PDF Summary:As A Man Thinketh, by James Allen

In the 1903 self-help classic, As a Man Thinketh, James Allen explores the power of thought, which says that your thoughts shape your character, your character shapes your actions, and your actions shape your circumstances. Put simply, you are what you think. Allen discusses the ways that thoughts manifest in reality and how to direct your thoughts in order to create the life you want.

In this summary, you’ll discover how your thoughts create your circumstances and your health, why it’s essential to have a purpose, and how to take control of your mind and your life.

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Likewise, be careful when judging yourself. When your thoughts produce challenging circumstances, Allen says those obstacles aren’t merely punishments—they’re teaching tools. Learn from your hardships. Since your own thoughts created the challenges you face, those challenges are tailored to teach you the exact lessons you need to move past the thinking that created them. These lessons help you grow as a person, which alters your thinking, which again changes your circumstances. Allen writes that this is true no matter your circumstances, because you learn from both hardship and happiness.

Take Control of Your Thoughts

People often struggle to change their circumstances, and all the while, they never stop to address the root of their issue: their thoughts. Allen insists that when you understand the power of thought, you can become the master of yourself and your life. And once you create momentum by moving your thoughts and your life in a particular direction—whether positive or negative—the world will help you along. If you harbor negativity and spew hate, you’ll get bitterness and hostility from those around you. But, if you release your negative thoughts and become more emotionally open to the world, people will be more receptive to you, creating a virtuous cycle.

To begin the process of taking charge of your thoughts, you have to commit to deep introspection. Reflect on your past experiences, and trace them back to the thoughts that led to those realities. Seeing how your past thoughts have impacted your life will motivate you to change your thoughts going forward.

Determine Your Purpose

The next step toward controlling your thoughts is to determine a purpose for your life—even if it’s just for now. Whether your purpose is a material or spiritual goal, Allen says to make it your driving force. If you can’t come up with a greater purpose, focus on performing your current duties (be it as a parent, employee, or some other role) as well as you possibly can. A purpose gives you a positive, productive place to center your thoughts so that they don’t wander to fear, doubt, and self-pity.

Once you determine a purpose, achieving it will depend entirely on how well you uphold the strength and focus of your thoughts. To fulfill your purpose:

• Resist indulgent, greedy, dishonest, self-pitying, and pessimistic thoughts. As you practice focusing on your purpose and directing all of your thoughts toward it, you will increase your self-control, concentration, and strength of character.
• Remember that this is a process of building mental strength, so you can’t expect to maintain flawless concentration right away. Along the way, you’ll inevitably falter—when you do, simply refocus and carry on.
• Gradually train your mind to only indulge thoughts that lead to positive habits and prosperous circumstances.

Allen insists that when you can rise above negative thoughts and exercise enough self-control to maintain a positive thought pattern, you’ll be capable of truly steering your life’s direction. When you reach that point, you must continue to control your thoughts in order to maintain power over your life.

Since both your successes and failures are of your own making, individual responsibility is paramount. You can’t blame others for your circumstances if your circumstances are created by your thoughts, and you can only stay down if you allow your thoughts to keep you down. Allen suggests that even in the case of exploiters and the exploited, each is responsible for their own plight.

Dream Big to Achieve Big

Allen promises that your potential is limited only by your capacity to dream, pointing out that even the biggest accomplishments started as mere dreams. Many inspiring and beautiful things in the world exist because people envisioned them, and then they came to fruition. Architects had to first dream of towering monuments and breathtaking cathedrals before they could build them. But you won’t reach your dreams through thought alone—those thoughts must become actions. Your relentless focus on a single vision will naturally inspire you to act in ways that will help you achieve that dream.

So dream big. In your life, the only way to surpass your current reality is to dream up something new. Allen writes that as with any purpose, when you have a dream, you must concentrate all of your thoughts on pursuing that goal.

Achieve Serenity

When you not only understand the power of thought, but also internalize and master it, you’ll reach a state of serenity. Allen says serenity comes from knowing that the ups and downs of life are within your control. There’s no need to be anxious or angry about circumstances, or to feel as if you’re the victim of chaos and unpredictability—you have the key to control your destiny, and you’ve developed the mental strength to use it.

In this serene state, others will gravitate toward you. Many people don’t know that they possess the power to take control of their life, and so, in this confusing world, they’re drawn to people who possess an inner calm. Allen writes that the depth and consistency of your serenity increases, so does your capacity to influence others and be a force of good for those around you, because they can look to you for calm and lean on you when they need strength. In this way, serenity is the ultimate treasure in life.