge to go places and do things? Projects which under normal conditions might appear laborious to perform seemed like nothing at all.

Be happy! If you have problems (and who hasn't?) be happy that with the knowledge you have gained, you can master them instead of being mastered by them.

"How can I be happy with all the worries I have?" we often hear. Since gloom can do nothing except block your road to freedom, doesn't it behoove one to use his ingenuity in finding ways of becoming happy?

Read the newspapers and see how many stories there are about people who would be happy to be in your position. You'll soon be able to understand how well off you are. Then it will not be hard to let the sunshine of happiness show through so that you can begin thinking in terms of things to do to solve your problems instead of permitting them to hold you back.

In the next chapter you will learn something new about money. But make certain you have fully grasped all the valuable thoughts contained in this one. Wouldn't it pay you to read it again before continuing?

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Getting Acquainted With the Real You

In about 400 B.C., when Socrates said to his followers: "Know Thyself," I am sure this great sage was not referring to the physical being. His every utterance was directed to the intellect, i.e., to the mind.

I once read a story in which the author said there were two entities residing within every being: a plus entity and a minus entity. The plus entity saw nothing but good - health, strength, success, happiness, etc. The minus entity saw just the opposite - gloom, poor health, failure, etc. This author felt that we were influenced by only one entity at a time. If we were to allow the plus entity to take over, we would walk erectly with chests out and chins up, a spark in our eyes and a resolute expression of determination on our faces. If the minus entity should be in charge, the reverse would be true. There would be a lag in our steps; with listless eyes and drooping mouths, our faces would reflect abject despair.

I am not so sure that two entities dwell within our beings, but I do know with certainty that our minds run either in a negative or a positive direction.

According to early psychologists, 95 per cent of all people lean toward the negative side in their thinking. This opinion would imply that most people are under the control of their negative selves, and it would also indicate why such a large percentage of people are unhappy and unsuccessful.

The title of this chapter is: "Getting Acquainted with the Real You." If you are one of the 95 per cent who lean toward the negative side, you might not be particularly pleased to meet the real YOU. But, instead of being regretful, you will have cause for rejoicing, because you will have learned why you are as you are, and what you can do to change your situation.

In the previous chapter you were given a simple test to learn whether you are inclined negatively or positively. This is the first - and perhaps the most important - step toward getting acquainted with the real you.

The illustrations which follow are intended for those who are negatively inclined. In fact, this description may apply to most readers of this book, because, after all, a strictly positive-minded person really does not need it.

Let me tell you the story of a man who stayed awake all night - and was glad of it. We will call him Joseph Benson.

Joe had run into a streak of bad luck and found himself without money and with a mass of overdue bills on his desk. Things looked serious for this unhappy man, who was already feeling the effects of loss of sleep.

One night Joe went to bed and, as usual, began thinking about his many creditors and of the threats they had been making regarding his indebtedness.

A tide-turning thought entered Benson's mind.

In one of my earlier books, he had read the same thought which is repeated in this book, to the effect that man is a mind with a body - not a body with a mind.

The statement hadn't meant much to Joe when he first read it, but now it seemed to take on a new significance.

"If I am mind," Benson thought, "I can be anything I want to be. All I have to do is make up my mind what I would like to be - and then be just that."

Throughout the night his mind ran in constructive circles. He thought of himself as he was. He thought of others whom he would like to emulate. He thought of the changes he would have to make within himself to be able to accomplish what he would like to accomplish.

"What is the difference between me and the man I admire - and perhaps even envy?" he asked himself.

"I do not like to refer to myself as being spineless," he thought, "but I might as well face it and admit it to be the truth.

"I shrink when asking others to grant me any request which might relieve my condition, because I feel I will be refused, as, invariably I am.

"The go-getter has forcefulness. He tells others what kind of deal he would like to make - one which will be of benefit to both. They listen to him and, in most cases, do as he wants them to do.

"My actions are guided by my mind. The other man's actions are guided by his mind. Why can't I change my mind to coincide with his?"

The early morning rays of the sun peeping through the openings in his curtains indicated the dawn of a new day.

Joe Benson arose, and instead of having a bedraggled appearance, he was alive and alert, with an expression quite similar to that of the miner who has just struck pay-dirt.

Mrs. Benson, upon seeing her changed husband, was actually timid about asking Joe what had happened. She didn't have to, though, because at breakfast, she got the enthusiastic story of how a sleepless night would change the future for them both.

Joe stayed home that day - and with good reason.

With pencil and paper, he charted his problem according to the Mental Yardstick described in one of my former books. He decided what his objective would be; in his case it was a means of liquidating his indebtedness and establishing an income on which he could maintain a reasonably high standard of living. He next listed every obstacle which stood between him and his objective; then he outlined a plan of action which would enable him to hurdle the obstacles and attain his objective.

Before retiring that evening, he meditated on his new plan at great length, and determined to arise early in the morning to put it into action.

Without understanding the principles revealed in this book, Joe Benson was literally "Growing Rich While He Slept." He had retired with his plan well in mind, and while his conscious mind was asleep, his Creative Mind had worked diligently on Joe's constructive plan of action.

It would take many, many pages to tell the complete story of Joe Benson and what happened to him as a result of his sleepless night, but suffice it to say that he and his wife are now living in a large mansion, with an income ample to take care of it.

Do you understand why this was possible? The change took place when Benson learned the truth that he was a Mind with a Body and that he could - through a mere change of his mind - become whatever he wanted to be.

ONE WORKS HARDER AT BEING A FAILURE THAN AT BEING A SUCCESS

Permit me to ask a question!

Did the change of Joe Benson's mental attitude require hard work and drudgery? Just the reverse! He approached his problems with firmness and determination. Those to whom he talked about his predicament were impressed by his spirit and wanted to assist this man because he seemed worthwhile. Before the change he would feebly approach a man with shaky hand and whining voice. Invariably, he would be turned down because he created the impression that he would be unable to keep any promises he might make.

Was it hard work to turn the tide? To the contrary. In former days, Joe would arrive home discouraged because he knew he would have to spend much time in battling with creditors.

With his new entity taking over, he would arrive home joyous, viewing life as he had never seen it before. And, instead of having mounting debts, he saw his savings and investments growing.

Another question comes to mind. Did Joe do anything you can't do? No! Just as he changed his mind and began seeing himself as he wanted to be, so you can do exactly the same, and the change which will take place in your life will be just as spectacular as the change which took place in the life of Joe Benson.

I would not be truthful with you if I said that to change your consciousness as Joe Benson did is as easy as to change your mind and go to a movie instead of staying at home. No, a different mental process is required.

Perhaps this illustration will help you to understand more clearly. Have you ever seen someone do a trick of magic which seemed so baffling you couldn't possibly imagine how it was done? Then the trick was exposed to you; you were told just exactly how it was performed.

At first you thought to yourself: "Oh, I can't do that!" But then you studied the explanation given to you, and you exclaimed: "Now I get it!" When it dawned upon you just how simple the trick really was, you knew that with a little practice you could do it, too.

So many people feel they are destined to go through life doing without and making sacrifices, it seems a miracle to them that their salvation is so near at hand and that it is simple to get what they want in life. When these people read a book like this, they may hope for the better things in life, and wish they could have them, but they do not permit the thought to seep into their consciousness that abundance is within easy reach.

