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The Science of Mind, by Ernest Shurtleff Holmes [1926], at sacred-texts.com
Personality is the result of man's experience; it is the sum total of all that he has said, done, felt, thought, hoped for and believed in; it is the result of his reactions to the events of life as they come and go. Factors to be considered in the development of personality are heredity, race-suggestion, environment, child training, education, auto-suggestion and, indeed, anything and everything that impinges upon consciousness. Therefore, we are what we are and where we are because of the nature of our accumulated consciousness.
FACTORS NECESSARY FOR A DYNAMIC PERSONALITY
It goes without saying that all people desire a dynamic, radiant personality; and it is self-evident that certain palates are essential to produce this result. The external personality
really reflects the soul, and its building may be likened to a mental garden where the harvest depends upon the kind of seed that is sown. Each one chooses for himself just what kind of materials he will use and each builds according to the pattern of his own desires. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Just as a fine architect uses only the best materials and plans most carefully how to construct his building, so should we, in the building of personality, choose most carefully the kind of materials we wish to use.
HIGH CHARACTER.--First of all, it should be founded upon the rock of high character, high ideals, and built for Eternity as well as for to-day.
SINCERITY.--Sincerity in every human relationship is essential.
ABILITY.--To be a master of one thing and to daily improve.
ENTHUSIASM.--A keen interest in people and things at home and abroad; it has been called "The Fortune-Teller of Life." Enthusiasm is compelling and sweeps everything before it.
SERVICE.--Service is the keynote to success and implies constructive work; also, loyalty to your work and to all concerned in it.
WHOLESOMENESS.--A clean-minded man with high ideals is always sought after. The reading of fine books, listening to good music and becoming acquainted with the best in art and literature will soon implant in the mentality a quality of wholesomeness that is most desirable.
SUCCESS.--A consciousness of success must be developed; this can be done by creating clear pictures of success and working toward them daily. Decision and assertion are aids to this end and must not be overlooked.
SELF-CONFIDENCE.--Implies peace and poise and knowing what to do in every situation.
POWER AND STRENGTH.--Are also born of peace and poise.
SENSE OF HUMOR.--This is most necessary to have, as it lightens the burdens of life and makes one's self and others happy. Without it things seem dull and drear.
[paragraph continues] This has no barb or sting and implies the ability to laugh at one's own expense.
GOOD MANNERS.--Not servile but courteous.
TACT.--Saying or doing the right thing at the right time.
THOROUGHNESS.--Implies system and the ability to carry things out to a definite conclusion. This quality is essential to success.
CHARM.--Personal charm is that indefinable something which makes every one a friend. It is the result of genuine friendliness, sympathy, kindliness and unselfish interest in others.
MAGNETISM.--The result of an abundant vitality on the physical plane; of intellect and temperament on the mental plane; and of atmosphere or consciousness on the Spiritual plane.
TENDERNESS.--Sympathetic union with people; real compassion.
LOVE.--The Universal Urge to express, the Self-givingness of Spirit.
ORIGINALITY.--Try to create; do not imitate; think for yourself. Read Emerson's Essay on "Self-Reliance."
INCENTIVE.--Have wholesome ambitions and definite objectives which are constructive in their nature. Any ambition is wholesome which brings only good results to one's self and all concerned.
SUITABLE HUMILITY, SIMPLICITY AND GENUINENESS.--These attributes keep one from being over-ambitious and from being too aggressive.
EMOTIONAL CONTROL.--Presupposes poise and self-mastery.
SPIRITUALITY.--Looking for the good in all and having faith, belief, and trust.
HEALTH.--Is a great factor in creating a dynamic, vibrant personality.
VOICE.--A clear, resonant, well-modulated tone at all times.
DRESS.--Clothes reflect one's idea of "The Eternal fitness of things." Colors particularly have a peculiarly subtle effect on the wearer and upon those with whom he comes in contact.
Strictly speaking, personality is the use that we make of our individuality. Individuality means that which we really are; it means the point in Life where we exist and can say, I AM. Perhaps it could be defined as a point in Mind where Life recognizes Itself as some Person. Each person is an Individualized Center of God-Consciousness, a self-knowing center of Life and Action.
It follows, then, that personality is much greater than it seems to be; for it is the use of Divine Individuality and has, back of it, a limitless possibility. It is the coming forth of God, or Life, into Self-Expression.
Man's personality is not a thing to be lightly spoken of or decried as human or ineffective. Within and behind it are boundless possibilities, and few, indeed, realize what a tremendous power it wields, either for good or for ill.
