The psychology of success and human nature studies

Contents

PAET I.— LECTURE.

subjects page

The Psychology of Success 9-75

Chapter I. — Personal Aids to Success 77-100

Physical Culture — General Exercises — Rules of Health and Hygiene — The Question of Food — Good Digestion — The Use of Water — Pure Air — Health and Posture — Mind Influences — Conserve the Forces — Personal Habits — Tobacco — Loafing — Good Habits — Habit and Conduct — Habit and Character — Adaptability — Order and System — Taking Pains — Economy and Progress — Promptness and Punctuality — Cheerfulness and Good Humor — The Great Secret.

CONTENTS

SUBJECTS PAGE

Chapter II. — Business Suggestions 101-119

Selecting a Vocation — How to Decide — Force of Circumstances — Premature Choice — Influence of Friends — Wrong Advice — The Best Council — Self Analysis — Select for Growth — Eequirements of Occupations — The Professions — Preparation for Life Work — Educate for Business — Experimental Training — Specialization and Concentration — Persistency of Effort — Finding a Position — Begin at the Bottom — Keeping a Position — ^Begin as an Employee — The Man and the Place — Partnership in Business — Matrimony and Success.

Chapter III. — Salesmanship and Advertising 120-138

Salesmanship Defined — The Outlook of the Salesman — Preparation for Salesmanship — The Born Salesman — The Successful Salesman — Goods and Sales-talk — General Principles — Working with Busy People — Misrepresentation — The Customer — The Traveling Salesman — The Conservative Buyer — Favoritism in Business — Advertising — Money Made and Lost — The Use of Signs — The Value of a Name — The Up-to-Date Advertiser — Soliciting Employment — Personal Appearance.

Chapter IV. — The Professional Man 139-152

The Increase in Professions — Requirements for the Learned Professions — Professional Schooling — Selecting a School — College Opportunities — Professional Men Should Move — A Common Experience — The Prestige of a Firm — Securing Patronage — Friendship and Opportunity — The Secret of Success — Practice and Skill — Collecting Fees — Peculiarities of Patrons — Personal Influence — Character and Success.

PAET III.— HUMAN NATUEE STUDIES.

Chapter V. — The Origin and Nature of Man. . 153-167

Know Thyself— Man a Little World— Three Planes of Consciousness — Three Planes of Perception — Psychic Phenomena — Spiritual Perception — Psychic vs. Spiritual Phenomena — Objective and Subjective Minds — Phreno-hypnotism — Life and Mind and Organism — The Law of Development — Creation by Evolution — The Origin of Man — Christ the Archetype.

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SUBJECTS PAGE

Chapter VI. — Old and New Psychology 168-176

Phrenology — Physiological Psychology — ^Eeading Character — The Senses and Faculties — Mental Peculiarities and Variations — The Stream of Consciousness — Mind and Character — Influence of Dominant Elements.

Chapter VII. — Constitutional Differences 177-188

Organic Quality — Indications of Organic Quality — Temperament — The Motive Temperament — Physical Indications — Mental Peculiarities — Influence Upon Character — The Vital Temperament — Emotionality — Children of Vital Temperament — The Mental Temperament — Mind Activity — Brain "Workers — Capacity for Study — The Balanced Temperament — Activity and Intensity — Excitability and Emotionality.

Chapter VIII. — Organ and Function 189-192

Life and Form — The Function of the Brain — Physical and Mental Culture — Yoga Practice — The Primary Elements of Mind — Names and Groups of Elements — The Selfish Propensities — The Social Feelings — The Aspiring Sentiments — The Semi-intellectual Sentiments — The Perceptive Faculties — The Eeasoning Faculties — The Moral Sentiments — Primary Elements All Good — The Alphabet of the Mind — Force and Energy — Stability and Integrity — Dignity and Pomposity — Ambition, Pride, and Vanity — Managing Ability and Generalship — Sagacity, Policy, and Deceit — Financiering Ability and Avariciousness — Sociability, Clannishness, and Jealousy — Will Power and Self-Control — Tact and Practicability — Honesty and Loyalty — Seriousness and Melancholy — Imagination and Creative Fancy — Skeptical vs. Credulous — Perception.