Here is another illustration which shows how a change in mental attitude took a man out of the doldrums and placed him on the road to Health, Wealth and Happiness.

Fred White was an average fellow. He made enough to get by on, but he was certainly not a man who could be classified as a success.

The head of the company for which Fred worked gave a lawn party for all his employees, including Fred. Before the party ended, all the guests were invited on a tour through his impressive home.

White didn't even wish for such an estate; it seemed so far beyond his possibilities of attainment. But, that night Fred did a lot of thinking. He recalled how the large living room had been designed so that the picture window looked out upon a huge pool, giving the effect of a lakeside villa.

He remembered the priceless paintings adorning the large walls - mostly landscapes and portraits of his employer's ancestors.

Fred was quite unhappy as he wondered why some people could have everything, while others go through life with just the barest of necessities.

Suddenly, a great truth dawned upon him.

"Why am I so unhappy?" he reasoned. "Right now I can enjoy practically everything my boss has. Within an hour I can drive to the lake where I can spend minutes, hours, or even a whole day, enjoying a lake view far more picturesque than my boss sees from his living-room window.

"I can drive out in the country or up in the hills and see far more beauty than is found on the canvasses in his home.

"My home may not be so elaborate, but I enjoy tasty, nutritious meals, and sleep in a comfortable bed."

As Fred White made comparisons between his situation and that of the man he had been envying, he began to understand that he was not too badly off, and found a sense of peace stealing over him.

But Fred didn't allow himself to become complacent. He began developing what I refer to in my book, I Will, as happy discontent. He was happy with the blessings he had, but discontent to remain happy with them since he felt he could, and had the right to, add to his possessions.

Envy is a restraining force. To envy indicates a lack of confidence in one's ability to acquire what he envies; hence, it prevents the development of initiative to obtain what is envied.

Fred White's realization that, even without riches, he could enjoy the same blessings which the wealthy enjoyed gave him a great sense of peace. He no longer envied his employer, but found that he was growing mentally and could begin thinking in terms of self-improvement.

As White took on stature as a man of affairs, his employer paid more attention to him and began lifting him up higher and higher in his company.

Need I carry this story further? Only to the extent of telling you that today Fred White is vice-president of the company and is now living in a very fine home himself.

THE REAL YOU!

I said earlier that 95 per cent of all people leaned toward the negative side, and that this figure probably included you. I believe, however, that even with negative people, there is more inborn positiveness than there is a negativity. The individual allows his positive self to become obscured by negative thoughts. He is like a house of wood which has been painted. In volume, there is thousands of times more wood than there is paint, yet the paint completely covers the wood.

If you were to take a white sheet of paper one foot square and place on it a small black spot only 1/16th of an inch square, although the paper is 36,864 times as large as the small black square, your eye would dwell on the spot more than it would on the large area.

No matter how negative you might have thought you were, I definitely believe you are far more positive than you are negative. But, if you are not enjoying out of life all that you hope for, it is not that Fate has anything against you. It is because you are allowing the negative side of you to take over.

You are allowing a negative veneer with which you have surrounded yourself throughout the years to influence your thinking, your acting, your achieving.

Train yourself to be positive. Every time you find yourself holding a negative thought, chase it out with a positive one. You may not see results immediately, but they will be forthcoming. If you plant a seed in the ground, it will be several days before anything shows above the surface. But, if the seed is a fertile one, and you cultivate and water it, you know it will, in time, produce a plant. When you first begin holding positive thoughts, you may not see anything happening at once, but with persistence, you will soon find your positive "entity" taking over and life will present an entirely new meaning to you.

"How can I be positive when everyone around me is negative?" you may ask. This raises a question I might ask. If you were at the railroad station and had the choice of two tickets, one, which would take you to a barren wasteland, and the other to a delightful land of fruits and flowers and enjoyment, which ticket would you select? The answer is obvious.

You have the choice of being either negative or positive. The former guides you to gloom, poor health and failure; the latter to Health, Wealth and Happiness. Which one do you choose?

With the percentage of negative people far exceeding that of positive people, it is logical to assume that all of us are surrounded with more negative people than we are with positive.

If those around you are negative, instead of aping them and making yourself miserable, guard your own happiness by refusing to follow in their footsteps.

You may, if you determine to do so, change some of the negative people into positive ones. Here is the case of a positive-minded wife who, through well-thought-out strategy, changed a negative husband into an enthusiastic positive-thinking mate.

"That mind-over-matter bunk will send you to the booby-hatch," he constantly told his wife. Whenever something happened of a disappointing nature, and the wife would make some such statement as: "Oh, everything is for the best," she would be told that she was "off her rocker."

This wife could have resigned herself to a life of mediocrity, but she refused to do so. She knew the laws of positive thinking, and she also knew how her husband was holding himself back by his negative thinking.

An idea occurred to her. One evening while her husband was sitting around, doing nothing in particular, his wife busied herself by reading one of the many books on mental self-improvement.

"I can't make head or tail out of this. Will you, with that good mind of yours, read part of this chapter and see if you can make out what the author is trying to say?" she said, as she handed the open book to her husband.

Flattered by her inference regarding his good mind, he accepted the challenge. He read the chapter, not intending to agree with the author but to find loopholes whereby he could prove to his wife that all mind-over-matter theories were a lot of nonsense.

But as he read on and on, the material he was reading began to make sense to him - it all added up. He slowly accepted the idea that negative thoughts produce negative reactions and that positive thoughts produce positive reactions.

This husband began thinking about his job. He realized that he had never done a lick of work over and above what was expected of him, and that what he did was just good enough to get by.

The next morning this man went to his job with a new attitude. He decided to do his work a bit better than he had ever done it before. Instead of sneaking every minute he could to swap stories with fellow workers, he kept happily on the job in an attempt to attain maximum perfection. In his eagerness to excel, he even made a discovery: he learned a short cut which would enable him to turn out more, and better, work. The discovery could even be used by others in the plant, making their efforts more efficient.

What happened? Must I really tell you? I'm sure you're ahead of me. You know that the man gained recognition by his company and was properly compensated for what he did. Now if you try to talk against "mind over matter" to this changed man, he will put up as strong an argument in favor of it as I could put in this book.

"When one is not up on a thing, he is often down on it," said a great philosopher, and how right he was.

"The Power of Positive Thinking" (borrowing the title of Norman Vincent Peale's great book) has been so well established that it cannot be denied by any thinking individual. It is no longer a theory but a fact. And, best of all, it is a fact very easy to prove.

There are still those who will take exception. They will proclaim: "I tried it and it doesn't work." In questioning these doubtful ones, you will invariably find that they did not try positive thinking at all. They merely wished for success and happiness, and then because they did not get their wish, they decided that mind has no influence over matter at all.

Permit me to bring this chapter to a close by making the surprising statement that every day everyone is making use of the principle of mind over matter, whether they are benefiting from it or not.

The one who keeps himself miserable through failure, poor health and gloom is definitely being influenced by mind over matter. He does not wish for these conditions, but he sees himself as having them; he believes he is doomed to possess them.

Now then, if this same person could visualize - just as strongly - Health, Wealth and Happiness, not wish for them but see himself possessing them, don't you agree with me that soon he would be blessed with Health, Wealth and Happiness?

Doesn't this chapter inspire you to look at life now with a sort of Alice-in-Wonderland delight? Isn't your vision beginning to pierce through the fog of uncertainty and doubt, and can't you get a glimpse of the new life that will be yours?

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Man is Mind

When a man says to a young lady: “You are a very sweet girl," what does he mean? Does he mean that her physical being is like the childhood rhyme: "Sugar and spice, and everything nice"? Does he mean that her features portray sweetness? Is it her smile and expression which prompt the statement that she is sweet? The answer to all of these questions is - No.

Not many people realize it, but it is the mind which reflects sweetness, or its opposite.

A sweet individual is one whose mind causes him to be generous, understanding, sympathetic, friendly, and helpful.

When we think of someone as having a magnetic personality, it is natural to associate that personality with his visible, physical being; but this, of course, is not correct.

There are beautiful girls with personalities so bad they are actually repulsive. There are girls with plain features, but whose personalities are so magnetic they appear as sweet and charming.

What is the difference between these girls? It is a matter of mind. The latter think in terms of giving, but the former think only in terms of receiving.

There are two men very much alike from a physical standpoint. One man is a good businessman. He makes money and saves money. The other one just gets by. He earns a small income and spends every cent of it.

What is the difference between the two men? It is a matter of mind. One man thinks in terms of good business and sound investments. The other man thinks in terms of earning merely for the pleasure of spending.

These illustrations could be carried on for many, many pages. The only difference between a writer and the one who does not write is a matter of mind. One man knows he can write; the other one is sure he cannot.

There is no important physical difference between the success and the failure. Again it is a matter of mind. One man sees himself as a failure; the other man knows he is a success.

As we make these comparisons we must conclude that the all-important part of a human being is his mind. His mind makes him what he is - whether that be good or bad.

Whenever one uses the personal pronoun "I" he is not referring to his physical being at all. He means his mental self. If he says: "I'm happy," there is nothing about his being, as such, which can be happy. Of course, there is a physical response to the emotional fact of his happiness. His lips will indicate a smile; the body may even ripple with laughter, but without happiness and joy being in the mind, none of this will happen.

If I should say: "You are a fine person," I am not referring to that which I see. There is nothing about your skin, flesh, and bones which can be fine or otherwise. It is your mind I refer to.

Doesn't all of this discussion give emphatic evidence to the statement heading this chapter: "Man is Mind"?

"You are what you think you are" is a statement you will find in practically every book I have written, and you'll see it again in books I will write in the future.

Do you fully comprehend the significance of this simple expression?

It does not mean that you are you because you are tall or short, dark or light, fat or lean. It means that the you which people like or dislike is a reflection of your mind.

You don't have to be unhappy, you need not always be ailing and complaining, you can be successful. In other words, within the realm of that great mind of yours is the power and intelligence to guide your life in any direction you may choose.

For a moment, think of some of the monumental achievements of man. A streamlined train of many cars will travel at sixty or more miles per hour, yet it is controlled by a single man - the engineer - and we may go on to say that all of this is controlled by the mind of this single man.

The largest ships afloat are guided by a single man. Of course, he has his helpers, but there must be a master mind.

The giant airliners, carrying over a hundred passengers plus baggage and mail, are flown by a single man.

In the beginning, these trains, ships and planes were first conceived in the mind of man. They had to be created before they could be navigated.

Now then, suppose I should tell you that you have - within your mental self - a gigantic reservoir of power, most of which is unused. And suppose I tell you also that just as the pilot drives his plane, the captain steers his ship, the engineer speeds his train, you - your conscious mind - can steer your Creative Mind so that it will guide you in any direction you select to Health, Wealth and Happiness.

MAN IS A MIND WITH A BODY

One of my countless blessings is a curious mind. I must have been born under the sign of a question mark. The adverbs How? Why? When? and Where? are the most overworked words in my vocabulary.

When I first learned to drive an automobile (before the days of the automatic gearshift), I was not content to be told how I should move the shift lever to change gears. I insisted upon having the lid of the gearbox removed so that I could see what happened when the lever was moved.

I have always been like that. Why does it work? How does it work? are just a couple of the questions always on the tip of my tongue.

Several years ago, while having dinner with a friend of mine, we began discussing a provocative subject: the mysteries of man. We talked about the power of mind and how it directed every cell in the body; that to take away mind would leave a decaying mass of flesh and bones. It was then that a great truth dawned upon me. Up to that time I had looked at man as a body with a mind. But he isn't. Man is a mind with a body.

It is important to understand this truth, and as simple as it sounds, one must think about it quite awhile before he does understand it.

In reality, that body of yours is merely a utility for your mind - which is you.

Your legs provide you with locomotion. Your arms do the many jobs directed by your mind. The food you eat furnishes fuel for your "engine." Your mouth performs a dual function. It acts as a "hopper" for your food intake, and as a mouthpiece for your vocal communication system. Your eyes are for guidance and your ears are receivers for your communication system.

Your physical being functions in a dual manner: 1, to keep itself alive and functioning and 2, to carry out and execute the dictates of the mind.

CREATURES OF HABIT

This is a guess on my part, but I would say that at least 95 per cent of everything we do is guided by habit rather than intellect.

When you awaken in the morning, do you dress consciously or subconsciously? The latter, of course. As you shave your face, you do not think about the manner in which you hold the razor; you do not think about it at all. Your mind may be on your business. As you eat your breakfast, you do not think about the way you use your knife and fork. You eat without thought of the mechanics of eating.

If you are a typist, you do not consciously pick out the keys.

You keep your mind on the material you are putting on paper; your Creative Mind guides your fingers.

A good automobile driver does not drive consciously. The use of the steering wheel, brakes, accelerator and horn is all prompted by the Creative Mind.

When learning something new, we are slow because we must think as we act. When the Creative Mind takes over, we become faster and far more accurate in that which we are doing. In other words, we become good after the act becomes a habit.

Now then, is it too premature to say that if you are not happy with your life as it is, all you have to do is to begin forming habit patterns which conform to the life to which you aspire? No, it is not, but only if you understand what you have already read.

We have been talking about habit. Let's continue on this subject for a while, then you'll be given a routine to follow in developing habits to promote Health, Wealth and Happiness.

Habits are not formed instantaneously. Do you recall the old adage: Habit is a cable, we weave a thread each day, and at last we cannot break it? This is true, only if we permit it to be true. Habits can be broken, if we set out, intentionally, to do so.

If your body is below par physically, a physical culturist can show you, in a very short time, how you should exercise in order to build it up. But merely showing you how is not enough. You must follow his instructions for a period of time before a noticeable change takes place.

If you are not successful, if you are not happy, if you are always ailing and complaining, it is because you are being guided by the type of habit which makes these conditions a reality. You think of yourself as a failure, perhaps one not entitled to success. You believe it is your lot to be unhappy. The natural consequences of a mind of failure and gloom is a body reeking with aches and pains, which gives you more reason for your self-pity.

A friend of mine - a very successful man - told me a story which has a direct bearing on what I have been telling you.

"A casual remark about me, which I should not have heard, changed my entire life," this friend remarked.

"I had always been a ne'er-do-well, just getting by," he continued, "but I always bragged about the big things I was going to do.

"One day I chanced to overhear a remark made by a man I thought to be a friend. He said to another, 'Joe is a nice enough fellow, but he is an idle dreamer, always going to do something, but never doing anything.'

"It was that thought of being an idle dreamer which stiffened my spine. I decided then and there I'd prove I was not an idle dreamer."

