The Science of Being Great

Lessons

1. Any Person May Become Great

   20 mins

   THERE is a Principle of Power in every person. By the intelligent use and direction of this principle, man can develop his own mental faculties.

2. Heredity And Opportunity

   20 mins

   YOU are not barred from attaining greatness by heredity. No matter who or what your ancestors may have been or how unlearned or lowly their station, the upward way is open for you.

3. The Source Of Power

   20 mins

   MAN’S brain, body, mind, faculties, and talents are the mere instruments he uses in demonstrating greatness; in themselves they do not make him great.

4. The Mind Of God

   20 mins

   THERE is a Cosmic Intelligence that is in all things and through all things. This is the one real substance. From it all things proceed.

5. Preparation

   20 mins

   If you become like God you can read his thoughts; and if you do not you will find the inspirational perception of truth impossible.

6. The Social Point Of View

   20 mins

   "WITHOUT faith it is impossible to please God,” and without faith it is impossible for you to become great. The distinguishing characteristic of all really great men and women is an unwavering faith.

7. The Individual Point Of View

   20 mins

   IMPORTANT as the matter of your point of view for the facts of social life is, it is of less moment than your viewpoint for your fellow men, for your acquaintances, friends, relatives, your immediate family, and, most of all, yourself.

8. Consecration

   20 mins

   HAVING attained to the viewpoint that puts you into the right relations with the world and with your fellow men, the next step is consecration; and consecration in its true sense simply means obedience to the soul.

9. Identification

   20 mins

   HAVING recognized God as the advancing presence in nature, society, and your fellow men, and harmonized yourself with all these, and having consecrated yourself to that within you which impels toward the greatest and the highest, the next step is to become aware of and recognize fully the fact that the Principle of Power within you is God Himself.

10. Idealization

    25 mins

    YOU are a thinking center in original substance, and the thoughts of original substance have creative power; whatever is formed in its thought and held as a thought-form must come into existence as a visible and so-called material form, and a thought-form held in thinking substance is a reality; it is a real thing, whether it has yet become visible to mortal eye or not.

11. Realization

    20 mins

    IF you were to stop with the close of the last chapter, however, you would never become great; you would be indeed a mere dreamer of dreams, a castle-builder.

12. Hurry And Habit

    20 mins

    NO doubt you have many problems, domestic, social, physical, and financial, which seem to you to be pressing for instant solution.

13. Thought

    20 mins

    GREATNESS is only attained by the constant thinking of great thoughts. No man can become great in outward personality until he is great internally; and no man can be great internally until he THINKS.

14. Action At Home

    25 mins

    DO not merely think that you are going to become great; think that you are great now. Do not think that you will begin to act in a great way at some future time; begin now. Do not think that you will act in a great way when you reach a different environment; act in a great way where you are now.

15. Action Abroad

    25 mins

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

16. Some Further Explanations

    25 mins

    WE go back here to the matter of the point of view, for, besides being vitally important, it is the one that is likely to give the student the most trouble.

17. More About Thought

    25 mins

    GIVE place here to some further consideration of thought. You will never become great until your own thoughts make you great, and therefore it is of the first importance that you should THINK.

18. Jesus’ Idea Of Greatness

    25 mins

    IN the twenty-third chapter of Matthew Jesus makes a very plain distinction between true and false greatness; and also points out the one great danger to all who wish to become great; the most insidious of temptations which all must avoid and fight unceasingly who desire to really climb in the world.

19. A View Of Evolution

    20 mins

    BUT how shall we avoid throwing ourselves into altruistic work if we are surrounded by poverty, ignorance, suffering, and every appearance of misery as very many people are?

20. Serving God

    25 mins

    I HAVE brought you thus far through the two preceding chapters with a view to finally settling the question of duty. This is one that puzzles and perplexes very many people who are earnest and sincere, and gives them a great deal of difficulty in its solution.

21. A Mental Exercise

    25 mins

    THE purpose of mental exercises must not be misunderstood. There is no virtue in charms or formulated strings of words; there is no short cut to development by repeating prayers or incantations.

22. A Summary Of The Science Of Being Great

    30 mins

    ALL men are made of the one intelligent substance, and therefore all contain the same essential powers and possibilities. Greatness is equally inherent in all, and may be manifested by all. Every person may become great. Every constituent of God is a constituent of man.