emotion or feeling let us therefore describe here the seven major positive emotions and the seven major negative emotions so that you may draw upon the positives and avoid the negatives when giving instructions to your subconscious mind the seven major positive emotions the emotion of desire the emotion of faith the emotion of love the emotion of sex the emotion of enthusiasm the emotion of romance the emotion of hope there are other positive emotions but these are the seven most powerful and the ones most commonly used in creative effort master these seven emotions and the other positive emotions will be at your command when you need them remember in this connection that you are studying a book which is intended to help you develop a money consciousness by filling your mind with positive emotions one does not become money conscious by filling one's mind with negative emotions the seven major negative emotions the emotion of fear the emotion of jealousy the emotion of hatred the emotion of revenge the emotion of greed the emotion of superstition the emotion of anger positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time one or the other must dominate it is your responsibility to make sure that positive emotions constitute the dominating influence of your mind here the law of habit will come to your aid form the habit of applying and using the positive emotions eventually they will dominate your mind so completely that the negatives cannot enter it only by following these instructions literally and continuously can you gain control over your subconscious mind the presence of a single negative in your conscious mind is sufficient to destroy all chances of constructive aid from your subconscious mind if you are an observing person you must have noticed that most people resort to prayer only after everything else has failed or else they pray by a ritual of meaningless words and because it is a fact that most people who pray do so only after everything else has failed they go to prayer with their minds filled with fear and doubt which are the emotions the subconscious mind acts upon and passes on to infinite intelligence likewise that is the emotion which infinite intelligence receives and acts upon if you pray for a thing but have fear as you pray that you may not receive it or that your prayer will not be acted upon by infinite intelligence your prayer will have been in vain prayer does sometimes result in the realization of that for which one prays if you have ever had the experience of receiving that for which you prayed go back in your memory and recall your actual state of mind while you are praying and you will know for sure that the theory here described is more than a theory the time will come when the schools and educational institutions of the country will teach the science of prayer moreover then prayer may be and will be reduced to a science when that time comes no one will approach the universal mind in a state of fear for the very good reason that there will be no such emotion as fear ignorance superstition and false teaching will have disappeared and man will have attained his true status as a child of infinite intelligence a few have already attained this blessing if you believe this prophecy is far-fetched take a look at the human race in retrospect less than a hundred years ago men believed the lightning to be evidence of the wrath of god and feared it now thanks to the power of faith men have harnessed the lightning and made it turn the wheels of industry much less than a hundred years ago men believed the space between the planets to be nothing but a great void a stretch of dead nothingness now thanks to this same power of faith men know that far from being either dead or a void the space between the planets is very much alive that it is the highest form of vibration known accepting perhaps the vibration of thoughts or over men know that this living pulsating vibratory energy which permeates every atom of matter and fills every niche of space connects every human brain with every other human brain what reason have meant to believe that this same energy does not connect every human brain with infinite intelligence there are no toll gates between the finite mind of man and infinite intelligence the communication costs nothing except patience faith persistence understanding and a sincere desire to communicate whereover the approach can be made only by the individual himself paid prayers are worthless infinite intelligence does no business by proxy you'll either go direct or you do not communicate you may buy prayer books and repeat them until the day of your doom without avail thoughts which you wish to communicate to infinite intelligence must undergo transformation such as can be given only through your own subconscious mind the method by which you may communicate with infinite intelligence is very similar to that through which the vibration of sound is communicated by radio if you understand the working principle of radio you of course know that sound cannot be communicated through the air until it has been stepped up or changed into a rate of vibration which the human ear cannot detect the radio sending station picks up the sound of the human voice and scrambles or modifies it by stepping up the vibration millions of times only in this way can the vibration of sound be communicated through the air after this transformation has taken place the air picks up the energy carries the energy to radio receiving stations and these receiving set step the energy back down to its original rate of vibration so it is recognized as sound the subconscious mind is the intermediary which translates one's prayers into terms which infinite intelligence can recognize presence the message and brings back the answer in the form of a definite plan or idea for procuring the object of the prayer understand this principle and you will know why mere words read from a prayer book cannot and will never serve as an agency of communication between the mind of man and infinite intelligence before your prayer will reach infinite intelligence it probably is transformed from its original thought vibration into terms of spiritual vibration faith is the only known agency which will give your thoughts a spiritual nature faith and fear make poor bedfellows where one is found the other cannot exist chapter 13 the brain a broadcasting and receiving station for thought the 12th step toward riches more than 20 years ago the author working in conjunction with the late doctor alexander graham bell and dr. elmer r gates observed that every human brain is both a broadcasting and receiving station for the vibration of thoughts to the medium of the ether in a fashion similar to that employed by the radio broadcasting principle every human brain is capable of picking up vibrations of thought which are being released by other brains in connection with the statement in the preceding paragraph compare and consider the description of the creative imagination as outlined in the chapter on imagination the creative imagination is the receiving set of the brain which receives thoughts released by the brains of others it is the agency of communication between one's conscious or reasoning mind and the four sources from which one may receive thought stimuli when stimulated or stepped up to a high rate of vibration the mind becomes more receptive to the vibration of thought which reaches it to outside sources this stepping up process takes place through the positive emotions or the negative emotions to the emotions the vibrations of thought may be increased vibrations of an exceedingly high rate are the only vibrations picked up and carried from one brain to another thought is energy traveling at an exceedingly high rate of vibration thought which has been modified or stepped up by any of the major emotions vibrates at a much higher rate that ordinary thought and it is this type of thought which passes from one brain to another through the broadcasting machinery of the human brain the emotion of sex stands at the head of the list of human emotions as far as intensity and driving force are concerned the brain which has been stimulated by the emotion of sex vibrates at a much more rapid rate than it does when that emotion is quiescent or absent the result of sex transmutation is the increase of the rate of vibration of thoughts to such a pitch that the creative imagination becomes highly receptive to ideas it picks up from external vibrations on the other hand when the brain is vibrating at a rapid rate it not only attracts thoughts and ideas released by other brains but it gives to one's own thoughts that feeling which is essential before those thoughts will be picked up and acted upon by one's subconscious mind thus you will see that the broadcasting principle is the factor through which you mix feeling or emotion with your thoughts and pass them on to your subconscious mind the subconscious mind is the sending station of the brain through which vibrations of thought are broadcast the creative imagination is the receiving set through which the vibrations of thought are picked up from the ether along with the important factors of the subconscious mind and the faculty of the creative imagination which constitute the sending and receiving sets of your mental broadcasting machinery consider now the principle of auto suggestion which is the medium by which you may put into operation your broadcasting station through the instructions described in the chapter on auto suggestion you are definitely informed of the method by which desire may be transmuted into its monetary equivalent operation of your mental broadcasting station is a comparatively simple procedure you have but three principles to bear in mind and to apply when you wish to use your broadcasting station the subconscious mind creative imagination and auto suggestion the stimuli through which you put these three principles into action have been described the procedure begins with desire the greatest forces are intangible the depression brought the world to the very border line of understanding of the forces which are intangible and unseen through the ages which have passed man has depended too much upon his physical senses and has limited his knowledge to physical things which he could see touch way and measure we are now entering the most marvelous of all ages an age which will teach us something of the intangible forces of the world about us perhaps we shall learn as we pass through this age that the other self is more powerful than the physical self we see when we look into a mirror sometimes men speak lightly of the intangibles the things which they cannot perceive through any of their five senses and when we hear them it should remind us that all of us are controlled by forces which are unseen and intangible the whole of mankind has not the power to cope with nor to control the intangible force wrapped up in the rolling waves of the oceans man has not the capacity to understand the intangible force of gravity which keeps this little earth suspended in mid-air and keeps man from failing from it much less the power to control that force man is entirely subservient to the intangible force which comes with a thunderstorm and he is just as helpless in the presence of the intangible force of electricity may he does not even know what electricity is where it comes from or what is its purpose nor is this by any means the end of man's ignorance and connection with things unseen and intangible he does not understand the intangible force wrapped up in the soil of the earth the force which provides him with every morsel of food he eats every article of clothing he wears every dollar he carries in the dramatic story of the brain last but not least man with all of his boasted culture and education understands little or nothing of the intangible force of thoughts he knows but little concerning the physical brain and its vast network of intricate machinery through which the power of thought is translated into its material equivalent but he is now entering an age which shall yield enlightenment on the subject already men of science have begun to turn their attention to the study of this stupendous thing called a brain and while they are still in the kindergarten stage of their studies they have uncovered enough knowledge to know that the central switchboard of the human brain the number of lines which connect the brain cells one with another equal the figure one followed by 15 billion ciphers the figure is so stupendous said doctor c judson harrick of the university of chicago that astronomical figures dealing with hundreds of millions of light years become insignificant by comparison it has been determined that there are from 10 billion to 14 billion nerve cells in the human cerebral cortex and we know that these are arranged in definite patterns these arrangements are not haphazard they are orderly recently developed methods of