As a Man Thinketh; a responsibility assumption.

As a Man Thinketh is a literary essay of James Allen, published in 1902.

The title is influenced by a verse in the Bible from the Book of Proverbs chapter 23 verse 7, “As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.”

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

You will be what you will to be;

Let failure find its false content

In that poor word, "environment,"

But spirit scorns it, and is free.

It masters time, it conquers space;

It cows that boastful trickster, Chance,

And bids the tyrant Circumstance

Uncrown, and fill a servant's place.

The human Will, that force unseen,

The offspring of a deathless Soul,

Can hew a way to any goal,

Though walls of granite intervene.

Be not impatient in delay,

But wait as one who understands;

When spirit rises and commands,

The gods are ready to obey.

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 food.

Men do not attract what they want, but what they are.

A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.

Cherish your visions. Cherish your ideals. Cherish the music that stirs in your heart, the beauty that forms in your mind, the loveliness that drapes your purest thoughts, for out of them will grow all delightful conditions, all heavenly environment, of these, if you but remain true to them your world will at last be built.

The soul attracts that which it secretly harbors, that which it loves, and also that which it fears. It reaches the height of its cherished aspirations. It falls to the level of its unchastened desires - and circumstances are the means by which the soul receives its own.

Men are anxious to improve their circumstances, but are unwilling to improve themselves, they therefore remain bound.

Every action and feeling is preceded by a thought.

Right thinking begins with the words we say to ourselves.

Circumstance does not make the man, it reveals him to himself.

You cannot travel within and stand still without.

As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts, can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking.

Every man is where he is by the law of his being; the thoughts which he has built into his character have brought him there, and in the arrangement of his life there is no element of chance, but all is the result of a law which cannot err

Keep your hand firmly upon the helm of thought.
In the bark of your soul reclines the commanding Master;

He does but sleep; wake Him.
Self-control is strength;
Right Thought is mastery;
Calmness is power.

Say unto your heart, "Peace, be still!"

This book is written in terms of responsibility assumption. This is the doctrine that an individual has substantial or total responsibility for the events and circumstances that befall them in their personal life, to a substantially greater degree than is normally thought. Strong adherents of responsibility assumption consider that whatever situation they find themselves in, their own past desires and choices must have led to that outcome. This doctrine is rooted in the monism of Eastern religious traditions, associated with early Christian churches, New Thought and is expressed throughout A Course In Miracles.

Although New Thought and ACIM have an addition wrinkle to them.[2]

Og Mandino [1] counted "As a Man Thinketh" among the top ten success books of all time.

[1]  Augustine "Og" Mandino II (1923 – 1996) was an American author.
  

He wrote the bestselling book The Greatest Salesman in the World which contains " wisdom of the ancients distilled into ten simple scrolls ":

• Scroll I - Today I begin a new life.
• Scroll II - I will greet this day with love in my heart.
• Scroll III - I will persist until I succeed.
• Scroll IV - I am nature's greatest miracle.
• Scroll V - I will live this day as if it is my last.
• Scroll VI - Today I will be master of my emotions.
• Scroll VII - I will laugh at the world (Keep perspective)
• Scroll VIII - Today I will multiply my value a hundredfold.
• Scroll IX - I will act now, I will act now, I will act now.
• Scroll X - I will pray for guidance.

The Dhammapada is a collection of sayings of the Buddha in verse form and one of the most widely read and best known Buddhist scriptures.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him, as the wheel follows the foot of the ox that draws the carriage.

All that we are is the result of what we have thought: it is founded on our thoughts, it is made up of our thoughts. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.

People and fate are not against you.
Cultivate self-respect.
You do not need a stronger one to lean on.
Say: "God is my strength."
ECH

[2] Rip Van Wrinkle that is. It's a Joke, Son!

It's a Joke, Son! is a 1947 American film directed by Benjamin Stoloff featuring radio comedian Kenny Delmar as Senator Beauregard Claghorn; the inspiration for the Warner Bros. cartoon character Foghorn Leghorn.
It's a Joke, Son!  is available for free download at the Internet Archive

Beauregard
Claghorn

Foghorn J. Leghorn

No  PUN   intended.