Prosperity Through Thoght-Force_Bruce MacLelland.pdf

PROSPERITY THROUGH THOUGHT-FORCE

By Bruce MacLelland

AUTHOR’S FOREWORD

Less than three years ago I was a poor bookkeeper earning one thousand dollars per year in a city where living

on that amount was possible only by the strictest economy. My personality was buried in a sea of worry, anger,

suspicion and hatred. These things prevented my evolution to the position to which my talents entitled me. I

knew I should not be under inferior men, but did not know why it was so. Smarting under a sense of injustice, I

felt the fiercest antagonism to both people and things.

My friends were few, my health poor, hard work and poverty my lot, and there was nothing to indicate a brighter

future. The thought was brought to my attention that success in life could be obtained by developing strength of

character and controlling my mental forces. The idea appealed to me as possibly true, while if it were not true

there would be no injury resulting from a trial of it. I worked vigorously to cultivate strength of character,

constantly suggesting courage, peace, force and decision. From the awakening in morn until slumber closed my

consciousness the suggestions were incessant. It was a year and a half before any financial improvement was

noticed, though it was apparent that I was getting stronger daily.

At the end of the first year I resigned my position, determined to tolerate existing circumstances no longer;

without money or friends. I did not know where I was going or what I would do. I had grown. Where a year

before I had worried myself ill through fear of losing my position, I now voluntarily gave it up, knowing and

feeling I would do better. Within twenty-four hours an offer of one hundred dollars per month was received and I

accepted. In six months my salary was advanced to eighteen hundred a year because I was the right man in the

right place and had, during a crisis in the business, in the absence of the manager, dared to assume authority and

act independently with a successful outcome.

At the meeting of the Board of Directors I was regularly elected secretary of the corporation by which I was

employed, and two months later my salary was advanced another fifty dollars a month because I conceived and

carried out two ideas which netted many thousands of dollars to my employers.

At the end of the second year of self-suggestions I resigned and, without capital, opened an office for myself. I

was given credit for over twenty thousand dollars, mainly on my record of past dealings. These things were

attributable to the fact that those who had dealt with me had confidence in my judgment and honesty. They felt

the radiations of honesty, ability and judgment from my mind. Briefly, in one year I had paid every dollar I owed

and had eleven thousand dollars ahead. I then quit the business in order to have leisure to write the personal

experiences upon which the ideas herein contained are based.

But I must acknowledge that even now, with plenty of money for all needs, a happy home and everything one

need wish, I have moments of depression, of loss of confidence in self, lack of faith in God, as well as the

occasional inability to sustain a happy buoyancy and contentment of mind. Then the reaction comes and I regain

strength to calmly wait and be led, strong in my belief of a guiding hand. I hope to help those who peruse these

pages by instilling courage into them until they are strong enough to accomplish their aspirations.

Readers will not find this a tale conceived in a fantastic moment of idleness. The writer dislikes to parade the

sanctity of his inner life to the gaze of those who mayhap cannot understand, but this work may be the means of

bringing some one out of the gloom of despond into the happy light of developed courage where he or she may

calmly face the world in adverse circumstances and, by rising superior to environment, acquire happiness, peace

and independence.

Bruce MacLelland. New York, January, 1904.

The above was written three years ago. In the light of retrospection I can only add, it is grandly true. Every

principle set forth in this book is based on scientific truth. All are provable from the hypothesis set forth.

I moved to Oklahoma, Beautiful Land, where amid sunshine and flowers we rub shoulders with cowboys,

Indians, regular soldiers, gamblers, farmers, business men and trappers, thrown together in promiscuous

confusion incident to the settlement of a new country.

If we want to work, we work; if play, we play. The exhilaration of freedom reaches its acme of perfection when,

on a good horse, we fly across the prairies.

I spend my life writing, reading, plowing, riding after cattle, making hay, harvesting corn and cotton, oats and

alfalfa (and attending the county fair, by gosh!).

As to money? There's enough and to spare. Why spend one's life amassing a fortune? Look at the fun one, misses.

