2. Make yourself wealthy. Why would you continue to work on making someone else wealthy when you can use all that hard work toward your own future?

3. Choose your own hours. Work when you want, where you want, for as long as you want. It doesn’t get any better than this!

4. Write your own paychecks. You don’t ever have to ask for a raise. You work for it. If you need more lncome, you know exactly what you need to do to get it.

5. Tax Benefits. You’ll save thousands in lncome taxes when you know what you can deduct as business expenses. Check with your accountant!

6. No Commute. Actually, you will have a commute - from your bedroom to your home office (which may even be in your bedroom!). The average working American wastes hours per day sitting in traffic on the way to and from work. No more!

7. Live where you want! You no longer have to worry about being close to your employer. City, suburbs, or mountain home … it’s up to you.

8. Eliminate your overhead. You don’t need to rent a big fancy office and furnish it with expensive equipment. It’s called your house! A spare room or just some space in an existing room will do.

9. Vacation days whenever you need them! Need a day off? Take it!

10. You are the best boss you’ll ever work for.

What are you waiting for?

Your ads must focus on the problem of the consumer, by providing the solution to their problem. Your focus should not be on the product itself.

In order to do so, you need to put yourself in the consumer’s shoes to determine the root cause driving their search for a solution.

In simple terms, you MUST figure out what their problem is and cater to them by providing a solution, and your ad must be strategically designed to let the reader know that you can help them by solving their problem. Only by doing so are you speaking to the emotions of the consumer, which will ultimately dictate their decision to investigate your ad further and make the purchase.

For example, if you are attempting to sponsor others by telling them in your ads that “It’s Great” this is likely why you aren’t making any money.

Telling someone that “It’s Great” doesn’t indicate to the reader that you have a solution to THEIR problem. This person could care less if your offer is simple if what you are offering doesn’t help them eliminate THEIR pain. Let me give you an example by comparing the two ads below. In this instance, the reader’s problem is that they hate their boss and want to quit their job. The sooner, the better.

Which ad do you think is going to pull the better response?

Ad Number 2, without a doubt. Why?

The headline of Ad Number 2 grabs the reader’s attention by addressing the reader’s problem (wanting to walk away from the job yesterday). It makes a statement that the reader will automatically agree with and offers an immediate solution to the problem that the reader has just admitted that he has. It “gets inside the mind” of the reader and connects with THEIR problem and their feelings. Ad Number 2 makes the reader feel that it is about THEM, and not your program or product and is more likely to pay attention to the ad.

Ad Number 1 is “telling.” The headline does not imply that you have a solution to the reader’s problem. It simply tells about what YOU have. For the reader who is in search of a solution to their problem, Ad Number 1 won’t even catch their attention. If they even bother to look at Ad Number 1, they are likely to think “Big Deal. What does that do for the fact that I hate my boss and can’t stomach to look at his face for o ne more day?” and they will just move on without giving your ad serious attention.

The question that comes to mind for most people who are in search of a solution is “HOW?” Your ad needs to imply that YOU have the answer to this question. Then, and only then, will the reader open their mind to looking at what you have to offer.

We must bear in mind that people are on the internet are searching for a reason. They are looking to fulfill a need of their own – not a need of yours. You need to keep this in mind when you write all of your ads. Think about what the person who is reading your ad might want. Here is a hint… most people want more money but they don’t know HOW to get it.

They want to know HOW what you have to offer them is going to result in money in their bank account.

If your ad copy is pathetic, it doesn’t matter WHERE you advertise or how much you spend, you won’t make any money. The tips that I am going to give you are those that I have learned through trial and error, and they work, period.

Juicy, long winded copy should be reserved for the sales page of a website (or an eBook), NOT in your advertisement compelling the reader to visit your website. If your ad is too long and rambling, the reader won’t retain a word that you are saying to them.

Whether I am advertising in a pay-per-click campaign, or I am advertising in an eZine, I rarely use more than a three or four line Google type ad (with only a few exceptions, which I will review later on this page.) I won’t have all day to spend writing rambling ads about how wonderful something is. I quickly gain the reader’s attention with my headline, I tell it like it is, give the reader access to the information that they are seeking so that they can look at it for themselves and make their own decisions.

