born_rich-第7章

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has　had　as　great　an　impact　on　my　life　as　any　idea　I　have　ever　
learned。　

The　knowledge　of　Image…Making　eliminates　competition　
from　your　life；　by　moving　you　from　the　competitive　plane　to　the　
creative　plane。　You　will　soon　understand　therefore；　that　in　
truth；　the　only　competition　you　will　ever　have　is　with　your　own　
ignorance。　

This　idea　truly　excites　me。　To　be　more　accurate；　I　should　
probably　say　sharing　this　idea　with　you　excites　me；　because　I　
know　how　it　can　improve　every　aspect　of　your　life。　I　honestly　
love　watching　people　grow　or　unfold　as　new　ideas　register　in　
their　consciousness。　


But　before　I　delve　into　this　idea；　please　understand　that　
everyone　is　using　the　Image…Making　concept　and　everyone　
always　has。　In　fact；　everything　that　has　ever　come　into　your　
life　has　come　as　a　direct　result　of　the　Image…Making　process。　
Therefore；　if　you　will　only　become　aware　of　the　results　which　
you　have　obtained；　you　will　realize　you　have　already　employed　
this　great　mental　tool。　Just　take　a　look　at　the　results　most　
people　obtain。　Generally　speaking；　you　could　say　it　is　quite　
obvious　that　when　they　make　use　of　their　Image…Making　
ability；　they　almost　always　use　it　the　wrong　way。　

You　Are　An　Image…Maker　

Most　religions　teach　that　God　is　responsible　for　
everything　made　in　this　world　and　I　would　fully　subscribe　to　
this　proposition。　However；　as　co…creators；　human　beings　must　
bear　responsibility　for　WHAT　God　makes　in　their　lives。　

The　Minister　And　The　Farmer　

A　story　I　once　heard　illustrates　this　point　exceedingly　
well。　Many　years　ago；　a　minister　was　driving　along　a　remote　
country　road；　when　he　happened　upon　a　very　beautiful　farm。　
The　farm　was　kept　in　absolutely　magnificent　condition。　The　
fences　were　well　cared　for；　the　crops　were　a　radiant　green　and　
although　the　house　was　set　back　some　distance　from　the　road；　
it　was　abundantly　clear　that　it　had　a　clean；　fresh　coat　of　white　
paint　on　it。　Well…cultivated　flower　beds　encircled　the　house　
and　stretched　all　along　both　sides　of　the　long；　wide　driveway；　
leading　to　it　from　the　road。　In　a　neat　row　along　both　sides　of　
the　drive　as　well；　were　straight　lines　of　tall　green　poplar　trees　
reaching　up　to　a　picturesque　pale　blue　sky。　The　lawns　
surrounding　the　house　were　a　deep　rich　green；　and　as　well　
manicured　as　any　putting　green　ever　was。　Indeed；　the　entire　
picture　would　have　fit　well　on　a　post　card；　since　it　was　
absolutely　breathtaking　in　its　splendor。　

Then　the　minister　looked　off　to　his　right；　to　the　other　side　
of　the　road。　Here　the　fields　were　ploughed；　the　earth　was　the　
deepest　black　the　minister　had　ever　seen　and　he　was　amazed　


at　how　the　furrows　had　been　plowed　in　such　a　way　that　they　
stretched　out　in　rows　〃as　straight　as　clothes　lines。〃　Far　off　in　
the　distance；　the　minister　could　see　the　farmer　sitting　up　on　
his　tractor；　with　a　straw　hat　on　the　back　of　his　head　and　clad　
in　an　old；　light　blue　pair　of　overalls。　It　appeared　that　the　
farmer　was　moving　toward　the　road　as　he　was　plowing。　Since　
the　minister　was　in　no　particular　hurry；　he　pulled　his　car　over　
to　the　side　of　the　road；　got　out　of　it；　and　walked　toward　the　
fence。　When　he　reached　it；　he　just　stood　still；　enjoying　the　
light　breeze；　the　warm　sunlight　and　admiring　the　beauty　of　the　
farm　and　the　farmer's　ability　to　plough　such　straight　furrows。　

As　the　farmer　worked　his　way　toward　the　road；　he　
noticed　the　minister　leaning　against　the　fence。　So　he　brought　
the　tractor　to　a　halt；　climbed　down　from　it；　and　slowly　started　
to　walk　in　the　minister's　direction。　As　the　farmer　got　closer　the　
minister　smiled；　raised　his　arm；　and　waved　saying；　〃My　good　
man；　God　has　certainly　blessed　you　with　a　beautiful　farm。〃　