We are only here once, at least that's all we know of now. Let's get money enough, then look around a bit and see

what people and things are like.

Bruce MacLelland, January, 1907.

PREFACE

In this little book I have written, in my own way, hot from the soul, what I know to be true. It is my book pure

and simple, written from the fullness of a spirit at peace, written for you because it will do you good and because

I could not get it off my mind until it was written.

There are many things omitted which should have been included. They may be given to you later.

If the general ideas benefit you, make your life happier, I am content; if you feel antagonistic to its teachings, I

await your censure; if it conveys a truth, opposition cannot kill it; if not truthful, it will die a natural death. Its

future will depend upon the call for it.

It was written solely to gratify the desire to tell others what has been of benefit to me and as such I leave it with

you.

INTRODUCTION

During the progress of my life some things worth pondering have come to my observation. Among them was the

everywhere apparent fact that quiet, forceful workmen who were always absorbed with their work, enjoyed that

work, owned their homes, had enough to eat and wear, treated their families kindly, were respected by superiors

(comparative), and their lives seemed ideal. There was no straining and striving to outshine their neighbors, no

frantic endeavors to do something or be something beyond their simple, homelike, happy selves.

It was also apparent that when there was a promotion in the shop, these steadfast, silent men were promoted,

while their hustling, bustling, hurrying, worrying, fault-finding, snapping and snarling fellow workmen stayed in

the ranks and were swamped by debts, forever in trouble. As I became associated with employers there seemed

to be a new element in them not found in the workmen. This was a feeling of independent reliance on self, and it

occurred to me that perhaps that reliance, or lack of it, was the difference between employer and employee.

Later in life it became possible for me to closely observe some of the masterminds in the world of business, and

to the qualities peculiar to each there seemed to be added an inherent force, a something one could feel distinctly

upon coming into contact with them. They were able to think of thousands as others thought of hundreds, and

obtained them as easily. They were broad, strong, hopeful individuals, who bent their energies to accomplish

vast undertakings, the very thought of which would frighten an ordinary man.

It was also noted that the wisest men, those who could see the farthest into any project, were quiet, calm men,

who could not be easily disturbed. Some of the wisest were not capable of making money beyond their barest

needs. From which were deduced the conclusions that wisdom is induced by peace or calmness and that wisdom

without force is of small value. While the one enables the mind to determine what to do, the other is absolutely

necessary to carry out that determination. Force without wisdom, while expanding itself largely in useless and

ill-directed efforts, accomplishes little or nothing.

It was also observed that, as wisdom increased, the mental forces were conserved, not driven to excess, exercised

but not exhausted, which increased the limit of force. Accordingly one possessing wisdom and a slight degree of

force could, by properly directing that force, accomplish more than one that had greater force and a less degree

of wisdom. It was seen that well-laid plans and determined efforts often brought small returns, while the great

successes were the outgrowth of small beginnings. That there must be reasons for all this is self-evident. Tracing

backward from effect to cause, it was easily determined that physical prowess need not be considered, since

some of the greatest leaders have been slight, weak men. Then the educational line was carefully investigated,

and but a few of the greatest were college bred, and some were illiterate. It was evident that the secret lay not in

education.

It was also noticed that some people had the ability to absorb knowledge as easily as a sponge absorbs water, yet

were unable to derive any benefit from their learning, while their classmates who were unable or unwilling to

learn often startled the world by some great achievement. Negative natures make the best students, but positive

natures produce the most action. Further research proved that the most obedient is boy in school often became a

clerk for the worst rascal;

That the educated, independent thinker was the best of all;

That the man who was the most anxious to obtain money had the least; that he whose sole ambition was to own a

cottage got no more;

That the man who hated the most was loved the least; and that the man who tried to frighten others was himself

afraid.

It was observed that haters' bodies were always tensely drawn, the muscles incapable of relaxation, both mind

and body shriveled and contracted, functions deranged and the bodies full of aches and pains. The explanation

was that hatred; jealousy and despondency had an attraction for a tense, inharmonious frame of mind and

produced the corresponding effects in the body.

