Acting in the Wider World

The rules which apply to your action at home must apply to your action everywhere. Never forget for an instant that this is a perfect world, and that you are a god among gods. You are as great as the greatest, but all are your equals.

The rules for how you act at home must apply everywhere. Never forget, even for a moment, that this is a perfect world and you are a god among gods. You are as great as the greatest, but everyone is your equal.

Rely absolutely on your perception of truth. Trust to the inner light rather than to reason, but be sure that your perception comes from the inner light; act in poise and calmness; be still and attend on God. Your identification of yourself with the All-Mind will give you all the knowledge you need for guidance in any contingency which may arise in your own life or in the lives of others. It is only necessary that you should be supremely calm, and rely upon the eternal wisdom which is within you. If you act in poise and faith, your judgment will always be right, and you will always know exactly what to do. Do not hurry or worry; remember Lincoln in the dark days of the war. James Freeman Clarke relates that after the battle of Fredericksburg, Lincoln alone furnished a supply of faith and hope for the nation. Hundreds of leading men, from all parts of the country, went sadly into his room and came out cheerful and hopeful. They had stood face to face with the Highest, and had seen God in this lank, ungainly, patient man, although they knew it not.

Trust your perception of truth completely. Trust your inner light rather than reason, but make sure your perception comes from that inner light. Act calmly and with balance. Be still and listen to God. Recognizing yourself as one with the All-Mind will give you all the knowledge you need for guidance. This guidance will cover any situation that may arise in your life or in the lives of others. You only need to remain completely calm and trust the eternal wisdom within you. If you act with balance and faith, your judgment will always be right. You will always know exactly what to do. Do not rush or worry. Remember Lincoln during the dark days of the war. James Freeman Clarke tells how, after the battle of Fredericksburg, Lincoln alone provided faith and hope for the nation. Hundreds of leading men from across the country entered his room feeling sad and left cheerful and hopeful. They had stood face to face with the Highest. They had seen God in this tall, thin, awkward, patient man, although they did not know it.

Have perfect faith in yourself and in your own ability to cope with any combination of circumstances that may arise. Do not be disturbed if you are alone; if you need friends they will be brought to you at the right time. Do not be disturbed if you feel that you are ignorant; the information that you need will be furnished you when it is time for you to have it. That which is in you impelling you forward is in the things and people you need, impelling them toward you. If there is a particular man you need to know, he will be introduced to you; if there is a particular book you need to read it will be placed in your hands at the right time. All the knowledge you need will come to you from both external and internal sources. Your information and your talents will always be equal to the requirements of the occasion. Remember that Jesus told his disciples not to worry as to what they should say when brought before the judges; he knew that the power in them would be sufficient for the needs of the hour. As soon as you awaken and begin to use your faculties in a great way you will apply power to the development of your brain; new cells will be created and dormant cells quickened into activity, and your brain will be qualified as a perfect instrument for your mind.

Have complete faith in yourself and your ability to handle any set of circumstances that may arise. Do not worry if you are alone. If you need friends, they will be brought to you at the right time. Do not worry if you feel you lack knowledge. The information you need will be given to you when the time comes for you to have it. The force within you that drives you forward is also in the things and people you need. That same force drives them toward you. If there is a particular man you need to know, he will be introduced to you. If there is a particular book you need to read, it will reach your hands at the right time. All the knowledge you need will come to you from sources both outside and within yourself. Your knowledge and talents will always meet the demands of the situation. Remember that Jesus told his disciples not to worry about what to say when brought before judges. He knew that the power within them would be enough to meet the needs of that moment. As soon as you awaken and begin using your abilities for great purposes, you will direct power toward developing your brain. New cells will be created, and inactive cells will become active. Your brain will become a perfect instrument for your mind.

Do not try to do great things until you are ready to go about them in a great way. If you undertake to deal with great matters in a small way—that is, from a low viewpoint or with incomplete consecration and wavering faith and courage—you will fail. Do not be in a hurry to get to the great things. Doing great things will not make you great, but becoming great will certainly lead you to the doing of great things. Begin to be great where you are and in the things you do every day. Do not be in haste to be found out or recognized as a great personality. Do not be disappointed if men do not nominate you for office within a month after you begin to practice what you read in this book. Great people never seek for recognition or applause; they are not great because they want to be paid for being so. Greatness is reward enough for itself; the joy of being something and of knowing that you are advancing is the greatest of all joys possible to man.