If your ad’s headline (whether you are advertising on Google, by email, in eZines or any other medium) is boring, you can just forget it. Most people won’t even bother reading the rest of the ad and you will receive very few responses. It’s okay to be outrageous, creative, humorous, blunt, bold and even downright rude if it pulls attention. You might think it’s “not nice” or “politically correct” but I will guarantee you that my “socially retarded” ad will out-perform your “nice” ad any day of the week, hands down. Here are a couple of examples:

People click on ads because they are intrigued by them. They pull attention (even if it is negative attention).

I’m not suggesting that you verbally annihilate people or kick them, but I am suggesting that you make bold, shout-out-loud, attention getting kind of statements in your subject lines, but make them in a matter-of-fact way.

If you cannot find it within yourself to be outrageous, at a bare minimum, you are going to have to peak the reader’s interest in order to get them to read what you have to say and investigate what you have to offer. A proven method of doing so is to ask a question as I did in the example above, because the reader will automatically answer the question to him or herself. If you ask the right questions, the reader answers the question in his or her own mind in the affirmative (such as “Tired of being broke?”) they are more likely to read the rest of the ad. What you have done by creating this kind of “connection” with the reader has significantly increased your chances that he or she will give your ad the attention you are seeking.

When someone is frantically searching the internet looking for an immediate answer to their problem, it is usually because they are in a LOT of pain. They need an answer, and they need it NOW.

Short, sweet and straight to the point does the job every single time!

Mastering the art of effective ad copy takes practice, testing, time, patience and a willingness to make adjustments so that you can repeat the process and gauge your results. Make it fun. There are no “standard rules” as to what works and what does not. Only your results can dictate what is and is not effective. However, the information that I have provided you in this section will let you know what I have found to be effective and what is ineffective…

Each state has what is called a Statewide Classified Ad Network (SCAN.) The SCAN is best defined as a “mother” company which comprises a network of many of the smaller independently owned and operated newspaper agencies in any given state. Each SCAN has its own flat-rate fee schedule for publishing your ad in each of the participating newspapers within its network. Many of the networks consist of several hundred newspapers. Therefore, when you order classified advertising through the SCAN for any given state, your ad is published in EACH of the participating newspapers, instead of only in the newspaper in your local area! This means your reach is by far greater than it would be if you simply ran an ad in your local newspaper, and you get your ads for just pennies on the dollar!

Below, is the contact information for each of the SCANs and its corresponding circulation information:

Alabama Press Association
3324 Independence Drive, Suite 200
Birmingham, Alabama 35209
Phone: (205) 871-7737, Fax: (205) 871-7740
Total Circulation: 850,000
Number of Publications: 118
Deadline: Monday/5 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.alabamapress.com

Arizona Newspapers Association
1001 North Central Avenue, Suite 670
Phoenix, Arizona 85014
Phone: (602) 261-7655, Fax: (602) 261-7525
Total Circulation: 1,102,080
Number of Publications: 88
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.ananews.com

Arkansas Press Association
1701 Broadway
Little Rock, Arkansas 72206
Phone: (501) 374-1500, Fax: (501) 374-7509
Total Circulation: 975,000
Number of Publications: 115
Deadline: Wednesday/3 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.ArkansasPress.org

California Statewide Classified Advertising Network (Cal-Scan)
1225 8th Street, Suite 260
Sacramento, California 95814
Phone: (916) 288-6000, Fax: (916) 288-6022
Total Circulation: 2,705,000
Number of Publications: 200 +
Deadline: Wednesday/10 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.cal-scan.com

Colorado Press Association
1336 Glenarm Place
Denver, Colorado 80204
Phone: (303) 571-5117, Fax: (303) 571-1803
Total Circulation: 461,262
Number of Publications: 250
Deadline: Wednesday/5p.m.
Web Address: http://www.coloradopressassociation.com/Advertising.htm

Florida Press Association
122 South Calhoun Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32301
Phone: (850) 222-5790, Fax: (850) 222-4498
Total Circulation: 2,413,266
Number of Publications: 150
Deadline: Tuesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.flpress.com

Georgia Press Association
Georgia Press Building
3066 Mercer University Drive, Suite 200
Atlanta, Georgia 30341-4137
Phone: (770) 454-6776, Fax: (770) 454-6778
Total Circulation: 1,900,000
Number of Publications: 101
Deadline: Monday/5 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.gapress.org