The　farmer　stopped；　pulled　out　an　old　red　and　white　
polka…dot　handkerchief　from　his　pocket　with　his　big；　scarred　
and　calloused　hands。　He　raised　his　arm　and　wiped　the　sweat　
from　his　sun…scorched　brow；　still　not　saying　a　word。　Then　he　
reached　up　with　his　other　hand；　and　gently　took　from　his　
mouth　the　long　piece　of　straw　that　had　been　bouncing　and　
waving　as　he　walked。　

He　stood　in　silence　for　a　moment；　looking　at　the　minister；　
and　then　he　spoke。　With　a　slow；　steady　voice　be　replied；　〃Yes　
Reverend；　you're　right。　God　has　blessed　me　with　a　beautiful　
farm；　but　I　just　wish　you　could　have　seen　it　when　he　had　it　all　
to　himself！〃　

Understand　that　〃images〃　are　mental　pictures　that　are　
made　from　thoughts；　and　the　magnificence　of　the　mind　lies　in　
the　fact　that　it　can　〃think。〃　That　is　to　say；　it　can　tap　into　
thought　and　create　whatever　image　it　chooses。　

Now　play　with　your　mind　for　a　few　minutes　and　become　
aware　of　how　you　can　flash　one　picture　or　image　after　another　


on　the　screen　of　your　mind。　It　is　almost　as　if　you　were　sitting　
inside　your　body　at　a　great　theatre；　and　you　are　the　writer；　
producer　and　director　of　this　movie　you　are　watching。　

In　a　wonderful　book　I　read　a　number　of　years　ago　titled　
The　Science　of　Getting　Rich；　the　author；　Wallace　D。　Wattles；　
referred　to　〃This　thinking　stuff　that　permeates；　penetrates；　and　
fills　the　interspaces　of　the　cosmos。〃　It's　true　that　thoughts　are　
everywhere　and　we　can　tap　into　this　thinking　stuff　with　our　
mind　and　form　any　image　we　choose。　

Now　become　aware　of　this　truth。　Everything　we　do　is　
preceded　by　an　image。　We　think　first　in　order　to　form　an　
image；　then　we　do　the　work。　

Building　The　First　Chair　

Consider　for　a　moment　how　the　first　〃chair〃　was　built。　We　
did　not　always　have　chairs；　you　know。　I　suppose　many　years　
ago　when　we　first　started　to　become　civilized；　someone　became　
tired　of　sitting　on　the　ground。　Whoever　this　person　was；　he　
probably　started　to　think；　and　began　to　see　a　picture　in　his　
mind。　He　probably　saw　himself　sitting　on　a　〃thing〃　with　his　
legs　hanging　down　and　his　back　leaning　against　something。　
This　picture　or　idea　appealed　to　him；　because　he　imagined　
that　it　would　be　a　more　comfortable　position　in　which　to　sit；　
certainly　much　more　comfortable　than　sitting　on　the　ground　
with　his　knees　shoved　up　under　his　chin！　

Since　this　picture　appealed　to　the　person；　the　person　
thought　of　it　often；　until　a　desire　to　have　such　a　thing　began　to　
develop。　The　desire　moved　the　person　into　action；　and　with　the　
picture　in　his　mind；　he　began　to　build　something　outside　of　
himself…in　his　physical　world…that　was；　as　close　as　possible；　a　
replica　of　the　image　he　held　in　his　mind。　Once　the　thing　was　
completed；　the　person　sat　on　it。　He　let　his　legs　hang　and　his　
back　lean　and　he　found　that　it　was　good。　He　then　called　the　
thing　a　〃chair。〃　The　word　〃chair〃　is　a　symbol　that　has　a　
corresponding　image　and　when　you　see　or　hear　the　symbol　
chair；　it　triggers　an　image　on　the　screen　of　your　mind。　From　


that　day　to　this；　others　have　been　building　images　of　more　
comfortable　chairs…chairs　with　padding；　chairs　that　fold　and　
chairs　that　recline。　Then　someone　got　lonely　sitting　alone　and　
the　person　began　to　think　and　they　built　an　image　in　their　
mind　of　a　very　long　chair。　They　constructed　that　long　chair；　
found　it　was　good　and　they　called　it　a　〃sofa。〃　

Need　we　continue？　Someone　got　tired　of　sleeping　under　a　
tree　and　they　built　an　image　of　a　roof　over　their　head　and　on　
and　on　we　go。　Out　of　the　cave　into　a　condominium。　We　have　
truly　built　the　world　we　live　in。　