This man changed his thought pattern. The "idle dreamer" thought kept egging him on until he created a new picture of himself. He began to see himself as a doer instead of a mere "going to" talker. In time - not much - his new mental picture was complete and he became an outstanding success.

TEST YOURSELF FOR NEGATIVITY

The negative person seldom thinks of himself as being negative. He most likely will put up an argument if you even subtly suggest he is negative.

I will give you a very simple test which will tell you, in no uncertain terms, whether your mind leans toward the negative or positive side.

Below are 25 ordinary words. Read these words slowly, noting carefully what mental association goes with each. The association will be either negative or positive. If you find you are negative on most of them - be happy. I say: Be Happy, because a great change is about to take place in your life which will give you Health, Wealth and Happiness.

Love

Crag

Money

Automobile

Food

Sex

Dark

Book

Rest

Law

Water

Letter

Garden

Maid

Boss

Home

Guests

Health

Animal

Father

Clothing

Music

Children

Write

Tests

Many of these words seem negative and others positive; but below you will find that each can be either negative or positive.

Love. The association flashing in the mind of a negative person might be: No one loves me. On the other hand, a mental picture of a loved one might appear in the mind of the positive one.

Crag. The negative one could easily picture dangerous crags on which his clothing could become torn, or he could be hurt in falling against one of them. Crags add beauty to the hillside in the mind of the positive thinker.

Money. Negative: debts, lack of it, etc. Positive: Comfort, security, generosity.

Automobile. Negative: Lack of one, or condition of present car. Positive: Enjoyable trips; fun for the family.

Food. Negative: Poor meals, indigestion. Positive: Pleasant repast with relatives and friends.

Sex. Negative: Resentment if not happy with mate, or if unpopular with opposite sex. Positive: Reverse of negative.

Dark. Negative: Loneliness. Positive: Rest, relaxation.

Book. Negative: Study, boredom. Positive: Enlightenment, pleasant pastime.

Rest. Negative: Works too hard; no time for rest. Positive: Recuperation, recreation.

Law. Negative: Traffic tickets. Positive: Order, protection.

Water. Negative: Drowning, rain. Positive: Swimming, boating, cleanliness.

Letter. Negative: Bad news. Positive: Good news.

Garden. Negative: Work, expense. Positive: Beauty.

Maid. Negative: Cannot afford one. Positive: Makes the wife's home work more enjoyable.

Boss. Negative: Slave driver. Positive: Promotion, income.

Home. Negative: Fighting, nagging. Positive: Companionship with family.

Guests. Negative: Extra work and expense. Positive: Good fellowship.

Health. Negative: Awareness of aches and pains. Positive: A condition worth striving for.

Animal. A nuisance, expense. Positive: Loyalty, devotion, companionship.

Father. Negative: Strict, never gave one any breaks. Positive: Devotion.

Clothing. Scanty wardrobe, cheap clothing. Positive: Reverse.

Music. Negative: Noise, annoyance. Positive: Peace, inspiration.

Children. Negative: Pests, expense. Positive: Fulfillment.

Write. Negative: Inability to write which causes one to dread writing. Positive: Helps one to develop ideas.

Tests. Negative: Lack of faith in one's ability to pass tests. Positive: Gives one an opportunity to try his skill.

Your reaction to these words may be entirely different from the illustrations given; but from these illustrations you will be able to determine whether or not your first impressions were negative or positive.

Psychological studies have shown that 95 per cent of all people lean toward the negative side. This figure coincides with the study which revealed that not more than 5 per cent of all people are successful. If you are among the 95 per cent of negative people, undoubtedly your flash reactions to the words were heavily on the negative side. If you find this to be true, as I said earlier: Be Happy.

"A fault discovered is half overcome" is a truism often heard. If you are largely negative in your thinking, it is reasonably certain that you are not enjoying as much success as you might like; that you are not as happy as you should be.

Think then, with rejoicing, that your day of emancipation is at hand. No longer will you be held in the bondage of lack, uncertainty and gloom. You can literally tilt your head heavenward, throw out your arms, and with unbounded enthusiasm proclaim: I am free!

MAKE A GAME OF POSITIVE THINKING

Copy the list of words on a piece of paper. When you have guests you can suggest that they test themselves to see how negative they may be. Discuss the mind and how it can lead us to success or failure. Remember! The more conscious you become of the power of thought, the more cautious you will be as to the type of thoughts you allow to linger in your mind.

Here is another helpful game. Take each letter of the alphabet and see how many positive words you can think of for each letter. Among the positive words you could select for A, are Adorable, Admire, Agreeable, Alacrity, Alert, Ambitious, Amiable, etc. For B you might think of such words as Beautiful, Becoming, Beloved, Benediction, Benefit, Bounty, etc. Proceed through the alphabet, thinking of as many positive words as you can.

A good way to use this positive alphabet is to obtain a small card file, about the size of the usual cooking recipe file. Get a set of index cards and a quantity of blank 3" x 5" cards, obtainable from most stationery stores. Take a card for each positive word and file it after the correct letter. Soon you'll have well over 100 name cards in your file.

Every time you learn something, or read something, about any one of the positive words, take that card from your file and add the information you obtained.

It is not likely that you will refer to this file often, but the very act of keeping it, makes you more positive-thought conscious.

I CAN! I WILL! I AM!

In one of my earlier books I gave a formula which has been used with great success by, perhaps, hundreds of thousands of success-seeking men and women.

This formula is an extremely simple - and effective - way of re-educating your Creative Mind, making it natural for you to think positively, constructively.

For a full week, say to yourself as often as you think of it: I CAN be a Success! Say it before retiring at night; when you first awaken in the morning; several times during the day.

This fixes in your mind the fact that you CAN be a success. You will agree that unless you know you can .succeed, there is little use in trying. So burn this truth into your mind, even if, at first, you do not believe it. After a short period of time you will begin rejoicing in the thought that success can be yours.

But, knowing you CAN be a success is not enough. We all know lots of things we can do, but unless we do something about them, the positive knowledge is of little benefit to us. This brings us to the second phase of this formula: For another full week (you can take longer if you wish), every time you think of it, repeat to yourself: I WILL be a Success. Do this many times from early morning until the time you retire at night.

A great change will begin taking place within that mental reservoir of power of yours. You will experience a pleasant uneasiness. You'll want to test your new powers. If, for example, you have yearned for a business of your own, you'll begin preparing yourself for one. If you have no money at all, it doesn't matter. Your Creative Mind will guide you to ways and means of obtaining it.

But you're not yet through with your mental exercises. For at least another week, begin telling yourself: I AM a Success. Do this many times from early morning until you retire at night.

This statement may seem to be a bit premature, but it isn't. If you have money in the bank, but none in your pocket, you know that, without effort, you can write a check and obtain money.

If you have a success consciousness and know that you CAN be a success, and that you WILL be a success, you have a fulfillment of your desire.

All statements given in this chapter are facts which have been proved, which are being proved, and which will be proved again and again.

They may seem too good to be true, but do not rest upon that thought. These principles are lifting others out of mediocrity to leadership. If they do not do so for you, it is because you are not giving them an opportunity to do so.

Before proceeding to the next chapter, pause a while and reflect over this one. If it has not excited you, if it has not caused you to overflow with enthusiasm, you have missed a point or two and should reread part, or all of it.