To-day we are hearing much about this power and the way to develop it; for as yet we express only in part, being unaware of the Whole. Latent forces surge to express through man; Divine impulse seek expression through him; a Cosmic Urge forever beats against the threshold of his consciousness, demanding expression; hence, all his subtle longings and unspoken thoughts.
To develop or express the self is the great need of the human race; but though feeling, sensing, inwardly knowing and realizing a greater good, man stumbles blindly along the pathway of life, expressing only in part.
Like all the other faculties of the Great Within, personality may be consciously unfolded and expressed, if we let it come through.
We all desire a powerful personality, and all may have one if they pay attention to a few fundamental facts of Being; for personality is the expression of something that already exists and simply needs to be allowed to come forth.
Any one wishing to develop a pleasing personality must first become pleasant. He must think pleasing thoughts. All animosity and vindictiveness must be swept aside if the soul is to express itself in terms of greatness.
There is no place for smallness in the full life and no place for meanness in the liberal mind. A broad-minded, tolerant
attitude must be maintained toward all. This is not a goody-goody idea but a plain statement of fact.
A sense of calm and peace is essential to a well-rounded personality. The din and roar of the outer struggle for existence must not find entrance to the soul if Reality is to be expressed.
Poise and balance are the mainsprings of reality and cannot be overlooked. We are not attracted to people who are always fussed up and fretful, who are never satisfied and are always unhappy. Misery and unhappiness are unknown to the Spirit of man, and we should make them unknown to the outer man.
Sensitiveness and morbidity must be swept side as unworthy of the great Ideal. Refuse to have the feelings hurt. Friends do not wish to hurt the feelings of those whom they love, and none but friends need be admitted.
Personality is but half expressed until we realize that within we are complete. Wholeness is the keynote to perfection and self-esteem is not egotism but is self-realization. Completion is from within and not from without; and no one can add to, or take from, that which is already complete. The Soul and Spirit are already perfect and whole.
Love is the great loadstone of Life; and without this quality of Spirit, shining through Life's action, everything becomes dull and drear. Goodness and human kindness are the handmaids of Love and Life, and cannot be separated from Reality.
Irritation, vexation and confusion go hand in hand to rob man of his birthright to peace, comfort and harmony. As children of the dust they must be brushed aside as unfit companions of the soul.
Anger and malice, revenge and animosity cannot breathe the same atmosphere as goodness and purity, and they will fall away as we climb to those heights where the Indwelling Spirit lives.
Self-confidence and courage go hand in hand with real worth and are but the declarations of man's Wholeness. There is nothing petty or little about greatness.
Mental alertness and animation but signify that man lives in a life of everlasting interests and activities.
Honesty and sincerity show forth the fundamental principles of Being, and without them man expresses only a make-shift
of himself, a false and deluded sense of Reality. No real person can be dishonest or insincere. Truth alone shines to Eternal Day.
The complete, well-rounded, dynamic personality contains all of these qualities and attributes; and they will come forth into expression to the exact degree that we allow them to flow through us.
Personality is not false but real; it is the shining through of the Real Self,--the man God made.
Physical appearance has but little to do with those inner, subtle powers of attraction which decide what the Indwelling Ego is to attract to Itself. The Inner Man transcends all that is external and compels attention without effort. To be conscious of this Inner Self is to know the Real Man, to know the truth about personality and the power of attraction. As a rose unfolds, so the personality of man unfolds and blossoms forth into complete expression.
A few simple practices will soon develop such a powerful personality that it will become a magnet, drawing to its center with a force that cannot be denied. THESE PRACTICES BEGIN AND END WITHIN MAN; FOR HE IS THE CENTER OF HIS OWN UNIVERSE, AND NOTHING HAPPENS TO HIM UNLESS HE LETS IT.
Know that Life flows through you and cannot be hindered in Its expression. Know that the All Good is yours now. Act, think, believe, speak as though you were now all that you have ever dreamed. AND BE SURE THAT YOU BELIEVE THE SAME THING ABOUT ALL PEOPLE, FOR NONE OF US LIVES UNTO HIMSELF ALONE, BUT EACH LIVES UNTO ALL, WITHIN THE ONE LIFE.
Live constantly from this inner conviction, never stooping to anything less than the All Good; and you will soon discover that something is taking place that never took place before in your experience. DO NOT TRY TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN; SIMPLY KNOW THAT THEY ARE HAPPENING.
Daily realize your Unity with the Whole and the Unity of the Whole with you. YOU WILL SOON DEVELOP SUCH
[paragraph continues] A POWERFUL PERSONALITY THAT ALL WHO COME IN CONTACT WITH YOU WILL WISH TO REMAIN IN YOUR PRESENCE.