Chapter IX. — The Selfish Propensities -^. 193-202

The Basis of Self-preservation — The Causes of Selfishness — ^Vitativeness — Love of Life — Longevity — Courage — Force of Character — Combativeness — Executiveness — Destructiveness — Severity — Alimen-^iveness — Correct Dietary — Bibacity — Thirst and the Use of Liquids — Aquisitiveness — Frugality — Commercialism — Secretiveness — Self-Control.

Chapter X. — The Social Feelings 203-221

The Basis of Marriage and Parentage — ^Family Ties and Society — Amativeness — The Power of Love Between the Sexes — Emotion and Char-

CONTENTS 7

SUBJECTS PAGE

acter — Conjugality — Tlie Mating Instinct — Fidelity in Marriage — Parental Love — Children and Pets — Friendship — The Basis of Society — Clannishness — Inhabitiveness — Love of Home — Patriotism.

Chapter XI. — The Aspiring Sentiments 222-236

The Basis of Ambition — Dignity and Self-appreciation — Caution — Apprehension of Danger — Carelessness — Approbativeness — Desire for Approval — Supersensitiveness — Self-esteem — Egotism — Diffidence — Firmness — Tenacity and Will Power — Continuity — Persistency — Changeableness.

Chapter XII. — The Semi-Intellectual Sentiments 237-251 The Basis of Mechanical Ingenuity — Artistic Taste — Poetry and Invention — Constructiveness — The Builder — Tool-using Capacity — Ideality — The Beautifier — Imagination — The Artist of the Soul — Sublimity — Perception of the Marvelous — The Sense of Vastness — Imitation — Mimicry — The Capacity to Copy — The Indian and the Japanese — Mirthfulness — Wit and Humor — Effects of Laughter — Agreeableness — Suavity — Politeness — Human Nature — Intuition of Character — Impressability.

Chapter XIII. — The Intellectual Faculties 252-297

The Primary Elements of the Intellect — The Perceptive Faculties — Observing Power — The Basis of Tact — Eyes That See Not — Individuality — Form — Size — Weight — Color — Order — Calculation — Mathematical Power — Locality — The Instinct to Travel — Eventuality — Memory and Kecollection — Memory Culture — Time : Perception of Duration — Tune — Musical Talent — The Eeasoning Faculties — Originality — ^Learning to Think — Causality — The Basis of Logic — Comparison — The Critic of the Mind — Analytical Power — Mind Culture.

Chapter XIV. — The Moral Sentiments t. . . 298-318

The Basis of Morality — Man's Higher Nature — Conscience — The Law of Justice — The Inner Monitor — Hope — Expectancy — The Torch Light of the Soul — The Optimist and the Pessimist — Spirituality — The Inner Light — Psychic and Spiritual Perception — Spiritual Blindness — Evil Controls — ^Veneration — Eeverence for Things Sacred — Communion — ^Benevolence — Kindness — The Christ in Man.

Prefatory Note

The primary object of this book is to present methods for self -improvement. In recent years applied science has revolutionized every branch of industry. Within the next few years applied psychology and applied Christianity promise a corresponding change in the art of mind and character building.

Tor fifteen years it was my privilege to help young people in acquiring the elements essential for success. The methods employed in this personal work were later condensed into the lecture, "The Psychology of Success.'* This lecture proved so helpful that it was often necessary to repeat it to accommodate the numbers who wanted to hear it. At the request of many educators, employers and students, it has been prepared for publication, and now forms Part I of this book.

In Part II, I have tried to present in condensed form such suggestions as have proved helpful to young business and professional men, hoping by the printed word to serve a larger number and at the same time be relieved from the personal work to which I can no longer give attention.

''Human Nature Studies," Part III, are the result of a course of lectures kindly received by large audiences of thoughtful people. These studies are not intended for the technical student of psychology, but rather for those who want to improve self or understand human nature, mind, and character.

That this book may prove a blessing to every one who reads it, is the earnest desire of the author.

NEWTON N. EIDDELL.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SUCCESS.

