In this week’s lesson Haanel explains that Wealth is a product of labor. Capital is an effect, not a cause; a servant, not a master, a means, not an end.
Wealth should never be desired as an end, but simply as a means of accomplishing an end. Success is contingent upon a higher ideal than the mere accumulation of riches, and he who aspires to such success must formulate an ideal he is willing to strive.
This really resonated with me because most people want things like a new car, house, boat or some other material possession and they strive to get the money to pay for it, not to just make money for the sake of making money.
Haanel explains further that ‘with such an ideal in mind, the ways and means can and will be provided, but the mistake must not be made of substituting the means for the end. There must be a definite fixed purpose, an ideal, (a.k.a. DMP: Definite Major Purpose).

There is a quote of major relevance that Haanel uses to express the spiritual power that must be recognized:
Prentice Mumford said “The man of success is the man possessed of the greatest spiritual understanding and every great fortune of superior and truly spiritual power”
The power to create depends entirely upon spiritual power – there are three steps: idealization, visualization and materialization.
It is by the exercise of this power that we take our fate out of the hands of chance, and consciously make for ourselves the experiences we desire, because we consciously realize a condition, that condition will eventually manifest in our lives.
It is therefor evident that THINKING is the one great cause in life.
And HERE is what I considered the highlite of this Part:
To Control thought is to control circumstances, conditions, environment and destiny.
How then are we to control thought, what is the process?
To THINK is to create a thought, but the result of the thought will depend upon its form, its quality and its vitality.
The form will depend upon the mental images from which it eminates, this will depend upon the depth of the impression, the predominance of the idea, the clarity of the vision and the boldness of the image.
I believe that Charles Haanel was a genius. Here is my FB Post from this week:

Are you still with me?
I know most of this is word-for-word, but I don’t trust myself not to misinterpret what Haanel was expressing about right thinking.
Haanel goes on to discuss destructive thinking as evil, and constructive thinking as good, when talking about manifesting.
So in closing (because I could drone on for hours in this part), I wish to leave you with how to manifest success:
“If you wish to bring about the realization of any desire, form a mental picture of success in your mind by consciously visualizing your desire; in this way you will be compelling success, you will be externalizing it in your life by scientific methods”.
I freakin’ love this stuff! I hope you, YES YOU, do too.
To your success,
Scott W. McAvoy
Scott, good for you for realizing the power of controlling your thoughts. From your blog rover friend John.
Thanks John. I just agree with Haanel. He was way ahead of Wattles and Hill.
‘I freakin’ love this stuff!’
Indeed! It’s so deep that before I could possibly assimilate everything in a lesson the week is over and we’re off to the next one!
I agree 100% Randy. This stuff is much deeper than the Scrolls Og has us read 3 times a day for a month. 1 week with 1 read a day is not enough. But who would commit to 24 Months of reading the 24 Parts…you might go INSANE.