Yawn and Grow Rich Course
By Paul Adams – The Yawn Guy
SECTION 9: PERSISTENCE
- Text in black (after legend) = original text of Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
- Text in blue = paragraph numbers and course instructions to you, the student
- DEMO = draw out pictures of real-life situations on paper using stick figures for you, your partner, your boss etc. Demos will help considerably with your understanding. Do not use a lot of words in the demo. Demo the ideas as they apply to your own life. You can also do demos at your discretion to help with any "non-demo" paragraph too. If you are feeling "light-headed" from too much theory, do lots of real-life demos until the light-headedness goes away.
- PRACTICAL = an assignment for you to do now before continuing to read further in the text. Sometimes it will be something for you to do later in the day, or a continuing action, and if so this will be stated.
- Text in green = explanation, not written by Napoleon Hill
- Mark the radio buttons ( | ) honestly as you do each paragraph. Note that these buttons will clear when you close your browser. It is not a good idea to leave lots of "Hmmm"s behind you. (That doesn't mean close your browser often!)
- Look up any word or phrase you don't understand when you first encounter it. This is important—don't guess or slide by without getting it. Use it in sentences of your own until you fully get it. This might take a few or it might take ten or more sentences.
- If you really can't understand a paragraph and it does seems like you understand every word, click on the "Didn't get it" link at the end of that paragraph. Follow the instructions you find there. This is different to a "negative reaction". "Didn't get it" means you have gone foggy or blank and didn't understand the paragraph, either the whole of it or some part of it.
- If you understood the paragraph, but have a negative reaction to the text, first make sure you understand the words the author is using, and the idea he is trying to put across. In other words, make sure your reaction is to what the author is saying, not to what you misunderstand him to be saying. If the reaction persists, click on the "Negative reaction" link and follow the instructions there. An example of a negative reaction would be "Oh! I'll never be able to do that!"
CHAPTER 9: PERSISTENCE
THE SUSTAINED EFFORT NECESSARY TO INDUCE FAITH
The Eighth Step toward Riches
9.1 PERSISTENCE is an essential
factor in the procedure of transmuting DESIRE into its monetary
equivalent. The basis of persistence is the POWER OF WILL.
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9.2 Will-power and desire, when
properly combined, make an irresistible pair. Men who accumulate great
fortunes are generally known as cold-blooded, and sometimes ruthless.
Often they are misunderstood. What they have is will-power, which they
mix with persistence, and place back of their desires to insure the
attainment of their objectives.
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9.3 Henry Ford has been
generally misunderstood to be ruthless and cold-blooded. This
misconception grew out of Ford's habit of following through in all of
his plans with PERSISTENCE.
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9.4 The majority of people are
ready to throw their aims and purposes overboard, and give up at the
first sign of opposition or misfortune. A few carry on DESPITE all
opposition, until they attain their goal. These few are the Fords,
Carnegies, Rockefellers, and Edisons.
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9.5 There may be no heroic
connotation to the word "persistence," but the quality is to the
character of man what carbon is to steel.
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9.6 The building of a fortune,
generally, involves the application of the entire thirteen factors of
this philosophy. These principles must be understood, they must be
applied with PERSISTENCE by all who accumulate money.
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9.7 If you are following this
book with the intention of applying the knowledge it conveys, your first
test as to your PERSISTENCE will come when you begin to follow the six
steps described in the second chapter. Unless you are one of the two out
of every hundred who already have a DEFINITE GOAL at which you are
aiming, and a DEFINITE PLAN for its attainment, you may read the
instructions, and then pass on with your daily routine, and never comply
with those instructions.
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9.8 DEMO: The author is checking
you up at this point, because lack of persistence is one of the major
causes of failure. Moreover, experience with thousands of people has
proved that lack of persistence is a weakness common to the majority of
men. It is a weakness which may be overcome by effort. The ease with
which lack of persistence may be conquered will depend entirely upon the INTENSITY OF ONE'S DESIRE.
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9.9 DEMO: The starting point of
all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires
bring weak results, just as a small amount of fire makes a small amount
of heat. If you find yourself lacking in persistence, this weakness may
be remedied by building a stronger fire under your desires.
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9.10 Continue to read through to the end, then go back to Chapter two, and start immediately
to carry out the instructions given in connection with the six steps.
The eagerness with which you follow these instructions will indicate
clearly, how much, or how little you really DESIRE to accumulate money.
If you find that you are indifferent, you may be sure that you have not
yet acquired the "money consciousness" which you must possess, before
you can be sure of accumulating a fortune.
