INTRO
“Is it really so? That no one lives while thinking like this.
It’s better to die than to think. That might be a bit exaggerated.
However, most people always think while living. ‘What should I have for lunch today?’ ‘How can I write this report better?’ These are also thoughts, of course. But they are thoughts that you have to have while living in reality.
The ‘thinking’ that the author of this book and George Bernard Shaw talk about is not that kind of thinking.
It’s thinking for my life. It’s about thinking for my true life and success.
Not long ago, I posted that the saying from ‘The Power of Subconscious Mind’ I read a while ago, ‘If you don’t live as you think, you’ll start thinking as you live,’ was wrong. To break free from the control of the brain and have better thoughts, I said, ‘If you don’t live without thinking, your brain will control you.’ The definition of ‘thinking’ in these two books is slightly different. In ‘The Power of Subconscious Mind,’ thinking was the instinctive intuition of the brain for my stability. In this book, ‘thinking’ is a creative idea for my life.”
Since this book naturally came out long before ‘The Power of Subconscious Mind,’ and because the author is not a neuroscientist… what he is talking about is showing the path to success through my own thoughts (creativity and ideas)
AUTHOR
At the age of 12, while watching his parents who couldn’t live as wealthy individuals, he began to analyze successful people and those who weren’t. With his creative ideas, he uncovered the ‘secret of success’ and delivered an inspirational message to many people
INSIGHT
We become What we think about? isn’t that a bit cliche? What’s the evidence for this?
Do you think every day? What is thinking? Most people believe they live while thinking, but in reality, I’ve seen statistics that show only 1 percent truly live while thinking.”
“What is ‘thinking’? Various ambiguous expressions are used. In the dictionary, it’s described as the ‘act of counting and judging things.’ In the end, it’s an action within the mind that ‘judges.’ No matter how much you think about it, ‘We become what we think about’ sounds cliché. In the 21st century, this can’t be helped. It may sound convincing as a book title, but the more you think about it, the more it becomes an obvious story.”
“If I think I want to wake up early tomorrow morning, I’ll wash up and go to bed earlier than usual, and set the alarm early. So, in the end, I’ll wake up early in the morning.”
“But why do I want to wake up early in the morning? Perhaps it’s a ‘thought’ I’ve come up with to start my day at 4:30 and have dedicated time for myself. Maybe it’s a ‘thought’ to study and prepare for an important test tomorrow, so I’ll sleep well for my condition and wake up early in the morning to review and take the exam.”
“Oh, this is also a thought. A ‘judgmental action’ in my mind to create the behavior of waking up early in the morning. Through such a simple example, ‘thinking’ can change the outcome of my perfect day, my test score. This is how people become what they think about. It may be a cliché expression, but when you think about it simply, it’s a somewhat accurate thought.
I have had the experience of reading the book called “The Miracle Morning” a few years ago and trying to implement it. Waking up in the morning to meditate and ask myself questions. However, after a few days, I gave up. There were days with social gatherings, and it was difficult to go to bed early. (Although I think I used to wake up early on exam days.) I thought this way, but how can we explain the cases when we give up?
We also need to think about the relationship between thought and action. Everyone thinks. Everyone wants to be the best, to become wealthy. But there can only be one first place. Becoming wealthy is also challenging; it’s difficult to be among the top 5 out of 100. How can we explain the gap between thought and action? Is it due to shallow thinking? Laziness?
“Today’s you is the sum of everything you’ve thought up to now. Are you satisfied with your place in the world right now?”
We need a purpose and goals.
The book distinguishes between “mission-oriented individuals” and “goal-oriented individuals.” Mission-oriented individuals are geniuses, often referred to as such, like Mozart and Leonardo da Vinci. Most people, including myself, are not Leonardos, so let’s pass on that.
So, what is a “goal-oriented individual”?
“People with clear goals that engage their heads and hearts are always moving toward those goals. Even during sleep, their deep subconscious is immersed in the project.”
In other words, they are deeply immersed in their goals. This immersion in their goals connects their thoughts strongly and consistently to their actions.
Have you ever been deeply immersed in a goal? In fact, I have. It was during my preparation for a professional engineer exam. I really did nothing else during that period. I studied all the time, except when I was working. I even listened to PDF files while commuting, reading during my lunch break, and studying right after work. So, things turned out as I had thought. The goal was clear: “passing the exam.” Consequently, it naturally connected my thoughts on how to study in the morning, during lunch, take breaks, and in the evening.
However, in the process of translating these actions into reality, there are often “intermediate steps” that can be seen as obstacles. These can be called entry barriers or initial investments. One must work tirelessly and make conscious, perhaps even obsessive efforts to reach a certain level of momentum. The reason doesn’t matter, whether it’s a sense of revenge or for survival. To take action, you may need to push hard in the early stages.
“Someone who dedicates themselves 100% to a goal willingly follows any necessary intermediate steps.”
Most people tend to give up at these “intermediate steps.” A friend who discontinues going to the library after a month, diligently studying for the first three days but ending up at an internet cafe. Someone who carries heavy books to the library and ends up using them as pillows to sleep, and so on. There’s even a saying for such people, “作心三日” (In the beginning, the heart is set for three days).
