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sitting in a room with several of your friends。 Then； I want you
to visualize yourself announcing to them your intention of
being wealthy； at least； wealthy enough to live the way you
choose to live。 Now； imagine how that would make you feel。 If
you are like most people； you would probably feel very
unfortable。 Perhaps you would feel so unfortable； that
you might even retract what you had said by informing your
friends you were only joking。 You should understand；
however； that people who are wealthy never feel unfortable
when the subject of money is brought up。 〃Why don't they；〃
you ask？ The most obvious answer would be； because they
already have 〃lots〃 of it。 But that is not the correct answer。
You should realize that people don't feel fortable about
money because they have it； they have it because they feel
fortable about it。 In other words； one of the reasons that
wealthy people have money is that they have developed that
state of consciousness we will hereinafter refer to as； a
〃prosperity consciousness。〃 Therefore； it follows； if we wish to
attract money to ourselves； we must begin to foster a
prosperity consciousness as well。
The question you should now be asking yourself is this：
〃How do I go about developing this prosperity consciousness
for myself？〃 Let me explain。 The best way to develop a
prosperity consciousness is to start seeing yourself； in your
mind's eye； already in possession of the amount of money that
you desire。 The reason this is so is that since the
subconscious mind cannot distinguish between the actual
possession of money and mere visualization； you will soon
bee very fortable with the 〃idea〃 of money。 As a result；
you will start attracting it to yourself。
This may sound like a game you are playing； but let me
assure you； it is one of the wisest things you can possibly do。
For when you succeed in convincing your subconscious mind
that you are wealthy and that it feels good to be wealthy； your
subconscious mind will automatically seek ways of making
your 〃imaginary〃 feelings of wealth manifest themselves in
material form。
If these last few lines seem like sheer fantasy to you； just
ignore them for the time being and continue reading。 We will
be dealing with prosperity consciousness at different points in
the book and I guarantee you that before you finish this book；
those lines will start to make a lot more sense to you。
Fear Not
Now that I have touched upon a 〃technique〃 which will
help you acquire greater wealth； let me offer this further word
of warning。 If you want to have money； one thing you should
never； never do； is worry about whether or not you will get the
money you desire； or whether you will keep it。 Let me
elaborate。
In the Bible； Job； the great sufferer of biblical times；
makes the following remark： 〃Behold； the thing I fear has e
to visit upon me。〃 Now； stop and ask yourself if you willwhat
those biblical words mean to those of us concerned about
money today。 Well； one thing they certainly mean is that if we
insist upon constantly worrying about not having enough
money； or if we habitually worry about losing the money we do
have； then we are absolutely guaranteed not to worry in vain。
For just as surely as Job was afflicted by his many maladies；
so too shall we be afflicted by the lack or the loss of money。
To take a more contemporary example； let us again
consider the tragic case of 〃poor old Mr。 Chapman。〃 As you
will recall； he was the elderly gentleman who never spent any
of his hardearned savings。 But the question is； 〃Why didn't
he？〃 Most likely it was because he was afraid that if he spent
his money； he would bee poor and hence would be forced
to live like a pauper。 The irony was； however； that because of
his fear； he lived like a pauper anyway！ Or； to be more biblical
about it； 〃The thing that he feared most came to visit upon
him。〃
In a later chapter you will be given a fuller explanation of
the paradox of why we attract into our lives the very things we
least desire。 But for now； suffice it to say； worrying about
money is always extremely counterproductive。 This principle
holds true； even if you rationalize your worry with the old
platitude that you are 〃just saving a little for a rainy day。〃
I must put forward one other caveat at this time： if you
really want to significantly increase the amount of money you
are presently earning； the first thing you must do is learn to
pay substantially less attention to what others around you are
saying and substantially more attention to what that 〃quiet
voice〃 that speaks within you； is saying。 Put more prosaically：
you must strive to bee much less susceptible to influences
outside of yourself and much more inclined to trust the
instincts and feelings that lie within you。 Let me elaborate。
Most people who fail to accumulate enough money to live
in the style they choose are the same people who are most
easily influenced by other people's opinions。 For instance； they
are often the people who let the writers of economic doom and
gloomwhether in the newspapers or on news broadcasts do
their thinking for them。 But； as Napoleon Hill pointed out in
his great book； Think and Grow Rich； opinions are the
cheapest modities on earth。 In fact； almost everyone has a
flock of them ready to be foisted upon anyone who is willing to
accept them。 Therefore； if you know you have been unduly
influenced in the past by other people's opinions； make up
your mind right nowbefore you read any furtherthat from
here on in； you are going to heed your own counsel； while
keeping an attentive ear open for God's counsel。 Remember； if
you do； there is absolutely no reason why you cannot bee
financially successful within a very reasonable period of time。
Understanding vs。 Memorization
As you read on through the pages in this book； you will
develop an everincreasing awareness of the talents and
abilities that lie deep within you。 You should realize； that with
the proper instruction； you can begin using these undeveloped
talents to attract the good that you desire。 But let me caution
you once againno amount of reading or memorizing will bring
you the success you seek。 It is only the understanding and
application of the ideas in this book that will make the
difference for you。 Therefore； don't be in any hurry to finish
the book； because a plete reading should not be your
objective。 As stated previously； understanding and applying
what you read is the objective。 So if you are able to properly
digest only one page a day； that might be all that is necessary
for you to arrive at your goal。 If you are wondering why this
book is meant to be 〃sipped and tasted；〃 rather than
〃devoured〃 at one reading； bear in mind it is based upon over
twenty years of careful analysis of the methods of both the
very successful and the very unsuccessful。
Strength Through Sharing
One more word of advice。 Since very fewif anypeople
bee great at anything by themselves； I would suggest you
attempt to find at least one other perso