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The Power of Concentration by Theron Q. Dumont, LESSON XIX. A CONCENTRATED WILL DEVELOPMENT

LESSON XIX. A CONCENTRATED WILL DEVELOPMENT

New Method. You will find in this chapter a most effective and most practical method of developing the will. You can develop a strong one if you want to. You can make your Will a dynamo to draw to you untold power. Exercises are given which will, if practiced, strengthen your will, just as you would strengthen your muscles by athletic exercises.

In starting to do anything, we must first commence with elementary principles. Simple exercises will be given. It is impossible to estimate the ultimate good to be derived from the mental cultivation that comes through these attempts at concentration. Even the simple exercises are not to be thought useless. "In no respect," writes Doctor Oppenheim, "can a man show a finer quality of will-power than in his own private, intimate life." We are all subjected to certain temptations. The Will decides whether we will be just, or unjust; pure of thought; charitable in opinion; forbearing in overlooking other's shortcomings; whether we live up to our highest standard. Since these are all controlled by the Will, we should find time for plenty of exercises for training of the will in our daily life.

You, of course, realize that your will should be trained. You must also realize that to do this requires effort that you alone can command. No one can call it forth for you.

To be successful in these exercises you must practice them in a spirit of seriousness and earnestness. I can show you how to train your will, but your success depends upon your mastery and application of these methods.

New Methods of Will-Training. Select a quiet room where you will not be interrupted; have a watch to determine the time, and a note-book in which to enter observations. Start each exercise with date and time of day.

Exercise 1

Time decided on. Select some time of the day when most convenient. Sit in a chair and look at the door-knob for ten minutes. Then write down what you experienced. At first it will seem strange and unnatural. You will find it hard to hold one position for ten minutes. But keep as still as you can. The time will seem long for it will probably be the first time you ever sat and did nothing for ten minutes. You will find your thoughts wandering from the door-knob, and you will wonder what there can be in this exercise. Repeat this exercise for six days.

10 P. M. 2nd Day.

Notes. You should be able to sit quieter, and the time should pass more quickly. You will probably feel a little stronger because of gaining a better control of your will. It will brace you up, as you have kept your resolution. 10 P. M. 3rd Day.

Notes. It may be a little harder for you to concentrate on the door-knob as perhaps you had a very busy day and your mind kept trying to revert to what you had been doing during the day. Keep on trying and you will finally succeed in banishing all foreign thoughts. Then you should feel a desire to gain still more control. There is a feeling of power that comes over you when you are able to carry out your will. This exercise will make you feel bigger and it awakens a sense of nobility and manliness. You will say, "I find that I can actually do what I want to and can drive foreign thoughts out. The exercise, I can now see, is valuable." 10 P. M. 4th Day.

Notes. "I found that I could look at the door-knob and concentrate my attention on it at once. Have overcome the tendency to move my legs. No other thoughts try to enter as I have established the fact that I can do what I want to do and do not have to be directed. I feel that I am gaining in mental strength, I can now see the wonderful value of being the master of my own will-force. I know now if I make a resolution I will keep it. I have more self-confidence and can feel my self-control increasing.

10 P. M. 5th Day.

Notes. "Each day I seem to increase the intensity of my concentration. I feel that I can center my attention on anything I wish.

10 P. M. 6th Day.

Notes. "I can instantly center my whole attention on the door-knob. Feel that I have thoroughly mastered this exercise and that I am ready for another." You have practiced this exercise enough, but before you start another I want you to write a summary of just how successful you were in controlling the flitting impulses of the mind and will. You will find this an excellent practice. There is nothing more beneficial to the mind than to pay close attention to its own wonderful, subtle activities.

Exercise 2

Secure a package of playing cards. Select some time to do the exercise. Each day at the appointed time, take the pack in one hand and then start laying them down on top of each other just as slowly as you can, with an even motion. Try to get them as even as possible. Each card laid down should completely cover the under one. Do this exercise for six days.

1st Day.

Notes. Task will seem tedious and tiresome. Requires the closest concentration to make each card completely cover the preceding one. You will probably want to lay them down faster. It requires patience to lay them down so slowly, but benefit is lost if not so placed. You will find that at first your motions will be jerky and impetuous. It will require a little practice before you gain an easy control over your hands and arms. You probably have never tried to do anything in such a calm way. It will require the closest attention of your will. But you will find that you are acquiring a calmness you never had before. You are gradually acquiring new powers. You recognize how impulsive and impetuous you have been, and how, by using your will, you can control your temperament.

2nd Day.

Notes. You start laying the cards down slowly. You will find that by practice you can lay them down much faster. But you want to lay them down slowly and therefore you have to watch yourself. The slow, steady movement is wearisome. You have to conquer the desire of wanting to hurry up. Soon you will find that you can go slowly or fast at will.

3rd Day.

Notes. You still find it hard to go slowly. Your will urges you to go faster. This is especially true if you are impulsive, as the impulsive character finds it very difficult to do anything slowly and deliberately. It goes against the "grain." This exercise still is tiresome. But when you do it, it braces you up mentally. You are accomplishing something you do not like to do. It teaches you how to concentrate on disagreeable tasks. Writing these notes down you will find very helpful.

4th Day.

Notes. I find that I am beginning to place the cards in a mathematical way. I find one card is not completely covering another. I am getting a little careless and must be more careful. I command my will to concentrate more. It does not seem so hard to bring it under control.

5th Day.

Notes. I find that I am overcoming my jerky movements, that I can lay the cards down slowly and steadily. I feel that I am rapidly gaining more poise. I am getting better control over my will each day, and my will completely controls my movements. I begin to look on my will as a great governing power. I would not think of parting with the knowledge of will I have gained. I find it is a good exercise and know it will help me to accomplish my tasks.

6th Day.

Notes. I begin to feel the wonderful possibilities of the will. It gives me strength to think of the power of will. I am able to do so much more and better work now, that I realize that I can control my will action. Whatever my task, my will is concentrated on it. I am to keep my will centered there until the task is finished. The more closely and definitely I determine what I shall do, the more easily the will carries it out. Determination imparts compelling force to the will. It exerts itself more. The will and the end act and react on each other.