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9.11 Fortunes gravitate to men
whose minds have been prepared to "attract" them, just as surely as
water gravitates to the ocean. In this book may be found all the stimuli
necessary to "attune" any normal mind to the vibrations which will
attract the object of one's desires.
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9.12 DEMO: If you find you are
weak in PERSISTENCE, center your attention upon the instructions
contained in the chapter on "Power"; surround yourself with a "MASTER
MIND" group, and through the cooperative efforts of the members of this
group, you can develop persistence. You will find additional
instructions for the development of persistence in the chapters on
auto-suggestion, and the subconscious mind. Follow the instructions
outlined in these chapters until your habit nature hands over to your
subconscious mind, a clear picture of the object of your DESIRE. From
that point on, you will not be handicapped by lack of persistence.
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9.13 Your subconscious mind works continuously, while you are awake, and while you are asleep.
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9.14 Spasmodic, or occasional
effort to apply the rules will be of no value to you. To get RESULTS,
you must apply all of the rules until their application becomes a fixed
habit with you. In no other way can you develop the necessary "money
consciousness."
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9.15 DEMO: POVERTY is attracted
to the one whose mind is favorable to it, as money is attracted to him
whose mind has been deliberately prepared to attract it, and through the
same laws. POVERTY CONSCIOUSNESS WILL VOLUNTARILY SEIZE THE MIND WHICH
IS NOT OCCUPIED WITH THE MONEY CONSCIOUSNESS. A poverty consciousness
develops without conscious application of habits favorable to it.
The money consciousness must be created to order, unless one is born
with such a consciousness.
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9.16 Catch the full significance
of the statements in the preceding paragraph, and you will understand
the importance of PERSISTENCE in the accumulation of a fortune. Without
PERSISTENCE, you will be defeated, even before you start. With
PERSISTENCE you will win.
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9.17 If you have ever
experienced a nightmare, you will realize the value of persistence. You
are lying in bed, half awake, with a feeling that you are about to
smother. You are unable to turn over, or to move a muscle. You realize
that you MUST BEGIN to regain control over your muscles. Through
persistent effort of will-power, you finally manage to move the fingers
of one hand. By continuing to move your fingers, you extend your control
to the muscles of one arm, until you can lift it. Then you gain control
of the other arm in the same manner. You finally gain control over the
muscles of one leg, and then extend it to the other leg. THEN—WITH ONE
SUPREME EFFORT OF WILL—you regain complete control over your muscular
system, and "snap" out of your nightmare. The trick has been turned step
by step.
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9.18 DEMO: You may find it
necessary to "snap" out of your mental inertia, through a similar
procedure, moving slowly at first, then increasing your speed, until you
gain complete control over your will. Be PERSISTENT no matter how
slowly you may, at first, have to move. WITH PERSISTENCE WILL COME
SUCCESS.
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9.19 If you select your "Master
Mind" group with care, you will have in it, at least one person who will
aid you in the development of PERSISTENCE. Some men who have
accumulated great fortunes, did so because of NECESSITY. They developed
the habit of PERSISTENCE, because they were so closely driven by
circumstances, that they had to become persistent.
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9.20 DEMO: THERE IS NO
SUBSTITUTE FOR PERSISTENCE! It cannot be supplanted by any other
quality! Remember this, and it will hearten you, in the beginning, when
the going may seem difficult and slow.
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9.21 Those who have cultivated
the HABIT of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure. No
matter how many times they are defeated, they finally arrive up toward
the top of the ladder. Sometimes it appears that there is a hidden Guide
whose duty is to test men through all sorts of discouraging
experiences. Those who pick themselves up after defeat and keep on
trying, arrive; and the world cries, "Bravo! I knew you could do it!"
The hidden Guide lets no one enjoy great achievement without passing the
PERSISTENCE TEST. Those who can't take it, simply do not make the
grade. Those who can "take it" are bountifully rewarded for their
PERSISTENCE. They receive, as their compensation, whatever goal they are
pursuing. That is not all! They receive something infinitely more
important than material compensation—the knowledge that "EVERY FAILURE
BRINGS WITH IT THE SEED OF AN EQUIVALENT ADVANTAGE."