Although I have been using these principles for several years, just telling about them gets me excited all over again. I want all of you to get out of life what these truths are doing for me.

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Your Real Seat of Intelligence

The story of Aladdin and his miraculous lamp and ring was undoubtedly written by one giving vent to his own desires to have wishes come true.

Most people indulge in wishful thinking, particularly those who feel that they are not getting out of life all that they should.

Many who have numerous troubles to worry about will think how nice it would be if they could go to sleep and awaken to find all of their problems solved. Would it seem ludicrous to say that this is well within the realm of possibility? As a matter of fact you possess the means of making all reasonable wishes come true.

If you are heavily in debt, this power within you can guide you to freedom from financial obligations. If you are not happy in the home you are occupying, this influence can let you out of it and into the "home of your dreams."

The size of the fortune you build is dependent solely upon the amount of the personal power you exert. It is just like your automobile: the more pressure you apply to the accelerator the faster you will go.

Whether your idea of riches is $50,000, $100,000 or a million or more, you have the mental power to bring it about. If you doubt this statement, ask yourself the question: "How did the millionaires acquire their money? Did Dame Fortune hand it to them? Was it their destiny to acquire plutocratic magnificence?" No - definitely no. These tycoons have been using their inner power, whether they knew it or not. They possess nothing you do not possess except, perhaps, the awareness that they can do things of great magnitude.

"But they have a better education than I have," you might declare in defense.

Tommyrot!

In New York lives a man with practically no education. At one time he was a harness maker at a very small wage. Today he owns two skyscrapers as well as a few fashionable apartment houses. He was just getting by when he awakened to the fact that he had a reservoir of power capable of guiding him to great heights.

A motto I wrote many years ago fits this and other similar cases perfectly. Think about it!

"A man may plod along for years without showing any signs of accomplishment... when sometime ... unexpectedly ... a powerful thought will seep into his consciousness - and a leader is born."

Education is desirable, very much so. One should obtain all the knowledge he can get and should see to it that his children are well educated. But, just because an individual did not have the opportunity of gaining an education is no reason for him to abandon any hopes of making an outstanding success of his life.

In a large sales organization in New York, one of the top-notch salesmen is a man whose education is nil. His conversation includes atrocious words such as "dese, dose, dem, ain't," etc. He does not sell to illiterate people, but calls on the heads of large companies.

As I will explain later in this chapter, this uneducated salesman is using the forces contained in his creative mind.

A businessman in an eastern metropolis was about to fail. Through a series of adverse conditions he had reached a point where his liabilities exceeded his assets by nearly $50,000.

Creditors were threatening suit; two of them had actually started litigation. Things looked so black for this man it seemed inevitable that his doors would soon be closed.

He was so discouraged that he dreaded coming to his office each morning, because he knew he would have to face a renewed barrage of telephone calls from creditors asking him for money and telling him what would happen if they did not get it.

One day while reading his newspaper on the train, he saw the story of a man who had taken over a nearly bankrupt business and had turned it into an outstanding success.

A series of provocative thoughts entered the mind of our troubled businessman.

"If that fellow could turn a near bankrupt business into a success, why can't I take my own near bankrupt business and do the same?" our friend asked himself.

Without realizing it, he had sparked his creative mind into action. He began thinking in terms of I CAN and I WILL. Did he now hesitate to go to his office? NO! The next morning he hastened into the city and the moment he entered his office door he asked his bookkeeper to give him a full list of all his creditors.

One by one he phoned these people. "Give me just a bit more time and you'll be paid in full - and with interest," he said with new-found enthusiasm.

"Did you land a big contract?" one of the largest creditors asked.

"No, but I have gained something far more important," replied the debtor. "I have acquired a new spirit which will put me over."

"I believe you have. I can hear it in your voice. Yes, we will be happy to cooperate with you," said the creditor with a note of real friendliness.

His voice, expressing sincere elation, drew a favorable response from every creditor who had formerly been threatening to sue him.

With his mind at peace, he concentrated his efforts on getting business; and with his newly found spirit, he had no difficulty in securing many worth-while contracts. It was not long before the books of this company showed no red ink, but important sums of earned profits.

In this case, nothing unusual happened. Business conditions were the same. The only change was in the mind of the man who had formerly felt his business was rapidly going on the rocks.

The SUBCONSCIOUS MIND vs. the CREATIVE MIND

In the early 1800's, when students of human behavior first began to realize that the mind was dual in its operation, the mind below the level of consciousness was named the subconscious mind. It was felt that the conscious mind, with its ability to think, scheme, plan and reason, would naturally be the master mind and that the other one would be subservient to it. This is far from being the truth.

As you are about to learn, the subconscious mind is the real seat of intelligence and power. No one ever has had or will have as much intelligence, consciously, as all of us have subconsciously.

The prefix "sub" means under, below, beneath, lower. For example: a post office substation is never as important as the main office. Why then, since the subconscious mind is the seat of intelligence and power, call it the subconscious mind?

Our thoughts and actions are continually being guided by the subconscious mind, whether or not we are led to success and happiness, or failure and despair.

As soon as we develop a success consciousness, the subconscious mind will direct us - in thought and action - to success and happiness. This being true, don't you believe with me that the name Creative Mind would be more fitting? I'm sure you do, so from this page onward every time I mention the Creative Mind, I mean that which we formerly referred to as the subconscious mind.

OUR MENTAL POWERHOUSE

The following is a very simple description of the Creative Mind and its relationship to the conscious mind. It is the same illustration I gave on the radio in New York in 1930, which the late Alfred Adler thought was the best description of the subconscious mind he had ever heard.

We will use a large manufacturing plant as an illustration. A big corporation, you know, has a president and a general manager. Of course it has many intermediate officers: vice-presidents, secretaries, treasurer, etc. For the sake of simplicity, we will think only of the president and the general manager.

Let us assume that the corporation in this illustration is an automobile plant.

The president does the planning; the general manager executes the plans.

When a new-model car is being contemplated, the president will make the decision as to all changes to be made. These changes will be given to the general manager. Designers and draftsmen are instructed to put the plans on paper; models are made; the plant is tooled up to create the new designs and on and on it goes until finally a car rolls off the line bearing all of the changes originally planned by the president.

This gives an ideal example of the relationship between the conscious and the creative mind.

The conscious mind is the president; the Creative Mind is the general manager.

The conscious mind does the thinking, planning, evaluating. The Creative Mind carries out the orders.

Let us assume, by way of illustration, that an individual was just getting by. He managed to keep food on the table and to pay his rent; but there never was any money left over for nice clothes, recreation, etc.

Suddenly a powerful thought entered his mind. He began to see himself as a success. He began to think in terms of "I AM a Success." All right, what happens?

His general manager - his Creative Mind - accepts the thought "I AM a Success" as an instruction. It is a new model ordered by the president - the conscious mind.

Now then, just as the general manager in the factory would give instructions to his many department heads, so, too, will your general manager - Creative Mind - begin sending out messages to his assistants throughout your body.

Your general manager knows that to be a success you must look like one. He will make you more alert; he will put a spring in your step; he will put a look of determination in your eye; he will put an expression in your voice which rings of success.

But, most important of all, your general manager will direct your thinking so that you will be guided to do the things which will make you a success.

Several years ago a man came to me hoping I could help him to find a job. He was in quite a predicament. His rent was overdue. His telephone had been disconnected. His grocer was about to shut off his credit.