7th Day.

Notes. Now try to do everything you do today faster. Don't hurry or become nervous. Just try to do everything faster, but in a steady manner.

You will find that the exercises you have practiced in retardation have steadied your nerves, and thereby made it possible to increase your speed. The will is under your command. Make it carry out resolutions rapidly. This is how you build up your self-control and your self-command. It is then that the human machine acts as its author dictates.

You certainly should now be able to judge of the great benefit that comes from writing out your introspections each day. Of course you will not have the exact experiences given in these examples, but some of these will fit your case. Be careful to study your experiences carefully and make as true a report as you can. Describe your feelings just as they seem to you. Allow your fancies to color your report and it will be worthless. You have pictured conditions as you see them. In a few months, if you again try the same exercises, you will find your report very much better. By these introspections, we learn to know ourselves better and with this knowledge can wonderfully increase our efficiency. As you become used to writing out your report, it will be more accurate. You thus learn how to govern your impulses, activities and weaknesses.

Each person should try to plan exercises that will best fit his needs. If not convenient for you to practice exercises every day, take them twice or three times a week. But carry out any plan you decide to try. If you cannot devote ten minutes a day to the experiments start with five minutes and gradually increase the time. The exercises given are only intended for examples.

Will Training Without Exercise. There are many people that do not want to take the time to practice exercises, so the following instructions for training the will are given to them.

By willing and realizing, the will grows. Therefore the more you will, the more it grows, and builds up power. No matter whether your task is big or small, make it a rule to accomplish it in order to fortify your will. Form the habit of focusing your will in all its strength upon the subject to be achieved. You form in this way the habit of getting a thing done, of carrying out some plan. You acquire the feeling of being able to accomplish that which lies before you, no matter what it is. This gives you confidence and a sense of power that you get in no other way. You know when you make a resolution that you will keep it. You do not tackle new tasks in a half-hearted way, but with a bold, brave spirit. We know that the will is able to carry us over big obstacles. Knowing this despair never claims us for a victim. We have wills and are going to use them with more and more intensity, thus giving us the power to make our resolutions stronger, our actions freer and our lives finer and better.

The education of the will should not be left to chance. It is only definite tasks that will render it energetic, ready, persevering and consistent. The only way it can be done is by self-study and self-discipline. The cost is effort, time and patience, but the returns are valuable. There are no magical processes leading to will development, but the development of your will works wonders for you because it gives you self-mastery, personal power and energy of character.

Concentration of the Will to Win. The adaptability of persons to their business environment is more a matter of determination than anything else. In this age we hear a good deal of talk about a man's aptitudes. Some of his aptitudes, some of his powers, may be developed to a wonderful extent, but he is really an unknown quality until all his latent powers are developed to their highest possible extent. He may be a failure in one line and a big success in another. There are many successful men, that did not succeed well at what they first undertook, but they profited by their efforts in different directions, and this fitted them for higher things, whereas had they refused to adjust themselves to their environment, the tide of progress would have swept them into oblivion.

My one aim in all my works is to try and arouse in the individual the effort and determination to develop his full capacities, his highest possibilities. One thing I want you to realize at the start, that it is not so much ability, as it is the will to do that counts. Ability is very plentiful, but organizing initiative and creative power are not plentiful. It is easy to get employes, but to get someone to train them is harder. Their abilities must be directed to the work they can do. They must be shown how, while at this work, to conserve their energy and they must be taught to work in harmony with others, for most business concerns are dominated by a single personality.

Concentrating on Driving Force Within. We are all conscious, at times, that we have somewhere within us an active driving force that is ever trying to push us onward to better deeds. It is that "force" that makes us feel determined at times to do something worth while. It is not thought, emotion or feeling. This driving force is something distinct from thought or emotion. It is a quality of the soul and therefore it has a consciousness all its own. It is the "I will do" of the will. It is the force that makes the will concentrate. Many have felt this force working within them, driving them on to accomplish their tasks. All great men and women become conscious that this supreme and powerful force is their ally in carrying out great resolutions.

This driving force is within all, but until you reach a certain stage you do not become aware of it. It is most useful to the worthy. It springs up naturally without any thought of training. It comes unprovoked and leaves unnoticed. Just what this force is we do not know, but we do know that it is what intensifies the will in demanding just and harmonious action.

The ordinary human being, merely as merchandise, if he could be sold as a slave, would be worth ten thousand dollars. If somebody gave you a five thousand dollar automobile you would take very good care of it. You wouldn't put sand in the carburetor, or mix water with the gasoline, or drive it furiously over rough roads, or leave it out to freeze at night. Are you quite sure that you take care of your own body, your own health, your only real property, as well as you would take care of a five thousand dollar automobile if it were given to you?

The man who mixes whiskey with his blood is more foolish than a man would be if he mixed water with gasoline in his car.

You can get another car; you cannot get another body.

The man who misses sleep lives irregularly—bolts his food so that his blood supply is imperfect. That is a foolish man treating himself as he would not treat any other valuable piece of property.

Do you try to talk with men and women who know more than you do, and do you LISTEN rather than try to tell them what you know?

There are a hundred thousand men of fifty, and men of sixty, running along in the old rut, any one of whom could get out of it and be counted among the successful men if only the spark could be found to explode the energy within them now going to waste.

Each man must study and solve his own problem.

