As a Man Thinketh

By James Allen

“As a Man Thinketh” has long since been regarded as a classic of the New Thought movement. This short accessible work elucidates the power of positive thinking. James Allen writes, “As a man thinketh in his heart so is he.” This idea is central to the work and asserts the fact that the impetus to all good things in one’s life begins and ends with the belief that good things can and will happen. Millions of people have discovered the powerful but simple wisdom of James Allen and have used it to change their outlook on life. James Allen writes in his preface to this work, “This little volume (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written-upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that—‘They themselves are makers of themselves,’ by virtue of the thoughts, which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Digireads.com Publishing
• Release date: Jan 1, 2017
• ISBN: 9781420953619

James Allen

James Allen (1864-1912) was an English author, magazine editor and one of the founders of what would come to be known as the self-help genre. Including the works assembled by his wife after his death, Allen wrote 21 books, the most famous being As a Man Thinketh.

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AS A MAN THINKETH

By JAMES ALLEN

As a Man Thinketh

By James Allen

Print ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-5360-2

eBook ISBN 13: 978-1-4209-5361-9

This edition copyright © 2016. Digireads.com Publishing.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

Cover Image: Copy of The Thinker by Auguste Rodin at Kyoto National Museum, Japan, photo by Franks Valli, c. 2013.

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CONTENTS

FOREWORD

THOUGHT AND CHARACTER

EFFECT OF THOUGHT ON HEALTH AND THE BODY

THOUGHT AND PURPOSE

THE THOUGHT-FACTOR IN ACHIEVEMENT

VISIONS AND IDEALS

SERENITY

AS A MAN THINKETH

Mind is the Master power that moulds and makes, And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills, Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills:—He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass: Environment is but his looking-glass.

Foreword

This little volume (the result of meditation and experience) is not intended as an exhaustive treatise on the much-written-upon subject of the power of thought. It is suggestive rather than explanatory, its object being to stimulate men and women to the discovery and perception of the truth that—

They themselves are makers of themselves.

by virtue of the thoughts, which they choose and encourage; that mind is the master-weaver, both of the inner garment of character and the outer garment of circumstance, and that, as they may have hitherto woven in ignorance and pain they may now weave in enlightenment and happiness.

JAMES ALLEN.

Broad Park Avenue,

Ilfracombe, England

Thought and Character

The aphorism, As a man thinketh in his heart so is he, not only embraces the whole of a man’s being, but is so comprehensive as to reach out to every condition and circumstance of his life. A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.

As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a

Reviews for As a Man Thinketh

[jamesfallen · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

As a Man Thinketh has a lot of insight and direction on right thinking. The author seems to take "personal responsibility" to the extreme in that he ignores the effects that others and circumstances of chance can have on a person.

[climbingdan · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Excerpt from my blog, republished with permission:My quote in this post comes from a book I recently read as part of a motivational series, but I was not impressed by the work as a whole; if you've read the Bible book of Proverbs, from which the title of this book comes (Pro. 23:7), you can skip James Allen’s book. It repeats the same mantra until it becomes meaningless.However, I did enjoy this idea from its pages:Quote of the Day:"To put away aimlessness and weakness, and to begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment; who make all conditions serve them, and who think strongly, attempt fearlessly, and accomplish masterfully."—James Allen, As a Man Thinketh.

[msarki_3 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Been many years since I read this book but for the longest time I used it as a meditative tool to help me understand my life. In retrospect I think I was trying to find a way to live my life back then without the use of drugs, which I was finding impossible to do, at least by my own failed measures. The book never "cured" me, but it made me think. Today I am drug-free, basically happy, or not, wiser and older of age, but as a serious writer attempting to make history wishing always for the disease and not the cure.

[rayski_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Got from John Senesi. It discusses reaching serenity with one’s self. A very short self help pamphlet.

[dnewsome_10 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

This is very simliar to Rhonda Byrnes "The Secret". Your thoughts translate into your actions, your actions effects your choices and your choices affect your life. Good read.

[annthatcher · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Written in 1902, the book essence can be summarized in the first paragraph: "Each of us is literally what we think, our character being the complete sum of all our thoughts." Allen really drives the point which is profound."Yes, humanity surges with uncontrolled passion, is tumultuous with ungoverned grief, is blown about by anxiety and doubt. Only the wise man, only he whose thoughts are controlled and purified, makes the winds and the storms of the soul obey him." This book is worth savoring, pondering, and re-reading. "All that we are is the result of what we have thought" Empowering. Think beautiful thoughts and embrace lofty ideals, because your thoughts determine your character, who you are, and your world around you.