electrophysiology draw off action currents from very precisely located cells or fibers with micro electrodes amplify them with radio tubes and record potential differences to a millionth of a volt it is inconceivable that such a network of intricate machinery should be in existence for the sole purpose of carrying on the physical functions incidental to growth and maintenance of the physical body is it not likely that the same system which gives billions of brain cells the media for communication one with another provides also the means of communication with other intangible forces after this book had been written just before the manuscript went to the publisher there appeared in the new york times an editorial showing that at least one great university and one intelligent investigator in the field of mental phenomena are carrying on an organized research through which conclusions have been reached that parallel many of those described in this and the following chapter the editorial briefly analyzed the work carried on by doctor ryan and his associates at duke university what is telepathy a month ago we cited on this page some of the remarkable results achieved by professor ryan and his associates in duke university from more than a hundred thousand tests to determine the existence of telepathy and clairvoyance these results were summarized in the first two articles in harper's magazine in the second which has now appeared the author it right attempts to summarize what has been learned or what it seems reasonable to infer regarding the exact nature of these extra sensory modes of perception the actual existence of telepathy and clairvoyance now seems to some scientists enormously probable as the result of ryan's experiments various recipients were asked to name as many cards in a special pack as they could without looking at them and without other sensory access to them about a score of men and women were discovered who could regularly name so many of the cards correctly that there was not one chance in many a million of their having done their feats by luck or accident but how did they do them these powers assuming that they exist do not seem to be sensory there is no known organ for them the experiments worked lust as well at distances of several hundred miles as they did in the same room these facts also dispose in mr. right's opinion of the attempt to explain telepathy or clairvoyance to any physical theory of radiation all known forms of radiant energy decline inversely as the square of the distance traversed telepathy and clairvoyance do not but they do vary to physical causes as our other mental powers do contrary to widespread opinion they do not improve when the recipient is asleep or half asleep but on the contrary when he is most wide awake in alerts ryan discovered that a narcotic will invariably lower a percipient score while a stimulant will always send it higher the most reliable performer apparently cannot make a good score unless he tries to do his best one conclusion that right draws with some confidence is that telepathy and clairvoyance are really one and the same gift that is the faculty that sees a card face clown on a table seems to be exactly the same one that reads a thought reciting only in another mind there are several grounds for believing this so far for example the two gifts have been found in every person who enjoys either of them in every one so far the two have been of equal vigor almost exactly screens walls distances have no effect at all on either right advances from this conclusion to express what he puts forward is no more than the mere hunch that other extra sensory experiences prophetic dreams premonitions of disaster and alike may also prove to be part of the same faculty the reader is not asked to accept any of these conclusions unless he finds it necessary but the evidence that ryan has piled up must remain impressive in view of dr ryan's announcement in connection with the conditions under which the mind responds to what he terms extra sensory modes of perception i now feel privileged to add to his testimony by stating that my associates and i have discovered what we believe to be the ideal conditions under which the mind can be stimulated so that the sixth sense described in the next chapter can be made to function in a practical way the conditions to which i refer consist of a close working alliance between myself and two members of my staff through experimentation and practice we have discovered how to stimulate our minds so that we can by a process of blending our three minds into one find a solution to a great variety of personal problems which are submitted by my clients the procedure is very simple we sit down at a conference table clearly state the nature of the problem we have under consideration then begin discussing it each contributes whatever thoughts that may occur a strange thing about this method of mind stimulation is that it places each participant in communication with unknown sources of knowledge definitely outside his own experience if you understand the principle described in the chapter on the master mind you'll of course recognize the round table procedure here described as being a practical application of the master mind this method of mind stimulation through harmonious discussion of definite subjects between three people illustrates the simplest and most practical use of the master mind by adopting and following a similar plan any student of this philosophy may come into possession of the famous Carnegie formula briefly described in the introduction if it means nothing to you at this time mark this page and read it again after you have finished the last chapter the depression was a blessing in disguise it reduced the whole world to a new starting point that gives everyone a new opportunity chapter 14 the sixth sense the door to the temple of wisdom the 13th step toward riches the 13th principle is known as the sixth sense through which infinite intelligence may and will communicate voluntarily without any effort from or demands by the individual this principle is the apex of the philosophy it can be assimilated understood and applied only by first mastering the other 12 principles the sixth sense is that portion of the subconscious mind which has been referred to as the creative imagination it has also been referred to as the receiving set through which ideas plans and thoughts flash into the mind the flashes are sometimes called hunches or inspirations the sixth sense defies description it cannot be described to a person who has not mastered the other principles of this philosophy because such a person has no knowledge and no experience with which the sixth sense may be compared understanding of the sixth sense comes only by meditation through mind development from within the sixth sense probably is the medium of contact between the finite mind of man and infinite intelligence and for this reason it is a mixture of both the mental and the spiritual it is believed to be the point at which the mind of man contacts the universal mind after you have mastered the principles described in this book you will be prepared to accept this truth a statement which may otherwise be incredible to you namely through the eight of the sixth sense you will be warned of impending dangers in time to avoid them and notified of opportunities in time to embrace them there comes to your aid and to do your bidding with the development of the sixth sense a guardian angel who will open to you at all times the door to the temple of wisdom whether or not this is a statement of truth you will never know except by following the instructions described in the pages of this book or some similar method of procedure the author is not a believer in nor an advocate of miracles for the reason that he has enough knowledge of nature to understand that nature never deviates from her established laws some of her laws are so incomprehensible that they produce what appear to be miracles the sixth sense comes as near to being a miracle as anything I have ever experienced and it appears so only because I do not understand the method by which this principle is operated this much the author does know that there is a power or a first cause or an intelligence which permeates every atom of matter and embraces every unit of energy perceptible to man that this infinite intelligence converts acorns into oak trees causes water to flow downhill in response to the law of gravity follows night with day and winter with summer each maintaining its proper place and relationship to the other this intelligence may through the principles of this philosophy be induced to aid in transmuting desires into concrete or material form the author has this knowledge because he has experimented with it and has experienced it step by step through the preceding chapters you have been led to this the last principle if you have mastered each of the preceding principles you are now prepared to accept without being skeptical the stupendous claims made here if you have not mastered the other principles you must do so before you may determine definitely whether or not the claims made in this chapter are fact or fiction while I was passing through the age of hero worship I found myself trying to imitate those who my most admired moreover I discovered that the element of faith with which I endeavored to imitate my idols gave me great capacity to do so quite successfully I have never entirely divested myself of this habit of hero worship although I have passed the age commonly given over to such my experience has taught me that the next best thing to being truly great is to emulate the great by feeling an action as nearly as possible long before I had ever written a line for publication or endeavored to deliver a speech in public I followed the habit of reshaping my own character by trying to imitate the nine men whose lives and life works have been most impressive to me these nine men were Emerson pain Edison Darwin Lincoln Burbank Napoleon Ford and Carnegie every night over a long period of years I held an imaginary council meeting with this group whom I called my invisible counselors the procedure was this just before going to sleep at night I would shut my eyes and see in my imagination this group of men seated with me around my council table here I had not only an opportunity to sit among those whom I considered to be great but I actually dominated the group by serving as the chairman I had a very definite purpose in indulging my imagination through these nightly meetings my purpose was to rebuild my own character so it would represent a composite of the characters of my imaginary counselors realizing as I did early in life that I had to overcome the handicap of birth in an environment of ignorance and superstition I deliberately assigned myself the task of voluntary rebirth through the method here described building character through auto suggestion being an earnest student of psychology I knew of course that all men have become what they are because of their dominating thoughts and desires I knew that every deeply seated desire has the effect of causing one to seek outward expression through which that desire may be transmuted into reality I knew that self suggestion is a powerful factor in building character that it is in fact the sole principle through which character is build it with this knowledge of the principles of mind operation I was fairly well armed with the equipment needed in rebuilding my character in these imaginary council meetings I called on my cabinet members for the knowledge I wished each to contribute addressing myself to each member in audible words as follows Mr. Emerson I desire to acquire from you the marvelous understanding of nature which distinguished your life I ask that you make an impress upon my subconscious mind of whatever qualities you possessed which enabled you to understand and adapt yourself to the laws of nature I ask that you assist me in reaching and drawing upon whatever sources of knowledge are available to this end Mr. Burbank I request that you pass on to me the knowledge which enabled you to so harmonize the laws of nature that you caused the cactus to shed its thorns and become an edible food give me access to the knowledge which enabled you to make two blades of grass grow where but one grew before and helped you to blend the coloring of the flowers with more splendor and harmony for you alone have successfully gilded the lily Napoleon I desire to acquire from you by emulation the marvelous ability you possess to inspire men and to arouse them to greater and more determined spirit of action also to acquire the spirit of enduring faith which enabled you to turn defeat into victory and to surmount staggering obstacles emperor of fate king of chance man of destiny I salute your mr. Kane I desire to acquire from you the freedom of thought and the courage and clarity with which to express convictions which