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9.22 There are exceptions to
this rule; a few people know from experience the soundness of
persistence. They are the ones who have not accepted defeat as being
anything more than temporary. They are the ones whose DESIRES are so
PERSISTENTLY APPLIED that defeat is finally changed into victory. We who
stand on the side-lines of Life see the overwhelmingly large number who
go down in defeat, never to rise again. We see the few who take the
punishment of defeat as an urge to greater effort. These,
fortunately, never learn to accept Life's reverse gear. But what we DO
NOT SEE, what most of us never suspect of existing, is the silent but
irresistible POWER which comes to the rescue of those who fight on in
the face of discouragement. If we speak of this power at all we call it
PERSISTENCE, and let it go at that. One thing we all know, if one does
not possess PERSISTENCE, one does not achieve noteworthy success in any
calling.
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9.23 As these lines are being
written, I look up from my work, and see before me, less than a block
away, the great mysterious "Broadway," the "Graveyard of Dead Hopes,"
and the "Front Porch of Opportunity." From all over the world people
have come to Broadway, seeking fame, fortune, power, love, or whatever
it is that human beings call success. Once in a great while someone
steps out from the long procession of seekers, and the world hears that
another person has mastered Broadway. But Broadway is not easily nor
quickly conquered. She acknowledges talent, recognizes genius, pays off
in money, only after one has refused to QUIT.
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9.24 Then we know he has
discovered the secret of how to conquer Broadway. The secret is always
inseparably attached to one word, PERSISTENCE!
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9.25 The secret is told in the
struggle of Fannie Hurst, whose PERSISTENCE conquered the Great White
Way. She came to New York in 1915, to convert writing into riches. The
conversion did not come quickly, BUT IT CAME. For four years Miss Hurst
learned about "The Sidewalks of New York" from first hand experience.
She spent her days laboring, and her nights HOPING. When hope grew dim,
she did not say, "Alright Broadway, you win!" She said, "Very well,
Broadway, you may whip some, but not me. I'm going to force you to give
up."
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9.26 One publisher (The Saturday Evening Post) sent her thirty six
rejection slips, before she "broke the ice" and got a story across. The
average writer, like the "average" in other walks of life, would have
given up the job when the first rejection slip came. She pounded the
pavements for four years to the tune of the publisher's "NO," because
she was determined to win.
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9.27 Then came the "payoff." The
spell had been broken, the unseen Guide had tested Fannie Hurst, and
she could take it. From that time on publishers made a beaten path to
her door. Money came so fast she hardly had time to count it. Then the
moving picture men discovered her, and money came not in small change,
but in floods. The moving picture rights to her latest novel, "Great
Laughter," brought $100,000.00, said to be the highest price ever paid
for a story before publication. Her royalties from the sale of the book
probably will run much more.
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9.28 Briefly, you have a
description of what PERSISTENCE is capable of achieving. Fannie Hurst is
no exception. Wherever men and women accumulate great riches, you may
be sure they first acquired PERSISTENCE. Broadway will give any beggar a
cup of coffee and a sandwich, but it demands PERSISTENCE of those who
go after the big stakes.
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9.29 Kate Smith will say "amen"
when she reads this. For years she sang, without money, and without
price, before any microphone she could reach. Broadway said to her,
"Come and get it, if you can take it." She did take it until one happy
day Broadway got tired and said, "Aw, what's the use? You don't know
when you're whipped, so name your price, and go to work in earnest."
Miss Smith named her price! It was plenty. Away up in figures so high
that one week's salary is far more than most people make in a whole
year.
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9.30 Verily it pays to be PERSISTENT!
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9.31 And here is an encouraging
statement which carries with it a suggestion of great
significance—THOUSANDS OF SINGERS WHO EXCEL KATE SMITH ARE WALKING UP
AND DOWN BROADWAY LOOKING FOR A "BREAK"—WITHOUT SUCCESS. Countless
others have come and gone, many of them sang well enough, but they
failed to make the grade because they lacked the courage to keep on
keeping on, until Broadway became tired of turning them away.
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9.32 DEMO: Persistence is a
state of mind, therefore it can be cultivated. Like all states of mind,
persistence is based upon definite causes, among them these:
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9.33 DEMO: a. |
DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE. Knowing what one wants is the first and,
perhaps, the most important step toward the development of
persistence. A strong motive forces one to surmount many difficulties. |
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9.34 DEMO: b. |
DESIRE. It is comparatively easy to acquire and to maintain persistence in pursuing the object of intense desire. |
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9.35 DEMO: c. |
SELF-RELIANCE. Belief in one's ability to carry out a plan
encourages one to follow the plan through with persistence.