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LESSON XIX. A CONCENTRATED WILL DEVELOPMENT |XIX|||| LEKTION XIX. EINE KONZENTRIERTE WILLENSBILDUNG LECCIÓN XIX. DESARROLLO DE UNA VOLUNTAD CONCENTRADA レッスン16:集中した意志の発展 LES XIX. EEN GECONCENTREERDE WILSONTWIKKELING LIÇÃO XIX. UM DESENVOLVIMENTO CONCENTRADO DA VONTADE УРОК XIX. КОНЦЕНТРИРОВАННОЕ РАЗВИТИЕ ВОЛИ УРОК XIX. РОЗВИТОК КОНЦЕНТРОВАНОЇ ВОЛІ 第十九课。专注的意志发展

New Method. You will find in this chapter a most effective and most practical method of developing the will. You can develop a strong one if you want to. You can make your Will a dynamo to draw to you untold power. |||||||||||countless| |||||||||||incommensurabile| ||||||||||você|incontável| Du kannst deinen Willen zu einem Dynamo machen, der dir unermessliche Macht verleiht. Vous pouvez faire de votre Volonté une dynamo pour attirer vers vous un pouvoir incalculable. Potete fare della vostra Volontà una dinamo per attirare a voi un potere incommensurabile. Exercises are given which will, if practiced, strengthen your will, just as you would strengthen your muscles by athletic exercises. |||||||||||assim|||||||| Vengono forniti esercizi che, se praticati, rafforzeranno la volontà, proprio come si rafforzano i muscoli con gli esercizi atletici.

In starting to do anything, we must first commence with elementary principles. Quando si inizia a fare qualcosa, bisogna innanzitutto partire da principi elementari. Simple exercises will be given. It is impossible to estimate the ultimate good to be derived from the mental cultivation that comes through these attempts at concentration. |||||||||||||||||||intentos|| Es ist unmöglich abzuschätzen, was letztendlich aus der mentalen Kultivierung, die durch diese Konzentrationsversuche entsteht, resultieren kann. Il est impossible d'estimer le bien ultime à tirer de la culture mentale qui découle de ces tentatives de concentration. È impossibile stimare il bene finale che deriva dalla coltivazione mentale che si ottiene attraverso questi tentativi di concentrazione. Even the simple exercises are not to be thought useless. Selbst die einfachen Übungen sind nicht für nutzlos zu halten. Même les exercices simples ne doivent pas être considérés comme inutiles. Anche i semplici esercizi non sono da considerarsi inutili. "In no respect," writes Doctor Oppenheim, "can a man show a finer quality of will-power than in his own private, intimate life." |||||||||||better||||||||||| |||||Oppenheim||||||||||||||||| "In keiner Hinsicht", schreibt Doktor Oppenheim, "kann ein Mann eine feinere Willenskraft zeigen als in seinem eigenen privaten, intimen Leben." "En aucun cas", écrit le docteur Oppenheim, "un homme ne peut montrer une qualité de volonté plus fine que dans sa propre vie privée et intime." "In nessun ambito", scrive il dottor Oppenheim, "un uomo può mostrare una qualità più fine della forza di volontà che nella sua vita privata e intima". We are all subjected to certain temptations. |||exposed to|||temptations |||soggetti||| The Will decides whether we will be just, or unjust; pure of thought; charitable in opinion; forbearing in overlooking other's shortcomings; whether we live up to our highest standard. |||||||||unfair||||generous||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||generoso|||perdonante|||||||||||| La Volonté décide si nous serons justes ou injustes ; pur de pensée; d'opinion charitable; s'abstenir de négliger les défauts des autres ; si nous respectons nos normes les plus élevées. La Volontà decide se saremo giusti o ingiusti, se saremo puri di pensiero, se saremo caritatevoli nelle opinioni, se saremo tolleranti nei confronti delle mancanze altrui, se saremo all'altezza dei nostri standard più elevati. Since these are all controlled by the Will, we should find time for plenty of exercises for training of the will in our daily life. Poiché tutti questi aspetti sono controllati dalla volontà, dovremmo trovare il tempo di fare molti esercizi per allenare la volontà nella nostra vita quotidiana.

You, of course, realize that your will should be trained. You must also realize that to do this requires effort that you alone can command. No one can call it forth for you. |||||fuori|| Nessuno può chiamarlo al posto vostro.

To be successful in these exercises you must practice them in a spirit of seriousness and earnestness. ||||||||||||||serietà|| Per avere successo in questi esercizi è necessario praticarli in uno spirito di serietà e di impegno. I can show you how to train your will, but your success depends upon your mastery and application of these methods. Posso mostrarvi come allenare la vostra volontà, ma il vostro successo dipende dalla vostra padronanza e applicazione di questi metodi.

New Methods of Will-Training. Select a quiet room where you will not be interrupted; have a watch to determine the time, and a note-book in which to enter observations. Wählen Sie einen ruhigen Raum, in dem Sie nicht gestört werden; haben Sie eine Uhr, um die Zeit zu bestimmen, und ein Notizbuch, in das Sie Beobachtungen eintragen können. Start each exercise with date and time of day.

Exercise 1

Time decided on. Zeit entschieden. Temps décidé. Tempo deciso. Select some time of the day when most convenient. Wählen Sie eine Tageszeit, wenn es Ihnen am besten passt. Sit in a chair and look at the door-knob for ten minutes. |||||||||maniglia||| Setzen Sie sich auf einen Stuhl und schauen Sie zehn Minuten lang auf den Türknauf. Sedetevi su una sedia e guardate la maniglia della porta per dieci minuti. Then write down what you experienced. Schreibe dann auf, was du erlebt hast. At first it will seem strange and unnatural. You will find it hard to hold one position for ten minutes. Sarà difficile mantenere una posizione per dieci minuti. But keep as still as you can. The time will seem long for it will probably be the first time you ever sat and did nothing for ten minutes. Il tempo vi sembrerà lungo perché probabilmente sarà la prima volta che vi sedete e non fate nulla per dieci minuti. You will find your thoughts wandering from the door-knob, and you will wonder what there can be in this exercise. |||||||a||||||||||||| Sie werden feststellen, dass Ihre Gedanken von der Türklinke abschweifen, und Sie werden sich fragen, was in dieser Übung alles sein kann. Vi accorgerete che i vostri pensieri si allontanano dal pomello della porta e vi chiederete cosa ci può essere in questo esercizio. Repeat this exercise for six days.

