Creating a Better Life

[This is a continuing series on the book Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude by Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone. If you'd like to start from the beginning, see this post]

“Definiteness of purpose, combined with PMA, is the starting point of all worthwhile achievement.”

When I first read “Think and Grow Rich”, I really got hung up on the word “Purpose”. What’s my purpose, what’s my purpose. In my high minded, perfectionistic thinking, I thought of people like Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King, Jr., Mahatma Gandhi… and if my purpose was anything less than they achieved, then it was worthless.

Then I finally looked up purpose in the dictionary. The first definition on Merriam-Webster Online is: “something set up as an object or end to be attained.”

That’s all.

It’s a goal!

So all I have to do is pick a goal, something that I want to have, do, or be.

It doesn’t have to be world peace (but it can be), and it can be a specific income (but it doesn’t have to be).

It has to be something that I want, not something my wife, mother, or boss wants.

And as they say in the book: It must be definite, specific, and desirable goal, and it must be kept in mind daily.

The author’s also state that when we have made that decision on our goal, that many of the other success principles come into play automatically, such as:

• Personal Initiative
• Self-Discipline
• Creative Vision
• Organized Thinking
• Controlled Attention (concentration of effort)
• Budgeting of Time and Money
• Enthusiasm

They also state that most people do not have a clear enough picture in their mind of the goal they are trying to achieve, and that this is the reason that they are unable to get there.

This morning, I listened to an interview with James Ray on The Dr. Pat Show that is related to this. Mr. Ray used the following analogy to describe the day to day movement toward our purpose. He said that while we are driving somewhere, we don’t stare at the map of the destination. We look over the hood, and keep in mind where we are going.

Just keep looking over the hood. Remember where you are going, don’t get too distracted by the roadside attractions, but just keep working on what’s in front of you.

So what is your definite major purpose?

I’ve set up my home page in my browser to remind me of it every time I fire up FireFox. It’s a specific amount of money I’d like to accumulate in a specific amount of time. I’m not going to say how much, or by when, until I actually achieve it. I think this is a little too public a forum for that.

But that may change. I’ve got to think about that one for a bit. I’ve read in other places that it’s best to share these things only with those closest to you, with people who will encourage you and not tell you things like “Oh, come ON, that’s ridiculous!”

I’ve got enough of that coming from my own head, anyway…

But not as much as I did, since I’m developing my PMA.

Rate this:

3.2

Uncategorized
goals, Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude