River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1908-01-30


your own counsel. Should you, how
ever, consult with anyone who belongs
to the doubling Thomas" class, make
up your mind to shut out every doubt
either expressed or implied. (The
majority of us when asking advice are
usually seeking approval.)
Sooner or later. everyone will real
ize his desires, providing he holds to
them with persistent and unwavering
confidence. The best things of this
life are not possible while we para
lyze ourselves with doubts of our abil-
tiles. The very force we waste upon
our fears is all that would be neces-
sary for the achievement of our pur-
pose. At the very point of discourage
ment we are often nearest accom-
plishment.
II the question has been asked me
once it has been asked me hundreds
of times: IF one fails does he not
lose his confidence?"
Not necessarily SO, no. If he does,
he could not have had very large
stock of confidence to lose. Success
is not built upon one effort, but upon
| repeated eiforts-and failures. AS a
rule, failure should never be acknowl-
edged until the last effort has been
made, and the last effort should not
be made until one is successful.
Ultimate failure should never be &C
| knowledged, but, instead, hope on,
hope ever with increasing confidence
in ultimate success.
Concentration.
/ This is best accomplished by true
quietness rather than by intensity.
Concentration is the key to all power.
Thought is force; concentration of
thought is the focusing and directing
of force for 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. 1t should never be for
unworthy ends. AS practice for such
concentration you should occasionally
| select some one thought and focus
your mind thereon at the exclusion OF
| all other thoughts. You must learn
to still the little thought waves run
ming through your mind continuously
| by gathering the thought forces to
| gether in one big wave.
Whatever business project you may
have in mind concentrate your thought
upon it SO completely that you may
hold that particular thought at the
| exclusion of all others and hold it with
confidence in the accomplishment OF
the object.
| Passivity.
This is one of the most difficult
things to learn and yet one of the most
! important. The successful student OF
psychology must be able to make
himself passive (negatIve) and positive
at will. To make ones self habitually
negative without knowing how to be
come positive is a dangerous thing;
in fact, to make ones self habitually
negative is not 2 desirable thing.
No matter how intent you may be On
the business project ycc have in mind
when you enter an Office or Cne enters
your office you should be able to be
come passive at once; for only in sc
doing can you get the mental attitude
of that person toward you and tbs
| business you represent.
Always bear in mind that an impress
sion cannot be made upon positive
but, instead, upon negative; hence
the necessity of your being passive.
Think of it a moment; that even your
own subjective mind cannot make an
impression upon your objective mind
unless it is passive.
Who has not puzzled for hours or
days or even longer over some prob
lem and given it up in despair? Then
suddenly, in some moment of abstrac-
ton when in the necessary passive
attitude, the solution came. Try to
recall name or date. So long as you
are effectively active (positive) in
your effort you will fail, but when you
'1et go" and say well, never mind.
it will come to me when I'm not think
ing of it." And it comes. 1t was
there all the time, but by your effort
(positive) you closed the door against
it.
But you may say: "Supposing in a
business transaction the other man
becomes positive, should I still re
main passive?" Sure. Why? Be.
cause two positives clash and, in ali
probability, nothing gained. Learn
the secret of being a good listener
one can listen without necessarily 40
cepting.
Copyright, 1907, by Joseph B. Bowles.)