But you must realize that there are things you should never comply with. We tend to conform to others’ standards without questioning them if we’re not conscious of it.”
The author talks about consciousness. Indeed, we must be conscious. Without consciousness, it’s difficult to lead to strong actions.
Consciousness: The act of perceiving oneself or objects in a wakeful state.
As seen in the dictionary definition of consciousness, it is an “act of perceiving,” and ultimately, perception is a form of “thinking” that takes place in our minds. Here again, “thinking” can help lead a life of non-compliance. It can serve as a foundation for a better tomorrow than today.
Once you have the right mindset and a sense of purpose, what should you do next?
“Sparky illustrated his own story in comics. He portrayed his childhood self, who always wanted to stand out from others.”
“The characters in that comic soon became internationally famous. It was Charles Schulz, the creator of ‘Peanuts.’ The comic featured a boy named Charlie Brown, who repeatedly failed at flying kites and playing baseball.”
Everything has become faster in this age. Perhaps that’s why people seem to give up more easily than before. They try something briefly, and as soon as they think, “Oh, this isn’t it,” they give up immediately. Let’s take an example. While preparing for a civil service exam, it becomes too difficult. As soon as the thought, “Hmm, this might not be it,” crosses their minds, they start searching online for information that can rescue them from this hell. Various information comes up. They hear about someone who’s a quasi-public servant similar to a civil servant, like a military officer, and they hear that the exam isn’t that difficult… etc. They might say, “Oh, this sounds good,” and switch. Even though they’ve already shouted “loyalty!” in their hearts, they become a “quasi” public servant, a military officer, or something like that.
No matter how quickly the world changes, there’s one thing that doesn’t change: success takes time. There may be people who become overnight millionaires, but let’s not call that success. It’s more appropriate to describe it as a state of “temporary wealth.” Success is not that. It’s the result of your right thoughts and firm actions. It’s about expanding your success beyond one success, not settling for just one.
Never give up and keep going.
And if you want to become wealthy, never bury your ideas. Successful people in the world are those who turn their “thoughts” into reality. Think your idea is outrageous? That’s because you’re not living as you think. Don’t underestimate your abilities. With consistent effort, anyone can succeed.
“Today, we live in a society where we can get immediate satisfaction. However, there are things in the world that don’t change. It takes time to become really good at something.”
“Remember that successful people are not those without problems but those who have learned how to solve them.”
OUTRO
The title may sound somewhat cliché, and the content might as well.
Since it has been around for quite a while, you could probably consider it a classic in the self-help genre.
In the end, these theories even gave birth to the formula R=VD and evolved, spreading through concepts like the reverse calendar, immersion, and the miracle morning.
“Simple is the Best.”
Complexity makes it difficult to put into practice (con artists often use complex language).
There are too many steps to follow.
Let’s think simply.
With the right thoughts and a sense of purpose for the future, let’s proceed with strong determination and action.
If obstacles arise along the way, let’s take pleasure in overcoming them.
Despite everything, let’s keep going for just one more day and then try again.
Through such efforts, perhaps we can live a life that resembles the one we’ve envisioned.
Key Sentences
- “You will reap what you sow, from the day you are born until the day you die.”
- “If you can turn what you have into something that hundreds, thousands, or even millions of people can use or enjoy, then you too can have wonderful and good things.”
- “How many people are doing what you are doing?”
- “The reason some people earn more money than others is because they provide more valuable and in-demand services. They have learned how to provide solutions that others need.”
- “Find ways to multiply what you do, what you love to do. There’s no need to rush. Slow and steady growth is the best.”
- “People with clear goals that engage their minds and hearts always move toward those goals. Even while they sleep, their deep subconscious is focused on the project.”
- “Those who devote themselves 100% to their goals willingly follow the necessary intermediate steps, no matter what they become.”
- “However, remember that there are things you should never comply with. Without consciousness, we tend to conform to others’ standards without questioning.”
- “People become what they think, but thoughts are what we make of them.”
- “Most people rely on their jobs and unions for security, as if they were their parents.”
- “Don’t wait until you lose your job to think about possible alternatives. Think ahead when the situation is favorable, without pressure and with increased self-esteem.”
- “Anxiety is a natural state of being for humans. Instability actually signifies autonomy.”
- “Focusing on good ideas every day results in a tremendous cumulative effect.”
- “The attitude that demands excellence brings excellence. We must always maintain high expectations.”
- “If you are convinced that you are moving towards the right goal, nothing in the world can replace patience.”
- “Building a healthy self-image in 4 steps: 1. Forgive others. 2. Forgive yourself. 3. Focus on your greatest strengths. 4. Move at your own pace.”
- “Sparky drew his own story in comics. He expressed his childhood desire to stand out from others.” … “The characters in that comic soon became world-famous. It was Charles Schulz who drew ‘Peanuts.’ It featured Charlie Brown, a boy who repeatedly failed at flying kites and playing baseball.”
- “Today, we live in a society where we can obtain immediate gratification. However, there are things in the world that do not change. It takes time to become truly excellent.”
- “Successful people are not those without problems but those who have learned how to solve problems.”