Idaho Newspaper Association
6560 Emerald Street, Suite 124
Boise, Idaho 83704-8781
Phone: (208) 375-0733, Fax: (208) 375-0914
Total Circulation: 315,000
Number of Publications: 45
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.idahopapers.com

Illinois Press Association
900 Community Drive
Springfield, Illinois 62704
Phone: (217) 241-1700, Fax: (217) 241-1701
Total Circulation: 1,400,000 Regionally: 910,756
Number of Publications: 212 Regionally: 96
Deadline: Wednesday 10a.m.
Web Address: http://www.il-press.com

Indiana (Hoosier State Press Association)
One Virginia Avenue, Suite 701
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Phone: (317) 637-3966, Fax: (317) 624-4428
Total Circulation: 1,015,000
Number of Publications: 130
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.hspa.com/main.asp?SectionID=1

Iowa Newspaper Association
319 E. Fifth Street
Des Moines, Iowa 50309
Phone: (515) 244-2145, Fax: (515) 244-4855
Total Circulation: 972,239
Number of Publications: 315
Deadline: Wednesday/10 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.inanews.com

Kansas Press Association
5423 S.W. Seventh
Topeka, Kansas 66606
Phone: (785) 271-5304, Fax: (785) 271-7341
Total Circulation: 500,000
Number of Publications: 140
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.kspress.com

Kentucky Press Association
101 Consumer Lane
Frankfort, Kentucky 40601
Phone: (502) 223-8821, Fax: (502) 875-2624
Total Circulation: 1,000,000
Number of Publications: 66
Deadline: Wednesday/5 p.m.
Web Address:
http://www.access2media.com/PrintAdvertising/lists/kystatewideclassif

Louisiana Press Association
404 Europe Street
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802
Phone: (225) 344-9309, Fax: (225) 336-9921
Total Circulation: 1,267,511
Number of Publications: 121
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.lapress.com

Maryland/DC/Delaware
2191 Defense Highway, Suite 300
Crofton, Maryland 21114
Phone: (410) 721-5115, Fax: (410) 721-5909, Adv. Assoc. (410) 721- 4000
Total Circulation: 2,317,471
Number of Publications: 126
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.mddcpress.com/advertising/can.htm

Michigan Press Association
827 N. Washington Avenue
Lansing, Michigan 48906
Phone: (517) 372-2424, Fax: (517) 372-2429
Total Circulation: 1,700,000
Number of Publications: 122
Deadline: Tuesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.michiganpress.org

Minnesota Newspaper Association
12 S. 6th Street, Suite 1120
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55402
Phone: (612) 332-8844, Fax: (612) 342-2958
Total Circulation: 1,000,000
Number of Publications: 240
Deadline: Tuesday/5 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.mnnewspapernet.org

Mississippi Press Association
351 Edgewood Terrace
Jackson, Mississippi 39206
Phone: (601) 981-3060, Fax: (601) 981-3676
Total Circulation: 1,000,000
Number of Publications: 104
Web Address: http://www.mspress.org/index.html

Missouri Press Association
802 Locust
Columbia, Missouri 65201
Phone: (573) 449-4167, Fax: (573) 874-5894
Total Circulation: 1,021,286
Number of Publications: 209
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.mopress.com

Montana Newspaper Association
534 N. Main, Suite 202
Livery Square
Helena, Montana 59601
Phone: (406) 443-2850, Fax: (406) 443-2860
Total Circulation: 240,112
Number of Publications: 66
Deadline: Wednesday/5 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.mtnewspapers.com

Nebraska Press Association
845 S. Street
Lincoln, Nebraska 68508-1226
Phone: (402) 476-2851, Fax: (402) 476-2942
Total Circulation: 401,639
Number of Publications: 174
Deadline: Wednesday/10 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.nebpress.com

Nevada State Press Association
P.O. Box 1030
Carson City, Nevada 89702
Phone: (775) 885-0866, Fax: (775) 885-8233
Total Circulation: 380,000
Number of Publications: 21
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.lasvegasnewspapers.com/advertising/CAN

New England Press Association
( Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont )
360 Huntington Avenue 428 CP
Boston, Massachusetts 02115
Phone: (617) 373-5610, Fax: (617) 373-5615
Total Circulation: 1,972,241
Number of Publications: 230
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.nepa.org