Introduction

There are elements of genius in every man that if awakened and trained will enable him to do something worth while. There are stores of energy and ambition in every brain that if unlocked and given expression in action will supply the force necessary to bring things to pass. There are germs of goodness and divinity in every soul that if quickened by love and wrought into character will enable a man to live a clean, self-respecting, moral life. Awaken the genius, unlock the energies, quicken the divinity in a man, change him from negative to positive, combine his intellect, energy, and conscience in harmonious expression, and you have given to that man the psychology of success.

What is Success

What constitutes success? If we are to see things alike, we must have the same viewpoint. Briefly, success is the accomplishment of anything attempted. But we must get a larger concept of the subject. We must measure success first from the viewpoint of the individual, and second from his relation to society. We must measure success in the individual not wholly by his objective achievements in the few years that belong to the earth life, but in the light of the fact that the influence of his life extends far into the future. We must measure the success of the individual as related to humanity, not merely by his personal influence upon his family, his neighbors, and his age, but in the light of heredity, race evolution, and man's relation to God and eternity. We have lacked perspective in our view of success. Much that we have called success has really been failure. To do much work and accomplish little is not success. To pile up a fortune out of other people's earnings without producing any real wealth is not success. To acquire wealth or fame, or to accomplish some great undertaking at the expense o£ health, conscience, or character is not success. To win out in business or profession, yet neglect wife and children, soul growth. Christian living, or civic duties, is not success. How, then, shall we measure success? By the honest work done; by the money earned or wealth produced; by the knowledge acquired, culture attained, and character realized; by the joy experienced and the happiness given to others; by the mfluence exerted and the service rendered in harmony with the law of human progress.

LECTUEE II

Success and Soul Growth

If success include material prosperity, soul growth, and service to others, there must be some way devised to attain all of these at the same time. There is a very generally accepted idea that if one give himself fully to his vocation and succeed in material things, he must neglect the spiritual. This idea is fundamentally wrong. The activities necessary for material prosperity, if prompted by unselfish motives, instead of being restrictive to moral and spiritual growth, are conducive to such growth. The fact that most persons who give themselves wholly to their work become so engrossed in it that they fail in moral and spiritual attainment, is no proof whatever that such a result is necessary. It is all a question of motive. The effects of any act are determined largely by the motive that prompts it and the mental and emotional states that obtain during the activity. If we act from selfish motives, every such activity, no matter how noble its purpose or worthy its end, will inhibit soul growth and tend to narrow and contract the life; whereas if we act from selfless love, no matter how simple or menial the act, it is conducive to moral and spiritual attainment. One may preach the gospel or engage in the most noble of callings, actuated by selfish motives, and in these worthy activities become narrow, irritable, and spiritually inert ; or he may sweep streets and clean alleys for a livelihood, actuated by pure love, the thought of service, and glory of God, and out of these menial activities develop a beautiful soul and ripen a Christian character.

Not What, but How

The main object of this lecture is to present METHOD. It is easy to tell folks what to do and what not to do; but how to do it is another thing. All of the essential elements for success might be mentioned in a single breath; but what good would it do without the knowledge of how to acquire these elements? We are all prone to giving advice that is worthless. For instance: Here is a good woman with the worry habit. She is sick abed half the time. Her husband says, "li you will only stop worrying you will soon get well." Sympathetic neighbors say, *'You worry so. That's what makes you sick." Her pastor calls and says, "You ought to rejoice. You are a Christian and have nothing to worry over. It's a sin to worry." Her physician tells her that her nerves are all disordered and she is on the verge of nervous prostration. All of these statements may be true; but they only tend to make matters worse. What she needs is the counsel of a practical psychologist who will explain to her the causes of worry, how to overcome it, and realize peace and serenity of soul.

Now, friends, it is just so with this problem of success. The popular lecturers and wise ones for centuries have been telling us why we fail, and pointing out the elements of success ; but the object of this lecture is to show how to acquire these

LECTUEE X3

elements. The methods to be presented have enabled many to increase their earning and learning power from lo to 50 per cent, and not a few have more than doubled their commercial value within three years. There is not a human weakness known to man that has not been eradicated by these methods; while their value as a means in acquiring the higher virtues has been demnostrated by thousands.

