Heredity and Opportunity

You are not barred from attaining greatness by heredity. No matter who or what your ancestors may have been or how unlearned or lowly their station, the upward way is open for you. There is no such thing as inheriting a fixed mental position; no matter how small the mental capital we receive from our parents, it may be increased; no man is born incapable of growth.

Your ancestry does not prevent you from achieving greatness. No matter who your ancestors were, how little education they had, or how low their social status, you can rise. No one inherits a fixed level of mental ability. No matter how little mental ability we inherit from our parents, we can develop it further. No one is born unable to grow.

Heredity counts for something. We are born with subconscious mental tendencies; as, for instance, a tendency to melancholy, or cowardice, or to ill-temper; but all these subconscious tendencies may be overcome. When the real man awakens and comes forth he can throw them off very easily. Nothing of this kind need keep you down; if you have inherited undesirable mental tendencies, you can eliminate them and put desirable tendencies in their places. An inherited mental trait is a habit of thought of your father or mother impressed upon your subconscious mind; you can substitute the opposite impression by forming the opposite habit of thought. You can substitute a habit of cheerfulness for a tendency to despondency; you can overcome cowardice or ill-temper.

Heredity matters to some extent. We are born with subconscious mental tendencies, such as sadness, cowardice, or a bad temper. But all these subconscious tendencies can be overcome. When your true self awakens and emerges, you can shake off these tendencies very easily. No tendency of this kind needs to hold you back. If you have inherited unwanted mental tendencies, you can eliminate them and replace them with desirable ones. An inherited mental trait is a parent's habit of thought impressed on your subconscious mind. You can replace that impression with its opposite by forming the opposite habit of thought. You can replace a tendency toward discouragement with a habit of cheerfulness. You can overcome cowardice or a bad temper.

Heredity may count for something, too, in an inherited conformation of the skull. There is something in phrenology, if not so much as its exponents claim for it; it is true that the different faculties are localized in the brain, and that the power of a faculty depends upon the number of active brain cells in its area. A faculty whose brain area is large is likely to act with more power than one whose cranial section is small; hence persons with certain conformations of the skull show talent as musicians, orators, mechanics, and so on. It has been argued from this that a man’s cranial formation must, to a great extent, decide his station in life, but this is an error. It has been found that a small brain section, with many fine and active cells, gives as powerful expression to faculty as a larger brain with coarser cells; and it has been found that by turning the Principle of Power into any section of the brain, with the will and purpose to develop a particular talent, the brain cells may be multiplied indefinitely. Any faculty, power, or talent you possess, no matter how small or rudimentary, may be increased; you can multiply the brain cells in this particular area until it acts as powerfully as you wish. It is true that you can act most easily through those faculties that are now most largely developed; you can do, with the least effort, the things which “come naturally”; but it is also true that if you will make the necessary effort you can develop any talent. You can do what you desire to do and become what you want to be. When you fix upon some ideal and proceed as hereinafter directed, all the power of your being is turned into the faculties required in the realization of that ideal; more blood and nerve force go to the corresponding sections of the brain, and the cells are quickened, increased, and multiplied in number. The proper use of the mind of man will build a brain capable of doing what the mind wants to do.

Heredity may also play a part in the shape of the skull. There is some truth in phrenology, though not as much as its supporters claim. It is true that different abilities are located in different parts of the brain. The strength of an ability depends on the number of active brain cells in its area. An ability with a large brain area is likely to be stronger than one with a small area. So people with certain skull shapes show talent as musicians, speakers, mechanics, and so on. Some have therefore argued that a person’s skull shape must largely determine their place in life. But that conclusion is wrong. Researchers have found that a small brain area with many fine, active cells can express an ability just as powerfully as a larger brain with coarser cells. They have also found that brain cells can multiply without limit through the Principle of Power. You must direct the Principle of Power into a particular brain area, with the will and purpose to develop a talent. Any ability, power, or talent you possess can grow, no matter how small or undeveloped. You can multiply the brain cells in that area until the ability works as powerfully as you wish. It is true that you can act most easily through the abilities you have already developed most fully. You can do the things that “come naturally” with the least effort. But it is also true that you can develop any talent if you make the necessary effort. You can do what you want to do and become what you want to be. When you choose an ideal and follow the directions given later, all your being’s power flows into the abilities needed to achieve that ideal. More blood and nerve energy flow to the corresponding brain areas. The cells become more active, grow, and multiply. Using the human mind properly will build a brain capable of doing what the mind wants to do.

The brain does not make the man; the man makes the brain.

The brain does not shape the person. The person shapes the brain.

Your place in life is not fixed by heredity.

Your place in life is not determined by the traits you inherit.

Nor are you condemned to the lower levels by circumstances or lack of opportunity. The Principle of Power in man is sufficient for all the requirements of his soul. No possible combination of circumstances can keep him down, if he makes his personal attitude right and determines to rise. The power which formed man and purposed him for growth also controls the circumstances of society, industry, and government; and this power is never divided against itself. The power which is in you is in the things around you, and when you begin to move forward, the things will arrange themselves for your advantage, as described in later chapters of this book. Man was formed for growth, and all things external were designed to promote his growth. No sooner does a man awaken his soul and enter on the advancing way than he finds that not only is God for him, but nature, society, and his fellow men are for him also; and all things work together for his good if he obeys the law. Poverty is no bar to greatness, for poverty can always be removed. Martin Luther, as a child, sang in the streets for bread. Linnaeus the naturalist, had only forty dollars with which to educate himself; he mended his own shoes and often had to beg meals from his friends. Hugh Miller, apprenticed to a stone mason, began to study geology in a quarry. George Stephenson, inventor of the locomotive engine, and one of the greatest of civil engineers, was a coal miner, working in a mine, when he awakened and began to think. James Watt was a sickly child, and was not strong enough to be sent to school. Abraham Lincoln was a poor boy. In each of these cases we see a Principle of Power in the man which lifts him above all opposition and adversity.

Nor do circumstances or lack of opportunity condemn you to a lower level in life. The Principle of Power within a person is enough to meet every need of the soul. No combination of circumstances can keep you down if you adopt the right attitude and resolve to rise. The power that created humanity and intended people to grow also controls conditions in society, industry, and government. And this power never works against itself. The power within you is also in the things around you. When you begin to move forward, those things will arrange themselves to your advantage, as later chapters explain. People were made to grow, and everything outside them was designed to support their growth. As soon as a person awakens his soul and starts moving forward, he finds that God is on his side. Nature, society, and other people are on his side too. And all things work together for his good if he obeys the law. Poverty is no barrier to greatness, because poverty can always be overcome. As a child, Martin Luther sang in the streets for bread. Linnaeus, the naturalist, had only forty dollars to pay for his education. He repaired his own shoes and often had to beg his friends for meals. Hugh Miller was an apprentice to a stonemason when he began studying geology in a quarry. George Stephenson invented the locomotive engine and was one of the greatest civil engineers. He was working as a coal miner when he awakened and began to think. James Watt was a sickly child and was not strong enough to attend school. Abraham Lincoln was a poor boy. In each case, we see a Principle of Power within the man that lifts him above all opposition and hardship.

There is a Principle of Power in you; if you use it and apply it in a certain way you can overcome all heredity, and master all circumstances and conditions and become a great and powerful personality.

There is a Principle of Power within you. If you use and apply this principle in a certain way, you can overcome all inherited traits. By doing so, you can master all circumstances and conditions and become a great and powerful person.