so distinguished you mr. Darwin I wish to acquire from you the marvelous patience and ability to study cause and effect without bias or prejudice so exemplified by you in the field of natural science mr. Lincoln I desire to build into my own character the keen sense of justice the untiring spirit of patience the sense of humor the human understanding and the tolerance which we are distinguishing characteristics mr. Carnegie I am already indebted to you for my choice of a life work which has brought me great happiness and peace of mind I wish to acquire a thorough understanding of the principles of organized effort which you use so effectively in the building of a great industrial enterprise mr. Ford you have been among the most helpful of the men who have supplied much of the material essential to my work I wish to acquire your spirit of persistence the determination poise and self-confidence which have enabled you to master poverty organize unify and simplify human effort so I may help others to follow in your footsteps mr. Edison I have seated you nearest to me am I right because of the personal cooperation you have given me during my research into the causes of success and failure I wish to acquire from you the marvelous spirit of faith with which you have uncovered so many of nature's secrets the spirit of unremitting toil with which you have so often rested victory from defeat my method of addressing the members of the imaginary cabinet would vary according to the traits of character in which I was for the moment most interested in acquiring I studied the records of their lives with painstaking care after some months of this nightly procedure I was astounded by the discovery that these imaginary figures became apparently real each of these nine men develop individual characteristics which surprised me for example Lincoln developed the habit of always being late then walking around in solemn parade when he came he walked very slowly with his hands clasped behind him and once in a while he would stop as he passed and rest his hand momentarily upon my shoulder he always wore an expression of seriousness upon his face rarely did I see him smile the cares of a sundered nation made him grave that was not true of the others burbank and pain often indulged in witty repartee which seemed at times to shock the other members of the cabinet one night pain suggested that I prepare a lecture on the age of reason and deliver it from the pulpit of a church which I formerly attended many around the table laughed heartily at the suggestion not Napoleon he drew his mouth down at the corners and groaned so loudly that all turned and looked at him with amazement to him the church was but a pawn of the state not to be reformed but to be used as a convenient insider to mass activity by the people on one occasion burbank was late when he came he was excited with enthusiasm and explained that he had been late because of an experiment he was making through which he hoped to be able to grow apples on any sort of tree pain chided him by reminding him that it was an apple which started all the trouble between man and woman Darwin chuckled heartily as he suggested that pain should watch out for little serpents when he went into the forest to gather apples as they had the habit of growing into big snakes emerson observed no serpents no apples and Napoleon remarked no apples no state Lincoln developed the habit of always being the last one to leave the table after each meeting on one occasion he leaned across the end of the table his arms folded and remained in that position for many minutes I made no attempt to disturb him finally he lifted his head slowly got up and walked to the door then turned around came back and laid his hand on my shoulder and said my boy you will need much courage if you remain steadfast and carrying out your purpose in life but remember when difficulties overtake you the common people have common sense diversity will develop it one evening Edison arrived ahead of all the others he walked over and seated himself at my left where emerson was accustomed to sit and said you are destined to witness the discovery of the secret of life when the time comes you will observe that life consists of great swarms of energy or entities each is intelligent as human beings think themselves to be these units of life group together like hives of bees and remain together until they disintegrate through lack of harmony these units have differences of opinion the same as human beings and often fight among themselves these meetings which you are conducting will be very helpful to you they will bring to your rescue some of the same units of life which serve the members of your cabinet during their lives these units are eternal they never die your own thoughts and desires serve as the magnet which attracts units of life from the great ocean of life out there only the friendly units are attracted the ones which harmonize with the nature of your desires the other members of the cabinet began to enter the room Edison got up and slowly walked around to his own seat Edison was still living when this happened it impressed me so greatly that I went to see him and told him about the experience he smiled broadly and said your dream was more reality than you may imagine it to have been he added no further explanation to his statement these meetings became so realistic that I became fearful of their consequences and this continued them for several months the experiences were so uncanny I was afraid if I continued them I would lose sight of the fact that the meetings were purely experiences of my imagination some six months after I had discontinued the practice I was awakened one night or thought I was when I saw Lincoln standing at my bedside he said the world will soon need your services it is about to undergo a period of chaos which will cause men and women to lose faith and become panic-stricken go ahead with your work and complete your philosophy that is your mission in life if you neglect it for any cause whatsoever you will be reduced to a primal state and be compelled to retrace the cycles through which you have passed during thousands of years I was unable to tell the following morning whether I had dreamed this or had actually been awake and I have never since found out which it was but I do know that the dream if it were a dream was so vivid in my mind the next day that I resumed my meetings the following night at our next meeting the members of my cabinet all filed into the room together and stood at their accustomed places at the council table while Lincoln raised a glass and said gentlemen let us drink a toast to a friend who has returned to the fold after that I began to add new members to my cabinet until now it consists of more than 50 among them Christ St. Paul Galileo Copernicus Aristotle Plato Socrates Homer Voltaire Bruno Spinoza Drummond Kant Scopenhauer Newton Confucius Albert Hubbard Brann Ingersoll Wilson and William James this is the first time that I have had the courage to mention this here to for I have remained quiet on the subject because I knew from my own attitude in connection with such matters that I would be misunderstood if I described my unusual experience I have been emboldened now to reduce my experience to the printed page because I am now less concerned about what they say than I was in the years that have passed one of the blessings of maturity is that it sometimes brings one greater courage to be truthful regardless of what those who do not understand may think or say lest I be misunderstood I wish here to state most emphatically that I still regard my cabinet meetings as being purely imaginary but I feel entitled to suggest that while the members of my cabinet may be purely fictional and the meetings existent only in my own imagination they have led me into glorious paths of adventure rekindled an appreciation of true greatness encourage creative endeavor and embolden the expression of honest thoughts somewhere in the cell structure of the brain is located an organ which receives vibrations of thought ordinarily called hunches so far science has not discovered where this organ of the sixth sense is located but this is not important the fact remains that human beings do receive accurate knowledge through sources other than the physical senses such knowledge generally is received when the mind is under the influence of extraordinary stimulation any emergency which arouses the emotions and causes the heart to beat more rapidly than normal may and generally does bring the sixth sense into action anyone who has experienced the near accident while driving knows that on such occasions the sixth sense often comes to one's rescue and aids by split seconds in avoiding the accident these facts are mentioned preliminary to a statement of fact which I shall now make namely that during my meetings with the invisible counselors I find my mind most receptive to ideas thoughts and knowledge which reach me through the sixth sense I can truthfully say that I owe entirely to my invisible counselors full credit for such ideas facts or knowledge as I received through inspiration on scores of occasions when I have faced emergencies some of them so grave that my life was in jeopardy I have been miraculously guided past these difficulties through the influence of my invisible counselors my original purpose in conducting council meetings with imaginary beings was solely that of impressing my own subconscious mind through the principle of auto suggestion with certain characteristics which I desire to acquire in more recent years my experimentation has taken on an entirely different trend I now go to my imaginary counselors with every difficult problem which confronts me and my clients the results are often astonishing although I do not depend entirely on this form of council you of course have recognized that this chapter covers a subject with which a majority of people are not familiar the sixth sense is a subject that will be of great interest and benefit to the person whose aim is to accumulate vast wealth but it need not claim the attention of those whose desires are more modest Henry Ford undoubtedly understands and makes practical use of the sixth sense is vast business and financial operations make it necessary for him to understand and use this principle the late Thomas Edison understood and used the sixth sense in connection with the development of inventions especially those involving basic patterns in connection with which he had no human experience and no accumulated knowledge to guide him as was the case while he was working on the talking machine and the moving picture machine nearly all great leaders such as Napoleon Bismarck Joan of Arc Christ Buddha Confucius and Mohammed understood and probably made use of the sixth sense almost continuously the major portion of their greatness consisted of their knowledge of this principle the sixth sense is not something that one can take off and put on it will ability to use this great power comes slowly through application of the other principles outlined in this book seldom does any individual come into workable knowledge of the sixth sense before the age of 40 more often the knowledge is not available until one is well past 50 and this for the reason that the spiritual forces with which the sixth sense is so closely related do not mature and become usable except through years of meditation self-examination and serious thought no matter who you are or what may have been your purpose in reading this book you can profit by it without understanding the principle described in this chapter this is especially true of your major purpose is that of accumulation of money or other material things the chapter on the sixth sense was included because the book is designed for the purpose of presenting a complete philosophy by which individuals may unerringly guide themselves in attaining whatever they ask of life the starting point of all achievement is desire the finishing point is that brand of knowledge which leads to understanding understanding of self understanding of others understanding of the laws of nature recognition and understanding of happiness this sort of understanding comes in its fullness only through familiarity with and use of the principle of the sixth sense hence that principle had to be included as a part of this philosophy for the benefit of those who demand more than money having read the chapter you must have observed that while reading it you were lifted to a high level of mental stimulation splendid come back to this again a month from now read it once more and observe that your mind will sort to a still higher level of stimulation repeat this experience from time to time giving no concern as to how much or how little you learn at the time and eventually you will find yourself in possession of a power that will enable you to throw off discouragement master fear overcome procrastination