(Self-reliance can be developed through the principle described in the
chapter on auto-suggestion). |
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9.36 DEMO: d. |
DEFINITENESS OF PLANS. Organized plans, even though they may be weak and entirely impractical, encourage persistence. |
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9.37 DEMO: e. |
ACCURATE KNOWLEDGE. Knowing that one's plans are sound, based upon
experience or observation, encourages persistence; "guessing" instead
of "knowing" destroys persistence. |
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9.38 DEMO: f. |
CO-OPERATION. Sympathy, understanding, and harmonious cooperation with others tend to develop persistence. |
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9.39 DEMO: g. |
WILL-POWER. The habit of concentrating one's thoughts upon the
building of plans for the attainment of a definite purpose, leads to
persistence. |
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9.40 DEMO: h. |
HABIT. Persistence is the direct result of habit. The mind absorbs
and becomes a part of the daily experiences upon which it feeds. Fear,
the worst of all enemies, can be effectively cured by forced repetition of acts of courage. Everyone who has seen active service in war knows this. |
9.41 PRACTICAL: Before
leaving the subject of PERSISTENCE, take inventory of yourself, and
determine in what particular, if any, you are lacking in this essential
quality. Measure yourself courageously, point by point, and see how many
of the eight factors of persistence you lack. The analysis may lead to
discoveries that will give you a new grip on yourself.
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SYMPTOMS OF LACK OF PERSISTENCE
9.42 DEMO: Here you will
find the real enemies which stand between you and noteworthy
achievement. Here you will find not only the "symptoms" indicating
weakness of PERSISTENCE, but also the deeply seated subconscious causes
of this weakness. Study the list carefully, and face yourself squarely
IF YOU REALLY WISH TO KNOW WHO YOU ARE, AND WHAT YOU ARE CAPABLE OF
DOING. These are the weaknesses which must be mastered by all who
accumulate riches.
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9.43 DEMO: 1. |
Failure to recognize and to clearly define exactly what one wants.Demo done Practical done |
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9.44 DEMO: 2. |
Procrastination, with or without cause. (Usually backed up with a formidable array of alibis and excuses).Demo done Practical done |
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9.45 DEMO: 3. |
Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.Demo done Practical done |
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9.46 DEMO: 4. |
Indecision, the habit of "passing the buck" on all occasions, instead of facing issues squarely. (Also backed by alibis).Demo done Practical done |
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9.47 DEMO: 5. |
The habit of relying upon alibis instead of creating definite plans for the solution of problems.Demo done Practical done |
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9.48 DEMO: 6. |
Self-satisfaction. There is but little remedy for this affliction, and no hope for those who suffer from it.Demo done Practical done |
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9.49 DEMO: 7. |
Indifference, usually reflected in one's readiness to compromise on all occasions, rather than meet opposition and fight it.Demo done Practical done |
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9.50 DEMO: 8. |
The habit of blaming others for one's mistakes, and accepting unfavorable circumstances as being unavoidable.Demo done Practical done |
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9.51 DEMO: 9. |
WEAKNESS OF DESIRE, due to neglect in the choice of MOTIVES that impel action.Demo done Practical done |
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9.52 DEMO: 10. |
Willingness, even eagerness, to quit at the first sign of defeat. (Based upon one or more of the 6 basic fears).Demo done Practical done |
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9.53 DEMO: 11. |
Lack of ORGANIZED PLANS, placed in writing where they may be analyzed.Demo done Practical done |
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9.54 DEMO: 12. |
The habit of neglecting to move on ideas, or to grasp opportunity when it presents itself.Demo done Practical done |
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9.55 DEMO: 13. |
WISHING instead of WILLING.Demo done Practical done |
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9.56 DEMO: 14. |
The habit of compromising with POVERTY instead of aiming at riches. General absence of ambition to be, to do, and to own.Demo done Practical done |
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9.57 DEMO: 15. |
Searching for all the short-cuts to riches, trying to GET without
GIVING a fair equivalent, usually reflected in the habit of gambling,
endeavoring to drive "sharp" bargains.Demo done Practical done |
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9.58 DEMO: 16. |
FEAR OF CRITICISM, failure to create plans and to put them into
action, because of what other people will think, do, or say. This
enemy belongs at the head of the list, because it generally exists in
one's subconscious mind, where its presence is not recognized. (See
the Six Basic Fears in a later chapter).Demo done Practical done |
9.59 Let us examine some of the
symptoms of the Fear of Criticism. The majority of people permit
relatives, friends, and the public at large to so influence them that
they cannot live their own lives, because they fear criticism.