It was also seen that successful men went in herds, and unsuccessful men did likewise, but in different herds;

That the man who could swear the loudest would run the quickest;

That what constituted success to one was failure and humiliation to another;

That one man would become a victim to circumstances, while his brother laughed at surroundings and

suggestions and "sailed on";

That some men talked of doing great things, while others just did things and said nothing;

That talkative people could not stop their chatter even if they desired; that silent men could talk more

interestingly than the talkers;

That any line of business was a medium for an accumulation of wealth to the right man.

All these things led us to believe that neither the size of the man nor the learning he possessed had anything to do

with the accomplishment of his object, but that, instead, the condition of his mind, coupled with the desire and

expectation of success, seemed to attract everything to him.

Then followed considerable research into the psychological makeup of the human mind in order to determine

whether our friend Cassius was right, when he said, "The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves,

that we are underlings," and if so wherein lay the fault.

The study of mental language and power of suggestion showed clearly that confidence concerning one's ability

to do could be developed, and that the belief made the doing possible. Its demonstration of thought projection

opened the way to the realization of the fact that thought is a literal element, and the study of self-demonstrated

that "Know thyself" is the deepest and best advice ever given to mankind. It embraces the knowledge that

character or self can be strengthened and ennobled; That force can be added to one;

That the mind attracts success in all things as it is freed from jealousy, envy, distrust, ill will, anger, haste and

fear;

That this study of self, or introspection, made plain to each his own - strong as well as weak qualities, or his hold

on justice, force, confidence, determination, etc.

East India philosophy taught the value and power of the imagination, that one grows like whatever he thinks of

himself as being, and is literally what he thinks or what he thinks himself into being. Observation impressed

upon us the constant effect of the mental images brought to the attention by surroundings, that through that

power some were controlled by circumstances, while others, giving less attention to the surroundings and more

to some ambition, are able to rise above circumstances and control them.

We mean that a child raised in poverty is always in touch with poor people, sees in their homes as well as his

own only the bare necessities of life, hears how hard it is to get money, knows his father must work hard for little

wages, wears poor clothing and conforms to all the life of the poor until it becomes a part of him. The evidence

he sees of wealth is not real. He feels it is not for him. The things he has seen all his life, the circumstances with

which he has been surrounded, have created that frame of mind. Now let him make mental images of himself

occupying a better position in life, having money and friends and everything he desires. In time that becomes the

reality, while the old life is the unreal. His circumstances change as his mind changes. He has risen above

circumstances, has controlled them.

The study of Nature in all her forms, the effects of desire in both animals and man, proved the existence of a

Law of Vibration, and if the law was invoked vigorously to supply the deficient qualities in each mentality, their

inflow followed, but, if invoked to bring money and worldly gain, there would be no response. All good things

came to him who built up purity and strength of character. This alone was meant when the Christ said, "Seek ye

first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

It was true then, and is equally true today. Seeking the Kingdom does not mean faith in any existing creed. It

means to develop a condition of calmness or peace in the mind allowing an inflow of Divine Wisdom, when one

becomes in rapport with the Supreme - dwells in heaven. "Heaven is within you," a condition and not a place.

All this was believed, and the study of others' thoughts versus their present condition proved that their income

was the effect of their strength or weakness of character, which in turn was due to their manner of thinking and

the nature of their thoughts; but development of self alone gave demonstration and established the fact that

success in life is due entirely to the personality of the individual; that through introspection, mental suggestions,

the Law of Vibration and the power of imagination, anyone can make of himself whatever he chooses.

Personality consists of elements which have been named courage, confidence, judgment, decision, determination,

aspiration and truth. The degree in which they are possessed determines the power of the individual. The

conditions of calmness and concentration allow the best use of these powers.

Thoughts are vital, living, actual things, as real as oxygen or hydrogen. They come from without, and their value

to any mind depends on the condition of that mind. If it is strong and forceful it receives strong and forceful

thoughts, which produce strength of character; if fretful, vacillating, uninspiring and cowardly it receives that

class of thought which produces misery, poverty and poor health, and every thought received and issued from

your mind makes a stronger or weaker person of you.