New England Newspaper Association, Inc. (dailies)
70 Washington Street
Salem, Massachusetts 01970
Phone: (978) 744-8940, Fax: (978) 744-0333
Total Circulation: 910,000
Number of Publications: 45
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.nenews.org

New Jersey Press Association
840 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 305
West Trenton, New Jersey 08628-1019
Phone: (609) 406-0600, Fax: (609) 406-0300
Total Circulation: 2,000,000
Number of Publications: 145
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.njpa.org

New Mexico Press Association
2531 Wyoming NE
Albuquerque, New Mexico 78112
Phone: (505) 275-1241, Fax: (505) 275-1449
Total Circulation: 200,010
Number of Publications: 27
Deadline: Thursday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.nmpress.org

New York State Community Newspapers Association (weeklies)
1681 Western Avenue
Albany, New York 12203-4307
Phone: (518) 464-6483, Fax: (518) 464-6489
Total Circulation: 1,962,441
Number of Publications: 282
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.nynewspapers.com

New York Newspaper Publishers Association (dailies)
20 Washington Avenue
Albany, New York 12210
Phone: (518) 449-1667, Fax: (518) 449-5053
Total Circulation: 1,201,239
Number of Publications: 52
Deadline: Thursday/4 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.nynpa.com

North Carolina Press Association
5171 Glenwood Avenue, Suite 364
Raleigh, North Carolina 27612
Phone: (919) 787-7443, Fax: (919) 787-5302
Total Circulation: 1,616,030
Number of Publications: 99
Deadline: Tuesday/5 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.ncpress.com

North Dakota Newspaper Association
1435 Interstate Loop
Bismarck, North Dakota 58501-0567
Phone: (701) 223-6397, Fax: (701) 223-8185
Total Circulation: 272,962
Number of Publications: 87
Deadline: Tuesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.ndna.com

Ohio Newspaper Association
1335 Dublin Road, Suite 216-B
Columbus, Ohio 43215
Phone: (614) 486-6677, Fax: (614) 486-6373
Total Circulation: 1,258,684
Number of Publications: 100 +
Deadline: Tuesday/10 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.ohionews.org

Oklahoma Press Association
3601 N. Lincoln
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105
Phone: (405) 524-4421, Fax: (405) 524-2201
Total Circulation: 1,084,309
Number of Publications: 207
Deadline: Wednesday/10:00 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.okpress.com

Oregon Newspaper Publishers Association
7150 S.W. Hampton Street, Suite 111
Portland, Oregon 97223
Phone: (503) 624-6397, Fax: (503) 639-9009
Total Circulation: 875,000
Number of Publications: 81
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.orenews.com

Pennsylvania Newspaper Publishers Associations
3899 North Front Street
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania 17110
Phone: (717) 703-3030, Fax: (717) 703-3033
Total Circulation: 2,514,846
Number of Publications: 165
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.pnpa.com

South Carolina Press Services
P.O. Box 11429
Columbia, South Carolina 29211
Phone: (803) 750-9561, Fax: (803) 551-0903
Total Circulation: 1,125,961
Number of Publications: 82
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.scpress.org

Tennessee Press Association
6915 Office Park Circle
Knoxville, Tennessee 37909-1162
Phone: (423) 584-5761, Fax: (423) 558-8687
Total Circulation: 629,791
Number of Publications: 79
Deadline: Tuesday/10 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.tnpress.com

Texas Press Association/ TexScan Statewide Classified Advertising Network
718 West 5th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
Phone: (512) 477-6755, Fax: (512) 477-6759
Total Circulation: 1,750,000
Number of Publications: 299
Deadline: Tuesday/5 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.texaspress.com

Utah Press Association
SWC Network
307 West 200 South, Suite 4006
Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Phone: (801) 328-8678, Fax: (801) 328-2226
Total Circulation: 340,000
Number of Publications: 45
Deadline: Tuesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.utahpress.com

Virginia Press Association
11006 Lakeridge Parkway
Ashland, Virginia 23005
Phone: (804) 550-2361, Fax: (804) 550-2407
Total Circulation: 1,400,000
Number of Publications: 95
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.vpa.net

Washington Newspaper Publishers Association
3838 Stone Way North
Seattle, Washington 98103
Phone: (206) 634-3838, Fax: (206) 634-3842
Total Circulation: 808,319
Number of Publications: 103
Deadline: Monday/4 p.m.
Web Address: http://www.wnpa.com

