Thought is the force that underlies everything. And what do we mean by this? Simply this: Every act, every conscious act, is preceded by a thought. Your dominant thoughts determine your dominant actions. In the realm of our own minds we are in absolute control, or should be, and if at any time we are not, then there is a method by which we can gain control, and in the realm of mind become complete masters.

To get to the very basis of the matter, let us look at this for a moment. For if thought is ever the parent of our acts, habits, character, life, then it is necessary first that we should fully know how to control our thoughts.

Here let us refer to that law of the mind which is the same as that which is in connection with the reflex nervous system of the body, the law which says that whenever one does a certain thing in a certain way it is easier to do the same thing in the same way the next time, and still easier the next, and the next, and the next, until in time it comes to pass that no effort is required, or no effort worth speaking of; but on the contrary it would require the effort.