10 P. M. 2nd Day.

Notes. You should be able to sit quieter, and the time should pass more quickly. You will probably feel a little stronger because of gaining a better control of your will. Probabilmente vi sentirete un po' più forti grazie al miglior controllo della vostra volontà. It will brace you up, as you have kept your resolution. ||||||||||determination Es wird Sie stärken, da Sie Ihren Vorsatz eingehalten haben. Vi rafforzerà, visto che avete mantenuto la vostra risoluzione. 10 P. M. 3rd Day.

Notes. Notas It may be a little harder for you to concentrate on the door-knob as perhaps you had a very busy day and your mind kept trying to revert to what you had been doing during the day. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||ritornare||||||||| Potrebbe essere un po' più difficile concentrarsi sul pomello della porta, perché forse avete avuto una giornata molto impegnativa e la vostra mente ha cercato di tornare a ciò che avevate fatto durante il giorno. Keep on trying and you will finally succeed in banishing all foreign thoughts. |||||||||removing||| |||||||||scacciare||| Continuate a provare e alla fine riuscirete a scacciare tutti i pensieri estranei. Then you should feel a desire to gain still more control. Allora dovreste sentire il desiderio di ottenere un controllo ancora maggiore. There is a feeling of power that comes over you when you are able to carry out your will. C'è una sensazione di potere che si prova quando si è in grado di eseguire la propria volontà. This exercise will make you feel bigger and it awakens a sense of nobility and manliness. |||||||||stirs||||||masculinity |||||||||||||nobiltà||virilità Questo esercizio vi farà sentire più grandi e risveglierà un senso di nobiltà e virilità. You will say, "I find that I can actually do what I want to and can drive foreign thoughts out. Direte: "Mi accorgo di poter fare davvero ciò che voglio e di poter scacciare i pensieri estranei. The exercise, I can now see, is valuable." 10 P. M. 4th Day.

Notes. "I found that I could look at the door-knob and concentrate my attention on it at once. "Ho scoperto che potevo guardare il pomello della porta e concentrare subito la mia attenzione su di esso. Have overcome the tendency to move my legs. Ho superato la tendenza a muovere le gambe. No other thoughts try to enter as I have established the fact that I can do what I want to do and do not have to be directed. Non ci sono altri pensieri che cercano di entrare perché ho stabilito che posso fare ciò che voglio e non devo essere guidato. I feel that I am gaining in mental strength, I can now see the wonderful value of being the master of my own will-force. Sento che sto guadagnando forza mentale, ora riesco a vedere il meraviglioso valore di essere il padrone della mia forza di volontà. I know now if I make a resolution I will keep it. |||||||commitment|||| Ora so che se prendo un proposito lo manterrò. I have more self-confidence and can feel my self-control increasing.

10 P. M. 5th Day.

Notes. "Each day I seem to increase the intensity of my concentration. I feel that I can center my attention on anything I wish.

10 P. M. 6th Day.

Notes. "I can instantly center my whole attention on the door-knob. "Posso concentrare immediatamente tutta la mia attenzione sul pomello della porta. Feel that I have thoroughly mastered this exercise and that I am ready for another." Sento che ho imparato a fondo questo esercizio e che sono pronto per un altro". You have practiced this exercise enough, but before you start another I want you to write a summary of just how successful you were in controlling the flitting impulses of the mind and will. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||fugaci|||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||impulsos fugaces|||||| Avete fatto abbastanza pratica con questo esercizio, ma prima di iniziarne un altro voglio che scriviate un riassunto di quanto siete riusciti a controllare gli impulsi fluttuanti della mente e della volontà. You will find this an excellent practice. There is nothing more beneficial to the mind than to pay close attention to its own wonderful, subtle activities. Il n'y a rien de plus bénéfique pour l'esprit que de porter une attention particulière à ses propres activités merveilleuses et subtiles. Non c'è niente di più benefico per la mente che prestare molta attenzione alle sue meravigliose e sottili attività.

Exercise 2

Secure a package of playing cards. Assicuratevi un pacchetto di carte da gioco. Select some time to do the exercise. Each day at the appointed time, take the pack in one hand and then start laying them down on top of each other just as slowly as you can, with an even motion. Nehmen Sie jeden Tag zur festgelegten Zeit die Packung in eine Hand und legen Sie sie dann so langsam wie möglich mit einer gleichmäßigen Bewegung aufeinander. Chaque jour, à l'heure convenue, prenez le sac dans une main, puis commencez à les étendre l'un sur l'autre aussi lentement que possible, avec un mouvement régulier. Ogni giorno, all'ora stabilita, prendete il pacchetto in una mano e iniziate a posarlo l'uno sull'altro il più lentamente possibile, con un movimento uniforme. Try to get them as even as possible. Essayez de les obtenir aussi uniformes que possible. Cercate di renderli il più possibile uniformi. Each card laid down should completely cover the under one. Ogni carta posata deve coprire completamente quella sottostante. Do this exercise for six days.

1st Day.

Notes. Task will seem tedious and tiresome. |||noiosa||noioso Aufgabe erscheint langweilig und ermüdend. Il compito sembrerà noioso e faticoso. Requires the closest concentration to make each card completely cover the preceding one. |||||||||||previous| |||||||||||precedente| Es erfordert höchste Konzentration, damit jede Karte die vorhergehende vollständig abdeckt. Richiede la massima concentrazione per far sì che ogni carta copra completamente la precedente. You will probably want to lay them down faster. It requires patience to lay them down so slowly, but benefit is lost if not so placed. Es erfordert Geduld, sie so langsam abzulegen, aber der Nutzen geht verloren, wenn sie nicht so platziert werden. Il faut de la patience pour les déposer si lentement, mais le bénéfice est perdu s'il n'est pas placé ainsi. La posa così lenta richiede pazienza, ma i benefici vanno perduti se non vengono collocati in modo adeguato. You will find that at first your motions will be jerky and impetuous. |||||||movements||||| ||||||||||||impetuose Sie werden feststellen, dass Ihre Bewegungen zunächst ruckartig und ungestüm sind. All'inizio i vostri movimenti saranno a scatti e impetuosi. It will require a little practice before you gain an easy control over your hands and arms. È necessario un po' di pratica prima di ottenere un facile controllo delle mani e delle braccia. You probably have never tried to do anything in such a calm way. It will require the closest attention of your will. But you will find that you are acquiring a calmness you never had before. You are gradually acquiring new powers. You recognize how impulsive and impetuous you have been, and how, by using your will, you can control your temperament. |||||impetuoso|||||||||||||| Riconoscete quanto siete stati impulsivi e impetuosi e come, usando la vostra volontà, possiate controllare il vostro temperamento.