[essyconstantine · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

My hardcover copy is so old it doesn't have a date. I love this book. Very insightful and thought-provoking.

[mark_oszoli · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This book is definitely in my top 5 favorites. Amazing spirit of a man who lost everything yet had one of the most beautiful minds of all time. You cannot help but be captivated by the author's thought process. Each child should read this book!

[madepercy-1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This short book is in two parts. The first part provides an essay on the power of thinking to overcome one's own selfishness. The second part provides thirty-one days of morning and evening meditations. Ryan Holiday mentioned this book a few times, so I purchased a copy. I particularly like the Dover "Empower Your Life" Series which includes a number of interesting books in unabridged formats. Allen's work has inspired me to revisit a few books I read in the early 1990s and early 2000s. The key message is that "Sweet is the rest and deep the bliss of him who has freed his heart from its lusts and hatreds and dark desires". Without referring directly to it, Allen indicates that the internal locus of control, one of the central lessons I try to teach in my leadership classes, is the key. I intend to try these meditations over the next month, because I think Allen is right.

[birchdev_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Mind is the master power that molds and makes. And man is mind. They themselves are makers of themselves. As a man thinketh in his heart so is he. A man is literally what he thinks, his character bring the complete sum of all his thoughts. Man is made or unmade by himself; in the armory of thought he forges the weapons by which he destroys himself; he also fashions the tools with which he builds for himself heavenly mansions of joy and strength and peace. Man is always the master even in his weaker and most abandoned state; but in his weakness and degradation he is the foolish master who misgoverns his household.Mans mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth. The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors; that which it loves, and also that which it fears.Here is a man who is wretchedly poor. He is extremely anxious that his surroundings and home comforts should be improved, yet all the time he shirks his work, and considers he is justified in trying to deceive his employer on the ground of the insufficiency of his wage. Such a man does not understand the simplest rudiments of those principles which are the basis of true prosperity, and is not only totally unfit to rise out of his wretchedness, but is actually attracting to himself a still deeper wretchedness by dwelling in, and acting out, indolent, deceptive, and unmanly thoughts.Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results. A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life.Men imagine that thought can be kept secret, but it cannot; it rapidly crystallizes into habit, and habit solidifies into circumstance. A particular train of thought persisted in, be good or bad, cannot fail to produce its result on the character and circumstances. A man cannot directly choose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstance.The body is the servant of the mind. It obeys the operations of the mind, whether they be deliberately chosen or automatically expressed. Disease and health, like circumstances, are rooted in thought. Sickly thoughts will express themselves though a sickly body. Strong, pure, and happy thoughts build up the body in vigor and grace. Change of diet will not help a man who will not change his thoughts. When a man makes his thoughts pure, he no longer desires impure foods. There is no physician like cheerful thought for dissipating the ills of the body; there is no comforter to compare with goodwill for dispersing the shadows of grief and sorrow.Until thought is linked with purpose there is not intelligent accomplishment. They who have no central purpose in their life fall an easy prey to petty worries, fears, troubles, and self-pitying, all of which are indications of weakness. A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts.As the physically weak man can make himself strong by carefully and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in the right thinking. Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step. He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure.All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts. A strong man cannot help a weaker unless that weaker is willing to be helped, and even then the weak man must become strong of himself; he must, by his own effort, develop the strength which he admires in another. None but himself can alter his condition. He who has conquered weakness, and has put away all the selfish thoughts, belongs neither to oppressor nor oppressed. He is free. Victories by right thought can only be maintained by watchfulness. Many give way when success is assured, and rapidly fall back into failure.The dreams are the saviors of the world. He who cherishes a beautiful vision, a lofty ideal in his heart, will one day realize it. Dream lofty dreams, as you dream, so shall you become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your Ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.Calmness of the mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control. Its presence is an indication of ripened experience and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought. The strong, calm man is always loved and revered. He is like a shade-giving tree in a thirsty land, or a sheltering rock in a storm.

[johnsherman_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Tremendous powerful stuff. pg 18 "The man who does not shrink from self-crucifixation can never fail to accomplish the object upon which his heart is set".. whoa!

[phoibee-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love this book. It is motivating and empowering the readers that whatever your mind, heart, and soul are into, pursue it because it is what makes you what you are. A man may command his hidden soil and seeds and becomes a rightful master of himself. It also states that you will become what you will be and let failure finds its false content.

[mrellis64 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In my opinion, this book should be required reading for everyone.

[6boysandme · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Summary: Oh the power of thought! The author sets out to prove the value of our thoughts and how they can literally change our world. This idea was really mind boggling for me and I believe it to be a necessary read every year.

[tullius22 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Enlightened, and worth living by. (10/10)