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9.60 Huge numbers of people make
mistakes in marriage, stand by the bargain, and go through life
miserable and unhappy, because they fear criticism which may follow if
they correct the mistake. (Anyone who has submitted to this form of fear
knows the irreparable damage it does, by destroying ambition,
self-reliance, and the desire to achieve).
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9.61 Millions of people neglect to acquire belated educations, after having left school, because they fear criticism.
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9.62 Countless numbers of men
and women, both young and old, permit relatives to wreck their lives in
the name of DUTY, because they fear criticism. (Duty does not require
any person to submit to the destruction of his personal ambitions and
the right to live his own life in his own way).
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9.63 People refuse to take chances in business, because they fear the criticism which may follow if they fail. The fear of criticism, in such cases is stronger than the DESIRE for success.
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9.64 Too many people refuse to
set high goals for themselves, or even neglect selecting a career,
because they fear the criticism of relatives and "friends" who may say
"Don't aim so high, people will think you are crazy."
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9.65 When Andrew Carnegie
suggested that I devote twenty years to the organization of a philosophy
of individual achievement my first impulse of thought was fear of what
people might say. The suggestion set up a goal for me, far out of
proportion to any I had ever conceived. As quick as a flash, my mind
began to create alibis and excuses, all of them traceable to the
inherent FEAR OF CRITICISM. Something inside of me said, "You can't do
it—the job is too big, and requires too much time—what will your
relatives think of you?—how will you earn a living?—no one has ever
organized a philosophy of success, what right have you to believe you
can do it?—who are you, anyway, to aim so high?—remember your humble
birth—what do you know about philosophy—people will think you are
crazy—(and they did)—why hasn't some other person done this before
now?"
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9.66 These, and many other
questions flashed into my mind, and demanded attention. It seemed as if
the whole world had suddenly turned its attention to me with the purpose
of ridiculing me into giving up all desire to carry out Mr. Carnegie's
suggestion.
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9.67 DEMO: I had a fine
opportunity, then and there, to kill off ambition before it gained
control of me. Later in life, after having analyzed thousands of people,
I discovered that MOST IDEAS ARE STILLBORN, AND NEED THE BREATH OF LIFE
INJECTED INTO THEM THROUGH DEFINITE PLANS OF IMMEDIATE ACTION. The time
to nurse an idea is at the time of its birth. Every minute it lives,
gives it a better chance of surviving. The FEAR OF CRITICISM is at the
bottom of the destruction of most ideas which never reach the PLANNING
and ACTION stage.
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9.68 Many people believe that
material success is the result of favorable "breaks." There is an
element of ground for the belief, but those depending entirely upon
luck, are nearly always disappointed, because they overlook another
important factor which must be present before one can be sure of
success. It is the knowledge with which favorable "breaks" can be made
to order.
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9.69 During the depression, W.
C. Fields, the comedian, lost all his money, and found himself without
income, without a job, and his means of earning a living (vaudeville) no
longer existed. Moreover, he was past sixty, when many men consider
themselves "old." He was so eager to stage a comeback that he offered to
work without pay, in a new field (movies). In addition to his other
troubles, he fell and injured his neck. To many that would have been the
place to give up and QUIT. But Fields was PERSISTENT. He knew that if
he carried on he would get the "breaks" sooner or later, and he did get
them, but not by chance.
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9.70 Marie Dressler found
herself down and out, with her money gone, with no job, when she was
about sixty. She, too, went after the "breaks," and got them. Her
PERSISTENCE brought an astounding triumph late in life, long beyond the
age when most men and women are done with ambition to achieve.
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9.71 Eddie Cantor lost his money
in the 1929 stock crash, but he still had his PERSISTENCE and his
courage. With these, plus two prominent eyes, he exploited himself back
into an income of $10,000 a week! Verily, if one has PERSISTENCE, one
can get along very well without many other qualities.
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9.72 The only "break" anyone can
afford to rely upon is a self-made "break." These come through the
application of PERSISTENCE. The starting point is DEFINITENESS OF
PURPOSE.
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9.73 Examine the first hundred
people you meet, ask them what they want most in life, and ninety eight
of them will not be able to tell you. If you press them for an answer,
some will say—SECURITY, many will say—MONEY, a few will
say—HAPPINESS, others will say—FAME AND POWER, and still others will
say—SOCIAL RECOGNITION, EASE IN LIVING, ABILITY TO SING, DANCE, or
WRITE, but none of them will be able to define these terms, or give the
slightest indication of a PLAN by which they hope to attain these
vaguely expressed wishes. Riches do not respond to wishes. They respond
only to definite plans, backed by definite desires, through constant
PERSISTENCE.
