LESSON VII. THE CONCENTRATED MENTAL DEMAND

The Mental Demand is the potent force in achievement. Theattitude of the mind affects the expression of the face,determines action, changes our physical condition and regulatesour lives.

I will not here attempt to explain the silent force that achievesresults. You want to develop your mental powers so you can effectthe thing sought, and that is what I want to teach you. There iswonderful power and possibility in the concentrated MentalDemand. This, like all other forces, is controlled by laws. Itcan, like all other forces, be wonderfully increased byconsecutive, systematized effort.

The mental demand must be directed by every power of the mind andevery possible element should be used to make the demandmaterialize. You can so intently desire a thing that you canexclude all distracting thoughts. When you practice thissingleness of concentration until you attain the end sought, youhave developed a Will capable of accomplishing whatever you wish.

As long as you can only do the ordinary things you will becounted in the mass of mediocrity. But just as quick as yousurpass others by even comparatively small measure, you areclassed as one of life's successes. So, if you wish to emergeinto prominence, you must accomplish something more than theordinary man or woman. It is easy to do this if you will butconcentrate on what you desire, and put forth your best effort.It is not the runner with the longest legs or the strongestmuscles that wins the race, but the one that can put forth thegreatest desire force. You can best understand this by thinkingof an engine. The engine starts up slowly, the engineer graduallyextending the throttle to the top notch. It is then keyed up toits maximum speed. The same is true of two runners. They startoff together and gradually they increase their desire to gofaster. The one that has the greatest intensity of desire willwin. He may outdistance the other by only a fraction of an inch,yet he gets the laurels.

The men that are looked upon as the world's successes have notalways been men of great physical power, nor at the start didthey seem very well adapted to the conditions which encompassedthem. In the beginning they were not considered men of superiorgenius, but they won their success by their resolution to achieveresults in their undertakings by permitting no set-back todishearten them; no difficulties to daunt them. Nothing couldturn them or influence them against their determination. Theynever lost sight of their goal. In all of us there is this silentforce of wonderful power. If developed, it can overcomeconditions that would seem insurmountable. It is constantlyurging us on to greater achievement. The more we becomeacquainted with it the better strategists we become, the morecourage we develop and the greater the desire within us forself-expression in activity along many lines.

No one will ever be a failure if he becomes conscious of thissilent force within that controls his destiny. But without theconsciousness of this inner force, you will not have a clearvision, and external conditions will not yield to the power ofyour mind. It is the mental resolve that makes achievementpossible. Once this has been formed it should never be allowed tocease to press its claim until its object is attained. To makeplans work out it will, at times, be necessary to use every powerof your mind. Patience, perseverance and all the indomitableforces within one will have to be mustered and used with thegreatest effectiveness.

Perseverance is the first element of success. In order topersevere you must be ceaseless in your application. It requiresyou to concentrate your thoughts upon your undertaking and bringevery energy to bear upon keeping them focused upon it until youhave accomplished your aim. To quit short of this is to weakenall future efforts.

The Mental Demand seems an unreal power because it is intangible;but it is the mightiest power in the world. It is a power that isfree for you to use. No one can use it for you. The Mental Demandis not a visionary one. It is a potent force, which you can usefreely without cost. When you are in doubt it will counsel you.It will guide you when you are uncertain. When you are in fear itwill give you courage. It is the motive power which supplies theenergies necessary to the achievement of the purpose. You have alarge store house of possibilities. The Mental Demand makespossibilities realities. It supplies everything necessary for theaccomplishment, It selects the tools and instructs how to usethem. It makes you understand the situation. Every time you makea Mental Demand you strengthen the brain centers by drawing toyou external forces.

Few realize the power of a Mental Demand. It is possible to makeyour demand so strong that you can impart what you have to say toanother without speaking to him. Have you ever, after planning todiscuss a certain matter with a friend, had the experience ofhaving him broach the subject before you had a chance to speak ofit? Have you ever, in a letter, made a suggestion to a friendthat he carried out before your letter reached him? Have you everwanted to speak to a person who, just then walked in ortelephoned. I have had many such responses to thought and you andyour friends have doubtless experienced them, too.

These two things are neither coincidences nor accidents, but arethe results of mental demand launched by strong concentration.

The person that never wants anything gets little. To demandresolutely is the first step toward getting what you want.

The power of the Mental Demand seems absolute, the supplyillimitable. The mental demand projects itself and causes tomaterialize the conditions and opportunities needed to accomplishthe purpose. Do not think I over estimate the value of the MentalDemand. It brings the fuller life if used for only righteouspurposes. Once the Mental Demand is made, however, never let itfalter. If you do the current that connects you with your desireis broken. Take all the necessary time to build a firmfoundation, so that there need not be even an element of doubt tocreep in. Just the moment you entertain "doubt" you lose some ofthe demand force, and force once lost is hard to regain. Sowhenever you make a mental demand hold steadfastly to it untilyour need is supplied.

I want to repeat again that Power of Mental Demand is not avisionary one. It is concentrated power only, and can be used byyou. It is not supernatural power, but requires a development ofthe brain centers. The outcome is sure when it is given with astrong resolute determination.

No person will advance to any great extent, until he recognizesthis force within him. If you have not become aware of it, youhave not made very much of a success of your life. It is this"something" that distinguishes that "man" from other men. It isthis subtle power that develops strong personality.

If you want a great deal you must demand a great deal. Once youmake your demand, anticipate its fulfillment. It depends upon us.We are rewarded according to our efforts. The Power of MentalDemand can bring us what we want. We become what we determine tobe. We control our own destiny.

Get the right mental attitude, then in accordance with yourability you can gain success.

And every man of AVERAGE ability, the ordinary man that you seeabout you, can be really successful, independent, free of worry,HIS OWN MASTER, if he can manage to do just two things.

First, remain forever dissatisfied with what he IS doing and withwhat he HAS accomplished.

Second, develop in his mind a belief that the word impossible wasnot intended or him. Build up in his mind the confidence thatenables the mind to use its power.

Many, especially the older men, will ask:

"How can I build up that self-confidence in my brain? How can I,after months and years of discouragement, of dull plodding,suddenly conceive and carry out a plan for doing something thatwill mike life worth while and change the monotonous routine?

"How can a man get out of a rut after he has been in it for yearsand has settled down to the slow jog-trot that leads to thegrave?"

The answer is the thing can be done, and millions have done it.

One of the names most honored among the great men of France isthat of Littre, who wrote and compiled the great Frenchdictionary--a monument of learning. He is the man whose placeamong the forty immortals of France was taken by the greatPasteur, when the latter was elected to the Academy.

Littre BEGAN the work that makes him famous when he was more thansixty years old.