"The Science of
Being Great"
by W. D.
Wattles
CHAPTER 1: ANY PERSON MAY BECOME
GREAT
THERE is a Principle of Power
in every person. By the intelligent use and direction of this principle, man can develop his own mental
faculties. Man has an inherent power by which he may grow in whatsoever direction he pleases, and there does not
appear to be any limit to the possibilities of his growth.
Talent may merely be one
faculty developed out of proportion to other faculties, but genius is the union of man and God in the acts of
the soul.
Man can train and develop
himself. He alone has this power, and he has it to an apparently unlimited extent.
The purpose of life for man
is growth, just as the purpose of life for trees and plants is growth. Trees and plants grow automatically and
along fixed lines; man can grow, as he will. Trees and plants can only develop certain possibilities and
characteristics; man can develop any power, which is or has been shown by any person,
anywhere.
Man is formed for growth, and
he is under the necessity of growing. It is essential to his happiness that he should continuously advance. Life
without progress becomes unendurable, and the person who ceases from growth must either become imbecile or
insane. The greater and more harmonious and well rounded his growth, the happier man will be.
Every man comes into the
world with a predisposition to grow along certain lines, and growth is easier for him along those lines than in
any other way.
In times of national stress
and peril the cracker-box loafer of the corner store and the village drunkard become heroes and statesmen
through the quickening of the Principle of Power within them. There is a genius in every man and woman, waiting
to be brought forth. Every village has its great man or woman; someone to whom all go for advice in time of
trouble; some one who is instinctively recognized as being great in wisdom and insight. To such a one the minds
of the whole community turn in times of local crisis; he is tacitly recognized as being great. He does small
things in a great way. He could do great things as well if he did but undertake them; so can any man; so can
you. The Principle of Power gives us just what we ask of it; if we only undertake little things, it only gives
us power for little things; but if we try to do great things in a great way it gives us all the power there is.
But beware of undertaking great things in a small way: of that we shall speak farther on.
There are two mental
attitudes a man may take. One makes him like a football. It has resilience and reacts strongly when force is
applied to it, but it originates nothing; it never acts of itself. There is no power within it. Men of this type
are controlled by circumstances and environment, their destinies are decided by things external to themselves.
The Principle of Power within them is never really active at all. They never speak or act from within. The other
attitude makes man like a flowing spring. Power comes out from the center of him. He has within him a well of
water springing up into everlasting life, he radiates force; heist felt by his environment. The Principle of
Power in him is in constant action. He is self-active. “He hath life in himself.”
The awakening of the
Principle of Power in man is the real conversion; the passing from death to life. It is when the dead hear the
voice of the Son of Man and come forth and live. It is the resurrection and the life. When it is awakened, man
becomes a son of the Highest and all power is given to him in heaven and on earth.
Nothing was ever in any man
that is not in you; no man ever had more spiritual or mental power than you can attain, or did greater things
than you can accomplish. You can become what you want to be.
CHAPTER 2: HEREDITY AND OPPORTUNITY
YOU are not barred from
attaining greatness by heredity. No matter who or what your ancestors may have been or how unlearned or lowly
their station, the upward way is open for you. There is no such thing as inheriting a fixed mental position; no
matter how small the mental capital we receive from our parents, it may be increased; no man is born incapable
of growth.
Heredity counts for
something. We are born with subconscious mental tendencies; as, for instance, a tendency to melancholy, or
cowardice, or to ill temper; but all these subconscious tendencies may be overcome. When the real man awakens
and comes forth he can throw them off very easily. Nothing of this kind need keep you down; if you have
inherited undesirable mental tendencies, you can eliminate them and put desirable tendencies in their
places.
An inherited mental trait is
a habit of thought of your father or mother impressed upon your subconscious mind; you can substitute the
opposite impression by forming the opposite habit of thought. You can substitute a habit of cheerfulness for a
tendency to despondency; you can overcome cowardice or ill temper.
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