and draw freely upon your imagination then you will have felt the touch of that unknown something which has been the moving spirit of every truly great thinker leader artist musician writer statesman then you will be in position to transmute your desires into their physical or financial counterpart as easily as you may lie down and quit at the first sign of opposition faith versus fear previous chapters have described how to develop faith through auto suggestion desire in the subconscious the next chapter presence detailed instructions for the mastery of fear here will be found a full description of the six fears which are the cause of all discouragement timidity procrastination indifference indecision and the lack of ambition self-reliance initiative self-control and enthusiasm search yourself carefully as you study these six enemies as they may exist only in your subconscious mind where their presence will be hard to detect remember two as you analyze the six ghosts of fear that they are nothing but ghosts because they exist only in one's mind remember also that ghosts creations of uncontrolled imagination have caused most of the damage people have done to their own minds therefore ghosts can be as dangerous as if they lived and walked on the earth in physical bodies the ghost of the fear of poverty which sees the minds of millions of people in 1929 was so real that it caused the worst business depression this country has ever known moreover this particular goes still frighten some of us out of our wits chapter 15 how to outwit the six ghosts of fear take inventory of yourself as you read this closing chapter and find out how many of the ghosts are standing in your way before you can put any portion of this philosophy into successful use your mind must be prepared to receive it the preparation is not difficult it begins with study analysis and understanding of three enemies which you shall have to clear out these are indecision doubt and fear the sixth sense will never function while these three negatives or any of them remain in your mind the members of this unholy trio are closely related where one is found the other two are close at hand indecision is the seedling of fear remember this as you read indecision crystallizes into doubt the two blend and become fear the blending process often is slow this is one reason why these three enemies are so dangerous they germinate and grow without their presence being observed the remainder of this chapter describes an end which must be attained before the philosophy as a whole can be put into practical use it also analyzes a condition which has but lately reduced huge numbers of people to poverty and it states a truth which must be understood by all who accumulate riches whether measured in terms of money or a state of mind of far greater value than money the purpose of this chapter is to turn the spotlight of attention upon the cause and the cure of the six basic fears before we can master an enemy we must know its name its habits and its place of abode as you read analyze yourself carefully and determine which if any of the six common fears have attached themselves to you do not be deceived by the habits of these subtle enemies sometimes they remain hidden in the subconscious mind where they are difficult to locate and still more difficult to eliminate the six basic fears there are six basic fears with some combination of which every human suffers at one time or another most people are fortunate if they do not suffer from the entire six named in the order of their most common appearance they are the fear of poverty the fear of criticism the fear of 100 health at the bottom of most of ones worries loss of love of someone old age death all other fears are of minor importance they can be grouped under these six headings the prevalence of these fears as a curse to the world runs in cycles for almost six years while the depression was on we floundered in the cycle of fear of poverty during the world war we were in the cycle of fear of death just following the war we were in the cycle of fear of ill health as evidenced by the epidemic of disease which spread itself all over the world fears are nothing more than states of mind one state of mind is subject to control and direction physicians as everyone knows are less subject to attack by disease than ordinary laymen for the reason that physicians do not fear disease physicians without fear or hesitation have been known to physically contact hundreds of people daily who were suffering from such contagious diseases as smallpox without becoming infected their immunity against the disease consisted largely if not solely in their absolute lack of fear man can create nothing which he does not first conceive in the form of an impulse of thought following this statement comes another of still greater importance namely man's thought impulses begin immediately to translate themselves into their physical equivalent whether those thoughts are voluntary or involuntary thought impulses which are picked up through the ether by mere chance may determine one's financial business professional or social destiny just as surely as to the thought impulses which one creates by intent and design we are here laying the foundation for the presentation of a fact of great importance to the person who does not understand why some people appear to be lucky while others of equal or greater ability training experience and brain capacity seem destined to ride with misfortune this fact may be explained by the statement that every human being has the ability to completely control his own mind and with this control obviously every person may open his mind to the tramp thought impulses which are being released by other brains or close the doors tightly and admit only thought impulses of his own choice nature has endowed man with absolute control over but one thing and that is thought this fact coupled with the additional fact that everything which man creates begins in the form of a thought leads one very near to the principle by which fear may be mastered if it is true that all thought has a tendency to clothe itself in its physical equivalent it is equally true that thought impulses of fear and poverty cannot be translated into terms of courage and financial gain the people of america began to think of poverty following the wall street crash of 1929 slowly but surely that mass thought was crystallized into its physical equivalent which was known as a depression this had to happen it is in conformity with the laws of nature the fear of poverty there can be no compromise between poverty and riches the two roads that lead to poverty and riches travel in opposite directions if you want riches you must refuse to accept any circumstance that leads toward poverty the starting point of the path that leads to riches is desire in chapter one you receive full instructions for the proper use of desire in this chapter on fear you have complete instructions for preparing your mind to make practical use of desire here then is the place to give yourself a challenge which will definitely determine how much of this philosophy you have absorbed here is the point at which you can turn profit and foretell accurately what the future holds in store for you if after reading this chapter you are willing to accept poverty you may as well make up your mind to receive poverty this is one decision you cannot avoid if you demand riches determine what form and how much will be required to satisfy you you know the road that leads to riches you have been given a road map which if followed will keep you on that road if you neglect to make the start or stop before you arrive no one will be to blame but you this responsibility is yours no alibi will save you from accepting the responsibility if you now fail or refuse to demand riches of life because the acceptance calls for but one thing incidentally the only thing you can control and that is a state of mind a state of mind is something that one assumes it cannot be purchased it must be created fear of poverty is a state of mind nothing else but it is sufficient to destroy one's chances of achievement in any undertaking a truth which became painfully evident during the depression this fear paralyzes the faculty of reason destroys the faculty of imagination kills off self-reliance undermines enthusiasm discourages initiative leads to uncertainty of purpose encourages procrastination wipes out enthusiasm and makes self-control an impossibility it takes the charm from one's personality destroys the possibility of accurate thinking diverts concentration of effort it masters persistence turns the willpower into nothingness destroys ambition the clouds the memory and invites failure in every conceivable form it kills love and assassinates the finer emotions of the heart discourages friendship and invites disaster in a hundred forms leads to sleeplessness misery and unhappiness and all this despite the obvious truth that we live in a world of overabundance of everything the heart could desire with nothing standing between us and our desires accepting lack of a definite purpose the fear of poverty is without doubt the most destructive of the six basic fears it has been placed at the head of the list because it is the most difficult to master considerable courage is required to state the truth about the origin of this fear and still greater courage to accept the truth after it has been stared the fear of poverty grew out of man's inherited tendency to prey upon his fellow man economically nearly all animals lower than man are motivated by instinct but their capacity to think is limited therefore they prey upon one another physically man with his superior sense of intuition with the capacity to think and to reason does not eat his fellowman bodily he gets more satisfaction out of eating him financially man is so avaricious that every conceivable law has been passed to safeguard him from his fellowman of all the ages of the world of which we know anything the age in which we live seems to be one that is outstanding because of man's money madness a man is considered less than the dust of the earth unless he can display a fat bank account but if he has money never mind how he acquired it he is a king or a big shot he is above the law he rules in politics he dominates in business and the whole world about him bows in respect when he passes nothing brings man so much suffering and humility as poverty only those who have experienced poverty understand the full meaning of this it is no wonder that man fears poverty through a long line of inherited experiences man has learned for sure that some men cannot be trusted where matters of money and earthly possessions are concerned this is a rather stinging indictment the worst part of it being that it is true the majority of marriages are motivated by the wealth possessed by one or both of the contracting parties it is no wonder therefore that the divorce courts are busy so eager is man to possess wealth that he will acquire it in whatever manner he can through legal methods if possible through other methods if necessary or expedient self-analysis may disclose weaknesses which one does not like to acknowledge this form of examination is essential to all who demand of life more than mediocrity and poverty remember as you check yourself point by point that you are both the court and the jury the prosecuting attorney and the attorney for the defense and that you are the plaintiff and the defendant also that you are on trial face the facts squarely ask yourself definite questions and demand direct replies when the examination is over you will know more about yourself if you do not feel that you can be an impartial judge in this self-examination call upon someone who knows you well to serve as judge while you cross examine yourself you are after the truth get it no matter at what cost even though it may temporarily embarrass you the majority of people if asked what they fear most would reply i fear nothing the reply would be inaccurate because few people realize that they are bound handicapped whipped spiritually and physically through some form of fear so subtle and deeply seated is the emotion of fear that one may go through life burdened with it never recognizing its presence only a courageous analysis will disclose the presence of this universal enemy when you begin such an analysis search deeply into your character here is a list of the symptoms for which you should look symptoms of the fear of poverty indifference commonly expressed through lack of ambition willingness to tolerate poverty acceptance of whatever compensation life may offer without protest mental and physical laziness lack of initiative imagination enthusiasm and self-control indecision the habit of permitting others to do one's thinking staying on the fence doubts generally expressed through alibis and excuses designed to cover up explain away or apologize for one's failures