Inspirational Quote –
Here is a great quote by James Allen. What do you think this quote means? Put your answer in the comments below. Be the first to comment.
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Today’s inspirational quote is …
“To begin to think with purpose, is to enter the ranks of those strong ones who only recognize failure as one of the pathways to attainment.”~James Allen
Who is James Allen? Author of As a Man Thinketh.
This quote actually comes from James Allen’s book, As a Man Thinketh, which is out of copyright and can be obtained for free. See the screenshot below. Sometimes when you come across a quote that someone shares, it is hard to find the origin, the context, the intent of the speaker, or the audience to whom the quote was intended. We know all of these with this quote. James Allen’s book is about turning thought into action and results. It’s the age old concept still seems new to some people, but Mr Allen’s short 38 page book dated 1902 is just one of those evidences that positive thinking principles have always been around.
Here you can find the full quote in context.
There are several concepts that someone could pull out of this quote given the context. Here are five things this quote emphasizes
- FAILURE – The biggest of these lessons is not fearing failure. When it comes to failure, the quote teaches the reader that success comes easier to those who don’t fear failure. The truth is that failure is just part of the learning and growth process. While there may be some isolated incidents where you can learn things without experiencing failure along the way, those instances would be rare. Far more common in the human experience is that failure is “one of the pathways to attainment.” The inference is that failure should not be feared, but rather embraced and leveraged for what it is: an opportunity to learn.
- SUCCESS – The second lesson embedded in this quote is the idea of, “entering the ranks of the strong ones.” This suggests following in the footsteps of those individuals who you identify as successful. Success leaves clues. Following and learning from those who are experiencing success will increase your chances of also experiencing success.
- PURPOSE – This quote also reminds us of the importance of purpose. It begins with the introductory phrase, “To begin to think with purpose.” Establishing the importance of purpose is the object of the quote. In fact, the quote was taken from a chapter in Allen’s book entitled, “Thought and Purpose,” and his intent was to persuade the reader to adopt purpose in thought, in life, and in all pursuits.
- STRENGTH – This quote infers that strength is a desirable quality or characteristic that we should aspire to develop. In the world of personal development, strength, or strength of character is a synonym for both confidence and conviction.
- MINDSET – The quote urges the reader to adopt at least four mindset attitudes: live with purpose, be strong, follow success, and embrace failure. Maintaining a positive mindset, attitude, and outlook is an important part of personal improvement and living a happier, fuller life.
There you have it, those are the many lessons we can glean from this quote. Are there others that you see? Have I left anything out? Put them below in the comments and let me know what you think.
In sum, the lessons we glean from this quote are:
- Don’t fear failure
- Follow successful people
- Adopt purpose in your life
- Be strong and confidant
- Adopt this positive mindset
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