2nd Day.

Notes. You start laying the cards down slowly. Si inizia a posare le carte lentamente. You will find that by practice you can lay them down much faster. But you want to lay them down slowly and therefore you have to watch yourself. Ma si vuole stendere lentamente e quindi bisogna stare attenti. The slow, steady movement is wearisome. |||||faticoso |||||cansado Il movimento lento e costante è stancante. You have to conquer the desire of wanting to hurry up. Soon you will find that you can go slowly or fast at will.

3rd Day.

Notes. You still find it hard to go slowly. Your will urges you to go faster. ||ti spinge|||| Dein Wille drängt dich, schneller zu gehen. Votre volonté vous pousse à aller plus vite. La vostra volontà vi spinge ad andare più veloci. This is especially true if you are impulsive, as the impulsive character finds it very difficult to do anything slowly and deliberately. |||||||||||||||||||||deliberadamente Questo è particolarmente vero se si è impulsivi, poiché il carattere impulsivo trova molto difficile fare qualcosa lentamente e deliberatamente. It goes against the "grain." Es geht gegen den Strich. Cela va à contre-courant du "grain". Va contro il "grano". This exercise still is tiresome. Cet exercice est toujours fastidieux. But when you do it, it braces you up mentally. ||||||rende||| Ma quando lo fai, ti rafforza mentalmente. You are accomplishing something you do not like to do. It teaches you how to concentrate on disagreeable tasks. Es lehrt Sie, sich auf unangenehme Aufgaben zu konzentrieren. Writing these notes down you will find very helpful.

4th Day.

Notes. I find that I am beginning to place the cards in a mathematical way. Je trouve que je commence à placer les cartes de manière mathématique. I find one card is not completely covering another. Je trouve qu'une carte n'en couvre pas complètement une autre. I am getting a little careless and must be more careful. Je deviens un peu négligent et je dois être plus prudent. Sto diventando un po' sbadato e devo stare più attento. I command my will to concentrate more. It does not seem so hard to bring it under control.

5th Day.

Notes. I find that I am overcoming my jerky movements, that I can lay the cards down slowly and steadily. I feel that I am rapidly gaining more poise. Ich habe das Gefühl, dass ich schnell mehr Selbstbewusstsein gewinne. I am getting better control over my will each day, and my will completely controls my movements. I begin to look on my will as a great governing power. I would not think of parting with the knowledge of will I have gained. |||||separarmi|||||||| Ich käme nicht auf die Idee, mich von der gewonnenen Willenserkenntnis zu trennen. Je ne penserais pas à me séparer de la connaissance de la volonté que j'ai acquise. Non penserei mai di separarmi dalla conoscenza della volontà che ho acquisito. I find it is a good exercise and know it will help me to accomplish my tasks.

6th Day.

Notes. I begin to feel the wonderful possibilities of the will. It gives me strength to think of the power of will. I am able to do so much more and better work now, that I realize that I can control my will action. Whatever my task, my will is concentrated on it. I am to keep my will centered there until the task is finished. The more closely and definitely I determine what I shall do, the more easily the will carries it out. |||||||||||||más fácilmente||||| Plus je détermine étroitement et définitivement ce que je ferai, plus la volonté l'exécute facilement. Più determino con precisione e certezza ciò che devo fare, più facilmente la volontà lo esegue. Determination imparts compelling force to the will. ||convincente|||| Entschlossenheit verleiht dem Willen zwingende Kraft. La détermination confère une force irrésistible à la volonté. La determinazione conferisce una forza irresistibile alla volontà. It exerts itself more. Es strengt sich mehr an. Si esercita di più. The will and the end act and react on each other. La volontà e il fine agiscono e reagiscono l'uno sull'altro.

7th Day.

Notes. Now try to do everything you do today faster. Don't hurry or become nervous. Ne vous pressez pas et ne devenez pas nerveux. Just try to do everything faster, but in a steady manner. |||||||||constante| |||||||||constante| Cercate di fare tutto più velocemente, ma in modo costante.

You will find that the exercises you have practiced in retardation have steadied your nerves, and thereby made it possible to increase your speed. ||||||||||||calmaron||||||||||| Vous constaterez que les exercices que vous avez pratiqués en retard ont stabilisé vos nerfs et ont ainsi permis d'augmenter votre vitesse. Vi accorgerete che gli esercizi di rallentamento hanno stabilizzato i vostri nervi, rendendo possibile l'aumento della velocità. The will is under your command. Make it carry out resolutions rapidly. Lassen Sie es Vorsätze schnell ausführen. Hagyja, hogy gyorsan végezzen elhatározásokat. This is how you build up your self-control and your self-command. È così che si costruisce l'autocontrollo e la padronanza di sé. It is then that the human machine acts as its author dictates. |||||||||||dettare Dann handelt die menschliche Maschine so, wie ihr Autor es vorschreibt.

