The object of oratory is not truth, but persuasion
-Lord Macaulay
The people only understand what they can feel; the only orators that can affect them are those who move them.
-Alphonse De Lamarine
Human nature always wants that which is difficult to get, or that of which it is about to be deprived.
It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.
-Mark Twain
There are two levers for moving men: interest and fear.
-Napoleon Bonaparte
Character Counts
To study the ways and means through which one may develop a pleasing personality, I will begin with the first essential, which is character for no one can have a pleasing personality without also having the foundation of a sound, positive character.
Through the principle of telepathy you "Telegraph" the nature of your character to those with whom you come in contact, which is also why you may have had an "intuitive" feeling that the person you had just met, but about whom you did not know very much, was not trustworthy.
You may wear the best and latest clothes, and conduct yourself in a most pleasing manner outwardly, but if there is greed, envy, hatred, jealousy, and selfishness in your heart, you will never attract anyone except those who are the same. Like attract like, and you may be sure, therefore, that those who are attracted to you are those whose inward natures parallel your own.
You may present an artificial smile and you may practice hand-shaking so that you can imitate, perfectly the handshake of a person who is adept at this art, but if these outward manifestations of a pleasing personality lack that vital factor called earnestness of purpose, they will turn people away rather than attract them to you.
How, then, does one build character?
The first step in character building is rigid self-discipline
First, Think of those people whose characters are made up of the qualities you wish to build into your own character, and then proceed. Create in your imagination a council table, and gather your characters around it each night, first having written out a clear, concise statement of the particular qualities you wish to assume from each. Then proceed to affirm or suggest to yourself, aloud, that you are developing those desired qualities. As you do this, close your eyes and see, in your imagination, the figures seated around your imaginary table.
Second, Through the principles described in self control, focus your thoughts and keep your mind energized with thoughts of a positive nature. Let the dominating thought of your mind be a picture of the person that you intend to be the person that you are deliberately building through this process. At least a dozen times a day, when you have a few minutes to yourself, shut your eyes and direct your thoughts to the figures you have selected to sit at your imaginary council table. Then feel with a faith that knows no limitation that you are actually growing to resemble in character those figures of your choice.
Assume a virtue if you have it not
-William Shakespeare
Third, Find a least one person each day in whom you see some good quality that is worth of praise and praise them for it. Remember, however, that this praise must not be in the nature of cheap, insincere flattery, it must be genuine. Speak your words of praise with such earnestness that they will impress those to whom you speak.
Then watch what happens. You will have rendered those whom you praise a decided benefit of great value to them, and you will have gone just one more in the direction of developing the habit of looking for and finding good qualities in others.
For this habit will soon reward you with a feeling of self respect and manifestation of gratitude from others that will modify tour entire personality.
-Lord Macaulay
The people only understand what they can feel; the only orators that can affect them are those who move them.
-Alphonse De Lamarine
Human nature always wants that which is difficult to get, or that of which it is about to be deprived.
It usually takes more than three weeks to prepare a good impromptu speech.
-Mark Twain
There are two levers for moving men: interest and fear.
-Napoleon Bonaparte
Character Counts
To study the ways and means through which one may develop a pleasing personality, I will begin with the first essential, which is character for no one can have a pleasing personality without also having the foundation of a sound, positive character.
Through the principle of telepathy you "Telegraph" the nature of your character to those with whom you come in contact, which is also why you may have had an "intuitive" feeling that the person you had just met, but about whom you did not know very much, was not trustworthy.
You may wear the best and latest clothes, and conduct yourself in a most pleasing manner outwardly, but if there is greed, envy, hatred, jealousy, and selfishness in your heart, you will never attract anyone except those who are the same. Like attract like, and you may be sure, therefore, that those who are attracted to you are those whose inward natures parallel your own.
You may present an artificial smile and you may practice hand-shaking so that you can imitate, perfectly the handshake of a person who is adept at this art, but if these outward manifestations of a pleasing personality lack that vital factor called earnestness of purpose, they will turn people away rather than attract them to you.
How, then, does one build character?
The first step in character building is rigid self-discipline
First, Think of those people whose characters are made up of the qualities you wish to build into your own character, and then proceed. Create in your imagination a council table, and gather your characters around it each night, first having written out a clear, concise statement of the particular qualities you wish to assume from each. Then proceed to affirm or suggest to yourself, aloud, that you are developing those desired qualities. As you do this, close your eyes and see, in your imagination, the figures seated around your imaginary table.
Second, Through the principles described in self control, focus your thoughts and keep your mind energized with thoughts of a positive nature. Let the dominating thought of your mind be a picture of the person that you intend to be the person that you are deliberately building through this process. At least a dozen times a day, when you have a few minutes to yourself, shut your eyes and direct your thoughts to the figures you have selected to sit at your imaginary council table. Then feel with a faith that knows no limitation that you are actually growing to resemble in character those figures of your choice.
Assume a virtue if you have it not
-William Shakespeare
Third, Find a least one person each day in whom you see some good quality that is worth of praise and praise them for it. Remember, however, that this praise must not be in the nature of cheap, insincere flattery, it must be genuine. Speak your words of praise with such earnestness that they will impress those to whom you speak.
Then watch what happens. You will have rendered those whom you praise a decided benefit of great value to them, and you will have gone just one more in the direction of developing the habit of looking for and finding good qualities in others.
For this habit will soon reward you with a feeling of self respect and manifestation of gratitude from others that will modify tour entire personality.
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