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How TO DEVELOP PERSISTENCE
9.74 DEMO: There are four
simple steps which lead to the habit of PERSISTENCE. They call for no
great amount of intelligence, no particular amount of education, and but
little time or effort. The necessary steps are:—
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9.75 DEMO: 1. |
A DEFINITE PURPOSE BACKED BY BURNING DESIRE FOR ITS FULFILLMENT. |
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9.76 DEMO: 2. |
A DEFINITE PLAN, EXPRESSED IN CONTINUOUS ACTION. |
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9.77 DEMO: 3. |
A MIND CLOSED TIGHTLY AGAINST ALL NEGATIVE AND DISCOURAGING
INFLUENCES, including negative suggestions of relatives, friends and
acquaintances. |
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9.78 DEMO: 4. |
A FRIENDLY ALLIANCE WITH ONE OR MORE PERSONS WHO WILL ENCOURAGE ONE TO FOLLOW THROUGH WITH BOTH PLAN AND PURPOSE. |
9.79 These four steps are
essential for success in all walks of life. The entire purpose of the
thirteen principles of this philosophy is to enable one to take these
four steps as a matter of habit.
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9.80 These are the steps by which one may control one's economic destiny.
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9.81 They are the steps that lead to freedom and independence of thought.
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9.82 They are the steps that lead to riches, in small or great quantities.
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9.83 They lead the way to power, fame, and worldly recognition.
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9.84 They are the four steps which guarantee favorable "breaks."
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9.85 They are the steps that convert dreams into physical realities.
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9.86 They lead, also, to the mastery of FEAR, DISCOURAGEMENT, INDIFFERENCE.
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9.87 There is a magnificent
reward for all who learn to take these four steps. It is the privilege
of writing one's own ticket, and of making Life yield whatever price is
asked.
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| Didn't get it Negative reaction … 9.89 PRACTICAL: Apply these four steps immediately to your grand purpose; master plan; own mind; and "master mind" alliance.
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9.90 I have no way of knowing
the facts, but I venture to conjecture that Mrs. Wallis Simpson's great
love for a man was not accidental, nor the result of favorable "breaks"
alone. There was a burning desire, and careful searching at every step
of the way. Her first duty was to love. What is the greatest thing on
earth? The Master called it love—not man made rules, criticism,
bitterness, slander, or political "marriages," but love.
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9.91 She knew what she wanted,
not after she met the Prince of Wales, but long before that. Twice when
she had failed to find it, she had the courage to continue her search.
"To thine own self be true, and it must follow, as the night the day,
thou canst not then be false to any man."
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9.92 Her rise from obscurity was
of the slow, progressive, PERSISTENT order, but it was SURE! She
triumphed over unbelievably long odds; and, no matter who you are, or
what you may think of Wallis Simpson, or the king who gave up his Crown
for her love, she is an astounding example of applied PERSISTENCE, an
instructor on the rules of self-determination, from whom the entire
world might profitably take lessons.
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9.93 When you think of Wallis
Simpson, think of one who knew what she wanted, and shook the greatest
empire on earth to get it. Women who complain that this is a man's
world, that women do not have an equal chance to win, owe it to
themselves to study carefully the life of this unusual woman, who, at an
age which most women consider "old," captured the affections of the
most desirable bachelor in the entire world.
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9.94 And what of King Edward?
What lesson may we learn from his part in the world's greatest drama of
recent times? Did he pay too high a price for the affections of the
woman of his choice?
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9.95 Surely no one but he can give the correct answer.
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9.96 The rest of us can only
conjecture. This much we know, the king came into the world without his
own consent. He was born to great riches, without requesting them. He
was persistently sought in marriage; politicians and statesmen
throughout Europe tossed dowagers and princesses at his feet. Because he
was the first born of his parents, he inherited a crown, which he did
not seek, and perhaps did not desire. For more than forty years he was
not a free agent, could not live his life in his own way, had but little
privacy, and finally assumed duties inflicted upon him when he ascended
the throne.
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9.97 Some will say, "With all these blessings, King Edward should have found peace of mind, contentment, and joy of living."
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9.98 The truth is that back of
all the privileges of a crown, all the money, the fame, and the power
inherited by King Edward, there was an emptiness which could be filled
only by love.