You certainly should now be able to judge of the great benefit that comes from writing out your introspections each day. ||||||||||||||||||self-reflections|| ||||||||||||||||||introspezioni|| Ora dovreste essere in grado di giudicare il grande beneficio che deriva dallo scrivere ogni giorno le vostre introspezioni. Of course you will not have the exact experiences given in these examples, but some of these will fit your case. Naturalmente non avrete le esperienze esatte riportate in questi esempi, ma alcune di esse si adatteranno al vostro caso. Be careful to study your experiences carefully and make as true a report as you can. Studiate attentamente le vostre esperienze e fate un resoconto il più possibile veritiero. Describe your feelings just as they seem to you. Allow your fancies to color your report and it will be worthless. ||fantasie||||||||| ||fantasías||||||||| Laissez vos fantaisies colorer votre rapport et il ne servira à rien. Se lasciate che le vostre fantasie colorino il vostro rapporto, questo non avrà alcun valore. You have pictured conditions as you see them. ||immaginato||||| Vous avez décrit les conditions telles que vous les voyez. Avete rappresentato le condizioni come le vedete voi. In a few months, if you again try the same exercises, you will find your report very much better. Dans quelques mois, si vous réessayez les mêmes exercices, vous trouverez votre rapport bien meilleur. Tra qualche mese, se riproverete gli stessi esercizi, troverete il vostro rapporto molto migliorato. By these introspections, we learn to know ourselves better and with this knowledge can wonderfully increase our efficiency. ||introspezioni||||||||||||||| Grazie a queste introspezioni, impariamo a conoscere meglio noi stessi e con questa conoscenza possiamo aumentare meravigliosamente la nostra efficienza. As you become used to writing out your report, it will be more accurate. Au fur et à mesure que vous vous habituerez à rédiger votre rapport, il sera plus précis. Man mano che ci si abitua a scrivere il rapporto, questo sarà più accurato. You thus learn how to govern your impulses, activities and weaknesses. So lernen Sie, Ihre Impulse, Aktivitäten und Schwächen zu steuern. Vous apprenez ainsi à maîtriser vos pulsions, vos activités et vos faiblesses. Imparate così a governare i vostri impulsi, le vostre attività e le vostre debolezze.

Each person should try to plan exercises that will best fit his needs. Chaque personne doit essayer de planifier des exercices qui correspondent le mieux à ses besoins. Ogni persona dovrebbe cercare di pianificare gli esercizi più adatti alle proprie esigenze. If not convenient for you to practice exercises every day, take them twice or three times a week. But carry out any plan you decide to try. Mais réalisez tout plan que vous décidez d'essayer. Ma portate a termine qualsiasi piano decidiate di provare. If you cannot devote ten minutes a day to the experiments start with five minutes and gradually increase the time. Se non potete dedicare dieci minuti al giorno agli esperimenti, iniziate con cinque minuti e aumentate gradualmente il tempo. The exercises given are only intended for examples.

Will Training Without Exercise. There are many people that do not want to take the time to practice exercises, so the following instructions for training the will are given to them. Il y a beaucoup de gens qui ne veulent pas prendre le temps de pratiquer des exercices, alors les instructions suivantes pour entraîner la volonté leur sont données. Ci sono molte persone che non vogliono prendersi il tempo di praticare gli esercizi, quindi le seguenti istruzioni per l'allenamento della volontà vengono date a loro.

By willing and realizing, the will grows. En voulant et en réalisant, la volonté grandit. Volendo e realizzando, la volontà cresce. Therefore the more you will, the more it grows, and builds up power. Pertanto, più si vuole, più cresce e accumula potere. No matter whether your task is big or small, make it a rule to accomplish it in order to fortify your will. |||||||||||||||||||strengthen|| Egal, ob Ihre Aufgabe groß oder klein ist, machen Sie es sich zur Regel, sie zu erfüllen, um Ihren Willen zu stärken. Non importa se il vostro compito è grande o piccolo, imponetevi di portarlo a termine per rafforzare la vostra volontà. Form the habit of focusing your will in all its strength upon the subject to be achieved. Abituatevi a concentrare la vostra volontà con tutta la sua forza sull'obiettivo da raggiungere. You form in this way the habit of getting a thing done, of carrying out some plan. Auf diese Weise entwickeln Sie die Gewohnheit, eine Sache zu erledigen, einen Plan auszuführen. Vous prenez ainsi l'habitude de faire quelque chose, d'exécuter un plan. You acquire the feeling of being able to accomplish that which lies before you, no matter what it is. Si acquisisce la sensazione di essere in grado di portare a termine ciò che si ha davanti, qualunque cosa sia. This gives you confidence and a sense of power that you get in no other way. Cela vous donne confiance et un sentiment de puissance que vous n'obtenez pas autrement. Questo vi dà fiducia e un senso di potere che non potete ottenere in nessun altro modo. You know when you make a resolution that you will keep it. Quando si prende un proposito, si sa che lo si manterrà. You do not tackle new tasks in a half-hearted way, but with a bold, brave spirit. Neue Aufgaben gehen Sie nicht halbherzig an, sondern mit Mut und Mut. Non affrontate i nuovi compiti a metà, ma con uno spirito audace e coraggioso. We know that the will is able to carry us over big obstacles. Sappiamo che la volontà è in grado di farci superare grandi ostacoli. Knowing this despair never claims us for a victim. Das Wissen um diese Verzweiflung fordert uns niemals zum Opfer. Connaître ce désespoir ne nous réclame jamais pour une victime. Sapendo questo, la disperazione non ci rende mai vittime. We have wills and are going to use them with more and more intensity, thus giving us the power to make our resolutions stronger, our actions freer and our lives finer and better. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||libere|||||| Nous avons des volontés et allons les utiliser avec de plus en plus d'intensité, nous donnant ainsi le pouvoir de rendre nos résolutions plus fortes, nos actions plus libres et nos vies plus belles et meilleures. Abbiamo volontà e la useremo con sempre maggiore intensità, dandoci così il potere di rendere più forti i nostri propositi, più libere le nostre azioni e più bella la nostra vita.

The education of the will should not be left to chance. Die Willensbildung sollte nicht dem Zufall überlassen werden. L'éducation de la volonté ne doit pas être laissée au hasard. L'educazione della volontà non deve essere lasciata al caso. It is only definite tasks that will render it energetic, ready, persevering and consistent. |||||||||||persistent|| Sono solo i compiti definiti a renderlo energico, pronto, perseverante e coerente. The only way it can be done is by self-study and self-discipline. The cost is effort, time and patience, but the returns are valuable. Il costo è costituito da sforzo, tempo e pazienza, ma il ritorno è prezioso. There are no magical processes leading to will development, but the development of your will works wonders for you because it gives you self-mastery, personal power and energy of character. Non ci sono processi magici che portano allo sviluppo della volontà, ma lo sviluppo della volontà fa miracoli perché vi dà padronanza di voi stessi, potere personale ed energia di carattere.

