James Allen Quotes

“A man becomes calm in the measure that he understands himself as a thought-evolved being.

For such knowledge necessitates the understanding of others as the result of thought, and as he develops a right understanding, and sees ever more clearly the internal relations of things by the action of cause and effect, he ceases to fuss, fume, worry, and grieve. He remains poised, steadfast, serene.”

“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.”

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

“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.”

“A man only begins to be a man when he ceases to whine and revile, and commences to search for the hidden justice which regulates his life.

And he adapts his mind to that regulating factor, he ceases to accuse others as the cause of his condition, and builds himself up in strong and noble thoughts; ceases to kick against circumstances, but begins to use them as aids to his more rapid progress, and as a means of the hidden powers and possibilities within himself.”

“A man sooner or later discovers that he is the master-gardener of his soul, the director of his life.”

“A man's mind may be likened to a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth.

If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind.”

“A noble and God-like character is not a thing of favor or chance, but is the natural result of continued effort in right thinking, the effect of long-cherished association with God-like thoughts.”

“A particular train of thought persisted in, be it good or bad, cannot fail to produce its results on the character and circumstances.

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

“A person is limited only by the thoughts that he chooses.”

“A strong man cannot help a weaker unless the weaker is willing to be helped, and even then the weak man must become strong of himself; he must, by his own efforts, develop the strength which he admires in another. None but himself can alter his condition.”

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

“All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts.”

“As a man thinketh in his heart, so shall he be.”

“As he thinks, so he is; as he continues to think, so he remains.”

“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.”

“As the plant springs from, and could not be without, the seed, so every act of a man springs from the hidden seeds of thought, and could not have appeared without them.”

“Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. It is the result of long and patient effort in self-control.

Its presence is an indication of ripened experience, and of a more than ordinary knowledge of the laws and operations of thought.”

“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.”

“Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself.”

“Do not dwell upon the sins and mistakes of yesterday so exclusively as to have no energy and mind left for living rightly today, and do not think that the sins of yesterday can prevent you from living purely today.”

“Dream lofty dreams, and as you dream, so you shall become. Your vision is the promise of what you shall one day be; your ideal is the prophecy of what you shall at last unveil.”

“Evil and weakness are self destructive. The universe is girt with goodness and strength, and it protects the good and the strong. The angry man is the weak man.”

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

“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results.

We understand this law in the natural world, and work with it; but few understand it in the mental and moral world — although its operation there is just as simple and undeviating — and they, therefore, do not cooperate with it.”

“Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results.”

“Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruit – and man is his own gardener.”

“He only finds peace who conquers himself, who strives, day by day, after greater self-possession, greater self-control, greater calmness of mind.”

“He who would accomplish little need sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much. He who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.”

“If you real desire is to be good, there is no need to wait for the money before you do it; you can do it now, this very moment, and just where you are.”