I asked this man to repeat to himself frequently for the next 24 hours, particularly before retiring, "I AM a Success." This seemed incongruous to him, but I made him promise he would do it.

The next morning he awoke and had such an urge to go out and prove he was a success that he bolted down his breakfast to save every possible minute.

Leaving his house, instead of lagging along with the feeling that it would be another hopeless day, he marched with his chin up and chest out, with a mental attitude which told him he was facing a world of opportunities and that he could literally select the one best fitted to him.

Passing a department store, this revitalized man saw a small card in one of the windows which read: "Salesman Wanted, Hardware Department." He stared at the card a moment, then with determination walked into the store. In the personnel department he faced the man authorized to hire employees.

"I've had no experience selling hardware, sir, but I love tools and I believe I could fill the job advertised in your window."

The courageous and confident manner in which this applicant approached the personnel manager made an immediate good impression. Only a few preliminary questions were asked.

"I'd like to give you a chance to show what you can do. Can you start tomorrow morning?" said the man behind the desk.

This was several years ago. The man is now manager of his department and is making a good salary. He has purchased a comfortable home, drives a new car and is a very good provider for his wife and child.

The average ne'er-do-well feels that the road to success is long and tortuous. Is this true? The case just described proves it is not true. The tide turned for this man in just 24 hours.

After the pattern of success was implanted in the Creative Mind of this man, he, guided by the Creative Mind, became a success.

Isn't this a revelation to you? Isn't it hard to believe that you have been going through life wishing for things without realizing that through the use of your Creative Mind you do not have to wish, that you literally have it within your power to make your dreams come true?

Obtaining financial success is by no means the only use for your Creative Mind, as the following story shows.

A lonely "old maid" bemoaned the fact that she was not attractive to the opposite sex and that she was destined to a life of loneliness.

She was told to hold a thought, such as: "I am attractive to men. I will meet the man whom I can make happy and who, in turn, will make me happy."

What do you think happened? Within a few weeks she met a fine man and just four months later they were married. The last I heard they were divinely happy.

Stories of this kind might lead one to believe that I am indulging in some form of legerdemain, but I'm not. It is merely another evidence of what the Creative Mind can do for you when you will it to do so. This woman had not been friendly enough, and was selfish to the extent of not thinking of anyone but herself.

The Creative Mind, which you know has reasoning faculties independent of the conscious mind, guided this woman to become more friendly and unselfish. It is not hard to sense a friendly attitude, and men like the company of friendly women. So there you have it. She met a man who quickly became attracted to her. As they spent time together, her generosity toward him made him think in terms of a life together. So, they were married, and, I feel sure, will live happily ever after.

For about 15 years of my life I was a radio personality. In San Francisco I maintained a 30-minute daily broadcast for over ten years.

Ordinarily an audience would tire of hearing a half-hour talk seven days a week by the same man. This was not true in my case. "You seem to be getting better and better," letters by the score would declare.

I'm not trying to present myself as some sort of miracle man, because I am not. I did not do a thing you could not do. My secret, which enabled me to pull in up to 70 per cent of all the mail reaching the station, was that I made full use of my Creative Mind.

Script for a 30-minute program would require at least 14 pages of double-spaced typewriting. I used only a single page of the briefest kind of notes. In other words practically all of the talk was ad-libbed; a steady uninterrupted flow of words had to be forthcoming.

Every day, before going on the air, I would repeat to myself: 'This broadcast will be the best one I have ever given." And it would work just that way.

Immediately after greeting my listeners the thoughts would begin to flow and would continue until the clock said it was time to say good-bye.

My publishers comment on how few corrections have to be made in my manuscripts. Authors often have to rewrite entire portions - and sometimes all - of their books before printing. In my last book, I Will, not a single page was rewritten.

Am I bragging? No! Because I am no better than you are. I am merely making use of a force we all have. I am using the Creative Mind which is always standing by ready to guide me.

Before sitting down to the typewriter I talk to my Creative Mind. I usually say something, such as: "I am being guided in the thoughts which will make this book a helpful one to all who read it." And, just as though an inner voice were dictating to me, the thoughts flow and flow.

Please do not read these lines and say: "That sounds great. I'm going to try it sometime."

That word "going" is a bad word. It is indefinite. You can say you are going to do something, and if you do not do it for ten years you are still telling the truth. Instead of going to do something - do it!

You will never know the potency of your Creative Mind until you make use of it. Give it a chance to prove itself to you. Right this very instant it is waiting for your command.

Do not approach your Creative Mind negatively. Do not say to yourself: "I will try it to see if it works for me." The word "try" indicates a doubt. We do not try to do things we know we can do - we do them. To "see if it works for me" also expresses a doubt.

Think of something good you would like to have happen. As an example, suppose you had to make an important decision tomorrow. At the moment you are in a quandary; you do not know which course to take. All right! Right now begin holding a thought, such as: "Regarding the decision I must make, I will be guided to take the steps which will be best for all parties concerned." Repeat this several times, and especially before retiring. Know that by the time you must reach your decision, the plan to follow will be clear to you. You will be amazed to find how logical your thinking is and you will instinctively know that your opinion is sound.

But, do not stop there. Give your Creative Mind another task. You cannot overdo it. Like your automobile which is always ready to serve you, your Creative Mind merely awaits instruction.

Remember this! Your Creative Mind is never idle. It is always working either for or against you. Therefore, isn't it proper that you should keep it working for you?

HOW ABOUT HEALTH?

There is intelligence in every cell of your body, and this intelligence is an important part of your Creative Mind.

Without further comment on my part, doesn't this statement open up broad new vistas of understanding?

We started this chapter by referring to the Creative Mind as the seat of intelligence. There is one fact in this connection which should be mentioned at this time.

The Creative Mind, as you already know, accepts thoughts of the conscious mind as instructions and acts upon them. You have also learned that the Creative Mind has reasoning faculties independent of the conscious mind. Whether your thought is negative or positive, the Creative Mind without questioning will put the thought into effect.

If you think in terms of infirmities, your Creative Mind, which has contact with every cell in your body, will accept your thought as an instruction and will send out the message throughout your being to make you infirm, and as time goes on you will find a reflection of your thoughts in your being. You will slow down, your eyes will lose their sparkle, you will acquire an I-feel-miserable attitude.

Suppose, on the other hand, you begin developing an I-feel-great attitude; what will happen? You answer that question. With what you have already learned you know the answer. You will feel great.

A few years ago a New Orleans clinic published a paper which stated that 74 per cent of 500 consecutive patients admitted to the department handling gastrointestinal diseases were found to be suffering from emotionally induced illness. In 1951, a paper from the Outpatient Medical Department of an eastern university indicated that 76 per cent of patients coming to that clinic were suffering from emotionally induced illness, or, what is commonly referred to as psychosomatic symptoms.

If the ailments of 76 out of every hundred persons were mentally induced, doesn't it stand to reason that a glad-to-be-alive feeling can also be mentally induced? Naturally!

In your experiments to prove the effectiveness of the Creative Mind in adding to your health, wealth and happiness, learn how it can add materially to your health by giving it the proper instructions.

Think in terms of: "I am guided in thought and action to do the things that will be conducive to better health. My Creative Mind - with its contact with every cell in my body - will establish a health pattern which will make me feel better, look better, and be better."

Make this statement several times before retiring at night and note how much better you will feel the following day.