Concentration of the Will to Win. The adaptability of persons to their business environment is more a matter of determination than anything else. |flexibility||||||||||||||| |adattabilità||||||||||||||| Die Anpassungsfähigkeit von Personen an ihr Geschäftsumfeld ist mehr als alles andere eine Frage der Bestimmung. In this age we hear a good deal of talk about a man's aptitudes. |||||||||||||attitudini In quest'epoca si parla molto delle attitudini di un uomo. Some of his aptitudes, some of his powers, may be developed to a wonderful extent, but he is really an unknown quality until all his latent powers are developed to their highest possible extent. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||最高の|| Certaines de ses aptitudes, certains de ses pouvoirs, peuvent être développés à un degré merveilleux, mais il est vraiment une qualité inconnue jusqu'à ce que tous ses pouvoirs latents soient développés à leur plus haut degré possible. Alcune delle sue attitudini, alcuni dei suoi poteri, possono essere sviluppati in misura meravigliosa, ma egli è davvero una qualità sconosciuta fino a quando tutti i suoi poteri latenti non saranno sviluppati al massimo delle loro possibilità. He may be a failure in one line and a big success in another. There are many successful men, that did not succeed well at what they first undertook, but they profited by their efforts in different directions, and this fitted them for higher things, whereas had they refused to adjust themselves to their environment, the tide of progress would have swept them into oblivion. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||oblio ||||||||||||||||||||||||||los preparó||||||||||||||||marea||||||||el olvido Il y a beaucoup d'hommes qui ont réussi, qui n'ont pas bien réussi dans ce qu'ils ont d'abord entrepris, mais ils ont profité de leurs efforts dans différentes directions, et cela les a préparés pour des choses plus élevées, alors qu'ils avaient refusé de s'adapter à leur environnement, à la marée du progrès. les aurait fait tomber dans l'oubli. Ci sono molti uomini di successo che non hanno avuto successo in ciò che hanno intrapreso per la prima volta, ma hanno tratto profitto dai loro sforzi in direzioni diverse, e questo li ha messi in grado di fare cose più elevate, mentre se avessero rifiutato di adattarsi al loro ambiente, la marea del progresso li avrebbe spazzati via nell'oblio.

My one aim in all my works is to try and arouse in the individual the effort and determination to develop his full capacities, his highest possibilities. |||||||||||awaken||||||||||||||| |||||||||||||||||||||||capacità||| ||||||||para|||||||||||||||||| Mon seul but dans tous mes travaux est d'essayer de susciter chez l'individu l'effort et la détermination à développer ses pleines capacités, ses plus hautes possibilités. Il mio unico obiettivo in tutte le mie opere è cercare di suscitare nell'individuo lo sforzo e la determinazione a sviluppare tutte le sue capacità, le sue più alte possibilità. One thing I want you to realize at the start, that it is not so much ability, as it is the will to do that counts. Une chose que je veux que vous réalisiez au départ, c'est que ce n'est pas tant la capacité, mais la volonté de faire qui compte. Una cosa che voglio farvi capire fin dall'inizio è che non conta tanto la capacità, quanto la volontà di fare. Ability is very plentiful, but organizing initiative and creative power are not plentiful. |||abbondante||||||||| La capacité est très abondante, mais l'initiative d'organisation et le pouvoir créatif ne sont pas abondants. A képességek nagyon bőségesek, de a kezdeményezőkészség és a kreatív erő nem bőséges. Le capacità sono molto abbondanti, ma l'iniziativa organizzativa e il potere creativo non sono abbondanti. It is easy to get employes, but to get someone to train them is harder. Il est facile de trouver des employés, mais il est plus difficile de trouver quelqu'un pour les former. Könnyű munkavállalókat szerezni, de nehezebb valakit kiképezni. È facile trovare dipendenti, ma è più difficile trovare qualcuno che li formi. Their abilities must be directed to the work they can do. suas|||||||||| Leurs capacités doivent être dirigées vers le travail qu'ils peuvent faire. Le loro capacità devono essere indirizzate al lavoro che possono svolgere. They must be shown how, while at this work, to conserve their energy and they must be taught to work in harmony with others, for most business concerns are dominated by a single personality. |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||dominati|||| Il faut leur montrer comment, pendant ce travail, conserver leur énergie et leur apprendre à travailler en harmonie avec les autres, car la plupart des entreprises sont dominées par une seule personnalité. Bisogna mostrare loro come conservare le energie e insegnare loro a lavorare in armonia con gli altri, perché la maggior parte delle imprese è dominata da una sola personalità.

Concentrating on Driving Force Within. Konzentration auf die treibende Kraft im Inneren. Se concentrer sur la force motrice intérieure. A belső hajtóerőre koncentrálva. Concentrarsi sulla forza motrice interna. We are all conscious, at times, that we have somewhere within us an active driving force that is ever trying to push us onward to better deeds. ||||||||||||||||||||||||||acciones mejores ||||||||||||||||||||||||||azioni |||||||||||||||||||||empurrar||||| Tutti noi siamo consapevoli, a volte, di avere da qualche parte dentro di noi una forza motrice attiva che cerca sempre di spingerci verso azioni migliori. It is that "force" that makes us feel determined at times to do something worth while. C'est cette « force » qui nous fait nous sentir parfois déterminés à faire quelque chose qui en vaut la peine. È quella "forza" che a volte ci fa sentire determinati a fare qualcosa che valga la pena. It is not thought, emotion or feeling. Es ist nicht Denken, Emotion oder Gefühl. This driving force is something distinct from thought or emotion. It is a quality of the soul and therefore it has a consciousness all its own. Es ist eine Eigenschaft der Seele und hat daher ein eigenes Bewusstsein. C'est une qualité de l'âme et elle a donc une conscience qui lui est propre. Ez a lélek tulajdonsága, és ezért saját tudata van. È una qualità dell'anima e quindi ha una coscienza tutta sua. It is the "I will do" of the will. C'est le « je ferai » de la volonté. It is the force that makes the will concentrate. Many have felt this force working within them, driving them on to accomplish their tasks. Viele haben gespürt, wie diese Kraft in ihnen wirkt und sie antreibt, ihre Aufgaben zu erfüllen. Beaucoup ont senti cette force travailler en eux, les poussant à accomplir leurs tâches. Molti hanno sentito questa forza lavorare dentro di loro, spingendoli a portare a termine i loro compiti. All great men and women become conscious that this supreme and powerful force is their ally in carrying out great resolutions. Tutti i grandi uomini e le grandi donne si rendono conto che questa forza suprema e potente è la loro alleata nel portare a termine i grandi propositi.