A knowledge of these things does not produce results, but realization of this truth with the resulting watchfulness

and control our thoughts does, and the practice of autosuggestion develops the elements of mind, making the

control possible.

These truths are of the world of mind, and the grosser condition of mind, in which ordinary individuals live, can

scarcely believe it possible that there are higher planes attainable by that particular mind. By planes of mind is

meant the condition producing the attitude which would cause some to ridicule any new invention or idea in

contrast to the promoter, who could see clearly the feasibility of the project, and the various attitudes are shown

by all those taking views between those two. It is the ability in one to see a truth when told of it, the lack of

ability in the other to accept any portion of it.

These planes have existed since history begun and have been the greatest hindrance to world betterment,

particularly in regard to morals and religion. The lower attitudes being numerically greater have obstructed the

expression of the thought of the lesser number of advanced thinkers. Galileo was compelled to retract when he

advanced the idea that the world is round, and the inquisition was instituted by gross minded churchmen in order

to stop freedom of thought.

When, after the practice of autosuggestion, a higher condition is reached, it is at first but temporary, and while

back in the original state, which reaction invariably occurs, one will think, "Oh, it is all nonsense"; and a

revulsion, a sickening of despair, of hope lost, will hold that mind in its grasp. This experience will only come

after you have sufficiently grasped the realization of the idea to give you the impetus to act, and after perhaps

weary months of constant suggestions.

This principle is not based on your belief or faith - that has nothing to do with it. It is a scientific truth and it

matters not what you think about it so long as you work to develop yourself. Study carefully and reflect on these

ideas, one thing at a time, then do it and keep on doing it. Believe what you please about it. Keep your own

counsel (this is imperative).

There are those who cannot believe these truths. Their minds are of the lower order, entirely occupied with

worldly matters. They are blind to spiritual truths and call all others visionary in their superb self-sufficiency. If

a mind capable of half seeing, half-believing these things is brought into contact with them it will be blinded by

their blindness, and since the lower order of mind predominates the volume is on that side, and by telling others

of our beliefs when the first wave of happy enthusiasm strikes us we are apt to wreck our own lives by first

inciting and then being overwhelmed by their antagonism. But if we keep still and work to develop strength,

courage, power, force, push, good will, etc., we shall become strong enough to stand on our own feet in spite of

any and all.

When the author was a little lad blacking boots on the street of his native village, some one asked him, in a

crowd, what he intended being when grown. He honestly and earnestly replied, "An attorney"; whereupon an

ignorant and loud-mouthed buffoon gave a guffaw and said, "You, a lawyer!" then laughed immoderately. The

crowd laughed. His child's soul shrank within him. He gave it up. Not until now has the opportunity occurred.

That guffaw cost him thirty years out of his natural vocation.

Keep your own counsel.

If, however, there are those among our friends who need these truths for their own welfare and are capable of

accepting them, by all means tell them; but do not cast your pearls before swine, for they will turn and rend you.

Be not afraid, do your duty each instant. Do it as well as you can. Hope and expect better things and your success

is assured. The hostile action of the combined powers of earth cannot stop you. You are supreme in your own

personality.

Practice economy but not stinginess – freely spend your money for needed things, but everything wanted is not

needed.

ABOUT YOURSELF AND THE LAW

Your fortune or lack of fortune is not the result of chance but of your observance of certain fixed laws. You may

not be aware of acting in accordance with sharply defined and active principles, but you do and always have so

acted.

You make your own misery; you make your own unhappiness; you make your own poverty, all by the attitude of

your mind, which is the result of the reflex action of your past thoughts. But you say: I was born that way. I was

always impatient, worrying, anxious. I cannot change it. Yes, probably you were, but you can change it, unless

you determine you cannot and do not try. If you do, that settles it. No power whatever, from God or man, can do

anything for you when you assume that attitude.

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