Do not overlook the importance of this chapter. It would make me happy if you were so enthusiastic about its contents that you reread it before proceeding to the next one.

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How to Enjoy Peaceful Sleep

Since we are discussing the subject of Growing Rich While You Sleep, it would not be amiss to include in our discussion ways and means of inducing restful, peaceful sleep.

A large majority of people complain about their difficulty in sleeping well at night. Some say they drop off to sleep immediately, but awaken later and stay awake for a long period of time before returning to sleep. Others find that it takes an hour or more to drop off into sleep after retiring.

Since you are learning that the subconscious mind does its best work while the conscious mind is in abeyance - or while you sleep - it is sensible to form the habit of going to sleep promptly, and resting peacefully throughout the night. This chapter will show you how easy it is to form this habit.

Sleeplessness usually results from bad bed-time habits. Tossing and turning for long periods of time after retiring is more frequently psychological than physiological. If, however, you have difficulty in sleeping, you should first consult your doctor to learn whether it is your mind or some bodily ailment which is keeping you awake. If it is the former, this chapter will prove of great value to you. If it is the latter, be guided by your doctor. So, the thoughts and suggestions given to you herein are based upon the assumption that you are in normally good health.

I will spend no time in discussing sleep from a psychological standpoint. In fact, you are not interested in knowing what sleep is; you want to learn how to go to sleep and rest peacefully.

A fault discovered is half overcome, it has been said, and I agree. So, let's begin by meditating on a few of the reasons for sleeplessness:

Worry. This is probably the Number-1 enemy of sleep. We worry about finances; about our health and that of our family; about our jobs or businesses. We worry about wars and rumors of wars. We translate sounds into burglars. We worry about the impression we did or did not make on those with whom we have had recent contact. If you reflect over the worries which have kept you awake in the past, you'll be able to add many more worries to this list.

Solution. Be logical! Realize that worry cannot in any way help the condition about which you are worrying. A sleepless night - with a troubled mind - will rob you of the stamina which could help you to combat the causes of your worry.

"Most worry is a lie," wrote a great philosopher. "Seldom do the things you worry about materialize," he added. Recall to mind the many things you have worried about in the past and you will agree with this wise man.

You will learn, as you mentally digest the magic formulas given in this book, that the things one worries about are not reasons for worry at all. They are challenges; opportunities for us to grow as we easily find solutions to our problems.

Tonight, and every night hereafter, instead of worrying, go to sleep with the thought: "While asleep, my subconscious mind will find a solution to my problem, and tomorrow it will guide me to do the things which will eliminate the condition which might otherwise cause worry."

When you worry, you are holding mental pictures of things you do not want, instead of things you do want. So, as you go to sleep, visualize the ideal condition you are seeking, instead of the one existing, and realize that not until you are asleep, will your subconscious mind have an opportunity to work on the problem.

Living with your work. Many people carry their work to bed with them. For hours they relive the day just ended; thinking of the things they did do - but should not have done; and thinking of the things they did not do - but should have done. After spending sleepless hours with the past, they switch to the future, thinking of things they will or will not do.

Solution. Before retiring at night, take a few moments and review the day's work. If there is anything not pleasing to you, decide what you will do about it the following day - or in the future. Make use of that subconscious mind of yours - which never sleeps - and permit it to work for you while you sleep. Know that a good night's peaceful rest will let you awaken in the morning refreshed and ready to start a great day of accomplishment.

Jealousy. It is pathetic how many hours of sleep the green-eyed monster has taken from men and women. Such hours of sleeplessness are miserable, too. We toss and roll as we imagine our happiness and security being taken by another.

Solution. Jealousy usually indicates one of two things: selfishness or inferiority. As you retire at night, realize that refreshing, restful sleep will give you the charm which makes you unafraid of competition. Remember! The more you trust others, the more that trust will be deserved.

Envy. Not all of us, but a goodly number of people, upon hearing of the good fortune of a friend or relative, stay awake for long periods of time wondering why they never get the breaks. They envy others who have better jobs, better homes, better automobiles, etc.

Solution. Envy is negative. To envy someone for a possession indicates that you doubt your own ability to obtain that which you are envying.

This book is giving you fantastically simple rules which will enable you to get what you want in life. So, instead of envying others for what they have, know that you may acquire the same - or even better.

Guilty conscience. A guilty conscience does not always indicate that the one so affected has committed a crime, or a breach of conduct. One's conscience may bother him if he feels he has been negligent toward those near and dear to him. Or, our conscience may disturb us if we feel we have been negligent in improving the body.

Solution. A guilty conscience is caused by something which happened in the past. It is beyond the power of anyone to relive a single day of the past. Let bygones be bygones and determine that you will forgive yourself for your mistakes of the past - and profit by them - so that you will not make similar ones in the future. Go to bed with a song in your heart because of your resolve regarding the future.

Laziness. The lazy individual loses sleep in two ways. He thinks about the opportunities he has missed, and is missing, owing to his laziness. He also spends time in thinking of ways and means whereby he can avoid doing things he should be doing.

It has often been thought that a lazy person sleeps more than he should, because he is lazy. He can ordinarily drop into sleep at times when he should be occupied, but he stays awake when he should be sleeping, because he feels guilty about his apathy toward work.

Solution. There is no such thing as physical laziness. All laziness is mental. When we dread doing a certain type of work, it is because we are not interested in it. It bores us. Learn to like that which you have to do. Decide you will do it a bit better than it has ever been done before. If laziness has been one of your drawbacks, retire with a promise to yourself that in the future you will find something to like about everything you are supposed to do and that you will take delight in doing it well.

Hatred. In conducting studies on sleep and the causes of sleeplessness, it has been noted that one with a heart of hatred never sleeps as well as the one whose mind is at peace with himself and the world at large. The former has difficulty in going to sleep and when he does, he is tense and rests but little.

Solution. Hatred is a poison which works on both your mind and body. If you could realize the damage which is done by hating, you would know that you cannot afford to hate. Remember! Hatred never harms the one hated. The hater is the one who pays the penalty.

And, does hatred keep one awake? On one occasion a man did something toward me which literally "burned me up." I went to bed and for two or three hours kept myself awake just by dwelling on the action which brought about the hatred. After singing on this "hymn of hate" for a good portion of the night, I understood that I was harming no one but myself. I even asked myself the question: "Wouldn't that fellow be glad if he knew he was keeping me awake?" In other words, I was really allowing him to bestow more injury upon me. Knowing the futility of lying awake - just hating - I actually whispered a prayer asking that he be blessed and guided to do right by his fellow man. This act dissolved my hatred. I dropped off to restful sleep and woke up in the morning actually sympathizing with this man instead of hating him.

Planning ahead. So far, this is the only constructive reason for sleeplessness given. Progressive, far-sighted people usually spend many of the hours in which they should be sleeping in making plans for the future. As admirable as this trait appears, a weakened physical condition is developed which may later hold one back from doing the things he has planned to do.

Solution. In planning for the future, why not take full advantage of the great source of intelligence and power contained within your subconscious mind? Retire with a thought, such as: "While I am asleep, my subconscious mind will draw from my experience of the past, and from it will formulate practical and progressive moves for the future. I am happy in anticipation of my continuous growth and achievement." You can, if you wish, be more specific as to your future. If you have a definite objective, include it in the bed-time instruction to your subconscious mind. For instance: "While I am asleep, my subconscious mind will decide the proper steps I should take in obtaining wider distribution for my product (mention name), and I will be guided accordingly."