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9.99 His greatest DESIRE was for
love. Long before he met Wallis Simpson, he doubtless felt this great
universal emotion tugging at the strings of his heart, beating upon the
door of his soul, and crying out for expression.
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9.100 And when he met a kindred
spirit, crying out for this same Holy privilege of expression, he
recognized it, and without fear or apology, opened his heart and bade it
enter. All the scandal-mongers in the world cannot destroy the beauty
of this international drama, through which two people found love, and
had the courage to face open criticism, renounce ALL ELSE to give it holy expression.
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9.101 King Edward's DECISION to
give up the crown of the world's most powerful empire, for the privilege
of going the remainder of the way through life with the woman of his
choice, was a decision that required courage. The decision also had a
price, but who has the right to say the price was too great? Surely not
He who said, "He among you who is without sin, let him cast the first
stone."
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9.102 As a suggestion to any
evil-minded person who chooses to find fault with the Duke of Windsor,
because his DESIRE was for LOVE, and for openly declaring his love for
Wallis Simpson, and giving up his throne for her, let it be remembered
that the OPEN DECLARATION was not essential. He could have followed the
custom of clandestine liaison which has prevailed in Europe for
centuries, without giving up either his throne, or the woman of his
choice, and there would have been NO COMPLAINT FROM EITHER CHURCH OR
LAITY. But this unusual man was built of sterner stuff. His love was
clean. It was deep and sincere. It represented the one thing which,
above ALL ELSE he truly DESIRED, therefore, he took what he wanted, and
paid the price demanded.
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9.103 If Europe had been blessed
with more rulers with the human heart and the traits of honesty of
ex-king Edward, for the past century, that unfortunate hemisphere now
seething with greed, hate, lust, political connivance, and threats of
war, would have a DIFFERENT AND A BETTER STORY TO TELL. A story in which
Love and not Hate would rule.
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9.104 In the words of Stuart Austin Wier we raise our cup and drink this toast to ex-king Edward and Wallis Simpson:
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"Blessed is the man who, from the blackest depths, can see the luminous figure of LOVE, and seeing, sing; and singing, say: 'Sweeter far than uttered lays are the thoughts I have of you.'"
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9.106 In these words would we
pay tribute to the two people who, more than all others of modern times,
have been the victims of criticism and the recipients of abuse, because
they found Life's greatest treasure, and claimed it. [See footnote]
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9.107 Most of the world will
applaud the Duke of Windsor and Wallis Simpson, because of their
PERSISTENCE in searching until they found life's greatest reward. ALL OF
US CAN PROFIT by following their example in our own search for that
which we demand of life.
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9.108 What mystical power gives
to men of PERSISTENCE the capacity to master difficulties? Does the
quality of PERSISTENCE set up in one's mind some form of spiritual,
mental or chemical activity which gives one access to supernatural
forces? Does Infinite Intelligence throw itself on the side of the
person who still fights on, after the battle has been lost, with the
whole world on the opposing side?
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9.109 These and many other
similar questions have arisen in my mind as I have observed men like
Henry Ford, who started at scratch, and built an Industrial Empire of
huge proportions, with little else in the way of a beginning but
PERSISTENCE. Or, Thomas A. Edison, who, with less than three months of
schooling, became the world's leading inventor and converted PERSISTENCE
into the talking machine, the moving picture machine, and the
incandescent light, to say nothing of half a hundred other useful
inventions.
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9.110 I had the happy privilege
of analyzing both Mr. Edison and Mr. Ford, year by year, over a long
period of years, and therefore, the opportunity to study them at close
range, so I speak from actual knowledge when I say that I found no
quality save PERSISTENCE, in either of them, that even remotely
suggested the major source of their stupendous achievements.
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9.111 As one makes an impartial
study of the prophets, philosophers, "miracle" men, and religious
leaders of the past, one is drawn to the inevitable conclusion that
PERSISTENCE, concentration of effort, and DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE, were
the major sources of their achievements.
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9.112 Consider, for example, the
strange and fascinating story of Mohammed; analyze his life, compare
him with men of achievement in this modern age of industry and finance,
and observe how they have one outstanding trait in common, PERSISTENCE!
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9.113 If you are keenly
interested in studying the strange power which gives potency to
PERSISTENCE, read a biography of Mohammed, especially the one by Essad
Bey. This brief review of that book, by Thomas Sugrue, in the
Herald-Tribune, will provide a preview of the rare treat in store for
those who take the time to read the entire story of one of the most
astounding examples of the power of PERSISTENCE known to civilization.