West Virginia Press Association
3422 Pennsylvania Avenue
Charleston, West Virginia 25302
Phone: (304) 342-6908, Fax: (304) 343-5879
Total Circulation: 642,085
Number of Publications: 70
Deadline: Wednesday/Noon
Web Address: http://www.wvpress.org/SWC.asp

Wisconsin Newspaper Association
3822 Mineral Point Road
Madison, Wisconsin 53705
Phone: (608) 238-7171, Fax: (608) 238-4771
Total Circulation: 1,250,000
Number of Publications: 183
Deadline: Tuesday/10 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.wnanews.com

Wyoming Press Association
2121 Evans Avenue
Cheyenne, Wyoming 82001
Phone: (307) 635-3905, Fax: (307) 635-3912
Total Circulation: 277,874
Number of Publications: 38
Deadline: Tuesday/10 a.m.
Web Address: http://www.wspromotion.com/Wyoming.html

Most State Press Associations accept major credit cards as payment for classified advertising.

You can place ads in Alaska and Hawaii through Noble Pacific, Sea to Sea Advertising, and phone: (360) 568-5314.

There are over 17,000 newspapers listed here so rather than list each newspaper separately, I’ve decided to post some links that already link to each paper separately.

http://newslink.org
http://www.newspapers.com
http://www.usnpl.com
http://www.citynews.com
http://www.newspaperlinks.com
http://www.onlinenewspapers.com
http://www.refdesk.com/paper.html

The invention of the Gutenberg press changed everything. Now it was possible to reach, influence and inform the masses. It was as revolutionary then as the internet is now.

A Booklet, published in 1776 by Thomas Paine using a gutenberg press called “Common Sense” challenged the authority of the British government and the royal monarchy. The plain language that Paine used spoke to the common people of America and was the first work to openly ask for independence from Great Britain.

This booklet is believed to have been read by as many as 100,000 people in colonial America. Using today’s U.S. population figures, that would be like 20 or so million readers.

With the internet all around us, it is easy to forget about “old fashioned” print advertising. People tend to think that print is “so 20th century”. They couldn’t be more wrong. Don’t YOU dare make this mistake. Print media/advertising is alive and well. Do NOT underestimate the power of offline advertising resources!

The good news for you is that most people are guilty of this. They are completely bypassing a valid marketing resource. That leaves it WIDE OPEN for the few saavy marketers like yourself.

Businesses worldwide have successfully utilized the power of print advertising for centuries because it works (and still does).

Joe knows sales. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Joe sold over 13,000 cars during his 15 year career including 1,425 cars in 1973. Note these were all retail automobile sales, not fleet sales. He held the title for 12 years.

Here’s one of the secrets to Joe’s success.

During the course of his life he had attended numerous weddings and funerals and he determined by asking priests and morticians, “How many people usually show up”. The answer always averaged around 250.

He quickly realized that every person knows around 250 people. Maybe not well enough to be called best friends, but certainly well enough to be invited to that person’s wedding or funeral. He used this fact to build a huge referral business and propel him to “World’s Greatest” status.

He coined the term, “Girard’s Law of 250″ and it applies to you as well.

Make sure everyone knows what you do. Don’t be a stealth marketer. Here’s how to start applying this law towards your success:

1) Open your email program’s address book. Most people have hundreds of names in there.

2) Open your address book or rolodex and go through it.

3) What about people you work with?

4) Still need more?… Here’s a list of occupations to help.

Who do you know who does the following?…

OFFICIALS AND MANAGERS
Administrators and officials, public administration
Administrators, education and related fields
Administrators, protective services
Business and promotion agents
Buyers, wholesale and retail trade, except farm products
Captains and other officers, fishing vessels
Chief executives and general administrators, public administration
Construction inspectors
Farmers
Financial managers
Funeral directors
Inspectors and compliance officers
Legislators
Management related occupations
Managers and administrators
Managers, farms
Managers, food serving and lodging establishments
Managers, marketing, advertising, and public relations
Managers, medicine and health
Managers, properties and real estate
Managers, service organizations
Personnel and labor relations managers
Postmasters and mail superintendents
Purchasing agents and buyers, farm products
Purchasing agents and buyers
Purchasing managers
Railroad conductors and yardmasters
Ship captains and mates, except fishing boats
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations
Supervisors, construction
Supervisors, forestry, and logging workers

