Do you want to become powerful? Or is there a specific goal you want to achieve, like writing your first book? Typically, advice literature will tell you to pursue your goals by following deliberate steps and taking certain actions: listing your priorities, cleaning and organizing your desk or practicing your networking skills at the next conference. Well, that’s the kind of advice you won’t find in this book summary.
Instead, As a Man Thinketh aims to help you realize the power you already possess. Reading this book summary, you’ll find out how everything in your life, from your strength of character and your physical health to your artistic achievements and your life circumstances, are determined by your thoughts. And you’ll find out how to make the most of this unbounded freedom.
In this summary of As A Man Thinketh by James Allen, you’ll also learn
- why your mind is like a garden;
- that your thoughts can make you look older than you are; and
- what’s so great about being a dreamer.
Table of Contents
By mastering our thoughts, we can change our lives.
Ever sat and wondered what makes us humans what we are? It’s a puzzling question, so here’s a clue to start you off: man is the sum of his thoughts.
Just as a plant sprouts from a tiny seed, each action we perform is an outgrowth of our thoughts. From these actions, patterns emerge. In turn, these patterns come to constitute our character. Our character or personality begins with our thoughts. But why is this important?
Well, have you ever known someone who always seemed to give up on projects or relationships, and at the same time had a pretty pessimistic attitude? You guessed it: those two things – attitude and action – are closely related. Underachievers tend to disappoint themselves because they think very little of themselves to begin with. Attitude problems often snowball and have severe consequences. Yet, there’s a very simple solution.
If our thoughts shape our character, it’s only logical that changing our thoughts will change our character, too. By changing the nature of their thoughts, pessimistic people might find that they have a bit more to smile about.
Anyone who attempts to master his thoughts can do much more than eliminate negative character traits. By working on his thoughts the right way, an individual can even obtain what the author refers to as Divine Perfection. In other words, by weeding out bad or useless thoughts, a person can bring joy, strength, peace and wisdom to his life.
Those are some pretty attractive benefits! So why not start mastering your thoughts today? The alternative, after all, isn’t pretty. Unmanaged thoughts can make you into your biggest obstacle; negative attitudes literally have the power to destroy the things you cherish and love.
The world we live in doesn’t just shape us – we shape it, too!
Ever failed miserably at something and blamed it on the weather, the unpleasant phone call you had with your mother that day or on some particularly nasty childhood experience? Blaming failure on external factors is something we’re all guilty of. It might make us feel better, but it only sets us back.
Our circumstances – that is, all those external factors that impact our lives – are closely linked to our character. But they aren’t linked in the way you might first assume. It’s all too easy to think that our experiences and our living conditions shape who we are. But the truth is: we shape our world just as much as it shapes us!
Rather than being a mere product of circumstance, our character has considerable influence over what kinds of situations we end up in.
So, if you end up in jail, it’s not because the outside world or fate brought you there. Rather, the thoughts and attitudes you had about the outside world led you to the very situations that got you in trouble.
Of course, it’s not always clear whether character or circumstance exerts more influence on any given situation. We all know those people that have hearts of gold, and yet still face terrible adversity. We also know that many greedy, dishonest people lead satisfied lives, surrounded by wealth and admirers.
This means that deducing someone’s character from her circumstances is impossible. Likewise, we can’t always predict the circumstances someone will end up in by examining their character. Many people in jail have unpleasant characteristics. But some of them have admirable sides, too.
Work toward better health and other goals by cultivating positive thoughts.
Some of us age gracefully, while some of us – to put it lightly! – do not. Bad habits, lack of access to healthcare and unfortunate genes all play a role. But there’s one factor we often forget to consider: our attitude.
We’ve already seen what a powerful influence our thoughts have on both our character and the conditions we face. It should come as no surprise, then, that our thoughts impact our bodies, too. Unhappy thoughts have a slew of unfortunate side effects: a higher heart rate, poorer sleep, headaches, and yes, wrinkles from all that frowning!
On the other hand, thinking thoughts of joy, lightness and energy are powerful enough to make us feel happier – and younger, too! So if you want to feel better about your body, try directing your thoughts toward feeling better altogether.
Directing your thoughts is crucial if you want to achieve any sort of goal. Whether you intend to reach new heights in your workplace, your relationships or your spiritual practice, it won’t be possible unless you focus your thoughts on that goal.
