Concentration is the art of thinking about a subject or a fact in its intimate associations, to the exclusion of other and unrelated subjects or facts. It is a free movement within the circle of connected ideas. Mind-wandering is straying outside the circumference of that circle. To develop this ability to concentrate we have to employ interest and will-power. Thus the means are as simple as the results are profound, for the average man who can look long and continuously at a thing, reflecting thoughtfully on what he sees, may make discoveries that come as a surprise even to the person of genius.
The Art of Thinking
The material that we gather by means of the senses, especially sight and hearing, must be rightly understood, properly classified and correctly judged in its relation to other material. To understand is to know what experience brings us. This enables us to classify it. To judge correctly is to think about facts or ideas without straying from the truth concerning them. The tendency to stray is so strong, due to the influences of temperament, nationality, education, and chance happenings, that if the student desires to make some progress in the art of thinking he must first obtain the detachment of mind and the mental adjustment referred to in a previous lesson; then he must master the elementary principles of evidence, and acquaint himself with the scientific method.
Books and Reading
The lesson on Books and Reading is one of several indications that Pelmanism appeals to every side of the mind’s activities, not the money side only, although it rightly appeals to that. To know something of the history of men’s thoughts as recorded in all kinds of books is to have inspiration for business as well as solace, even happiness, in days that are dark and dreary. The story of the stars is more romantic than a novel, and the biography of a merchant may be more entrancing than a play.
Room should be made in your life for the helpful friendliness of books. You will then never have to look for a means of killing tune. You will never have time enough for all the books you wish to read. The real gain, however, is in the broadening of your mind, the increase of its range of ideas, and the ability to assess their comparative values. You will be able the better to create new ideas of your own, for the keen intelligence required in your daily work will prevent you from allowing books to dominate your own thinking. They will do no more than .prompt you to think more deeply and comprehensively about your business and professional concerns, while they add other benefits in the form of mental poise, courage, and contentment.
The Subconscious
The deeper life of the mind, hidden away in the subconscious, is always a topic of interest to thoughtful people. Its mystery is part of its attraction, but its ungauged powers, as seen in various phenomena, normal and abnormal, make an unusual appeal to the imagination. It is an appeal that needs safeguarding.
We saw in discussing the question of personality that too much attention may be an evil, resulting in self-conscious display and artificiality. So in regard to the subconscious life: introspection does more harm than good. There is a further analogy. Just as personality expands more naturally and safely the less we trouble about it, so the subconscious life will act more satisfactorily the more we forget it and, concern ourselves with the right conduct of (fur conscious moments.
This does not mean that it is impious to draw aside the veil which hides the hidden life. We have to learn all we can about every function of the mind, but research should be left in the hands of those who are qualified for the work. Most of us are too busy to spare the time, and even if we had the time, we may not have the necessary technical knowledge.
What we have to avoid is forming the habit of introspection—that habit which prompts us continually to peer into our consciousness if by any chance we can discover the evidences of a subconscious happening. We gain little or nothing by such a discovery; indeed, we shall have spent time and energy only in confirming what was very likely discovered years ago. No one need plume himself that lie can educate the subconscious by direct effort so as to increase his chances of making money, and thus draw ahead of his competitors. The only successful method of getting the best out of the life below consciousness is to make conscious operations increasingly efficient.
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