A Winning Personality

God works through personalities. When He would give to the world a moral code that should become the basis of all subsequent jurisprudence, He raised up a Moses with a mind and conscience capable of receiving and communicating the decalogue. When He would reveal to man His love and the way of eternal life, He incarnated his Spirit in the man of Gallilee and sent this Divine personality among men to declare the good news of the kingdom. Behind every great reformation, social, political, and religious, has been a personality. The history of the world's progress is a history of great personalities. Back of each of our religious denominations there is a great personality, a Luther, a Calvin, a Wesley. Back of every successful business concern there is a personality, a Rothschild, a Wannamaker, a Marshall Field. In every happy home there is a personality, a loving wife, a kind husband. Look about you and wherever you find true success, in public or private life, in the church, the schoolroom, the business house, the office, the factory, the shop, or the home, you will find that the secret of the success is in a personality. The problem before us, then, is how to build a strong, harmonious, winning, righteous personality.

Foundation Stones

Before we begin the building of a personality we must clear away certain false notions relative to the causes of success and failure and lay a few foundation stones.

First, get out of your head the notion that success depends upon opportunity or environment. True, these are necessary for the expression of energy or talent ; but the primary causes of success or failure are in the individual. Law reigns throughout all of man's relations and activities. There is no realm of caprice. Cause and effect are inseparably related. Things do not happen without an adequate cause. The laws of affinity and of natural selection are as active and unerring in the realms of mind, society, and business, as in the mineral kingdom and in the lower orders of life.

Joe and Bill

For instance, here is Joe whom you all know, who always says, "I've had no show, and that's why I can't make things go." While there is Bill, half way up hill, a-goin' still and always will. Now why this difference between Joe and Bill? Think a bit. Every molecule in the mineral kingdom is surrounded by a radiating aura which determines its chemical affinity and governs its relation to other molecules and minerals. Every vegetable and animal is surrounded by an aura, a radiation of its life. Every human being is surrounded by an aura, a magnetic field, a personal magnetism. This personal magnetism is the result of the chemical activity, the involuntary and voluntary life, thoughts, feelings, will, and sentiment of the individual. It is strong or weak, pronounced or indefinite, according to the strength and the activity of the several elements of his nature. It gives him distinctiveness of personality, natural affinities, and silently determines his relations to others. Now if you could see the aura of Joe, you would see a vaporous cloud-form, with irregular edges and few decided colors. Why? Because Joe is negative. Ask him what he is thinking about. He will probably reply, ''Oh, nothin'." Ask him what he likes to read. He "don't take much to readin'." Ask him which of the fellows he likes best. "Oh, do'no, like 'em all pretty well; no special love for any of 'em." Ask him what he is going to do in life. "Do'no, haven't thought much about it. Been lookin' fur a job, but it 'pears there's nothin' doin'." There is no affinity between Joe and a successful business man. No active teacher is interested in him. No social opportunities are open to him. No professional man wants a boy like that in his office. So poor Joe has no show, because the negative state of his intellect, emotions, and will, leave him without personality, magnetic attraction, or natural affinity. Now look at Bill. His aura is dense and intensely active. The outline is sharp and the colors distinct. Why? Because he is mentally active. He is a student. He prefers certain books. He has a choice of friends. He knows whom he likes and does not like. He is energetic. He is always busy. He is ambitious to rise. He is decided in character. He may not always be right, or even moral, but he is positive; and because of this positiveness and activity of intellect, emotion, and will, he has an attractive, winning personality. There is a natural affinity between Bill and every successful business or professional man in the city. He is wanted in the store, the bank, and the office. He is a favorite in school, in society, and in the church. He has unlimited opportunity, not from CHANCE, but by the operation of a law as unerring as gravity. Now before the conclusion of this lecture we shall see how to transform Joe from a negative to a positive, and get him up the hill as well as Bill.

You Are the Debtor

Get rid of the idea that the world owes you a living. True, you are not responsible for being here, but neither is the rest of humanity except your immediate parents, therefore the world owes you nothing. It has given you birth, protection, food, clothing, home, friends, education, and opportunity for development, happiness, service and success. You are the debtor. It will take all the rest of your natural life to square yourself and meet your just obligations. Get ready. Go to work. Be all you can and do all you can in the development of self and in promoting the progress of mankind.