This means letting go of all thoughts that distract you from your goals. If you notice that a certain thought is standing in the way of your purpose – by, say, making you afraid, pessimistic or uncertain – it’s got to go. This isn’t easy at first. But your mind is like a muscle; with practice, you can train it to think more effectively, positively and purposefully.
We are solely responsible for our ability to succeed, so dream big!
In the second book summary, we learned that external factors aren’t to blame for the way we are or the mistakes we make. This may seem like a great burden, however. Are we solely to blame for our failures?
This doesn’t seem like a very helpful attitude, so let’s change our perspective. If we think we’re being victimized, we’re bound to feel and act like victims, and continue being oppressed. Yet, if we don’t let ourselves feel like victims, it’s harder for others to make us their victims. Therefore, it’s crucial that we understand that our ability to free ourselves lies in our hands.
No matter the circumstances we face, we should stay true to our values and ideals. Our highest aspirations – our dreams – are what give us the impetus to turn our goals into achievements. That’s why it’s so important to keep dreamers around, and to keep your dreams alive, too.
Without poets, painters and composers, our world wouldn’t be the exciting place that it is. Dreaming also lets us discover new worlds. Columbus, after all, dreamed of another world. Without this dream, he would never have been able to discover it on his voyages.
If you master your thoughts, thereby changing your character and your circumstances for the better; if you direct your thoughts to all that you wish to achieve; if you open your thoughts to the dreams that inspire you – then you’ll discover that life itself has a new quality: serenity.
A serene way of being is the mark of someone who has learned to live (and live well with) his thoughts. It takes time to get there, but there’s no doubt that it’s worth it.
Summary
The key message in this book:
Thought is key to our lives. Our characteristics, our ability to achieve, the circumstances we face and even our physical health are all shaped by the thoughts we have. By learning to change our thoughts for the better, we can change our own lives too.
Actionable advice:
Start weeding!
The next time you’re feeling tired and grumpy, it’s time to do a bit of weeding. Not in the garden, but in your mind! Can you find thoughts that are harming you? If they’re doing damage or simply getting in the way, pull them out! This allows you to cultivate your mind, keeping your attitude positive and directed toward the life you want.
Review
As a Man Thinketh is a classic self-help book that explores the power of thought in shaping our lives. The author, James Allen, was a British philosophical writer who was inspired by the teachings of Buddhism, Christianity, and the New Thought movement. He believed that our thoughts are the seeds of our actions, and that by cultivating positive and noble thoughts, we can create a harmonious and prosperous life.
The book consists of seven short chapters, each focusing on a different aspect of thought and its effects. The chapters are:
- Thought and Character: This chapter explains how our thoughts determine our character, and how we can change our character by changing our thoughts. Allen writes: “A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”
- Effect of Thought on Circumstances: This chapter shows how our thoughts influence our circumstances, and how we can improve our circumstances by improving our thoughts. Allen writes: “Man is buffeted by circumstances so long as he believes himself to be the creature of outside conditions, but when he realizes that he is a creative power, and that he may command the hidden soil and seeds of his being out of which circumstances grow, he then becomes the rightful master of himself.”
- Effect of Thought on Health and the Body: This chapter reveals how our thoughts affect our health and the body, and how we can heal ourselves by healing our thoughts. Allen writes: “The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed.”
- Thought and Purpose: This chapter emphasizes the importance of having a clear and strong purpose in life, and how we can achieve our purpose by aligning our thoughts with it. Allen writes: “Until thought is linked with purpose there is no intelligent accomplishment.”
- The Thought-Factor in Achievement: This chapter illustrates how our thoughts determine our achievements, and how we can attain success by thinking success. Allen writes: “All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts.”
- Visions and Ideals: This chapter encourages us to have high visions and ideals in life, and how we can realize them by living up to them. Allen writes: “The dreamers are the saviors of the world. As the visible world is sustained by the invisible, so men, through all their trials and sins and sordid vocations, are nourished by the beautiful visions of their solitary dreamers.”
- Serenity: This chapter teaches us how to attain serenity and peace of mind, and how we can overcome anger, anxiety, and fear by controlling our thoughts. Allen writes: “Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control.”
My opinion on this book is that it is a timeless masterpiece that offers profound wisdom and practical guidance for anyone who wants to improve themselves and their lives. The book is short but powerful, and every sentence is full of meaning and insight. The book is also easy to read and understand, as it uses simple language and examples. I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in personal development, spirituality, or philosophy. I think this book can help anyone to become a better person and achieve their goals.