The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-02-03
The Potency of Psychology

once IT has been asked me hundreds OF
times. II ore fails does he not lose
his conndence?"
NOT necessarily so, no. II he does he
could not have had a very large stock
Of confidence 10 lose. Success is not
huilt Dpon orc effort, OIt upon repeated
chOlLs-a ana failures As a rule. failure
should never be acknowledged until the
laat effort has been made. and the last
effort ahogld not be made until one is
successful.
Ultimate failure should never be ac-
EroWledged. but. instead. hope on. hope
ever with increasing confidence IN ultI-
mate success.
Concentration.
This Is best accomplished by true
quietless rather than by intensity. Con-
contraction is the key 70 all power.
Thought is force; concentration OF
thought Is the focusing and directing
OF force for a certain purpose. To be
successful in concentration depends on
what We concentrate our force upon
and what ends we have in view in so
doing. II should never De for unworthy
en1s. A. a practice for such concen-
trauCn you should occasionally select
some one thought and focus your mind
+ thereon at the exclusion OF ali other
thoughts. You must learn 10 stfl the
little thought waves running through
your mild continuously by gathering
the Thought forces together j.. one big
wave.
Whatever business project you may
haze i1 mind concentrate your thought
upon IL so completely that you may
hold that particular thought al the ex-
cluslon OF al others and hold II with
confidence in the accomplishment OF
the object
Passivity.
This is one Of the most difficult things
10 learn and yet one Of the most import
ant The successful student Of psy-
chology must be able 10 make himself
passive negajivel and positive at will.
To make ones self habirualIy negative
without knowing how 10 become positive
is dangerous thing; in facl, 10 make
ones SELF hab-tuaIiy negative IS not
desirable thing.
No matter how intent you may be on
the business project you have in mind.
when you enter an office or one enters
your office you sh7 Id be able 10 be-
come passive at one for only IN 50
doing can you get the mental attitude
Of that person toward you and the busl-
ness you represent.
Always bear IN mind that an impress
sion cannot be made upon a positive.
but. instead. upon a negative; hence
the necessity Of your being passive.
Think OF II q moment; that even your
own subjective mind cannot make an
impression upon your objective mind
unless IL is passive.
Who has not puzzled for hours or DAYS
or even longer over some problem and
given II up In despair? Then suddenly,
in some moment Of abstraction when in
the necessary passive attitude. the So
luton came. Try % recall a name or
date. So long as you are effectively
active (pOsitivel IN your effort YOU will
fail, but when you let co. and say
well, never mind. it Will come To me
when I'm not thinking Of it," And it
comes. Il was there al the time, but
by your effort Cpositive) you closed the
door against it,
But you may say; 'Supposing In a busi-
ness transaction the other man be-
comes positive. should / still remain
passive?" Sure. Why? Because two
positiVes clash and, in all probability.
nothing gained Learn the secret o. be-
ing a good listener-one can listen With
out necessarily accepting.
In my next article 1 shall give the svs
remaining principles unloading" "pss-
itiveness.' "impuIsion," "clinchihg
thought" controlling conditions" aIso
collecting money"