This driving force is within all, but until you reach a certain stage you do not become aware of it. Questa forza motrice è dentro tutti, ma finché non si raggiunge un certo stadio non se ne diventa consapevoli. It is most useful to the worthy. Il est très utile aux dignes. È molto utile per i meritevoli. It springs up naturally without any thought of training. Es entsteht auf natürliche Weise ohne Gedanken an Training. It comes unprovoked and leaves unnoticed. ||without cause||| ||senza preavviso||| Il vient sans provocation et laisse inaperçu. Provokálatlanul jön, és észrevétlenül távozik. Arriva senza essere provocata e se ne va inosservata. Just what this force is we do not know, but we do know that it is what intensifies the will in demanding just and harmonious action. Was genau diese Kraft ist, wissen wir nicht, aber wir wissen, dass sie den Willen verstärkt, gerechtes und harmonisches Handeln zu fordern. Nous ne savons pas exactement quelle est cette force, mais nous savons que c'est elle qui intensifie la volonté en exigeant une action juste et harmonieuse. Non sappiamo quale sia questa forza, ma sappiamo che è quella che intensifica la volontà nel richiedere un'azione giusta e armoniosa.

The ordinary human being, merely as merchandise, if he could be sold as a slave, would be worth ten thousand dollars. Der gewöhnliche Mensch, nur als Handelsware, wäre zehntausend Dollar wert, wenn er als Sklave verkauft werden könnte. L'être humain ordinaire, simplement comme marchandise, s'il pouvait être vendu comme esclave, vaudrait dix mille dollars. L'essere umano comune, come semplice merce, se potesse essere venduto come schiavo, varrebbe diecimila dollari. If somebody gave you a five thousand dollar automobile you would take very good care of it. Wenn Ihnen jemand ein Fünftausend-Dollar-Auto schenkte, würden Sie sehr gut darauf aufpassen. Se qualcuno vi desse un'automobile da cinquemila dollari, ve ne prendereste molta cura. You wouldn't put sand in the carburetor, or mix water with the gasoline, or drive it furiously over rough roads, or leave it out to freeze at night. ||||||キャブレター||||||||||||||||||||| ||||||carburatore||||||||||furiosamente||||||||||| Vous ne voudriez pas mettre du sable dans le carburateur, ou mélanger de l'eau avec l'essence, ou le conduire furieusement sur des routes accidentées, ou le laisser geler la nuit. Non mettereste mai della sabbia nel carburatore, né mischiereste dell'acqua alla benzina, né la guidereste furiosamente su strade dissestate, né la lascereste fuori a gelare di notte. Are you quite sure that you take care of your own body, your own health, your only real property, as well as you would take care of a five thousand dollar automobile if it were given to you? |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||automóvil|||||| Êtes-vous tout à fait sûr de prendre soin de votre propre corps, de votre propre santé, de votre seul bien immobilier, aussi bien que vous prendriez soin d'une automobile à cinq mille dollars si elle vous était donnée ? Siete sicuri di prendervi cura del vostro corpo, della vostra salute, della vostra unica proprietà immobiliare, così come vi prendereste cura di un'automobile da cinquemila dollari se vi venisse regalata?

The man who mixes whiskey with his blood is more foolish than a man would be if he mixed water with gasoline in his car. L'uomo che mescola il whisky con il suo sangue è più sciocco di quanto lo sarebbe un uomo che mescolasse l'acqua con la benzina nella sua auto.

You can get another car; you cannot get another body.

The man who misses sleep lives irregularly—bolts his food so that his blood supply is imperfect. ||||||irregolarmente|||||||||| Der Mann, der den Schlaf vermisst, lebt unregelmäßig – verriegelt sein Essen, so dass seine Blutversorgung nicht perfekt ist. L'homme qui manque de sommeil vit de manière irrégulière - il avale sa nourriture de sorte que son approvisionnement en sang est imparfait. L'uomo che non dorme vive in modo irregolare e si alimenta in modo che l'apporto di sangue sia imperfetto. That is a foolish man treating himself as he would not treat any other valuable piece of property. È un uomo sciocco che tratta se stesso come non tratterebbe un'altra proprietà di valore.

Do you try to talk with men and women who know more than you do, and do you LISTEN rather than try to tell them what you know? Essayez-vous de parler avec des hommes et des femmes qui en savent plus que vous, et ÉCOUTEZ-vous plutôt que d'essayer de leur dire ce que vous savez ? Cercate di parlare con uomini e donne che ne sanno più di voi e ascoltate piuttosto che cercare di dire loro quello che sapete?

There are a hundred thousand men of fifty, and men of sixty, running along in the old rut, any one of whom could get out of it and be counted among the successful men if only the spark could be found to explode the energy within them now going to waste. |||||||||||||||||轍||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Il y a cent mille hommes de cinquante et soixante ans qui courent dans l'ancienne ornière, chacun d'entre eux pourrait en sortir et être compté parmi les hommes qui réussissent si seulement l'étincelle pouvait être trouvée pour faire exploser l'énergie en eux. va maintenant se perdre. Ci sono centomila uomini di cinquanta e sessant'anni che si muovono nel vecchio solco, ognuno dei quali potrebbe uscirne ed essere annoverato tra gli uomini di successo, se solo si trovasse la scintilla per far esplodere l'energia che è in loro e che ora va sprecata.

Each man must study and solve his own problem.