The business depression started in 1929， andcontinued on to an all time record of destruction，until sometime after President Roosevelt enteredoffice. Then the depression began to fade intonothingness. Just as an electrician in a theatre raisesthe lights so gradually that darkness is transmutedinto light before you realize it， so did the spell offear in the minds of the people gradually fade awayand become faith.
Observe very closely， as soon as you master theprinciples of this philosophy， and begin to followthe instructions for applying those principles，your financial status will begin to improve， andeverything you touch will begin to transmute itselfinto an asset for your benefit. Impossible？ Not at all！
One of the main weaknesses of mankind is the average man’s familiarity with the word
“impossible.” He knows all the rules which willNOT work. He knows all the things which CANNOTbe done. This book was written for those who seekthe rules which have made others successful， and arewilling to stake everything on those rules.
A great many years ago I purchased a fine dictionary.
The first thing I did with it was to turn to the word“impossible，” and neatly clip it out of the book. Thatwould not be an unwise thing for you to do.
Success comes to those who become SUCCESS CONSCIOUS.
Failure comes to those who indifferently allowthemselves to become FAILURE CONSCIOUS.
The object of this book is to help all who seek it， tolearn the art of changing their minds from FAILURECONSCIOUSNESS to SUCCESS CONSCIOUSNESS.
Another weakness found in altogether too manypeople， is the habit of measuring everything， andeveryone， by their own impressions and beliefs.
Some who will read this， will believe that no onecan THINK AND GROW RICH. They cannot think interms of riches， because their thought habits havebeen steeped in poverty， want， misery， failure， anddefeat.
These unfortunate people remind me of a prominentChinese， who came to America to be educated inAmerican ways. He attended the University ofChicago. One day President Harper met this youngOriental on the campus， stopped to chat with him fora few minutes， and asked what had impressed himas being the most noticeable characteristic of theAmerican people.
“Why，” the Chinaman exclaimed， “the queer slantof your eyes. Your eyes are off slant！”
What do we say about the Chinese？
We refuse to believe that which we do not understand. We foolishly believe that our ownlimitations are the proper measure of limitations.
Sure， the other fellow’s eyes are “off slant，”
BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT THE SAME AS OUR OWN.
Millions of people look at the achievements ofHenry Ford， after he has arrived， and envy him，because of his good fortune， or luck， or genius， orwhatever it is that they credit for Ford’s fortune.
Perhaps one person in every hundred thousand knows the secret of Ford’s success， and those whodo know are too modest， or too reluctant， to speak ofit， because of its simplicity. A single transaction willillustrate the “secret” perfectly.
A few years back， Ford decided to produce hisnow famous V-8 motor. He chose to build an enginewith the entire eight cylinders cast in one block，and instructed his engineers to produce a designfor the engine. The design was placed on paper， butthe engineers agreed， to a man， that it was simplyimpossible to cast an eight cylinder gas engine blockin one piece.
Ford said， “Produce it anyway.”
“But，” they replied， “it’s impossible！”
“Go ahead，” Ford commanded， “and stay on thejob until you succeed no matter how much time isrequired.”
The engineers went ahead. There was nothing else for them to do， if they were to remain on theFord staff. Six months went by， nothing happened.
Another six months passed， and still nothinghappened. The engineers tried every conceivableplan to carry out the orders， but the thing seemed outof the question； “impossible！”
At the end of the year Ford checked with his engineers， and again they informed him they hadfound no way to carry out his orders.
“Go right ahead，” said Ford， “I want it， and I’llhave it.”
They went ahead， and then， as if by a stroke ofmagic， the secret was discovered.
The Ford DETERMINATION had won once more！
This story may not be described with minute accuracy， but the sum and substance of it is correct.
Deduce from it， you who wish to THINK AND GROWRICH， the secret of the Ford millions， if you can.
You’ll not have to look very far.
Henry Ford is a success， because he understands，and applies the principles of success. One of theseis DESIRE： knowing what one wants. Rememberthis Ford story as you read， and pick out the linesin which the secret of his stupendous achievementhave been described. If you can do this， if you canlay your finger on the particular group of principleswhich made Henry Ford rich， you can equal hisachievements in almost any calling for which youare suited.
YOU ARE “THE MASTER OF YOUR FATE，
THE CAPTAIN OF YOUR SOUL，” BECAUSE…
When Henley wrote the prophetic lines， “I am theMaster of my Fate， I am the Captain of my Soul，” heshould have informed us that we are the Masters ofour Fate， the Captains of our Souls， because we havethe power to control our thoughts.
He should have told us that the ether in whichthis little earth floats， in which we move andhave our being， is a form of energy moving at aninconceivably high rate of vibration， and that theether is filled with a form of universal power whichADAPTS itself to the nature of the thoughts wehold in our minds； and INFLUENCES us， in naturalways， to transmute our thoughts into their physicalequivalent.
If the poet had told us of this great truth， we wouldknow WHY IT IS that we are the Masters of ourFate， the Captains of our Souls. He should have toldus， with great emphasis， that this power makes noattempt to discriminate between destructive thoughtsand constructive thoughts， that it will urge us totranslate into physical reality thoughts of poverty，just as quickly as it will influence us to act uponthoughts of riches.