按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
2。 Breakeven position （just
getting by； but debtfree）；
3。 Surplus position。
It would be very easy to 〃trick〃 oneself intobelieving； that if one were in category one or two； all onemust do is earn more money； and then one wouldautomatically graduate into the third category。 But ofcourse； this is not necessarily true。 For if a person is in adeficit financial position； it means they are in the 〃habit〃
of spending more money than they earn。 Similarly； if theyare in a breakeven position； they are in the habit ofspending everything they earn。 Since we are all〃creatures of habit；〃 it follows that earning more moneywould not necessarily change our overall financialposition。 It is vitally important； that when you decide〃how much is enough；〃 you also design a new financialplan or have one designed for you which will force you todiscipline yourselfat least for a month or twountil youform the new habit of living by that new plan。
The next chapter； 〃The Image Maker；〃 will help youto understand how and why you must begin to seeyourself already earning that new figure。 But for the timebeing； just bear in mind that as your ine increases；
the ten percent you are saving increases and the twentypercent that is going into your DCA increases； whichmeans that you will be able to retire your debts faster。
Furthermore； you will then be left with 90％ of your
ine on which to live。 （I can see you getting excitedabout this idea already！）
The ImageMaker
The ideas contained in this chapter could very well be the
breakthrough for you； because ImageMaking； once we get a
firm grip on it； is a truly dynamic idea。
I was speaking in Ohio a number of years ago； to a large
group of business people； when an elderly gentleman in the
audience suddenly stopped me as I was explaining the Image
Making concept。 He stood up and informed the audience that
he was sixtyfive years of age； before he understood this idea。
He mentioned that he had read about it； thought about it； and
even talked about it； but he never really understood it until he
was sixtyfive years old。
I want to suggest； right at this moment； that you read
this chapter over a few times； because most people live and die
and never fully understand the power of ImageMaking。
Understand that we are relating this idea to 〃money〃 in this
book； but I want you to know that once you fully understand
the ImageMaking concept； you can effectively use it for
whatever good you desire。
I am not able to tell you the exact date on which I myself
gained an understanding of ImageMaking； but I can tell you it
has had as great an impact on my life as any idea I have ever
learned。
The knowledge of ImageMaking eliminates petition
from your life； by moving you from the petitive plane to the
creative plane。 You will soon understand therefore； that in
truth； the only petition you will ever have is with your own
ignorance。
This idea truly excites me。 To be more accurate； I should
probably say sharing this idea with you excites me； because I
know how it can improve every aspect of your life。 I honestly
love watching people grow or unfold as new ideas register in
their consciousness。
But before I delve into this idea； please understand that
everyone is using the ImageMaking concept and everyone
always has。 In fact； everything that has ever e into your
life has e as a direct result of the ImageMaking process。
Therefore； if you will only bee aware of the results which
you have obtained； you will realize you have already employed
this great mental tool。 Just take a look at the results most
people obtain。 Generally speaking； you could say it is quite
obvious that when they make use of their ImageMaking
ability； they almost always use it the wrong way。
You Are An ImageMaker
Most religions teach that God is responsible for
everything made in this world and I would fully subscribe to
this proposition。 However； as cocreators； human beings must
bear responsibility for WHAT God makes in their lives。
The Minister And The Farmer
A story I once heard illustrates this point exceedingly
well。 Many years ago； a minister was driving along a remote
country road； when he happened upon a very beautiful farm。
The farm was kept in absolutely magnificent condition。 The
fences were well cared for； the crops were a radiant green and
although the house was set back some distance from the road；
it was abundantly clear that it had a clean； fresh coat of white
paint on it。 Wellcultivated flower beds encircled the house
and stretched all along both sides of the long； wide driveway；
leading to it from the road。 In a neat row along both sides of
the drive as well； were straight lines of tall green poplar trees
reaching up to a picturesque pale blue sky。 The lawns
surrounding the house were a deep rich green； and as well
manicured as any putting green ever was。 Indeed； the entire
picture would have fit well on a post card； since it was
absolutely breathtaking in its splendor。
Then the minister looked off to his right； to the other side
of the road。 Here the fields were ploughed； the earth was the
deepest black the minister had ever seen and he was amazed
at how the furrows had been plowed in such a way that they
stretched out in rows 〃as straight as clothes lines。〃 Far off in
the distance； the minister could see the farmer sitting up on
his tractor； with a straw hat on the back of his head and clad
in an old； light blue pair of overalls。 It appeared that the
farmer was moving toward the road as he was plowing。 Since
the minister was in no particular hurry； he pulled his car over
to the side of the road； got out of it； and walked toward the
fence。 When he reached it； he just stood still； enjoying the
light breeze； the warm sunlight and admiring the beauty of the
farm and the farmer's ability to plough such straight furrows。
As the farmer worked his way toward the road； he
noticed the minister leaning against the fence。 So he brought
the tractor to a halt； climbed down from it； and slowly started
to walk in the minister's direction。 As the farmer got closer the
minister smiled； raised his arm； and waved saying； 〃My good
man； God has certainly blessed you with a beautiful farm。〃
The farmer stopped； pulled out an old red and white
polkadot handkerchief from his pocket with his big； scarred
and calloused hands。 He raised his arm and wiped the sweat
from his sunscorched brow； still not saying a word。 Then he
reached up with his other hand； and gently took from his
mouth the long piece of straw that had been bouncing and
waving as he walked。
He stood in silence for a moment； looking at the minister；
and then he spoke。 With a slow； steady voice be replied； 〃Yes
Reverend； you're right。 God has blessed me with a beautiful
farm； but I just wish you could have seen it when he had it all
to himself！〃
Understand that 〃images〃 are mental pictures that are
made from thoughts； and the magnificence of the mind lies in
the fact that it can 〃think。〃 That is to say； it can tap into
thought and create whatever image it chooses。
Now play with your mind for a few minutes and bee
aware of how you can flash one picture or image after another
on the screen of your mind。 It is almost as if you were sitting
inside your body at a great theatre； and you are the writer；
producer and director of this movie you are watching。
In a wonderful book I read a number of years ago titled
The Science of Getting Rich； the author； Wallace D。 Wattles；
referred to 〃This thinking stuff that permeates； perates； and
fills the interspaces of the cosmos。〃 It's true that thoughts are
everywhere and we can tap into this thinking stuff with our
mind and form any image we choose。
Now bee aware of this truth。 Everything we do is
preceded by an image。 We think first in order to form an
image； then we do the work。
Building The First Chair
Consider for a moment how the first 〃chair〃 was built。 We
did not always have chairs； you know。 I suppose many years
ago when we first started to bee civilized； someone became
tired of sitting on the ground。 Whoever this person was； he
probably started to think； and began to see a picture in his
mind。 He probably saw himself sitting on a 〃thing〃 with his
legs hanging down and his back leaning against something。
This picture or idea appealed to him； because he imagined
that it would be a more fortable position in which to sit；
certainly much more fortable than sitting on the ground
with his knees shoved up under his chin！
Since this picture appealed to the person； the person
thought of it often； until a desire to have such a thing began to
develop。 The desire moved the person into action； and with the
picture in his mind； he began to build something outside of
himselfin his physical worldthat was； as close as possible； a
replica of the image he held in his mind。 Once the thing was
pleted； the person sat on it。 He let his legs hang and his
back lean and he found that it was good。 He then called the
thing a 〃chair。〃 The word 〃chair〃 is a symb