sometimes expressed in the form of envy of those who are successful or by criticizing them worry usually expressed by finding fault with others a tendency to spend beyond one's income neglect of personal appearance scowling and frowning and temperance in the use of alcoholic drink sometimes through the use of narcotics nervousness lack of poise self-consciousness and lack of self-reliance over caution the habit of looking for the negative side of every circumstance thinking and talking of possible failure instead of concentrating upon the means of succeeding knowing all the roads to disaster but never searching for the plans to avoid failure waiting for the right time to begin putting ideas and plans into action until the waiting becomes a permanent habits remembering those who have failed and forgetting those who have succeeded seeing the hole in the doughnut but overlooking the doughnuts pessimism leading to indigestion poor elimination auto intoxication bad breath disposition procrastination the habit of putting off until tomorrow that which should have been done last year spending enough time in creating alibis and excuses to have done the job this symptom is closely related to over caution doubt and worry refusal to accept responsibility when it can be avoided willingness to compromise rather than put up a stiff fight compromising with difficulties instead of harnessing and using them as stepping stones to advancement bargaining with life for a penny instead of demanding prosperity opulence riches contentment and happiness planning what to do if and when overtaken by failure instead of burning all bridges and making retreat impossible weakness of an often total lack of self-confidence definiteness of purpose self-control initiative enthusiasm ambition thrift and sound reasoning ability expecting poverty instead of demanding riches association with those who accept poverty instead of seeking the company of those who demand and receive riches money talks some will ask why did you write a book about money why measure riches in dollars alone some will believe and rightly so that there are other forms of riches more desirable than money yes there are riches which cannot be measured in terms of dollars but there are millions of people who will say give me all the money i need and i will find everything else i want the major reason why i wrote this book on how to get money is the fact that the world has but lately passed through an experience that left millions of men and women paralyzed with the fear of poverty what this sort of fear does to one was well described by westbrook peggler in the new york world telegram this money is only clamshells or metal discs or scraps and there are treasures of the heart and soul which money cannot buy but most people being broke are unable to keep this in mind and sustain their spirits when a man is down and out and on the street unable to get any job at all something happens to his spirit which can be observed in the droop of his shoulders the set of his hat his walk and his gaze he cannot escape a feeling of inferiority among people with regular employment even though he knows they are definitely not his equals and character intelligence or ability these people even his friends feel on the other hand a sense of superiority and regard him perhaps unconsciously as a casualty he may borrow for a time but not enough to carry on in his accustomed way and he cannot continue to borrow very long the borrowing in itself when a man is borrowing merely to live is a depressing experience and the money lacks the power of earned money to revive his spirits of course none of this applies to bums or habitual ne'er do wells but only to men of normal ambitions and self-respect women conceal despair women in the same predicament must be different we somehow do not think of women at all in considering the down and outers they are scarce in the bread lines they rarely are seen begging on the streets and they are not recognizable in crowds by the same plain signs which identify busted men of course I do not mean the shuffling hags of the city streets who are the opposite number of the confirmed male bums I mean reasonably young decent and intelligent women there must be many of them but their despair is not apparent maybe they kill themselves when a man is down and out he has time on his hands for brooding he may travel miles to see a man about a job and discover that the job is filled or that it is one of those jobs with no base pay but only a commission on the sale of some useless knickknack which nobody would buy except out of pity turning that down he finds himself back on the street with nowhere to go but just anywhere so he walks and walks he gazes into store windows at luxuries which are not for him and feels inferior and gives way to people who stop to look with an active interest he wanders into the railroad station or puts himself down in the library to ease his legs and soak up a little heat but that isn't looking for a job so he gets going again he may not know it but his aimlessness would give him away even if the very lines of his figure did not he may be well dressed in the clothes left over from the days when he had a steady job but the clothes cannot disguise the droop money makes difference he sees thousands of other people bookkeepers or clerks or chemists or wagon hands busy at their work and envies them from the bottom of his soul they have their independence their self-respect and manhood and he simply cannot convince himself that he is a good man two though he argued out and arrive at a favorable verdict hour after hour it is just money which makes this difference in him with a little money he would be himself again some employers take the most shocking advantage of people who are down and out the agencies hang out little colored cards offering miserable wages to busted men $12 a week $15 a week and $18 a week job is a plum and anyone with $25 a week to offer does not hang the job in front of an agency on a colored card I have a one-act clip from a local paper demanding a clerk a good clean penman to take telephone orders for a sandwich shop from 11am to 2pm for $8 a month not $8 a week but $8 a month the ad says also state religion can you imagine the brutal effetry of anyone who demands a good clean penman for 11 cents an hour inquiring into the victim's religion but that is what busted people are offered the fear of criticism just how man originally came by this fear no one can state definitely but one thing is certain he has it in a highly developed form some believe that this fear made its appearance about the time that politics became a profession others believe it can be traced to the age when women first began to concern themselves with styles and wearing apparel his author being neither a humorous nor a prophet is inclined to attribute the basic fear of criticism to that part of man's inherited nature which prompts him not only to take away his fellowman's goods and wares but to justify his action by criticism of his fellowman's character it is a well-known fact that a thief will criticize the man from whom he steals that politicians seek office not by displaying their own virtues and qualifications but by attempting to besmirch their opponents the fear of criticism takes on many forms the majority of which are petty and trivial bald headed men for example are bald for no other reason than their fear of criticism heads become bald because of the tight fitting bands of hats which cut off the circulation from the roots of the hair men wear hats not because they actually need them but mainly because everyone is doing it the individual falls into line and does likewise less some other individual C R I T I C I S E him women seldom have bald heads or even thin hair because they wear hats which fit their heads loosely the only purpose of the hats being adornment but it must not be supposed that women are free from the fear of criticism if any woman claims to be superior to man with reference to this fear ask her to walk down the street wearing a hat of the vintage of 1890 the astute manufacturers of clothing have not been slow to capitalize this basic fear of criticism with which all mankind has been cursed every season the styles in many articles of wearing apparel change who establishes the styles certainly not the purchaser of clothing but the manufacturer why does he change the styles so often the answer is obvious he changes the styles so he can sell more clothes for the same reason the manufacturers of automobiles change styles of models every season no man wants to drive in automobile which is none of the latest style although the older model may actually be the better car we have been describing the manner in which people behave under the influence of fear of criticism as applied to the small and petty things of life let us now examine human behavior when this fear affects people in connection with the more important events of human relationship take for example practically any person who has reached the age of mental maturity and if you could read the secret thoughts of his mind he would find a very decided disbelief in most of the fables taught by the majority of the dogmatists and theologians a few decades back not often however will you find a person who has the courage to openly state his belief on this subject most people will if press far enough tell a lie rather than admit that they do not believe the stories associated with that form of religion which helped people in bondage prior to the age of scientific discovery and education why does the average person even in this day of enlightenment shy away from denying his belief in the fables which were the basis of most of the religions a few decades ago the answer is because of the fear of criticism men and women have been burned at the stake for daring to express this belief in ghosts it is no wonder we have inherited a consciousness which makes us fear criticism the time was and not so far in the past when criticism carried severe punishments it still does in some countries the fear of criticism robs man of his initiative destroys his power of imagination limits his individuality takes away his self-reliance and does him damage in a hundred other ways parents often do their children irreparable injury by criticizing them the mother of one of my boiler chums used to punish him with a switch almost daily always completing the job with the statement you'll land in the penitentiary before you are 20 he was sent to a reformatory at the age of 17 criticism is the one form of service of which everyone has too much everyone has a stock of it which is handed out gratis whether called for or not one's nearest relatives often are the worst offenders it should be recognized as a crime for any parent to build inferiority complexes in the mind of a child to unnecessary criticism employers who understand human nature get the best there is in men not by criticism but by constructive suggestion parents may accomplish the same results with their children criticism will plant fear in the human heart or resentment but it will not build love or affection symptoms of the fear of criticism this fear is almost as universal as the fear of poverty and its effects are just as fatal to personal achievement mainly because this fear destroys initiative and discourages the use of imagination the major symptoms of the fear are self-consciousness generally expressed through nervousness timidity and conversation and in meeting strangers awkward movement of the hands and limbs shifting of the eyes lack of poise expressed through lack of voice control nervousness in the presence of others poor posture of body poor memory personality lacking in firmness of decision personal charm and ability to express opinions definitely the habit of sidestepping issues instead of meeting them squarely agreeing with others without careful examination of their opinions inferiority complex the habit of expressing self-approval by word of mouth and by actions as a means of covering up a feeling of inferiority using big words to impress others imitating others in dress speech and manners boasting of imaginary achievements this sometimes gives a surface appearance of a feeling of superiority extravagance the habit of trying to keep up with the jones's spending beyond one's income lack of initiative failure to embrace opportunities for self advancement fear to express opinions lack of confidence in one's own ideas giving evasive answers to questions asked by superiors hesitancy of manner and speech deceit in both words and deeds lack of ambition mental and physical laziness lack of self assertion slowness and reaching decisions easily influenced by others the habit of criticizing others behind their backs and flattering them to their faces the habit of accepting defeat without protest quitting and undertaking when opposed by others suspicious of other people without cause lacking in tactfulness