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back lean and he found that it was good。 He then called the
thing a 〃chair。〃 The word 〃chair〃 is a symbol that has a
corresponding image and when you see or hear the symbol
chair； it triggers an image on the screen of your mind。 From
that day to this； others have been building images of more
fortable chairschairs with padding； chairs that fold and
chairs that recline。 Then someone got lonely sitting alone and
the person began to think and they built an image in their
mind of a very long chair。 They constructed that long chair；
found it was good and they called it a 〃sofa。〃
Need we continue？ Someone got tired of sleeping under a
tree and they built an image of a roof over their head and on
and on we go。 Out of the cave into a condominium。 We have
truly built the world we live in。
Columbus imaged a new world and you and I are living in
it。 The Wright Brothers imaged us being propelled through the
air and introduced us to a new kingdom。 Samuel Morse
imaged himself interrupting the flow of energy through
metallic wires and gave us the telegraph with the Morse code。
Copernicus imaged a multiplicity of worlds and now we have
been there。
Through the years； history has recorded the results of
great visionaries。 In fact； everything ever acplished was at
first； and for a time； nothing more than an image held in the
mind of the architect。 Realize； now； that you too are the
〃mental architect〃 of your own destiny。
Going To The Movies
Consider this： Jack Nicklaus； the world famous golfer；
explains he will not even pick up a club until he has a very
clear image on the screen of his mind； showing exactly how
the ball will fly through the air； how it will hit the ground and
where it will roll after it hits。 Nicklaus calls this 〃going to the
movies〃 and he has bee so proficient at it that he has
bee known throughout the world。 Fame and fortune are
his for the asking。
In a previous paragraph； I made reference to the
statement by Wallace D。 Wattles： 〃There is a thought stuff that
permeates； perates and fills the interspaces of the cosmos。〃
In truth； there is a thought stuff everywhere around you and
within you。 So bee aware of this truth and tap into it now。
Use it to form an image on the screen of your mind； see
yourself already in possession of the amount of money you
want； to provide the things you need； to live in the style you
choose to live。
Personal Prosperity
You are using mental faculties that everyone has。 They
are exactly the same mental faculties used by Copernicus；
Buddha and Morse whom we previously mentioned。 You might
have formed the habit of thinking that people like those just
mentioned are different than you and I。 But I want you to
know the only difference between you and them； or anyone
else； is only in appearance and acplishments。 We all live in
different physical bodies and we all use our inherent mental
faculties in a different way； but our basic structure is
fundamentally the same。
I am well aware there are many professors and other
professional people who will tell you what I have just said is a
lot of nonsense。 But disbelievers like these have always existed
and they are； in my opinion； little people。 For all of the truly
great leaders are in plete agreement with what I have just
explained； about your equality with great people of the past
and present。
Even Jesus tried to tell the world； as he was doing his
great work some two thousand years ago； that you too were
capable of doing what he was doing。 In fact； He even went a
step further in saying； 〃Even greater things are you capable
of。〃 Believe Him； He spoke the truth。 The little people will say；
that is not what He meant。 But let me assure you； it is exactly
what Jesus meant。 If you can see it and believe ityou can do
it。
Napoleon Hill spent almost his entire life studying five
hundred of the world's greatest achievers and the essence of
his exhaustive studies and writings is contained in his great
book； Think and Grow Rich。 〃Whatever the mind can conceive
and believe it can achieve。〃 Not many people believe this； but
the ones who do； prove it to themselves。 Why don't you prove
it to yourself； now。
Just build the image of prosperity on the screen of your
mind and watch what happens。 Remember though； regardless
of how tough things get； you must continue to hold the picture
of personal prosperity。 You will very likely run up against a
series of circumstances that will； for a time； almost have you
convinced you are actually going backwards； but； persistence
is the key。 Continue to hold the picture of personal prosperity
and understand that what is happening to you； is what must
happen； to prepare you to receive the good you desire。
〃Persistence〃Napoleon Hill devoted an entire chapter in
Think and Grow Rich to persistence。 In that chapter he said；
〃There may be no heroic connotation to the word persistence；
but the character is to the quality of man what carbon is to
steel。〃 Hill also pointed out in another part of the same
chapter； that the only thing which separated Thomas Edison
or Henry Ford from the rest of the people in the world was
persistence。 For both of these great men had an image and
they would not let anyone or anything dissuade themthey
were persistent。 One illuminated the world； the other put the
world on wheels。 Both were； of course； richly rewarded。
In a previous chapter； we explained money is a reward for
service rendered。 These men provided a tremendous service to
millions of individuals and their reward was in direct
proportion to the service rendered。 So build your image of
prosperity and be persistent。 The way for your image to
materialize will be shown to you。 Persistence Always Pays
A number of years ago； John Kanary； a friend and
business partner of mine； was discussing Hill's chapter on
〃persistence〃 with me。 We both seemed to be equally
impressed with the importance of this quality； as well as with