PROFESSIONAL
Accounts and auditors
Actors and directors
Actuaries
Aerospace engineers
Agricultural and food scientists
Agricultural engineers
Agricultural and forestry teachers
Airplane pilots and navigators
Announcers
Architects
Archivists and curators
Art, drama, and music teachers
Artists, performers, and related workers
Athletes
Atmospheric and space scientists
Authors
Biological and life scientists
Biological science teachers
Business, commerce, and marketing teachers
Chemical engineers
Chemistry teachers
Civil engineers
Clergy
Computer science teachers
Computer systems analysts and scientists
Counselors, educational and vocational
Dancers
Dentists
Designers
Dietitians
Earth, environmental, and marine science teachers
Economics teachers
Economists
Editors and reporters
Education teachers
Electrical and electronic engineers
Engineering teachers
Engineers
English teachers
Foreign language teachers
Forestry and conservation scientists
Geologists and geodesists
Health diagnosing practitioners
Health specialties teachers
History teachers
Home economics teachers
Industrial engineers
Judges
Law teachers
Lawyers
Librarians
Management analysts
Marine and naval architects
Mathematical science teachers
Mathematical scientists
Mechanical engineers
Medical science teachers
Medical scientists
Metallurgical and materials engineers
Mining engineers
Musicians and composers
Natural science teachers
Nuclear engineers
Occupational therapists
Operations and systems researchers and analysts
Optometrists
Other financial officers
Painters, sculptors, craft-artists, and artist printmakers
Personnel, training, and labor relations specialists
Petroleum engineers
Pharmacists
Photographers
Physical education teachers
Physical scientists
Physical therapists
Physicians
Physicians’ assistants
Physicists and astronomers
Physics teachers
Podiatrists
Political science teachers
Postsecondary teachers, subject not specified
Psychologists
Psychology teachers
Public relations specialists
Recreation workers
Registered nurses
Religious workers
Respiratory therapists
Sales engineers
Social science teachers
Social scientists
Social work teachers
Social workers
Sociologists
Sociology teachers
Speech therapists
Statisticians
Surveyors and mapping scientists
Teachers, elementary school
Teachers
Teachers, postsecondary
Teachers, pre-kindergarten and kindergarten
Teachers, secondary school
Teachers, special education
Technical writers
Theology teachers
Therapists
Trade and industrial teachers
Underwriters
Urban planners
Veterinarians

TECHNICIANS
Air traffic controllers
Biological technicians
Broadcast equipment operators
Chemical technicians
Clinical laboratory technologists and technicians
Computer programmers
Dental hygienists
Drafting occupations
Electrical and electronic technicians
Engineering technicians
Health record technologists and technicians
Health technologists and technicians
Industrial engineering technicians
Licensed practical nurses
Mechanical engineering technicians
Radio logic technicians
Science technicians
Surveying and mapping technicians
Technicians
Tool programmers, numerical control

SALES WORKERS
Advertising and related sales occupations
Auctioneers
Cashiers
Demonstrators, promoters and models, sales
Insurance sales occupations
News vendors
Real estate sales occupations
Sales counter clerks
Sales occupations, other business services
Sales representatives, mining, manufacturing, and wholesale
Sales support occupations
Sales workers, apparel
Sales workers, furniture and home furnishings
Sales workers, hardware and building supplies
Sales workers, motor vehicles and boats
Sales workers, other commodities
Sales workers, parts
Sales workers, shoes
Sales workers, radio, TV, hi-fi, and appliances
Securities and financial services sales occupations
Street and door-to-door sales workers
Supervisors and proprietors, sales occupations

