"The Science of Being Great"
by W. D. Wattles
CHAPTER 1: ANY PERSON MAY BECOME GREAT
THERE is a Principle of Power in every person. By the
intelligent use and direction of this principle, man can
develop his own mental faculties. Man has an inherent power by
which he may grow in whatsoever direction he pleases, and there
does not appear to be any limit to the possibilities of his
growth.
Talent may merely be one faculty developed out of proportion to
other faculties, but genius is the union of man and God in the
acts of the soul.
Man can train and develop himself. He alone has this power, and
he has it to an apparently unlimited extent.
The purpose of life for man is growth, just as the purpose of
life for trees and plants is growth. Trees and plants grow
automatically and along fixed lines; man can grow, as he will.
Trees and plants can only develop certain possibilities and
characteristics; man can develop any power, which is or has
been shown by any person, anywhere.
Man is formed for growth, and he is under the necessity of
growing. It is essential to his happiness that he should
continuously advance. Life without progress becomes
unendurable, and the person who ceases from growth must either
become imbecile or insane. The greater and more harmonious and
well rounded his growth, the happier man will be.
Every man comes into the world with a predisposition to grow
along certain lines, and growth is easier for him along those
lines than in any other way.
In times of national stress and peril the cracker-box loafer of
the corner store and the village drunkard become heroes and
statesmen through the quickening of the Principle of Power
within them. There is a genius in every man and woman, waiting
to be brought forth. Every village has its great man or woman;
someone to whom all go for advice in time of trouble; some one
who is instinctively recognized as being great in wisdom and
insight. To such a one the minds of the whole community turn in
times of local crisis; he is tacitly recognized as being great.
He does small things in a great way. He could do great things
as well if he did but undertake them; so can any man; so can
you. The Principle of Power gives us just what we ask of it; if
we only undertake little things, it only gives us power for
little things; but if we try to do great things in a great way
it gives us all the power there is. But beware of undertaking
great things in a small way: of that we shall speak farther on.
There are two mental attitudes a man may take. One makes him
like a football. It has resilience and reacts strongly when
force is applied to it, but it originates nothing; it never
acts of itself. There is no power within it. Men of this type
are controlled by circumstances and environment, their
destinies are decided by things external to themselves. The
Principle of Power within them is never really active at all.
They never speak or act from within. The other attitude makes
man like a flowing spring. Power comes out from the center of
him. He has within him a well of water springing up into
everlasting life, he radiates force; heist felt by his
environment. The Principle of Power in him is in constant
action. He is self-active. “He hath life in himself.”
The awakening of the Principle of Power in man is the real
conversion; the passing from death to life. It is when the dead
hear the voice of the Son of Man and come forth and live. It is
the resurrection and the life. When it is awakened, man becomes
a son of the Highest and all power is given to him in heaven
and on earth.
Nothing was ever in any man that is not in you; no man ever had
more spiritual or mental power than you can attain, or did
greater things than you can accomplish. You can become what you
want to be.
CHAPTER 2: HEREDITY AND OPPORTUNITY
YOU are not barred from attaining greatness by heredity. No
matter who or what your ancestors may have been or how
unlearned or lowly their station, the upward way is open for
you. There is no such thing as inheriting a fixed mental
position; no matter how small the mental capital we receive
from our parents, it may be increased; no man is born incapable
of growth.
Heredity counts for something. We are born with subconscious
mental tendencies; as, for instance, a tendency to melancholy,
or cowardice, or to ill temper; but all these subconscious
tendencies may be overcome. When the real man awakens and comes
forth he can throw them off very easily. Nothing of this kind
need keep you down; if you have inherited undesirable mental
tendencies, you can eliminate them and put desirable tendencies
in their places.
An inherited
mental trait is a habit of thought of your father or mother
impressed upon your subconscious mind; you can substitute the
opposite impression by forming the opposite habit of thought.
You can substitute a habit of cheerfulness for a tendency to
despondency; you can overcome cowardice or ill temper.
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