Get the Best of People

Learn to take advantage of your neighbors and get the best of them. Now, don't be shocked. Let me explain. In every respectable person you know there are desirable traits of character. In every loving friend there are qualities that you need. Take advantage of your associations with these good people, select the best there is in their natures, and embody their virtues in yourself. Never mind their faults. You have enough of your own. You will find what you are looking for. You will embody what you recognize and admire ; therefore look for the elements of success and admire and cherish the virtues of your friends. A man moves next door to me and says, "Riddell, I am going to watch you. I am going to find all your weak points and detect your meanness." "All right, neighbor. I am going to watch you. I hope to discover your strong points ; the secret of your success, and your elements of goodness." We each find what we look for, with the result that he embodies the worst of me, and weakens himself. I embody the best of him and add to my character.

Give Value Received

\ Put away the desire to get something for nothing. It is fundamentally wrong. It belongs to the psychology of crime. It is excusable in idiots and children, but to the normal, mature mind it is illogical. In a world where cause and effect balance each other, something for nothing is impossible. Every gift, whether of wealth, intelligence, love, confidence, favor, or opportunity, carries with it an equivalent obligation. Even the gift of salvation implies a life of service in return. Young man, if you would succeed start out in life with the idea of earning your own way, paying for what you get, and giving value received. All things whatsoever a man has are his in trust only, and he who fails to give back to the world the equivalent of what has been entrusted to him is not a success.

Luck vs. Purpose

Don't depend upon luck, accidental opportunities, or games of chance. Drifting ships often make long journeys, but seldom reach the desired harbor. Would you succeed, have a purpose, decide early in life what you are going to do, then work with a method.

Concentrate Your Forces

Don't try to do everything or know everything. This is the age of the specialist. Mr. Jack-of -alltrades is out of a job. Dr. Know-it-all is a charlatan. The man who can do one thing well is in great demand. The man who knows everything about, his specialty is equipped for life work. Concentrate your energies and talents upon something worth while. Master it. Stay with it and you will win out.

Hard Work

Don't be afraid of hard work. Activity gives life, inertia death. Well directed effort develops power, capacity, courage, self-reliance, virtue, mind, and character. Idleness or a life of ease begets weakness, carelessness, indifference, stupidity, vice, and worthlessness. Constitutional laziness is a worse handicap in the race of life than chronic dyspepsia or tuberculosis. Study the personal habits of the men and women who have made history. Get close to those who are winning fame or fortune in art, literature, science, business, or profession and you will find that EVERY WINNER IS A WORKER. Genius consists largely in the disposition and capacity for persistent hard work. Edison has said, "Genius is 2 per cent inspiration and 98 per cent perspiration."

Mental Magic

Don't depend upon "mental magic" or "psychic demonstrations" for success. To be able to think forcefully and express one's thoughts concisely and effectively is a great achievement ; but to use thought power or mental suggestion to impel others to act contrary to their will or judgment is morally wrong. Let no man who practices the art of mental magic by controlling others for selfish ends, whether in business, society, law, politics, or religion, count himself guiltless or call his victories success.

A "mental scientist" telling of her wonderful "demonstrations" over poverty, displayed a large number of valuable presents and other evidences of wealth which she claimed to have compelled by thought power. She finished the recital of her achievements with the question, "What do you think of my science now?" A friend replied, "I think you are practicmg black magic pure and simple. The main difference between you and a professional burglar is in the method; the motive is practically the same. You both employ science and skill for personal gain without giving value received. Your method is the more subtle and therefore the more dangerous to society. Under the law of compensation, which is not limited to time, and has no respect for persons, but has eternity for its fulfillment and exact justice for its goal, both of you must eventually pay the penalty of crime."

