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IV.
Thought
and
Purpose
Until
thought
is
linked
with
purpose
there
is
no
intelligent
accomplishment.
With
the
majority
the
bark
of
thought
is
allowed
to
"drift"
upon
the
ocean
of
life.
Aimlessness
is
a
vice,
and
such
drifting
must
not
continue
for
him
who
would
steer
clear
of
catastrophe
and
destruction.
They
who
have
no
central
purpose
in
their
life
fall
an
easy
prey
to
worries,
fears,
troubles,
and
self-pityings,
all
of
which
are
indications
of
weakness,
which
lead,
just
as
surely
as
deliberately
planned
sins
(though
by
a
different
route),
to
failure,
unhappiness,
and
loss,
for
weakness
cannot
persist
in
a
power-evolving
universe.
A
man
should
conceive
of
a
legitimate
purpose
in
his
heart,
and
set
out
to
accomplish
it.
He
should
make
this
purpose
the
centralizing
point
of
his
thoughts.
It
may
take
the
form
of
a
spiritual
ideal,
or
it
may
be
a
worldly
object,
according
to
his
nature
at
the
time
being.
But
whichever
it
is,
he
should
steadily
focus
his
thought
forces
upon
the
object
which
he
has
set
before
him.
He
should
make
this
purpose
his
supreme
duty,
and
should
devote
himself
to
its
attainment,
not
allowing
his
thoughts
to
wander
away
into
ephemeral
fancies,
longings,
and
imaginings.
This
is
the
royal
road
to
self-control
and
true
concentration
of
thought.
Even
if
he
fails
again
and
again
to
accomplish
his
purpose
(as
he
necessarily
must
until
weakness
is
overcome),
the
strength
of
character
gained
will
be
the
measure
of
his
true
success,
and
this
will
form
a
new
starting
point
for
future
power
and
triumph.
Those
who
are
not
prepared
for
the
apprehension
of
a
great
purpose,
should
fix
the
thoughts
upon
the
faultless
performance
of
their
duty,
no
matter
how
insignificant
their
task
may
appear.
Only
in
this
way
can
the
thoughts
be
gathered
and
focused,
and
resolution
and
energy
be
developed,
which
being
done,
there
is
nothing
which
may
not
be
accomplished.
The
weakest
soul,
knowing
its
own
weakness,
and
believing
this
truth
-
that
strength
can
only
be
developed
by
effort
and
practice,
will
at
once
begin
to
exert
itself,
and
adding
effort
to
effort,
patience
to
patience,
and
strength
to
strength,
will
never
cease
to
develop,
and
will
at
last
grow
divinely
strong.
As
the
physically
weak
man
can
make
himself
strong
by
careful
and
patient
training,
so
the
man
of
weak
thoughts
can
make
them
strong
by
exercising
himself
in
right
thinking.
To
put
away
aimlessness
and
weakness,
and
to
begin
to
think
with
purpose,
is
to
enter
the
ranks
of
those
strong
ones
who
only
recognize
failure
as
one
of
the
pathways
to
attainment;
who
make
all
conditions
serve
them,
and
who
think
strongly,
attempt
fearlessly,
and
accomplish
masterfully.
Having
conceived
of
his
purpose,
a
man
should
mentally
mark
out
a
straight
pathway
to
its
achievement,
looking
neither
to
the
right
nor
to
the
left.
Doubts
and
fears
should
be
rigorously
excluded;
they
are
disintegrating
elements
which
break
up
the
straight
line
of
effort,
rendering
it
crooked,
ineffectual,
useless.
Thoughts
of
doubt
and
fear
never
accomplish
anything,
and
never
can.
They
always
lead
to
failure.
Purpose,
energy,
power
to
do,
and
all
strong
thoughts
cease
when
doubt
and
fear
creep
in.
The
will
to
do
springs
from
the
knowledge
that
we
can
do.
Doubt
and
fear
are
the
great
enemies
of
knowledge,
and
he
who
encourages
them,
who
does
not
slay
them,
thwarts
himself
at
every
step.
He
who
has
conquered
doubt
and
fear
has
conquered
failure.
His
every
thought
is
allied
with
power,
and
all
difficulties
are
bravely
met
and
wisely
overcome.
His
purposes
are
seasonably
planted,
and
they
bloom
and
bring
forth
fruit
which
does
not
fall
prematurely
to
the
ground.
Thought
allied
fearlessly
to
purpose
becomes
creative
force.
He
who
knows
this
is
ready
to
become
something
higher
and
stronger
than
a
mere
bundle
of
wavering
thoughts
and
fluctuating
sensations.
He
who
does
this
has
become
the
conscious
and
intelligent
wielder
of
his
mental
powers.
on
to
Chapter
V:
The
Thought-Factor
in
Achievement...
For
more
on
James
Allen
and
to
download
the
free
ebook,
visit
http://www.asamanthinketh.net
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