Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom

Best Collection of James Allen by James Allen is a visionary book focusing on people and their efforts
to stand out from the crowd. He emphasizes on a person's weakness and strength and how he can analyze them. It was really a thought provoking book and you are going to definitely feel motivated for a change of your inner self. I really liked reading the book, which eventually gave me a new purpose in life and how can I effectively shape it while following the eight pillars. Definitely 5 stars for the book. ( )

A short but valuable book with inspirational passages that draw you back again and again to think about what it means to be human. The realization of the importance of your mindset and resulting thoughts makes this an important book. ( )

Alright, so I've heard a lot of good about this book and I mean A LOT!! But honestly I really was quite disappointed by it. For a couple of reasons:

1) The literature used in the book is a bit hard to understand and takes some thinking and re-reading of paragraphs / sentences to actually understand what James Allen (author) is talking about. It's more philosophical from a reading POV (I'm more the kind of person who would like something that doesn't require me to re-read sentences so often just to understand them - see point 2)

2) This was the biggest reason that I only rated this 3 starts - I've read 'Think and grow rich' by Napoleon Hill and 'The Richest man in Babylon' - by George Clason or even 'How to win friends and influence people' by Dale Carnegie. I expected this book to be something along those lines. Those three books are much simpler to read and understand because they are told in a story format with tons of examples that we can relate to. For instance, they contain inspirational stories of Henry Ford or George Washington or Abraham Lincoln and how they did so and so or how they overcame the odds etc.. It's so much easier to digest when you have a name of someone you're familiar with in the story.

In my opinion, 'Think and grow rich' by Napoleon Hill pretty much touches along the same points as As a man thinketh (AAMT), so you're better off with that book first (and if you've already read that then don't get your hopes up too much and expect AAMT to have relatable examples etc or a similar writing style ... ( )

It's a great read, I advise you to read it. ( )

As a Man Thinketh by James Allen
It has been said that James Allen is the ''most quoted man you’ve never heard of.'' In 1902, Allen published As a Man Thinketh, universally acknowledged as a classic book on self-examination. The precept conveyed in Proverbs 23:7 (''As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he'') inspired the book's title. It also captures the essence of Allen's philosophy. Through his eloquent and succinct prose, Allen conveys his thesis that it is up to the individual to form his character and create his happiness.

Why I picked this book up: first it is from a biblical verse and Christian and a clinical Psychologist so I scooped it up.

Thoughts: Allen was a British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and poetry and as a pioneer of the self-help movement. His best-known work, As a Man Thinketh has been mass-produced since its publication in 1902.

In this book As a Man Thinketh the author, Allen, focuses on the simple yet profound premise that YOUR THOUGHTS CREATE YOUR LIFE. Here he says if you have created negative thinking, then you will create a life full of negative circumstances, and if you have created positive thinking, then you will create a life full of positive circumstances. When we make our thinking positive, we find our life taking positive turns and becoming joyful. Through this book, Allen says that whatever thinking we generate that thinking will attract the reality, our thinking will become the reality.

Allen says to always watch your thoughts. They become your words, always be careful with your words because they become actions, and always be attentive towards your actions because they become your habit, always be focused towards your habits because they become your character and always watch your character because it becomes your destiny.

Allen says that “A MAN HAS TO LEARN THAT HE CANNOT COMMAND THINGS, BUT HE CAN COMMAND HIMSELF, THAT HE CANNOT COERCE THE WILL OF OTHERS, BUT THAT HE CAN MOLD AND MASTER HIS OWN WILL, AND THINGS SERVE HIM WHO SERVES TRUTH, PEOPLE SEEK GUIDANCE OF HIM WHO IS MASTER OF HIMSELF.”
As a Man Thinketh Summary, Chapter 1: Thought and Character
In this chapter, the author says that As a Man Thinketh is in his heart so he is, The author says that the man is literally what he thinks of himself, a Man character is the complete sum of all his thoughts, to make us understand this concept more clearly author says that as the plant springs from and could not be without seeds, similarly every act of man springs from the hidden seeds of thoughts, and could not have appeared without them.
The author says that the act is the blossom of thoughts, and joy and suffering are its fruits, hence whatever man garners whether it’s bitter or sweet, it is the fruitage of his own husbandry.
The author says that thought is what makes us, Thought of a man makes him, hence if you have negative thoughts then such thoughts will bring evil and bad things in your life but if you have good positive thoughts that such positive thoughts will bring joy and happiness.

Chapter 2: Effect of Thought on Circumstances
In this chapter, the author says that “WE ARE WHERE WE ARE BASED ON OUR THOUGHTS AND OUR ACTIONS”. The author says that it’s not that external force don’t have influence, but that on balance we are each the master of our own destiny.

Chapter 3: Effect of thoughts on body and health
in this chapter, the author says that the body is the servant of mind, our body obeys the operations of our mind, whether they are deliberately chosen or automatically expressed, author, writes that habit of thought will produce their own effect, good or bad, here author is basically saying that clean body will have clean mind and a clean living. The author says that people who live their lives in fear disease are the people who get it, the author says that a sour face does not come by chance it comes by the sour thoughts.

Chapter 4: Thought and purpose
The author says that Doubt and Fear are the greatest enemies of Knowledge, and people who encourage them, never stop them are the ones who face them in every step of their life.

Chapter 5: The Thought-Factor in Achievement
In this chapter, The author says that all that man achieves and all that man fails to achieve are the results of his own thoughts You must have heard the phrase whether you think you can or think you can’t both ways you are right, similarly people fail or pass depends on their own thoughts, Author also says that the person who achieves little are the ones who sacrificed little and the ones who achieved much are the ones who sacrificed much.

Chapter 6: Visions and Ideals
Here he says That Desires are to obtain and Aspire is to Achieve, Author says that Dream Lofty dreams, the author says that as you dream, as you will become and vision is the promise what you shall be one day, author says that your ideal is the prophecy your prediction of what you shall, at last, unveil, The author says that Dreams are the seedling of realities, You will become as small as your controlling desire and as great as your Dominant Aspiration.

Chapter 7: Serenity
the author says that the beautiful and the most extraordinary poise of character is serenity, and serenity is the last lesson of culture, The author says that the calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of the wisdom. Allen ask you to keep your hands firmly on the helm of thoughts.

It discusses reaching serenity with one’s self.

Why I finished this read: I know Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)has been shown to be effective in multiple ways and it was an easy read if I quickly knocked it out.

It was not my favorite book, it was fine, not the worst or the best it is simple, had some good one-lime thoughts and I rated it 3.5 stars. ( )