Columbus　imaged　a　new　world　and　you　and　I　are　living　in　
it。　The　Wright　Brothers　imaged　us　being　propelled　through　the　
air　and　introduced　us　to　a　new　kingdom。　Samuel　Morse　
imaged　himself　interrupting　the　flow　of　energy　through　
metallic　wires　and　gave　us　the　telegraph　with　the　Morse　code。　
Copernicus　imaged　a　multiplicity　of　worlds　and　now　we　have　
been　there。　

Through　the　years；　history　has　recorded　the　results　of　
great　visionaries。　In　fact；　everything　ever　accomplished　was　at　
first；　and　for　a　time；　nothing　more　than　an　image　held　in　the　
mind　of　the　architect。　Realize；　now；　that　you　too　are　the　
〃mental　architect〃　of　your　own　destiny。　

Going　To　The　Movies　

Consider　this：　Jack　Nicklaus；　the　world　famous　golfer；　
explains　he　will　not　even　pick　up　a　club　until　he　has　a　very　
clear　image　on　the　screen　of　his　mind；　showing　exactly　how　
the　ball　will　fly　through　the　air；　how　it　will　hit　the　ground　and　
where　it　will　roll　after　it　hits。　Nicklaus　calls　this　〃going　to　the　
movies〃　and　he　has　become　so　proficient　at　it　that　he　has　
become　known　throughout　the　world。　Fame　and　fortune　are　
his　for　the　asking。　

In　a　previous　paragraph；　I　made　reference　to　the　
statement　by　Wallace　D。　Wattles：　〃There　is　a　thought　stuff　that　
permeates；　penetrates　and　fills　the　interspaces　of　the　cosmos。〃　


In　truth；　there　is　a　thought　stuff　everywhere　around　you　and　
within　you。　So　become　aware　of　this　truth　and　tap　into　it　now。　
Use　it　to　form　an　image　on　the　screen　of　your　mind；　see　
yourself　already　in　possession　of　the　amount　of　money　you　
want；　to　provide　the　things　you　need；　to　live　in　the　style　you　
choose　to　live。　

Personal　Prosperity　

You　are　using　mental　faculties　that　everyone　has。　They　
are　exactly　the　same　mental　faculties　used　by　Copernicus；　
Buddha　and　Morse　whom　we　previously　mentioned。　You　might　
have　formed　the　habit　of　thinking　that　people　like　those　just　
mentioned　are　different　than　you　and　I。　But　I　want　you　to　
know　the　only　difference　between　you　and　them；　or　anyone　
else；　is　only　in　appearance　and　accomplishments。　We　all　live　in　
different　physical　bodies　and　we　all　use　our　inherent　mental　
faculties　in　a　different　way；　but　our　basic　structure　is　
fundamentally　the　same。　

I　am　well　aware　there　are　many　professors　and　other　
professional　people　who　will　tell　you　what　I　have　just　said　is　a　
lot　of　nonsense。　But　disbelievers　like　these　have　always　existed　
and　they　are；　in　my　opinion；　little　people。　For　all　of　the　truly　
great　leaders　are　in　complete　agreement　with　what　I　have　just　
explained；　about　your　equality　with　great　people　of　the　past　
and　present。　

Even　Jesus　tried　to　tell　the　world；　as　he　was　doing　his　
great　work　some　two　thousand　years　ago；　that　you　too　were　
capable　of　doing　what　he　was　doing。　In　fact；　He　even　went　a　
step　further　in　saying；　〃Even　greater　things　are　you　capable　
of。〃　Believe　Him；　He　spoke　the　truth。　The　little　people　will　say；　
that　is　not　what　He　meant。　But　let　me　assure　you；　it　is　exactly　
what　Jesus　meant。　If　you　can　see　it　and　believe　it…you　can　do　
it。　

Napoleon　Hill　spent　almost　his　entire　life　studying　five　
hundred　of　the　world's　greatest　achievers　and　the　essence　of　
his　exhaustive　studies　and　writings　is　contained　in　his　great　


book；　Think　and　Grow　Rich。　〃Whatever　the　mind　can　conceive　
and　believe　it　can　achieve。〃　Not　many　people　believe　this；　but　
the　ones　who　do；　prove　it　to　themselves。　Why　don't　you　prove　
it　to　yourself；　now。　

Just　build　the　image　of　prosperity　on　the　screen　of　your　
mind　and　watch　what　happens。　Remember　though；　regardless　
of　how　tough　things　get；　you　must　continue　to　hold　the　picture　
of　personal　prosperity。　You　will　very　likely　run　up　against　a　
series　of　circumstances　that　will；　for　a　time；　almost　have　you　
convinced　you　are　actually　going　backwards；　but；　persistence　
is　the　key。　Continue　to