of manner and speech unwillingness to accept the blame for mistakes the fear of ill health this fear may be traced to both physical and social heredity it is closely associated as to its origin with the causes of fear of old age and the fear of death because it leads one closely to the border of terrible worlds of which man knows not but concerning which he has been taught some discomforting stories the opinion is somewhat general also that certain unethical people engaged in the business of selling health have had not a little to do with keeping alive the fear of ill health in the main man fears ill health because of the terrible pictures which have been planted in his mind of what may happen if death should overtake him he also fears it because of the economic toll which it may claim a reputable physician estimated that 75% of all people who visit physicians for professional service are suffering with hypochondria it has been shown most convincingly that the fear of disease even where there is not the slightest cause for fear often produces the physical symptoms of the disease feared powerful and mighty is the human mind it builds or it destroys playing upon this common weakness of fear of in health dispensers of patent medicines have reap fortunes this form of imposition upon credulous humanity became so prevalent some 20 years ago that collier's weekly magazine conducted a bitter against some of the worst offenders in the patent medicine business during the flu epidemic which broke out during the world war the mayor of new york city took drastic steps to check the damage which people were doing themselves through their inherent fear of ill health he called in the newspaper men and said to them gentlemen i feel it necessary to ask you not to publish any scare headlines concerning the flu epidemic unless you cooperate with me we will have a situation which we cannot control the newspapers quit publishing stories about the flu and within one month the epidemic had been successfully checked through a series of experiments conducted some years ago it was proved that people may be made ill by suggestion we conducted this experiment by causing three acquaintances to visit the victims each of whom asked the question what ails you you look terribly ill the first questioner usually provoked a grin and a nonchalant oh nothing i'm all right from the victim the second questioner usually was answered with the statement i don't know exactly but i do feel badly the third questioner was usually met with the frank admission that the victim was actually feeling ill try this on an acquaintance if you doubt that it will make him uncomfortable but do not carry the experiment too far there is a certain religious sect whose members take vengeance upon their enemies by the hexing method they call it placing a spell on the victim there is overwhelming evidence that disease sometimes begins in the form of negative thought impulse such an impulse may be passed from one mind to another by suggestion or created by an individual in his own mind a man who was blessed with more wisdom than this incident might indicate once said when anyone asks me how i feel i always want to answer by knocking him down doctors send patients into new climates for their health because a change of mental attitude is necessary the seed of fear of ill health lives in every human mind worry fear discouragement disappointment in love and business affairs cause this seed to germinate and grow the recent business depression kept the doctors on the run because every form of negative thinking may cause ill health disappointments in business and in love stand at the head of the list of causes of fear of ill health a young man suffered a disappointment in love which sent him to a hospital for months he hovered between life and death a specialist in suggestive therapeutics was called in the specialist changed nurses placing him in charge of a very charming young woman who began to make love to him the first day of her arrival on the job within three weeks the patient was discharged from the hospital still suffering but with an entirely different malady he was in love again the remedy was a hoax but the patient and the nurse were later married both are in good health at the time of this writing symptoms of the fear of ill health the symptoms of this almost universal fear are auto suggestion the habit of negative use of self suggestion by looking for and expecting to find the symptoms of all kinds of disease enjoying imaginary illness and speaking of it as being real the habit of trying all fads and isms recommended by others as having therapeutic value talking to others of operations accidents and other forms of illness experimenting with diets physical exercises reducing systems without professional guidance trying home remedies patent medicines and clack remedies hypochondria the habit of talking of illness concentrating the mind upon disease and expecting its appearance until a nervous break occurs nothing that comes in bottles can cure this condition it is brought on by negative thinking and nothing but positive thought can affect a cure hypochondria is said to do as much damage on occasion as the disease one fears might do most so-called cases of nerves come from imaginary illness exercise fear of ill health often interferes with proper physical exercise and results in overweight by causing one to avoid outdoor life susceptibility fear of ill health breaks down natures body resistance and creates a favorable condition for any form of disease one may contact the fear of ill health often is related to the fear of poverty especially in the case of the hypochondriac who constantly worries about the possibility of having to pay doctors bills hospital bills etc this type of person spends much time preparing for sickness talking about death saving money for cemetery lots and burial expenses etc self-coddling the habit of making a bid for sympathy using imaginary illness as the lure the habit of feigning illness to cover plain laziness or to serve as an alibi for lack of ambition intemperance the habit of using alcohol or narcotics to destroy pains such as headaches neuralgia etc instead of eliminating the cause the habit of reading about illness and worrying over the possibility of being stricken by it the habit of reading patent medicine advertisements the fear of loss of love the original source of this inherent fear needs but little description because it obviously grew out of man's polygamous habit of stealing his fellow man's mate and his habit of taking liberties with her whenever he could jealousy and other similar forms of dementia precox grow out of man's inherited fear of the loss of love of someone this fear is the most painful of all the six basic fears it probably plays more havoc with the body and mind than any of the other basic fears as it often leads to permanent insanity the fear of the loss of love probably dates back to the stone age when men stole women by brute force they continue to steal females but their technique has changed instead of force they now use persuasion the promise of pretty clothes motor cars and other bait much more effective than physical force man's habits are the same as they were at the dawn of civilization but he expresses them differently careful analysis has shown that women are more susceptible to this fear than men this fact is easily explained women have learned from experience that men are polygamous by nature that they are not to be trusted in the hands of rivals symptoms of the fear of loss of love the distinguishing symptoms of this fear are jealousy the habit of being suspicious of friends and loved ones without any reasonable evidence of sufficient grounds the habit of accusing wife or husband of infidelity without grounds general suspicion of everyone absolute faith in no one fault finding the habit of finding fault with friends relatives business associates and loved ones upon the slightest provocation or without any cause whatsoever gambling the habit of gambling stealing cheating and otherwise taking hazardous chances to provide money for loved ones with the belief that love can be bought the habit of spending beyond one's means or incurring debts to provide gifts for loved ones with the object of making a favorable showing insomnia nervousness lack of persistence weakness of will lack of self-control lack of self-reliance bad temper the fear of old age in the main this fear grows out of two sources first the thought that old age may bring with it poverty secondly and by far the most common source of origin from false and cruel teachings of the past which have been too well mixed with fire and brimstone and other bullies cunningly designed to enslave man through fear in the basic fear of old age man has two very sound reasons for his apprehension one growing out of his distrust of his fellowmen who may seize whatever worldly goods he may possess and the other arising from the terrible pictures of the world beyond which were planted in his mind through social heredity before he came into full possession of his mind the possibility of ill health which is more common as people grow older is also a contributing cause of this common fear of old age eroticism also enters into the cause of the fear of old age as no man cherishes the thought of diminishing sex attraction the most common cause of fear of old age is associated with the possibility of poverty for house is not a pretty word it throws a chill into the mind of every person who faces the possibility of having to spend his declining years on a poor farm another contributing cause of the fear of old age is the possibility of loss of freedom and independence as old age may bring with it the loss of both physical and economic freedom symptoms of the fear of old age the commonest symptoms of this fear are the tendency to slow down and develop an inferiority complex at the age of mental maturity around the age of 40 falsely believing oneself to be slipping because of age the habit of speaking apologetically of oneself as being old merely because one has reached the age of 40 or 50 instead of reversing the rule and expressing gratitude for having reached the age of wisdom and understanding the habit of killing off initiative imagination and self reliance by falsely believing oneself too old to exercise these qualities the habit of the man or woman of 40 dressing with the aim of trying to appear much younger and affecting mannerisms of youth thereby inspiring ridicule by both friends and strangers the fear of death to some this is the cruelest of all the basic fears the reason is obvious the terrible pangs of fear associated with the thought of death in the majority of cases may be charged directly to religious fanaticism so-called heathen are less afraid of death than the more civilized for hundreds of millions of years man has been asking the still unanswered questions whence and wither where did i come from and where am i going during the darker ages of the past the more cunning and crafty were not slow to offer the answer to these questions for a price witness now the major source of origin of the fear of death come into my tent embrace my faith accept my dogmas and i will give you a ticket that will admit you straight away into heaven when you die cries a leader of sectarianism remain out of my tent says the same leader and may the devil take you and burn you throughout eternity eternity is a long time fire is a terrible thing the thought of eternal punishment with fire not only causes man to fear death it often causes him to lose his reason it destroys interest in life and makes happiness impossible during my research i reviewed a book entitled the catalog of the gods in which were listed the 30 000 gods which man has worshiped think of it 30 000 of them represented by everything from a crawfish to a man it is little wonder that men have become frightened at the approach of death while the religious leader may not be able to provide safe conduct into heaven nor by lack of such provision allow the unfortunate to descend into hell the possibility of the latter seems so terrible that the very thought of it lays hold of the imagination in such a realistic way that it paralyzes reason and sets up the fear of death in truth no man knows and no man has ever known what heaven or hell is like nor does any man know if either place actually exists this very lack of positive knowledge opens the door of the human mind to the charlatan so he may enter and control that mind with his stock of ledger domain and various brands of pious fraud and trickery the fear of death is not as common now as it was during the age when there were no great colleges and universities men of science have turned the spotlight of truth upon the world and this truth is rapidly freeing men and women from this terrible fear of death the young men and young women who attend the colleges and universities are not easily impressed