The invisible talisman

The subject of such a talisman is discussed right off the bat in the book "Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude". I bought the book back in 1984. At the time, I felt I needed a boost. That book gave me one. But it didn't make me rich. Why is that? Is it even proper to want to be rich anyway? What is success? So many questions.

To start off to answer these, let's begin with what the word means. It is helpful to know what words mean in order to understand the ideas imparted. The wikipedia gave a definition that can be a starting point. But first, why did it take so long for me to look up this word? I wasn't clear on the meaning of it. It took me nearly 40 years to even know for sure what the word even meant. Perhaps there is a lesson in there somewhere.

A talisman, as I understand it now, is an object that has power to help or to harm. It may be religious or magical. Perhaps the use of those two words--magic or religious---is objectionable in some sense depending upon the audience. Let's say it has some supernatural seeming quality that can help or harm. What does this object have to do with us, then?

It is said to be, for the purposes of the book, invisible. Once you accept that, you can see that the definition fits. One's attitude IS invisible. It DOES have power to harm or to help. And the power is clearly in your own hands. Or to put it more accurately, it is all in your head. But is it supernatural? That will be a question beyond the scope of this ditty. Suffice to say that it can seem all powerful, and therefore, super- natural. It is the key to all things good and bad. And it resides within you, and it is under your control. You can really flip the talisman to positive or to negative. The choice is yours. It has everything to do with our lives, whether we know it or not.

With all that understanding, or supposed understanding, I should be rich. But I'm not. Well, I can take a joke. I think I can take a joke. Ah! Going into Hank Kimbal mode again.

As I observe the world around me, I can see that all of what I've written above is true. You can apply these ideas yourself, and see for yourself. Check it out. That's the scientific method. A theory can be replicated in the laboratory. Your laboratory is the way you live your life. Me too, by the way. I seek to do the best I can. But I stumble along the way.

I can see that the book is valid and meaningful. It may be old, but that doesn't matter. Some concepts are without time limits. It will always be true. The trick is in its application. Information without knowledge is useless. Knowledge without action is also useless. In the final analysis, it is what you do with what you have that matters.

Now is as good a time as any to get busy.