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THE LAST GREAT PROPHET
Reviewed by Thomas Sugrue
. . . . .
9.114 "Mohammed was a prophet,
but he never performed a miracle. He was not a mystic; he had no formal
schooling; he did not begin his mission until he was forty. When he
announced that he was the Messenger of God, bringing word of the true
religion, he was ridiculed and labeled a lunatic. Children tripped him
and women threw filth upon him. He was banished from his native city,
Mecca, and his followers were stripped of their worldly goods and sent
into the desert after him. When he had been preaching ten years he had
nothing to show for it but banishment, poverty and ridicule. Yet before
another ten years had passed, he was dictator of all Arabia, ruler of
Mecca, and the head of a New World religion which was to sweep to the
Danube and the Pyrenees before exhausting the impetus he gave it. That
impetus was three-fold: the power of words, the efficacy of prayer and
man's kinship with God.
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9.115 "His career never made
sense. Mohammed was born to impoverished members of a leading family of
Mecca. Because Mecca, the crossroads of the world, home of the magic
stone called the Caaba, great city of trade and the center of trade
routes, was unsanitary, its children were sent to be raised in the
desert by Bedouins. Mohammed was thus nurtured, drawing strength and
health from the milk of nomad, vicarious mothers. He tended sheep and
soon hired out to a rich widow as leader of her caravans. He traveled to
all parts of the Eastern World, talked with many men of diverse beliefs
and observed the decline of Christianity into warring sects. When he
was twenty-eight, Khadija, the widow, looked upon him with favor, and
married him. Her father would have objected to such a marriage, so she
got him drunk and held him up while he gave the paternal blessing. For
the next twelve years Mohammed lived as a rich and respected and very
shrewd trader. Then he took to wandering in the desert, and one day he
returned with the first verse of the Koran and told Khadija that the
archangel Gabriel had appeared to him and said that he was to be the
Messenger of God.
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9.116 "The Koran, the revealed
word of God, was the closest thing to a miracle in Mohammed's life. He
had not been a poet; he had no gift of words. Yet the verses of the
Koran, as he received them and recited them to the faithful, were better
than any verses which the professional poets of the tribes could
produce. This, to the Arabs, was a miracle. To them the gift of words
was the greatest gift, the poet was all-powerful. In addition the Koran
said that all men were equal before God, that the world should be a
democratic state Islam. It was this political heresy, plus Mohammed's
desire to destroy all the 360 idols in the courtyard of the Caaba, which
brought about his banishment. The idols brought the desert tribes to
Mecca, and that meant trade. So the business men of Mecca, the
capitalists, of which he had been one, set upon Mohammed. Then he
retreated to the desert and demanded sovereignty over the world.
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9.117 "The rise of Islam began.
Out of the desert came a flame which would not be extinguished—a
democratic army fighting as a unit and prepared to die without wincing.
Mohammed had invited the Jews and Christians to join him; for he was not
building a new religion. He was calling all who believed in one God to
join in a single faith. If the Jews and Christians had accepted his
invitation Islam would have conquered the world. They didn't. They would
not even accept Mohammed's innovation of humane warfare. When the
armies of the prophet entered Jerusalem not a single person was killed
because of his faith. When the crusaders entered the city, centuries
later, not a Moslem man, woman, or child was spared. But the Christians
did accept one Moslem idea—the place of learning, the university."
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Footnotes
Mrs. Simpson read and approved this analysis.9.FDS PRACTICAL: Skim over the chapter again to refamiliarize yourself with the main ideas, then check over the False Data Stripping questions with regard to it, using the PaulsRobot3 FDSing module. Remember the idea is to FIND and deal with False Data, not to confirm that of course you don't have any. :). Once you have found and dealt with any false data, study this chapter once more before going on to the next one. You can decide which demos and practicals you should do again.
9.LEC FINAL PRACTICAL: Deliver a 3-5 minute
lecture (by the clock) on the main points of this chapter, without using
any notes at all. You don't have to use people for an audience; use
the dog or the wall if you prefer. If you don't know the subject well
enough to do this, do the entire section again, paragraphs 9.1 to 9.FDS,
including all demos. This is a test of your understanding, not your
ability to remember a collection of words or phrases. Working out how
to explain the main points to someone else—IN SPOKEN WORDS, ALOUD—is
usually a very valuable aid to your own understanding.
CONGRATULATIONS! END OF SECTION 9
Next: Chapter 10. Power of the Master Mind (The Ninth Step toward Riches)