by fire and brimstone through the aid of biology astronomy geology and other related sciences the fears of the dark ages which grip the minds of men and destroyed their reason have been dispelled insane asylums are filled with men and women who have gone mad because of the fear of death this fear is useless death will come no matter what anyone may think about it except it is a necessity and pass the thought out of your mind it must be a necessity or it would not come to all perhaps it is not as bad as it has been pictured the entire world is made up of only two things energy and matter an elementary physics we learned that neither matter nor energy can be created nor destroyed both matter and energy can be transformed but neither can be destroyed life is energy if it is anything if neither energy nor matter can be destroyed of course life cannot be destroyed life like other forms of energy may be passed through various processes of transition or change but it cannot be destroyed death is mere transition if death is not mere change or transition then nothing comes after death except along eternal peaceful sleep and sleep is nothing to be feared thus you may wipe out forever the fear of death symptoms of the fear of death the general symptoms of this fear are the habit of thinking about dying instead of making the most of life due generally to lack of purpose or lack of a suitable occupation this fear is more prevalent among the aged but sometimes the more youthful are victims of it the greatest of all remedies for the fear of death is a burning desire for achievement backed by useful service to others a busy person seldom has time to think about dying he finds life too thrilling to worry about death sometimes the fear of death is closely associated with the fear of poverty where one's death would leave loved ones poverty stricken in other cases the fear of death is caused by illness and the consequent breaking down of physical body resistance the commonest causes of the fear of death are ill health poverty lack of appropriate occupation disappointment over love insanity religious fanaticism old man worry worry is a state of mind based upon fear it works slowly but persistently it is insidious and subtle step by step it digs itself and until it paralyzes one's reasoning faculty destroys self-confidence and initiative worry is a form of sustained fear caused by indecision therefore it is a state of mind which can be controlled an unsettled mind is helpless indecision makes an unsettled mind most individuals lack the willpower to reach decisions promptly and to stand by them after they have been made even during normal business conditions during periods of economic unrest the individual is handicapped not alone by his inherent nature to be slow at reaching decisions but he is influenced by the indecision of others around him who have created a state of mass indecision during the depression the whole atmosphere all over the world was filled with fear and worry it is the two mental disease germs which began to spread themselves after the wall street frenzy in 1929 there is only one known antidote for these germs it is the habit of prompt and firm decision whereover it is an antidote which every individual must apply for himself we did not worry over conditions once we have reached the decision to follow a definite line of action i once interviewed a man who was to be electrocuted two hours later the condemned man was the commiss of some eight men who were in the death cell with him his commiss prompted me to ask him how it felt to know that he was going into eternity in a short while with a smile of confidence on his face he said it feels fine just think brother my troubles will soon be over i have had nothing but trouble all my life it has been a hardship to get food and clothing soon i will not need these things i have felt fine ever since i learned for certain that i must die i made up my mind then to accept my fate in good spirits as he spoke he devoured a dinner of proportions sufficient for three men eating every mouthful of the food brought to him and apparently enjoying it as much as if no disaster awaited him decision gave this man resignation to his fate decision can also prevent one's acceptance of undesired circumstances the six basic fears become translated into a state of worry through indecision relieve yourself forever of the fear of death by reaching a decision to accept death as an inescapable event whip the fear of poverty by reaching a decision to get along with whatever wealth you can accumulate without worry put your foot upon the neck of the fear of criticism by reaching a decision not to worry about what other people think do or say eliminate the fear of old age by reaching a decision to accept it not as a handicap but as a great blessing which carries with it wisdom self control and understanding not known to youth acquit yourself of the fear of ill health by the decision to forget symptoms master the fear of loss of love by reaching a decision to get along without love if that is necessary kill the habit of worry in all its forms by reaching a general blanket decision that nothing which life has to offer is worth the price of worry with this decision will come poise peace of mind and calmness of thought which will bring happiness a man whose mind is filled with fear not only destroys his own chances of intelligent action but he transmits these destructive vibrations to the minds of all who come into contact with him and destroys also their chances even a dog or a horse knows when its master lacks courage moreover a dog or a horse will pick up the vibrations of fear thrown off by its master and behave accordingly lower down the line of intelligence in the animal kingdom one finds this same capacity to pick up the vibrations of fear a honey bee immediately senses fear in the mind of a person for reasons unknown a bee will sting the person whose mind is releasing vibrations of fear much more readily than it will molest the person whose mind registers no fear the vibrations of fear pass from one mind to another just as quickly and as surely as the sound of the human voice passes from the broadcasting station to the receiving set of a radio and by the self same medium mental telepathy is a reality thoughts pass from one mind to another voluntarily whether or not this fact is recognized by either the person releasing the thoughts or the persons who pick up those thoughts the person who gives expression by word of mouth to negative or destructive thoughts is practically certain to experience the results of those words in the form of a destructive kickback the release of destructive thought impulses alone without the aid of words produces also a kickback in more ways than one first of all and perhaps most important to be remembered the person who releases thoughts of a destructive nature must suffer damage to the breaking down of the faculty of creative imagination secondly the presence in the mind of any destructive emotion develops a negative personality which repels people and often converts them into antagonists the third source of damage to the person who entertains or releases negative thoughts lies in this significant fact these thought impulses are not only damaging to others but they end themselves in this subconscious mind of the person releasing them and they become a part of his character one is never through with a thought merely by releasing it when a thought is released it spreads in every direction through the medium of the ether but it also plants itself permanently in the subconscious mind of the person releasing it your business in life is presumably to achieve success to be successful you must find peace of mind acquire the material needs of life and above all attain happiness all of these evidences of success begin in the form of thought impulses you may control your own mind you have the power to feed it whatever thought impulses you choose with this privilege goes also the responsibility of using it constructively you are the master of your own earthly destiny just as surely as you have the power to control your own thoughts you may influence direct and eventually control your own environment making your life what you want it to be or you may neglect to exercise the privilege which is yours to make your life to order thus casting yourself upon the broad sea of circumstance where you will be tossed hither and yawn like a chip on the waves of the ocean the devil's workshop the seventh basic evil in addition to the six basic fears there is another evil by which people suffer it constitutes a rich soil in which the seeds of failure grow abundantly it is so subtle that its presence often is not detected this affliction cannot properly be classed as a fear it is more deeply seated and more often fatal than all of the six fears for one of a better name let us call this evil susceptibility to negative influences men who accumulate great riches always protect themselves against this evil the poverty stricken never do those who succeed in any calling must prepare their minds to resist the evil if you are reading this philosophy for the purpose of accumulating riches you should examine yourself very carefully to determine whether you are susceptible to negative influences if you neglect this self analysis you will forfeit your right to attain the object of your desires make the analysis searching after you read the questions prepared for this self analysis hold yourself to a strict accounting in your answers go at the task as carefully as you would search for any ether enemy you need to be awaiting you in ambush and deal with your own faults as you would with a more tangible enemy you can easily protect yourself against highway robbers because the law provides organized cooperation for your benefit but the seventh basic evil is more difficult to master because it strikes when you are not aware of its presence when you are asleep and while you are awake we're over its weapon is intangible because it consists of merely a state of mind this evil is also dangerous because it strikes in as many different forms as there are human experiences sometimes it enters the mind through the well meant words of one's own relatives at other times it bores from within through one's own mental attitude always it is as deadly as poison even though it may not kill us quickly how to protect yourself against negative influences to protect yourself against negative influences whether of your own making or the result of the activities of negative people around you recognize that you have a willpower and put it into constant use until it builds a wall of immunity against negative influences in your own mind recognize the fact that you and every other human being are by nature lazy indifferent and susceptible to all suggestions which harmonize with your weaknesses recognize that you are by nature susceptible to all the six basic fears and set up habits for the purpose of counteracting all these fears recognize that negative influences often work on you through your subconscious mind therefore they are difficult to detect and keep your mind closed against all people who depress or discourage you in any way clean out your medicine chest throw away all pill bottles and stop pandering to colds aches pains and imaginary illness do not expect troubles as they have a tendency not to disappoint without doubt the most common weakness of all human beings is the habit of leaving their minds open to the negative influence of other people this weakness is all the more damaging because most people do not recognize that they are cursed by it and many who acknowledge it neglect or refuse to correct the evil until it becomes an uncontrollable part of their daily habits to aid those who wish to see themselves as they really are the following list of questions has been prepared read the questions and state your answers aloud so you can hear your own voice this will make it easier for you to be truthful with yourself self analysis test questions do you complain often of feeling bad and if so what is the cause do you find fault with other people at the slightest provocation do you frequently make mistakes in your work and if so why are you sarcastic and offensive in your conversation do you deliberately avoid the association of anyone and if so why do you suffer frequently with indigestion if so what is the cause does life seem futile and the future hopeless to you if so why do you like your occupation if not why do you often feel self pity and if so why are you envious of those who excel you to which do you devote most time thinking of success or a failure are you gaining or losing self confidence as you grow older do you learn something of value from all mistakes are you permitting some relative or acquaintance to worry you if so why are you sometimes in the clouds and at other times in the depths of despondency who has the most inspiring influence upon