Law, Not Chance

Some time ago I was talking to a man about the Attractive Power of Thought. He said that he did not believe that Thought could attract anything to him, and that it was all a matter of luck. He had found, he said, that ill luck relentlessly pursued him, and that everything he touched went wrong. It always had, and always would, and he had grown to expect it. When he undertook a new thing he knew beforehand that it would go wrong and that no good would come of it. Oh, no! there wasn’t anything in the theory of Attractive Thought, so far as he could see; it was all a matter of luck!

Some time ago, I was talking to a man about the Attractive Power of Thought. He said he didn’t believe Thought could attract anything to him. He believed it was all a matter of luck. He said that bad luck followed him relentlessly and that everything he touched went wrong. It always had, and it always would. He had come to expect it. Whenever he tried something new, he knew in advance that it would go wrong and nothing good would come of it. Oh, no! As far as he could see, there was nothing to the theory of Attractive Thought. It was all a matter of luck!

This man failed to see that by his own confession he was giving a most convincing argument in favor of the Law of Attraction. He was testifying that he was always expecting things to go wrong, and that they always came about as he expected. He was a magnificent illustration of the Law of Attraction—but he didn’t know it, and no argument seemed to make the matter clear to him. He was “up against it,” and there was no way out of it—he always expected the ill luck, and every occurrence proved that he was right, and that the Mental Science position was all nonsense.

The man failed to see that his own words made a convincing argument for the Law of Attraction. He said he always expected things to go wrong, and they always happened as he expected. He was a perfect example of the Law of Attraction, but he didn’t know it. No argument seemed to make that clear to him. He was “up against it,” and there was no way out. He always expected bad luck, and everything that happened proved he was right and that Mental Science was all nonsense.

There are many people who seem to think that the only way in which the Law of Attraction operates is when one wishes hard, strong and steady. They do not seem to realize that a strong belief is as efficacious as a strong wish. The successful man believes in himself and in his ultimate success, and, paying no attention to little setbacks, stumbles, tumbles and slips, presses on eagerly to the goal, believing all the time that he will get there. His views and aims may alter as he progresses, and he may change his plans or have them changed for him, but all the time he knows in his heart that he will eventually “get there.” He is not steadily wishing he may get there—he simply feels it and believes it, and thereby sets into operation the strongest forces known in the world of thought.

Many people seem to think that the Law of Attraction works only when someone wishes hard, strongly, and steadily. They do not seem to realize that a strong belief is just as effective as a strong wish. A successful man believes in himself and in his eventual success. He pays no attention to small setbacks, stumbles, falls, or slips. He eagerly presses on toward his goal, believing all the while that he will reach it. His views and aims may change as he progresses. He may change his plans, or they may be changed for him. But all the while, he knows in his heart that he will eventually “get there.” He does not keep wishing he might get there. He simply feels and believes that he will. In doing so, he sets the strongest forces known in the world of thought into motion.

The man who just as steadily believes he is going to fail will invariably fail. How could he help it? There is no special miracle about it Everything he does, thinks and says is tinctured with the thought of failure, Other people catch his spirit, and fail to trust him or his ability, which occurrences he in turn sets down as but other exhibitions of his ill luck, instead of ascribing them to his belief and expectation of failure. He is suggesting failure to himself all the time, and he invariably takes on the effect of the auto-suggestion. Then, again, he by his negative thoughts shuts up that portion of his mind from which should come the ideas and plans conducive to success and which do come to the man who is expecting success because he believes in it. A state of discouragement is not the one in which bright ideas come to us. It is only when we are enthused and hopeful that our minds work out the bright ideas which we may turn to account.

The man who believes just as steadily that he will fail will always fail. How could he do otherwise? There is no special miracle involved. Everything he does, thinks, and says is colored by the thought of failure. Other people pick up on his attitude and lose trust in him and his ability. He, in turn, sees their distrust as another sign of his bad luck. He does not attribute it to his belief and expectation that he will fail. He is constantly suggesting failure to himself, and this self-suggestion always has an effect on him. His negative thoughts also shut off the part of his mind that should produce ideas and plans for success. Such ideas and plans do come to the man who expects success because he believes in it. Bright ideas do not come to us when we are discouraged. Only when we are enthusiastic and hopeful do our minds produce bright ideas that we can put to use.

Men instinctively feel the atmosphere of failure hovering around certain of their fellows, and on the other hand recognize something about others which leads them to say, when they hear of a temporary mishap befalling such a one: “Oh, he’ll come out all right somehow—you can’t down him” It is the atmosphere caused by the prevailing Mental Attitude. Clear up your Mental Atmosphere!

People instinctively sense an atmosphere of failure around some others. On the other hand, they recognize something different about certain people. When they hear that such a person has suffered a temporary setback, they say: “Oh, he’ll come out all right somehow. You can’t keep him down.” This atmosphere comes from a person’s prevailing Mental Attitude. Clear up your Mental Atmosphere!

