Pros and cons | As a Man Thinketh - James Allen
Doubt and fear are the great enemies of knowledge, and he who encourages them, who does not slay them, thwarts himself at every step.
"As a Man Thinketh" is a classic self-help book written by James Allen, first published in 1903. It's a relatively short text, but it packs a lot of wisdom into its pages, primarily focusing on the power of thought and its influence on a person's life. Central is the idea that you become what you think about; that your thoughts dictate your actions, which in turn shape your character and destiny.
?Man is the master of thought, the moulder of character, and the maker and shaper of condition, environment, and destiny
Pros
1. Concise and Direct
The book is a quick read but full of profound ideas. It cuts straight to the point, avoiding filler and fluff.
?The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good
2. Universal Themes
The concepts Allen discusses are timeless and applicable to a broad audience, regardless of background or belief system.
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3. Empowering
The notion that your thoughts can shape your life can be a powerful motivator. The book encourages you to take control of your thinking patterns to improve your life.
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4. Thought-Provoking
Despite that it is concise and brief, the book gives you a lot to ponder and invites you to reflect on your habits, attitudes, and overall mindset.
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5. Well-Written
The language, while somewhat dated given its early 20th-century origin, is poetic and uplifting.
?Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts
Cons
1. Lack of Practical Steps
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The book is more philosophical than practical. While it provides a foundation for thinking about personal development, it doesn't offer concrete steps for achieving it.
I personally love to work from the philosophical aspects and put it into practice my self. You can approach the content with this in mind to put into practice these ideas
Circumstance does not make the man; it reveals him to himself
2. Outdated Language
The language may make it less accessible to a modern audience, requiring a more focused effort to extract its lessons.
This does not necessarily have to be a con for everyone: If you like languages, puzzles or history you will probably enjoy the reading in it self as well. It was more difficult to digest, I guess not only because of the language but more over the ideas and the challenges within it. It took me a few tries before reading a few pages, and then it took some studying to understand. It is worth the time investment!
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3. Overly Simplistic
The idea that you can control all aspects of your life through thought alone can be seen as overly simplistic. External factors, such as social and economic circumstances, are not considered in Allen's thesis.
Once you understand that you'll read the book with the Serenity prayer in mind, than it makes all sense.
Good thoughts and actions can never produce bad results; bad thoughts and actions can never produce good results?
4. Not Backed by Scientific Research
The book precedes much of the modern psychological research that lends empirical support to some of its ideas, so some readers may find its claims lack scientific rigor.
For me it did wonders. Maybe for this type of books there is first the content and later scientific research.?
As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking
Overall, "As a Man Thinketh" is worth reading if you're interested in the power of thought and its impact on life. While it has limitations, its core message has inspired millions of readers and influenced countless other works in the personal development field.
I'd recommend this book to anyone who wants to go beyond the surface into the thought field.
7 chapters
A strong man cannot help a weaker unless that weaker is willing to be helped, and even then the weak man must become strong of himself; he must, by his own efforts, develop the strength which he admires in anothe