William Atkinson - The Complete Works of William Walker Atkinson

There seems to be a great law of Nature whereby an atom attracts to itself that which is needed for its development. And the force that brings about these results manifests itself in Desire. There may be many Desires, but the predominant one has the strongest attracting power. This law is recognized through the various kingdoms of Nature, but it is only beginning to be realized that the same Law maintains in the kingdom of the mind.

Our mental attitude causes us to draw things to us corresponding in kind to our predominant thoughts and desires. A thought firmly fixed in the mind, and held continually, will attract to its holder the things represented by that thought, excepting in such cases where other mental influences are at work counteracting the power of the thought. For instance, if two men were to earnestly wish for the same thing, the stronger thought force would gain the object. But it is not always best to wish for some special thing, as that particular thing may not be the best thing for you in your present stage of development. The better plan is to hold the thought of ultimate success, leaving the details to the workings of the Law, and taking advantage of the things that occur, turning each one to your advantage, and allowing no chance to pass by without making use of it. It will be found that the Law operates that way. I have seen people who fixed their ambition and aspirations upon some particular thing, and after obtaining that thing would find out that it was not what they wanted at all. The better plan, as I have stated, is to hold to the mental attitude of success and accomplishment, leaving the details to be worked out from day to day—taking advantage of each feature of the plan as it presents itself, and feeling, always, that the particular thing that is occurring is the best possible thing that could happen, in view of ultimate success.

I believe that much of the work of the Law of Attraction is accomplished by means of one attracting to himself men of similar ideas, who are likely to be interested in his plans, ideas, business, etc., and at the same time causing one to be attracted to other men who may be of use to him. It is a case of mutual attraction, not a case of the influence of one mind over another. Two men of similar mental attitudes will attract each other and will come together for mutual advantage. And although the result often seems to be the attracting of things , it will be seen that the things are moved by men. Many other important results occur by one having attracted to himself thoughts and ideas from outside, which he puts into practice and thereby is enabled to realize his desire. But there are cases in which it is seen that the mind has a positive effect upon things . Some men seem to be immune from accidents, while others are always running into them. Men of a fearless, daring nature seem to be exempt from many things that occur to men who are full of fear. Some men seem to bear charmed lives in battle, while others are always being wounded. I have heard of a number of cases in which men have almost sought death, and could not find it. At first glance it would appear that the thing they sought should have come to them, but a little closer analysis shows us that what they really did was to get rid of fear.

And the same thing seems true of business and everyday life. The man who dares and seems devoid of fear, takes all sorts of chances but generally comes out ahead in the end. If he fails, it is generally because he loses his nerve at the last moment. Fear is one of the greatest attracting forces of the mind. It is equal to Confident Expectation, in fact Fear is a sort of confident expectation of evil to come, the expectation varying in degree with the amount of Fear.

Your thoughts place you in connection with the outside world and its forces, and you attract and repel people, and things, by the character of thought held. You and they are attracted to each other, because your thoughts are pitched in the same key. You are in close touch with all other parts of the whole, but attract to yourself only such of the parts as correspond in kind with your mental attitude. If you think Success you will find that you have started into operation the forces that are conducive to that success, and from time to time, if you maintain the same mental position, other things will fall into line as they are needed, and will aid you in your efforts. Things will seem to come your way in a most astonishing manner, and opportunities will arise which, if taken advantage of, will insure to you success. You will find that new thoughts will come into your mind which should be taken advantage of. You will meet with people who will help you in many ways, by suggestions, ideas and active help. Of course the work which you must do yourself will not be performed for you by others, but the Law will continually help and assist you. It will bring opportunities and chances to your door, but you will have to take them in. It will lead up to doors opening into advancement, but you will have to open the doors yourself. It will undertake what will seem to be round-about roads to get to a thing, but do not let that worry you, for you will arrive at your journey’s end, no matter how winding the road.

Sometimes it will take you away past the point at which you thought you were aiming, and, as you go past, you will smile to think how this point on the road which now seems so unimportant, a little further back seemed to be your destination, your reason for making the trip. Sometimes the thing which seems to represent all that is worth having, and which inspires you to make the effort, will have lost all interest for you when you near it, and you will make no attempt to grasp it but pass on, rapidly swept past by the irresistible forces which have been set into operation.

Faith in the Law and recognition of it, seem to be rewarded by immediate movement forward. Lack of faith, and denial of it, seem to act as brakes to progress, although the law is always in operation, because if we are not going forward it is pulling us in some other direction, by reason of the forces of attraction which we have put into operation, even though we do it unconsciously. The Law works two ways, apparently, although both ways are really only different manifestations of the one. The thing you Fear attracts as much as the thing for which you hope.

When one is looking for trouble he generally gets it, and when he feels his ability to stand all sorts of trouble and to ride over it, the trouble does not seem to come. One gets very much what he looks for. The old saying that the world takes a man at his own valuation, although not strictly correct, is based upon a recognition of this Law. A man who expects to be kicked and buffeted around, generally has his expectations realized, whereas a man who demands respect generally gets it.

As I have already said, the Law will not do a man’s work for him, but it places tools and materials right at his hand, and keeps him well supplied with both. The Law is constantly bringing opportunities to each of us, and it remains for us to take advantage of them or to let them pass us by unheeded. Thoughts, things, people, ideas, opportunities, chances, and other things which we attract are passing before us all the time. But it takes Courage to grasp them. The successful man is he who knows how to take advantage of the chances that other men fail to see. He has confidence in himself and in his ability to beat into shape the crude material at his hand. And so, he never feels that there are no more chances in the world for him, or that all the good things have been passed around. He knows that there are plenty more good things where the others came from, and he simply keeps his eyes open, and after a bit something comes along and he reaches out and takes it.

The Law of Attraction is in full operation. You are making use of it constantly and unconsciously, every minute of your life. What kind of things are you attracting to you? What kind of things do you want? Do your thoughts correspond with the things you want or the things you fear? Which? The Law is either your Master or your Servant. Make your choice, and make it Now.