There is no such thing as chance. Law maintains everywhere, and all that happens happens because of the operation of Law. You cannot name the simplest thing that ever occurred by chance—try it, and then run the thing down to a final analysis, and you will see it as the result of Law. It is as plain as mathematics. Plan and purpose; cause and effect. From the movements of worlds to the growth of the grain of mustard seed—all the result of Law. The fall of the stone down the mountain-side is not chance—forces which had been in operation for centuries caused it. And back of that cause were other causes, and so on until the Causeless Cause is reached.

There is no such thing as chance. Law governs everywhere, and everything happens because of Law. You cannot name even the simplest event that happened by chance. Try it, and then trace the event back to its ultimate cause. You will see that it resulted from Law. This is as clear as mathematics. There is plan and purpose, cause and effect. From the movements of worlds to the growth of a mustard seed, all are the result of Law. A stone does not fall down a mountainside by chance. Forces that had been at work for centuries caused it to fall. Behind that cause were other causes, and so on, until we reach the Causeless Cause.

And Life is not the result of chance—the Law is here, too. The Law is in full operation whether you know it or not—whether you believe in it or not. You may be the ignorant object upon which the Law operates, and bring yourself all sorts of trouble because of your ignorance of or opposition to the Law. Or you may fall in with the operations of the Law—get into its current, as it were—and Life will seem a far different thing to you. You cannot get outside of the Law, by refusing to have anything to do with it. You are at liberty to oppose it and produce all the friction you wish to—it doesn’t hurt the Law, and you may keep it up until you learn your lesson.

Life is not the result of chance. The Law is at work here, too. The Law is always at work, whether you know it or not, and whether you believe in it or not. The Law may act on you without your understanding it. You may bring all kinds of trouble upon yourself because you do not know the Law or because you oppose it. Or you may work with the Law and, so to speak, enter its current. Then Life will seem very different to you. You cannot escape the Law by refusing to have anything to do with it. You are free to oppose it and create as much friction as you wish. That does not hurt the Law, and you may keep doing it until you learn your lesson.

The Law of Thought Attraction is one name for the Law, or rather for one manifestation of it. Again I say, your thoughts are real things. They go forth from you in all directions, combining with thoughts of like kind—opposing thoughts of a different character—forming combinations—going where they are attracted—flying away from thought centers opposing them. And your mind attracts the thoughts of others, which have been sent out by them consciously or unconsciously. But it attracts only those thoughts which are in harmony with its own. Like attracts like, and opposites repel opposites, in the world of thought.

The Law of Thought Attraction is one name for the Law, or rather, for one way it manifests itself. Again, I say that your thoughts are real things. They travel outward from you in all directions. They combine with similar thoughts and oppose different ones. They form combinations, go where they are attracted, and fly away from thought centers that oppose them. Your mind also attracts the thoughts of others, whether those thoughts were sent out consciously or unconsciously. But your mind attracts only thoughts that are in harmony with its own. In the world of thought, like attracts like, and opposites repel each other.

If you set your mind to the keynote of courage, confidence, strength and success, you attract to yourself thoughts of like nature; people of like nature; things that fit in the mental tune. Your prevailing thought or mood determines that which is to be drawn toward you—picks out your mental bedfellow. You are today setting into motion thought currents which will in time attract toward you thoughts, people and conditions in harmony with the predominant note of your thought. Your thought will mingle with that of others of like nature and mind, and you will be attracted toward each other, and will surely come together with a common purpose sooner or later, unless one or the other of you should change the current of his thoughts.

If you set your mind to courage, confidence, strength, and success, you attract similar thoughts and people. You also attract things that fit your mental tune. Your prevailing thought or mood determines what you draw toward you. It picks your mental companion. Today, you are setting thought currents in motion. In time, they will attract thoughts, people, and conditions that match the dominant note of your thinking. Your thoughts will mingle with those of others who share your nature and mindset. You will be drawn to each other and will surely come together with a common purpose sooner or later. That will happen unless one of you changes the direction of your thoughts.

Fall in with the operations of the Law. Make it a part of yourself. Get into its currents. Maintain your poise. Set your mind to the keynote of Courage, Confidence and Success. Get in touch with all the thoughts of that kind that are emanating every hour from hundreds of minds. Get the best that is to be had in the thought world. The best is there, so be satisfied with nothing less. Get into partnership with good minds. Get into the right vibrations. You must be tired of being tossed about by the operations of the Law—get into harmony with it.

Work with the Law. Make it a part of yourself. Get into its currents. Stay balanced. Set your mind to courage, confidence, and success. Connect with all the thoughts of that kind coming from hundreds of minds every hour. Get the best the world of thought has to offer. The best is there, so settle for nothing less. Partner with good minds. Get into the right vibrations. You must be tired of being tossed around by the Law. Get in harmony with it.