the necessity of a person having it； if they were to reach any
worthwhile goal。 After a time and nearing the end of our
discussion； we each agreed we would read the chapter on
〃persistence〃； once every day for thirty days。 I don't even have
to ask John to find out if this exercise helped himI know it
did； and the exercise has most certainly benefited me on
numerous occasions。
There is an interesting story concerning John Kanary；
which would be very appropriate to share with you here； since
it illustrates both the power of 〃imaging；〃 as well as
〃persistence。〃
Although I had known John Kanary for a couple of years
and had talked with him on many occasions； I certainly did
not know him as intimately as I do at the time of this writing。
It is important that I bring this out here； as I will be referring
back to it shortly。 The incident I am about to relate； took place
in 1971。
I was living in Chicago at the time and had just
pleted a speaking engagement in Edmonton； Alberta。
When I returned to my room； there was a telephone message
for me to call John Kanary； in Belleville； Ontario； Canada。 I
returned the call and after a couple of minutes of small talk；
John said it was rather important that he meet with me； as he
had something he wanted to discuss and he preferred not to
〃go into it〃 on the telephone。 I asked John to wait while I
looked over my calendar； it was； in the vernacularpacked
tight。 I was busy； to say the least； almost every day I had
either a seminar or speaking engagement in a different city in
North America。 I explained this to John and told him that
although I would love to visit； I really didn't know when I
could。 John was persistent； so I said； 〃Listen； I'm leaving
Edmonton for Chicago tonight at midnight。 To get to Chicago I
have to go through Toronto。 I'll arrive there at 7 a。m。 I'll have
to change terminals and I leave from the second terminal； one
hour and fifty minutes later。 I'll be happy to talk to you then；
although I don't promise to be too alert after flying all night。〃
It is also worth mentioning that John had to get up early
enough to drive the 125 miles from Belleville to Toronto； to
meet my 7：00 a。m。 arrival。 I remember that all John said was；
〃I'll be there。〃
The next morning I sat in the airport coffee shop and
listened as John explained how he 〃wanted to do what I was
doing。〃 He wanted to conduct seminars。 He also explained that
he was prepared to pay the price； whatever it might be。
As I listened； it was like hearing a popular song on the
radioyou keep hearing it； over and over again。 In almost every
seminar I conduct there is a man or woman in the seminar
who wants to do 〃what I am doing。〃 I've heard it in Biloxi；
Mississippi； Butte； Montana； Los Angeles； New York； Moncton
and Montrealit was an old tune。 Now； here I was in Toronto
with a friend who； as I have already mentioned； I did not know
that well； and he was asking what 〃he had to do。〃
As I was listening； the same images； which I had with all
the others； were flashing through my mind。 I was
remembering all the traveling and the fear of standing up and
speaking in a large hotel ballroom crowded with people who
wanted you to get them excited； but who were mentally
putting you on trial at the same time； thinking； 〃Does this guy
know what he is talking about？〃 In many situations； such as a
sales convention； you had forty minutes from beginning to end
in which to build rapport with a few hundred strangers and
get them excited about themselves。
The years of staying up nights reading and studying； the
years of learning by attending seminars all over the continent；
the years of working for next to nothing to prepare oneself to
hold the attention of a group of people all day in a seminar；
these were the images racing across my mind。 It had taken me
eleven years to get to that point。
But how do you say； 〃No； you'll never do it；〃 when
someone like John asks you； especially when the essence of
what you teach is you can do anything。 Yet； how can you say
〃yes；〃 when everyone you know； with the exception of two or
three others besides yourself； cannot earn a living in the
public speaking business unless they are a celebrity。 （And that
is a whole different story。）
When John Kanary finished； I told him what I had told all
the others： 〃Yes； you can do it； but it's tough。 Make sure you
understand that； John。 It's tough。 You will have to do a
tremendous amount of studying； because you not only have to
know what to say； but you must also have the answers to a
thousand and one questions arising as a result of what you
say。 Some of the questions will e from professional people
medical doctors； engineers and lawyerswho； in most cases；
know what they are talking about。 So you not only have to be
right； but confident as well； or you will be discredited with
your entire audience； and that only has to happen a couple of
times and you're 〃out of business。〃
You not only have to study these ideas； but you must use
them as well； or there will be no conviction in your talks。 （Not
to mention the fact that you will be a walking physical
contradiction to what you teach。） It is next to impossible； for
example； to have a sick person teaching 'health'。
You must develop showmanship and voice control； and
on and on it goes。 In short； John； for every one who makes it；
a thousand fail miserably。〃
Usually when this is explained； the person says they still
want to go ahead； but you never hear from them again。 John
was no exception； in one sensehe still wanted to go ahead。
However； in every other way he was an exception。 I did see
him again。 I told him what to read and what to do and he read
it and did it。 John read hundreds of bookshe 〃devoured〃
them。 He narrated them onto tapes and then played the tapes
in the car。 At his own expense； he followed me all over the
country and sat in hundreds of seminars。 He wrote thousands
of pages of notes and studied them diligently。
Finally； I would have him open and close the seminars。
Then