The Power of Concentration | Page 8

that so many men and women, rich in ability and talent, are allowed to go
to waste, so to speak. Some day I hope to see a millionaire philanthropist start a school
for the training of failures. I am sure he could not put his money to a better use. In a
year's time the science of practical psychology could do wonders for him. He could have
agencies on the lookout for men that had lost their grip on themselves; that had through
indisposition weakened their will; that through some sorrow or misfortune had become
discouraged. At first all they need is a little help to get them back on their feet, but

usually they get a knock downwards instead. The result is that their latent powers never
develop and both they and the world are the losers. I trust that in the near future, someone
will heed the opportunity of using some of his millions in arousing men that have begun
to falter. All they need to be shown is that there is within them an omnipotent source that
is ready to aid them, providing they will make use of it. Their minds only have to be
turned from despair to hope to make them regain their hold.
When a man loses his grip today, he must win his redemption by his own will. He will
get little encouragement or advice of an inspiring nature. He must usually regain the right
road alone. He must stop dissipating his energies and turn his attention to building a
useful career. Today we must conquer our weakening tendencies alone. Don't expect
anyone to help you. Just take one big brace, make firm resolutions, and resolve to
conquer your weaknesses and vices. Really none can do this for you. They can encourage
you; that is all.
I can think of nothing, but lack of health, that should interfere with one becoming
successful. There is no other handicap that you should not be able to overcome. To
overcome a handicap, all that it is necessary to do is to use more determination and grit
and will.
The man with grit and will, may be poor today and wealthy in a few years; will power is
a better asset than money; Will will carry you over chasms of failure, if you but give it
the chance.
The men that have risen to the highest positions have usually had to gain their victories
against big odds. Think of the hardships many of our inventors have gone through before
they became a success. Usually they have been very much misunderstood by relatives
and friends. Very often they did not have the bare necessities of life, yet, by sheer
determination and resolute courage, they managed to exist somehow until they perfected
their inventions, which afterwards greatly helped in bettering the condition of others.
Everyone really wants to do something, but there are few that will put forward the needed
effort to make the necessary sacrifice to secure it. There is only one way to accomplish
anything and that is to go ahead and do it. A man may accomplish almost anything today,
if he just sets his heart on doing it and lets nothing interfere with his progress. Obstacles
are quickly overcome by the man that sets out to accomplish his heart's desire. The
"bigger" the man, the smaller the obstacle appears. The "smaller" the man the greater the
obstacle appears. Always look at the advantage you gain by overcoming obstacles, and it
will give you the needed courage for their conquest.
Do not expect that you will always have easy sailing. Parts of your journey are likely to
be rough. Don't let the rough places put you out of commission. Keep on with the journey.
Just the way you weather the storm shows what material you are made of. Never sit down
and complain of the rough places, but think how nice the pleasant stretches were. View
with delight the smooth plains that are in front of you.
Do not let a setback stop you. Think of it as a mere incident that has to be overcome

before you can reach your goal.

LESSON II. THE SELF-MASTERY: SELF-DIRECTION POWER OF
CONCENTRATION
Man from a psychological standpoint of development is not what he should be. He does
not possess the self-mastery, the self-directing power of concentration that is his by right.
He has not trained himself in a way to promote his self-mastery. Every balanced mind
possesses the faculties whose chief duties are to engineer, direct and concentrate the
operations of the mind, both in a mental and physical sense. Man must learn to control
not only his mind but his bodily movements.
When the controlling faculties (autonomic) are in an untrained condition, the impulses,
passions, emotions, thoughts, actions