All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts. That is the sum total of what this hugely popular book by James Allen conveys. We have read often that thought has power and hence the importance of positive thinking. This is the book that pioneered that concept, explaining that there is a direct connection between our thoughts and what happens to us in our lives, not only in terms of how we shape ourselves up but also how our circumstances shape up!
The third self-help book we take up in this series is an age-old classic written in the language of the early 20th century. It is not a book, but just an essay, and its title is from the bible, from the Book of Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7, that says “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”
And that is the core of this essay: ‘Assume responsibility for your self and your life, and achievement will be yours.’

It Begins with Enthusiasm!
Success may involve a lot of hard work. Success in selling is harder and success in selling insurance is among the most difficult achievements. What is it that could have changed the life of a man who admits, in the title of his biography, that he was a failure in selling? The title not only says that he was a failure in selling but that he then became a success. That he raised himself to success.
Does it sound as if this should be one very interesting book to read? Yes!

Professionalism means a certain standard of work, ethics and performance that the world takes note of and appreciates. Satisfaction means knowing that we have done our best and achieved all that we can. Both are important things to aspire for and we all dream of being superstars with fantastically successful professional lives and happy personal [...]