Creating. The inventive-type mind, whether it is concerned with patentable ideas, designs, story material, subjects for paintings, etc., will frequently be most active at bed-time, when ideas seem to come thick and fast.

Solution. What was said for "Planning" also applies here. When you stay awake and attempt to create, you are using but a small portion of your mind. When you permit yourself to drop off into peaceful, relaxed sleep after having given proper instruction to your faithful servant, the subconscious mind, you are utilizing your greatest mental powers.

I do my best writing early in the morning. As I retire, I tell my subconscious mind: "I will sleep peacefully tonight, and as I do so, my subconscious mind will develop a good theme for my newspaper article, and in the morning, as I write, thoughts will flow to me enabling me to write a good article in a short period of time." Many times, in the morning, as I place a sheet of paper in my typewriter, I have no idea what my theme will be. By the time I have the paper set, ideas begin to come into my consciousness and continue to do so until the material is completed.

Fear of death. Last but by no means least is the fear most people have of dying. If a man's health is not good, he fears death as a result of illness. He may fear death through an accident, in a plane, train or automobile; or even as a pedestrian. And, at night, when everything is dark, and one has a feeling of loneliness, that is the time when he gives vent to such fears.

Solution. Love life, but do not fear death! I know of no one who can possibly want to live more than I do. My home life is happy; my future is bright and getting brighter; my health is good; yet, with all of this, I give no thought whatsoever to the day when I will leave this plane of existence.

Fear of death hastens death. When we have a pain or an ache, if, instead of looking for the cause and trying to correct it, we worry about it - and associate it with possible death - we become frantic. Live as if you had an assured life span of 125 years. Then, no matter what your present age may be, you are young in comparison with the time you have set for yourself.

Eliminate the fear of death and you will have eliminated one of the common causes of sleeplessness.

Problems, fears and worries are greatly magnified at night. With eyes closed - and in a dark room - your entire attention is focused on that which is keeping you awake. In the daytime, with your eyes wide open, the object of your sleeplessness, when viewed in comparison with all about you, loses much of its importance.

Many people actually prepare for a sleepless night before they retire. "Oh, how I dread going to bed. I just know I won't sleep," they moan.

You, who are now reading this mind-power book, know that to hold such thoughts is exactly the same as instructing your subconscious mind to keep you awake; and it obeys. Look forward to retiring. Think how good it will feel to be undressed and to be able to stretch out and relax in a comfortable bed. Know that soon you'll be fast asleep gaining strength and energy.

Coffee is often blamed for loss of sleep and, in most cases, wrongly so. It has been said that the stimulating effects of coffee are worn off about two hours after it is taken. If you have dinner at 6:00, the effect of the coffee should be gone by 8:00. Yet, with most people, even if they do not retire until 10:00 or later, they do not sleep "because they knew the coffee would keep them awake." This sleeplessness is psychological and not due to the beverage.

There are a few things you can do which will be conducive to healthful sleep.

Do not put your bed where lights from the outside will fall upon your face. Do not put your bed in a draft, but do see to it that your bedroom is well ventilated.

If there are any unavoidable sounds or noises which may keep you awake, get the right attitude toward the sounds instead of resenting them and they'll no longer bother you.

Perhaps you live in a neighborhood where there is considerable street noise. Resenting it will keep you awake. Learn to be indifferent toward the many sounds, and you will soon forget them.

"I just can't sleep with all that racket," one might complain. Of course, knowing the mind and how it operates, as you and I do, we understand that such a statement literally instructs the subconscious mind to keep one awake.

When I was a young man, I slept in a tent in a mining camp close to a mill which operated on a 24-hour schedule. The roar from the grinding machines was terrific. But I became so accustomed to it that whenever the mill closed down during the night for any reason, the silence would awaken me.

HOW TO PUT YOURSELF TO SLEEP

The idea I am about to pass on to you is original with me as far as I know. It is as interesting as it is effective.

Have you ever noticed that in a dark room, with your eyes closed, the field within your vision is not entirely black? Usually it is gray; somewhat the color of a blackboard which has been often used without having the chalk too thoroughly erased.

If you relax fully and fix your attention on that gray-black field, you will discover many changes taking place. Sometimes you will notice whirling masses of changing color. Other times you may notice geometrical designs: squares, circles, triangles, etc. These designs will appear in pale white outline against the dark background.

After you have experimented with this "mental screen," let's call it, for several nights, you will get so you can see faces and often entire people.

Doing this little exercise will help you get your mind off whatever has been responsible for your sleeplessness. But this is not the whole formula for putting yourself to sleep.

What I am about to tell you is "jumping the gun" and giving you a bit of the material which will begin in the next chapter, but it will help you to understand better my discovery of a most effective way to put yourself to sleep.

When you wish to drop off to sleep, whether immediately upon retiring, or after awakening during the night, follow these simple steps:

Make certain you are fully relaxed and comfortable. See that your pajamas or nightgown are not binding in any place and that the bedclothes are smooth.

Give your subconscious mind the proper instruction. (In the next chapter you will learn about the intelligence of the subconscious mind and how it takes instructions from the conscious mind and carries them out whether they are for your good or not.)

When putting myself to sleep, I talk to my subconscious mind as though it were a visible being. I will tell you approximately what I say, then I'll explain why I say it, and how the message works:

"I am about to drop off into restful sleep. As I do so, I am turning all of my affairs over to you. While I am asleep, you will receive proper information to enable you to guide me in thought and actions, in the handling of my affairs so that they will be concluded in a manner which will be best for all concerned ... I am now on the platform of the station waiting for the sleepy-train to carry me to the land of happy dreams. While waiting I will amuse myself watching - and interpreting - the many pictures that project themselves before my mind's eye . . . I will awaken in the morning refreshed and eager to begin another day of accomplishment."

As you learn more about the subconscious mind you will find that it is the seat of intelligence and with its independent reasoning powers it can work on your problems while your conscious mind is otherwise employed.

To know that while you're enjoying restful sleep, the great intelligence of your subconscious mind will be finding a happy solution to your problems is, in itself, a soothing thought.

It may seem infantile to talk about the station platform and the sleepy-train, but so what? We're all just grown-up kids, so what harm is there to live occasionally in the land of make-believe?

The human mind cannot think of two things at once. The moment you start on this routine you feel comfortable and all of the thoughts which might otherwise haunt you fade completely away.

Most frequently I am asleep before even completing the mental instruction; and this will happen to you after you have learned from experience that the system works.

But even if you do not go to sleep immediately, don't worry. Just continue to watch the colors and pictures which will be coming before you. It won't take long before Morpheus will take you by the hand and lead you into Dreamland.

One of the unfortunate things about reading books is that they are so easy to obtain. Many people feel that they haven't lost much even if the books they buy fail to help them.

For example, what would it mean to you to have an effective means of putting yourself to sleep - quickly - which would last the rest of your life? $100? $500? $1,000? Such a formula is priceless; yet it is only one contribution made to you by this book. And we are just starting.

Can't you now understand that, if you think while you read, there has been no stock in the history of Wall Street which will pay such dividends?

If you can't wait, start the next chapter. But my feeling is that it will pay you to pause awhile and reflect about the valuable things you have learned in this one. Don't you agree?

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