you what is the cause do you tolerate negative or discouraging influences which you can avoid are you careless of your personal appearance if so when and why have you learned how to drown your troubles by being too busy to be annoyed by them would you call yourself a spineless weakling if you permitted others to do your thinking for you how many preventable disturbances annoy you and why do you tolerate them do you resort to liquor narcotics or cigarettes to quiet your nerves if so why do you not try willpower instead does anyone nag you and if so for what reason do you have a definite major purpose and if so what is it and what plan have you for achieving it do you suffer from any of the six basic fears if so which ones have you a method by which you can shield yourself against the negative influence of others do you make deliberate use of auto suggestion to make your mind positive which do you value most your material possessions or your privilege of controlling your own thoughts are you easily influenced by others against your own judgment has today added anything of value to your stock of knowledge or state of mind do you face squarely the circumstances which make you unhappy or sidestep the responsibility do you analyze all mistakes and failures and try to profit by them or do you take the attitude that this is not your duty can you name three of your most damaging weaknesses what are you doing to correct them do you encourage other people to bring their worries to you for sympathy do you choose from your daily experiences lessons or influences which aid in your personal advancement does your presence have a negative influence on other people as a rule what habits of other people annoy you most do you form your own opinions or permit yourself to be influenced by other people have you learned how to create a mental state of mind with which you can shield yourself against all discouraging influences does your occupation inspire you with faith and hope are you conscious of possessing spiritual forces of sufficient power to enable you to keep your mind free from all forms of fear does your religion help you to keep your own mind positive do you feel it your duty to share other people's worries if so why if you believe that birds of a feather flock together what have you learned about yourself by studying the friends whom you attract what connection if any do you see between the people with whom you associate most closely and any unhappiness you may experience could it be possible that some person whom you consider to be a friend is in reality your worst enemy because of his negative influence on their mind by what rules do you judge who is helpful and who is damaging to you are your intimate associates mentally superior or inferior to you how much time out of every 24 hours do you devote to that your occupation be sleep see play in relaxation the acquiring useful knowledge he plain waste who among your acquaintances encourages you most he cautions you most see discourages you most he helps you most in other ways what is your greatest worry why do you tolerate it when others offer you free unsolicited advice do you accept it without question or analyze their motive what above all else do you most desire do you intend to acquire it are you willing to subordinate all other desires for this one how much time daily do you devote to acquiring it do you change your mind often if so why do you usually finish everything you begin are you easily impressed by other people's business or professional titles college degrees or wealth are you easily influenced by what other people think or say of you do you cater to people because of their social or financial status whom do you believe to be the greatest person living in what respect is this person superior to yourself how much time have you devoted to studying and answering these questions if you have answered all these questions truthfully you know more about yourself than the majority of people study the questions carefully come back to them once each week for several months and be astounded at the amount of additional knowledge of great value to yourself you will have gained by the simple method of answering the questions truthfully if you are not certain concerning the answers to some of the questions seek the counsel of those who know you well especially those who have no motive in flattering you and see yourself through their eyes the experience will be astonishing you have absolute control over but one thing and that is your thoughts this is the most significant and inspiring of all facts known to man it reflects man's divine nature this divine prerogative is the soul means by which you may control your own destiny if you fail to control your own mind you may be sure you will control nothing else if you must be careless with your possessions let it be in connection with material things your mind is your spiritual estate protect and use it with the care to which divine royalty is entitled you are given a will power for this purpose unfortunately there is no legal protection against those who either by design or ignorance poison the minds of others by negative suggestion this form of destruction should be punishable by heavy legal penalties because it may and often does destroy one's chances of acquiring material things which are protected by law men with negative minds tried to convince thomas edison that he could not build a machine that would record and reproduce the human voice because they said no one else had ever produced such a machine edison did not believe them he knew that the mind could produce anything the mind could conceive and believe and that knowledge was the thing that lifted the great edison above the common herd men with negative minds told fw woolworth he would go broke trying to run a store on five and 10 cent sales he did not believe them he knew that he could do anything within reason if he backed his plans with faith exercising his right to keep other men's negative suggestions out of his mind he piled up a fortune of more than 100 million dollars men with negative minds told george washington he could not hope to win against the vastly superior forces of the british but he exercised his divine right to believe therefore this book was published under the protection of the stars and stripes while the name of lord cornwallis has been all but forgotten doubting thomas's scoff scornfully when henry ford tried out his first crudely built automobile on the streets of detroit some said the thing never would become practical others said no one would pay money for such a contraption ford said i'll belt the earth with dependable motor cars and he did his decision to trust his own judgment has already piled up a fortune far greater than the next five generations of his descendants can squander for the benefit of those seeking vast riches let it be remembered that practically the sole difference between henry ford and a majority of the more than 100 000 men who work for him is this ford has a mind and controls it the others have minds which they do not try to control henry ford has been repeatedly mentioned because he is an astounding example of what a man with a mind of his own and a will to control it can accomplish his record knocks the foundation from under that time-worn alibi i never had a chance ford never had a chance either but he created an opportunity and backed it with persistence until it made him richer than crosses mind control is the result of self-discipline and habit you either control your mind or it controls you there is no halfway compromise the most practical of all methods for controlling the mind is the habit of keeping it busy with a definite purpose backed by a definite plan study the record of any man who achieves noteworthy success and you will observe that he has control over his own mind moreover that he exercises that control and directs it toward the attainment of definite objectives without this control success is not possible 57 famous alibis by old manif people who do not succeed have one distinguishing trait in common they know all the reasons for failure and have what they believe to be airtight alibis to explain away their own lack of achievement some of these alibis are clever and a few of them are justifiable by the facts but alibis cannot be used for money the world wants to know only one thing have you achieved success a character analyst compile the list of the most commonly used alibis as you read the list examine yourself carefully and determine how many of these alibis if any are your own property remember two the philosophy presented in this book makes every one of these alibis obsolete if i didn't have a wife in family if i had enough pool if i had money if i had a good education if i could get a job if i had good health if i only had time if times were better if other people understood me if conditions around me were only different if i could live my life over again if i did not fear what they would say if i have been given a chance if i now had a chance if other people didn't have it in for me if nothing happens to stop me if i were only younger if i could only do what i want if i have been born rich if i could meet the right people if i had the talent that some people have if i dare to assert myself if i only had embraced past opportunities if people didn't get on my nerves if i didn't have to keep house and look after the children if i could save some money if the boss only appreciated me if i only had somebody to help me if my family understood me if i lived in a big city if i could just get started if i were only free if i had the personality of some people if i were not so fat if my talents were known if i could just get a break if i could only get out of debt if i hadn't failed if i only knew how if everybody didn't oppose me if i didn't have so many worries if i could marry the right person if people weren't so dumb if my family were not so extravagant if i was sure of myself if luck were not against me if i had not been born under the wrong star if it were not true that what is to be will be if i did not have to work so hard if i hadn't lost my money if i lived in a different neighborhood if i didn't have a past if i only had a business of my own if other people would only listen to me if i had the courage to see myself as i really am i would find out what is wrong with me and correct it then i might have a chance to profit by my mistakes and learn something from the experience of others for i know that there is something wrong with me or i would now be where i would have been if i had spent more time analyzing my weaknesses and less time building alibis to cover them building alibis with which to explain away failure is a national pastime the habit is as old as the human race and is fatal to success why do people cling to their pet alibis the answer is obvious they defend their alibis because they create them a man's alibi is the child of his own imagination it is human nature to defend one's own brain child building alibis is a deeply rooted habit habits are difficult to break especially when they provide justification for something we do plotto had this truth in mind when he said the first and best victory is to conquer self to be conquered by self is of all things the most shameful and vile another philosopher had the same thought in mind when he said it was a great surprise to me when i discovered that most of the ugliness i saw in others was but a reflection of my own nature it has always been a mystery to me said elbert hubbard why people spend so much time deliberately fooling themselves by creating alibis to cover their weaknesses if used differently this same time would be sufficient to cure the weakness then no alibis would be needed imparting i would remind you that life is a checkerboard and the player opposite you is time if you hesitate before moving or neglect to move promptly your men will be wiped off the board by time you are playing against a partner who will not tolerate indecision previously you may have had a logical excuse for not having forced life to come through with whatever you ask but that alibi is now obsolete because you are in possession of the master key that unlocks the door to life's bountiful riches the master key is intangible but it is powerful it is the privilege of creating in your own mind a burning desire for a definite form of riches there is no penalty for the use of the key but there is a price you must pay if you do not use it the price is failure there is a reward of stupendous proportions if you put the key to use it is the satisfaction that comes to all who conquer self and force life to pay whatever is asked the reward is worthy of your efforts will you make the start and be convinced if we are related said the immortal emerson we shall meet in closing may i borrow his thought and say if we are related we have through these pages met the end met the end met the end met the end