James Allen Quotes (86 Quotes)

A man cannot directly chose his circumstances, but he can choose his thoughts, and so indirectly, yet surely, shape his circumstances.

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.

On one hand, given the political climate (in Amherst), I'm not shocked.

It is a process of diverting one's scattered forces into one powerful channel.

Mind is the Masterpower that molds and makes, and Man is Mind, and ever more he takes the Tool of Thought, and shaping what he wills, brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand illsHe thinks in secret and it comes to pass Environment is but his looking-glass.

Think of your servants with kindness, consider their happiness and comfort, and never demand of them that extremity of service which you yourself would not care to perform were you in their place.

As in the rankest soil the most beautiful flowers are grown, so in the dark soil of poverty the choicest flowers of humanity have developed and bloomed.

No duty is more urgent than that of returning thanks.

Self is ingenious, crooked, and, governed by subtle and snaky desire, admits of endless turnings and qualifications, and the deluded worshippers of self vainly imagine that they can gratify every worldly desire, and at the same time possess the Truth

Happiness is mental harmony; unhappiness is mental inharmony.

The knowledge of the causal power of thought is the basis of all their (Hebrew) prophecies, as it is the basis of all real wisdom and power.

Passion in all its forms is a mental thirst, a fever, a torturing unrest. As a fire consumes a magnificent building, reducing it to a heap of unsightly ashes, so are men consumed by the flames of passions, and their deeds and works fall and perish.

As we develop a regional economic-development strategy for Erie and Niagara counties, we have identified tourism as one of our growth clusters. The arts and culture industry needs to be viewed as an economic-development sector.

If at the end of the week's work, and on receiving his wages, he were to ask his employer for a larger sum, pleading that, though he could not justly claim it and did not really deserve it, yet he expected it, he would not only receive the larger sum but would, doubtless, be discharged from his post. Yet in spiritual things men do not think it to be either foolish or selfish to ask for these blessings

The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.

We don't have any choice but to pay it back, but it shouldn't have been borrowed to begin with.

It's tough right now trying to convince developers to do something in these older spots, because no one's really sure what's underneath all the asphalt.

We are reaffirming what is our policy. This is a standard package of incentives.

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.

Above all be of single aim; have a legitimate and useful purpose, and devote yourself unreservedly to it.

It is the whole environment that is created in the doctor-patient relationship, in that it is not really permissive on either side, ... Neither side is encouraging the other to talk about it.

No temptation can gravitate to a man unless there is that is his heart which is capable of responding to it.

You will never do anything worthwhile in this world without courage

Harmony is one phase of the law whose spiritual expression is love.

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. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph.

Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life.

Often unless there is a specific problem they have to a possible STD, they do not bring it up, ... The physicians often don't ask about sexual function or what risky behaviors people are doing because it takes extra time and doctors themselves are sometimes not comfortable with talking about sex with their patients.

For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now?

A man has to learn that he cannot command things, but that he can command himself; that he cannot coerce the wills 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 water, when transmuted into steam, becomes a new, more definite and wide-reaching power, so passion, when transmuted into intellectual and moral force, becomes a new life, a new power for the accomplishment of high and unfailing purposes.

What they knew about the body is quite striking, though they did not always understand it.

Let there be nothing within thee that is not very beautiful and very gentle, and there will be nothing without thee that is not beautiful and softened by the spell of thy presence.

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 delightful conditions, all heavenly environment of these if you but remain true to them, your world will at last be built.

Our life is what our thoughts make it. A man will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him.

Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him.

She was a blessing. She was an angel. She was my baby.

Circumstance does not make the man it reveals him to himself. Man, therefore, as the lord and master of thought, is the maker of himself, the shaper and author of environment.

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. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruit. Let a man radically alter his thoughts, and he will be astonished at the rapid transformation it will effect in the material conditions of his life. Men do not attract that which they want, but that which they are.

A man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer of the man with his surroundings.

They who have conquered doubt and fear have conquered failure.

For those who will fight bravely and not yield, there is triumphant victory over all the dark things of life.

Before complaining that you are a slave to another, be sure that you are not a slave to self. Look within...You will find there, perchance, slavish thoughts, slavish desires, and in your daily life and conduct slavish habits. Conquer these cease to be a slave to self, and no man will have the power to enslave you.

Where there are difficulties to cope with, and unsatisfactory conditions to overcome, there virtue most flourishes and manifests its glory.

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

Thus meditating you will no longer strive to build yourself up in your prejudices, but, forgetting self, you will remember only that you are seeking the Truth.

The individual who framed this, ... has preserved his proud locks of the victim's hair. He's also written underneath the first mat, in a sort of dialect 'Bo pointing to his nigger.'

When a child is learning to write, it is extremely easy for it to hold the pen wrongly, and to form its letters incorrectly, but it is painfully difficult to hold the pen and to write properly and this because of the child's ignorance of the art of writing, which can only be dispelled by persistent effort and practice, until at last, it becomes natural and easy to hold the pen properly, and to write correctly, and difficult, as well as altogether unnecessary, to do the wrong thing. It is the same in the vital things of mind and life.

In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result.

You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as you dominant aspiration.

The more intense the nature of a man, the more readily will he find meditation, and the more successfully will he practice it.