“Lord of a thousand worlds am I, and I reign since time began; and night and day, in cyclic sway, Shall pass while their deeds I scan. Yet time shall cease ere I find release, for I AM the soul of Man” _ A poet named Orr
Foster says: “It is wonderful how even the casualties of life seem to bow to a spirit that will not bow to them, and yield to sub-serve a design which they may, in their first apparent tendency, threaten to frustrate. When a firm, decisive spirit is recognized, it is curious to see how the space clears around a man and leaves him room and freedom.”
Each and every person must work out his own Success, along the lines of his own Individuality, instead of along some cut‑and‑dried plan. “Along the lines of his own individuality,” then it must follow that one must possess Individuality before he may work along its “lines.” And in the measure that he possesses Individuality, so will he possess the first prerequisite to Success. And that is what we mean by “The Secret of Success”—Individuality “Individuality is the expression of our Self—that self which is what we mean when we say “I”” In fact, leadership comes this way because of this self‑assertive, and self‑directive quality. If they had stood back in a modest, mild manner, they would have been pushed aside by the flock that would disclaim them as leaders, in favour of others who knew how to push to the front. However note that the great men—the strong men—care nothing for the flock, which so obediently trots along after them. In the first place there is the “I,” which is the Real Self or the Individual, and there is the “Me,” which is something attached to and belonging to the “I”—the Personality.
The Free Expression of the Individual - the “I”, you must first awaken to a realization of what the Individual - the “I” within you - really is. Many people are in the habitat of regarding their bodies as the “I” part of them, but a little consideration will show them that the body is but a material covering, or machine through which and by means of which the “I” is able to manifest itself.
You are aware that your mental states change - your emotions vary - your feelings differ from time to time - your very ideas and thoughts are inconsistent and are subject to outside influences, or else are moulded and governed by that which you call “I”, or your Real Self. Then there must be something behind Mental States, Ideas, Feelings, Thoughts, etc., which is superior to them and which “knows” them just as one knows a thing apart from itself but which it uses. You Say “I” feel; “I” think; “I” believe; “I” know; “I” will; etc. etc. Now which is the Real Self? The Mental States just mentioned or the “I” Which is the subject or Real Cause Of the mental phenomena? It is not the Mind that knows, but the “I” Which uses the Mind In order to know. The awakening to a realization of the “I”, in its clearness and vividness, will cause you to feel a sense of being and Power that you have never before known. Before you can express Individuality, you must realize that you are an Individual.
The “Me” side of you is what is called Personality, to the outer appearance of yourself. Your Personality is made up of countless characteristics, traits, habits, thoughts, expressions and motions - it is a bunch of peculiarities and personal traits that you have been thinking was the real “I” all this time. But it is not.
Do you know what the idea of Personality arose from? Let us tell you. Turn to the pages of any good dictionary, and you will see that the word originated from the Latin word “Persona”, meaning “a mask used by actors in ancient times”, and which the word in turn was derived from two other words, “sonare,” meaning to “sound,” and “per,” meaning ”through,” the two words combined meaning “to sound through” - the idea being that the voice of the actor sounded through the mask of the assumed personality or character. Webster gives the following as one of the meanings of “Person,” even to this day: “A character or part, as in a play; an assumed character.” So then, Personality means the part you are playing in the Great Play of Life, on the Stage of the Universe. The real Individual concealed behind the mask of Personality is YOU - the Real Self - the “I” - that part of you which you are conscious when you say “I AM,”
To us the word Spirit expresses the idea of the real essential nature of the Universal Power, and which is also manifested in man as the centre of his being His essential strength and power, from whence proceeds all that renders him an Individual. It means the state of being “animated,” meaning, “Possessed Of life and vigour”
Put two male baboons in the same cage, and they will open their mouths, show all their teeth, and ‘blow’ at each other. But one of them, will blow with a difference, with an inward shakiness that marks him as the underdog at once. No test of battle is needed at all. It is the same with the big cats. Put two, or four, or a dozen lions together, and they also, probably without a single contest, will soon discover which one of them possesses the nerve of the master.
The writer states clearly that it is not always the baboon with the fiercest tusks that is the master, neither does the “king lion” necessarily assert his dominion by winning a physical fight - it is something far more subtle than the physical always leads. And this leadership does not depend upon physical strength, intellectual attainment, or culture in the ordinary sense, but upon the manifestation and recognition of that subtle quality that we have called Spirit. Breeders of thoroughbred racing horses will tell you that a horse having “spirit” will run a gamer race and will often outdistance and out-wind a horse having higher physical characteristics, but less “spirit” or “class
But as Fothergill truly says: “It is a great mistake to suppose that this Will is disposed to air itself on all occasions; far from it. It often has a tendency to conceal itself, and is not rarely found under and exterior of much pleasantness. There are men, and women, too, who present an appearance of such politeness that they seem to have no will of their own; they apparently exist merely to do what is agreeable to others; but just wait till the time comes, and then the latent willpower is revealed, and we find under this velvet glove the iron hand. It is the secret of the diplomatist. The blusterer and bragger are devoid of it.”
The majority of you know by actual experience in everyday life that we have within our physical organism that which we call “second-wind.” We have essayed some physical task, and after a bit found ourselves “winded,” that is short of breath, and we are tempted to stop and rest our panting bodies. But, we have also found by experience that if we will stick to the task at hand the feeling of physical distress will usually pass away, and we will gain what is called our “second-wind.” Just as there is a physical “second-wind,” so is there a mental reserve force or latent energy upon which we can draw and thus get a fresh start. The phenomena attendant upon physical “second-wind,” as noted above, is almost exactly duplicated by certain mental phenomena. behind our working mentality are stores of wonderful mental energy and power – faculties lying dormant – power lying latent – awaiting the magic command of the Will In order to awaken into activity and outward expression.
This “want-to-hard-enough” is the great inciting power in life. Desire is the fire which rouses up the steam of Will. Without Incentive – and that means Desire – we accomplish nothing. Given the great, earnest, burning ardent Desire as an animating force – the great incentive to take action, and we are able to get up this mental “second-wind” – yes, third, fourth, and fifth winds – tapping one plane of inward power after another, until we work mental miracles. You cultivate certain Desires, in order that the Will may flow out along these channels. By cultivating the Desire along certain lines, you are making channels along which the Will may flow in its rush toward expression and manifestation. So be sure to map out your Desire channels clearly by making the proper Mental Images of what you want – be sure and make the Desire channels deep and clear-cut by the force of repeated attention and autosuggestion.
You can by a careful training of the Will – or rather, by a carefully training of yourself use your will – manage to get hold of the mental throttle, so that you may pull it down and turn on a full head of steam whenever necessary. History is filled with examples of men who have developed the use of the Will. We say “developed the use” rather than “developed Will,” for man does not develop his Will – his Will is always there ready for use – a man develops his ability to use the Will – perfects himself in its use. We have frequently used the following, the idea of Persistence and Determination is identified closely with that of Will
The Will is a primal, original power of the “I” or ego (use your ego don’t kill it) which is always with it until the end. It is the force with which he rules (or should rule) his mental and physical kingdom – the power of which his Individuality manifests itself upon the outside world. Disraeli said: “I have brought myself by long meditation to the conviction that a human being with a settled purpose must accomplish it, and that nothing can resist a Will which will stake even existence upon its fulfillment.”