Get Right with God

Put away the illusion that any real success is possible except when working in harmony with Divine law and living by Divine grace. All effort contrary to the Divine will is worse than wasted. How foolish for a man to expect to win out in opposition to the forces and laws that govern the universe! No man ever did succeed that way. Stop and think about it. Get your wits to work. If you fill your right pocket by emptying your left, are you making money? If you accumulate wealth by dwarfing your soul, is that gain ? If you acquire anything by fraud, or at the expense of health, manhood, or character, is that victory? If you gain prestige, fame, or fortune by the efforts of others without giving value received, is that success ? No ! Every cheat is a failure. Every fraud is a loser. Every moral delinquent is a bankrupt. Every dishonest dollar in a man's pocket puts him a dollar in debt. Every hypocrite, whether in the social, industrial, or religious world, is a profligate and a robber, wasting his life and robbing humanity of the honest service he should render.

Young man, "The universe pours its energy into the arm that strikes for right." If you would succeed, stop just where you are and get right with God. When working in harmony with Him, you are in line with eternal progress. Infinite wisdom, infinite love, and infinite power are at your command; your only limitation is your capacity to receive and express them. There is no real satisfaction, true happiness, or genuine success possible to a man until he has been born anew and become one with the Father in all his aspirations and efforts. Do you doubt it? Stand by the death-bed of men who have enjoyed apparent success out of harmony with the Golden Rule, and learn from their last testimony that ill-gotten gain and dishonest methods

spell DEFEAT.

Selfishness Is Suicidal

Dismiss the notion that selfishness is essential to success. Selfishness is suicidal. He who lives for self suffers much, dwarfs his soul, accomplishes little, and dies a failure. He who becomes regenerate and lives to serve has found the secret of success, true happiness, soul growth, and eternal life. If you would be happy, if you would win out in the battles of life, renounce the self, embody the Christ, enter a worthy vocation, and render the largest service possible to your age and generation. Take no thought of self except to improve. Do all the good you can, to everyone you can, in every way you can, and no matter how humble your position in life, or how busy your days, you will grow mentally and morally.

Opportunity

Learn to take advantage of opportunity. This is the corner-stone of success. Get away from the old idea that opportunity knocks once and only once at every man's door. Opportunity is knocking all the time. Every moment, every situation, position and condition of life is an opportunity. Yes, even every calamity, misfortune and disappointment bring with them compensating opportunities if we are only wise enough to see, and take advantage of them. You miss a car and have to wait ten minutes. Don't waste your time and energy fretting. Ten minutes is time enough to empty your pockets of accumulated papers, gather some important piece of news, jot down a valuable fact, decide upon some future event, or solve some troublesome problem. Utilize your time, and missing the car may prove a blessing. You meet with an accident and have to go to the hospital for a month. What an opportunity for calm reflection and spiritual attainment! You are misrepresented and thereby lose a coveted chance in business or society. It is your opportunity to express independence and the strength of character that wins out. Your mother-in-law comes to assist your wife for a week during fruit-canning time and decides to stay all winter. Great chance to cultivate tact, meekness, forbearance, and all the other graces that adorn the soul of a model husband! Don't think of going out nights. Stay at home and make the most of your opportunity. Some of you married ladies think you have a hard time. You have a "grouchy" husband, several children to look after, and the care of a home. Great place to develop self-control, sweetness of nature, gentleness, and that spirit of self-sacrifice by which common mortals become saints.

Young man, you have to work your way through school and provide for mother and the younger children. You find it heavy sledding at times, but what an opportunity for the deevlopment of energy, courage, economy, forethought, tact, and ability!

Stay with it, my boy. Do your best and it will make "a winner" of you. There are thousands of wealthy, namby-pamby fellows with soft hands and softer heads, doomed to failure, who would be a success if they had your load.

Young lady, maybe you are not so handsome or attractive as you would like to be. Possibly you were behind the door or out in the smoke-house when the beauty fairy came along. Good! You won't be spoiled by a pretty face. You have a chance to develop those elements of mind and heart that are more attractive than physical beauty. Possibly you have to work in office, shop or factory. If so, this is a great opportunity for the development and expression of a noble character. You may be a salesgirl in a department store; a very trying place, but a good chance to learn the ways and manners of refined shoppers, to cultivate a pleasing manner and develop the elements of self-control.