Do not try to do great things until you are ready to approach them in a great way. You will fail if you approach great matters in a small way. That means taking a low view, lacking full dedication, or wavering in faith and courage. Do not rush to take on great things. Doing great things will not make you great. But becoming great will certainly lead you to do great things. Begin to be great where you are, in the things you do every day. Do not rush to have others discover or recognize your greatness. Do not be disappointed if people do not nominate you for office within a month of putting this book into practice. Great people never seek recognition or applause. They are not great because they want to be rewarded for it. Greatness is its own reward. The joy of being something and knowing you are making progress is the greatest joy anyone can experience.

If you begin in your own family, as described in the preceding chapter, and then assume the same mental attitude with your neighbors, friends, and those you meet in business, you will soon find that people are beginning to depend on you. Your advice will be sought, and a constantly increasing number of people will look to you for strength and inspiration, and rely upon your judgment. Here, as in the home, you must avoid meddling with other people’s affairs. Help all who come to you, but do not go about officiously endeavoring to set other people right. Mind your own business. It is no part of your mission in life to correct people’s morals, habits, or practices. Lead a great life, doing all things with a great spirit and in a great way; give to him that asketh of thee as freely as ye have received, but do not force your help or your opinions upon any man. If your neighbor wishes to smoke or drink, it is his business; it is none of yours until he consults you about it. If you lead a great life and do no preaching, you will save a thousand times as many souls as one who leads a small life and preaches continuously.

If you begin with your own family, as described in the previous chapter, then extend that same attitude to others, people will soon begin to depend on you. Take that attitude toward your neighbors, friends, and people you meet in business. People will seek your advice. More and more people will look to you for strength and inspiration and rely on your judgment. Here, as at home, you must avoid meddling in other people’s affairs. Help everyone who comes to you, but do not go around trying to straighten people out without being asked. Mind your own business. Your mission in life is not to correct other people’s morals, habits, or behavior. Live a great life, doing everything with a great spirit and in a great way. Give to anyone who asks as freely as you have received, but do not force your help or opinions on anyone. If your neighbor wants to smoke or drink, that is his business. His smoking or drinking is none of your business unless he asks your advice about it. If you live a great life without preaching, you will save a thousand times as many souls as someone who lives a small life and preaches constantly.

If you hold the right viewpoint of the world, others will find it out and be impressed by it through your daily conversation and practice. Do not try to convert others to your point of view, except by holding it and living accordingly. If your consecration is perfect you do not need to tell any one; it will speedily become apparent to all that you are guided by a higher principle than the average man or woman. If your identification with God is complete, you do not need to explain the fact to others; it will become self-evident. To become known as a great personality, you have nothing to do but to live. Do not imagine that you must go charging about the world like Don Quixote, tilting at windmills, and overturning things in general, in order to demonstrate that you are somebody. Do not go hunting for big things to do. Live a great life where you are, and in the daily work you have to do, and greater works will surely find you out. Big things will come to you, asking to be done.

If you have the right view of the world, others will notice and be impressed through your daily conversations and actions. Do not try to bring others around to your view except by holding to it and living accordingly. If your dedication is complete, you do not need to tell anyone. Everyone will soon see that a higher principle guides you than guides the average person. If you identify completely with God, you do not need to explain your connection with God to others. Your connection will become obvious. To become known as a great person, you need only live. Do not think you must charge around the world like Don Quixote, fighting windmills and turning everything upside down. You do not need to do these things to prove you are somebody. Do not go looking for big things to do. Live a great life where you are, in the daily work you have to do. Then greater work will surely find you. Big things will come to you, asking to be done.

Be so impressed with the value of a man that you treat even a beggar or the tramp with the most distinguished consideration. All is God. Every man and woman is perfect. Let your manner be that of a god addressing other gods. Do not save all your consideration for the poor; the millionaire is as good as the tramp. This is a perfectly good world, and there is not a person or thing in it but is exactly right; be sure that you keep this in mind in dealing with things and men.

Recognize each person's worth so deeply that you treat even a beggar or a homeless wanderer with the greatest respect. Everything is God. Every man and woman is perfect. Act like a god speaking to other gods. Do not reserve all your respect for the poor. A millionaire is as good as a homeless wanderer. This is a perfectly good world, and every person and thing in it is exactly right. Be sure to keep this in mind when dealing with things and people.

Form your mental vision of yourself with care. Make the thought-form of yourself as you wish to be, and hold this with the faith that it is being realized, and with the purpose to realize it completely. Do every common act as a god should do it; speak every word as a god should speak it; meet men and women of both low and high estate as a god meets other divine beings. Begin thus and continue thus, and your unfoldment in ability and power will be great and rapid.

Carefully shape your mental image of yourself. Picture yourself as you want to be. Hold that image with faith that it is becoming real and with the intention to make it fully real. Do every everyday task as a god should do it. Speak every word as a god should speak it. Meet men and women of every social rank as a god meets other divine beings. Begin this way and continue this way, and your ability and power will grow greatly and quickly.