OFFICE AND CLERICAL
Administrative support occupations
Bank tellers
Bill and account collectors
Billing clerks
Billing, posting, and calculating machine operators
Bookkeepers, accounting, and auditing clerks
Chief communications operators
Classified ad clerks
Communications equipment operators
Computer operators
Correspondence clerks
Cost and rate clerks
Data entry keyers
Dispatchers
Duplicating machine operators
Eligibility clerks, social welfare
Expediters
File clerks
General office clerk
Hotel clerks
Information clerks
Insurance adjusters, examiners, and investigators
Interviewers
Investigators and adjusters, except insurance
Legal assistants
Library clerks
Mail carriers, postal service
Mail clerks, ext. postal service
Mail preparing and paper handling machine operators
Material recording, scheduling, and distributing clerks
Messengers
Meter readers
Office machine operators
Order clerks
Payroll and timekeeping clerks
Peripheral equipment operators
Personnel clerks, except payroll and timekeeping
Postal clerks, exc. mail carriers
Production coordinators
Proofreaders
Receptionists
Records clerks
Secretaries
Statistical clerks
Stenographers
Stock and inventory clerks
Supervisors, computer equipment operators
Supervisors, financial records processing
Supervisors, general office
Supervisors; distribution, scheduling, and adjusting clerks
Teachers’ aides
Telephone operators
Traffic, shipping, and receiving clerks
Transportation ticket and reservation agents
Typists
Weighers, measurers, checkers and samplers

CRAFT WORKERS - SKILLED
Aircraft engine mechanics
Aircraft mechanics, ext. engine
Automobile body and related repairers
Automobile mechanics
Bakers
Boilermakers
Bookbinders
Brick masons and stonemasons, except apprentices
Bus, truck, and stationary engine mechanics
Cabinetmakers and bench carpenters
Camera, watch, and musical instrument repairers
Carpenters
Carpet installers
Concrete and terrazzo finishers
Construction trades
Crane and tower operators
Data processing equipment repairers
Dental laboratory and medical appliance technicians
Drywall installers
Electrical power installers and repairers
Electricians
Electronic repairers, communications and industrial equipment
Elevator installers and repairers
Engravers, metal
Excavating and loading machine operators
Farm equipment mechanics
Furniture and wood finishers
Glaziers
Grader, dozer, and scraper operators
Hand molders and shapers, except jewelers
Hand painting, coating, and decorating occupations
Heating, air conditioning, and refrigeration mechanics
Hoist and winch operators
Household appliance and power tool repairers
Industrial machinery repairers
Insulation workers
Lay-out workers
Locksmiths and safe repairers
Machinists
Mechanical controls and valve repairers
Millwrights
Miscellaneous electrical and electronic equipment repairers
Miscellaneous precision apparel and fabric workers
Miscellaneous precision metal workers
Miscellaneous precision woodworkers
Motion picture projectionists
Not specified mechanics and repairers
Office machine repairers
Optical goods workers
Painters, construction and maintenance
Paperhangers
Patternmakers and model makers, metal
Patternmakers and model makers, wood
Patternmakers, layout workers, and cutters
Paving, surfacing, and tamping equipment operators
Photoengravers and lithographers
Plasterers
Plumbers, pipe fitters, and steamfitters
Power plant operators
Precious stones and metals workers - Jewelers
Roofers
Sheet metal workers
Sheet metal duct installers
Shoe repairers
Small engine repairers
Specified mechanics and repairers
Stationary engineers
Structural metal workers
Supervisors, carpenters and related workers
Supervisors, electricians and power transmission installers
Supervisors, electricians and power transmission installers
Supervisors, extractive occupations
Supervisors, handlers, equipment cleaners, and laborers
Supervisors, material moving equipment operators
Supervisors, mechanics and repairers
Supervisors, motor vehicle operators
Supervisors, production occupations
Supervisors, brick masons, stonemasons, and tile setters
Supervisors, plumbers, pipe fitters, and steamfitters
Tailors
Telephone installers and repairers
Telephone line installers and repairers
Tile setters, hard and soft
Tool and die makers
Typesetters and compositors
Upholsterers
Water and sewage treatment plant operators

OPERATIVES - SEMISKILLED
Adjusters and calibrators
Assemblers
Automobile mechanic apprentices
Brick-mason and stonemason apprentices
Bridge, lock, and lighthouse tenders
Bus drivers
Butchers and meat cutters
Carpenter apprentices
Cementing and gluing machine operators
Compressing and compacting machine operators
Crushing and grinding machine operators
Dressmakers
Drillers, earth
Drillers, oil well
Drilling and boring machine operators
Driver-sales workers
Electrical and electronic equipment assemblers
Electrician apprentices
Explosives workers
Extruding and forming machine operators
Fabricating machine operators
Folding machine operators
Food batch-makers
Forging machine operators
Furnace, kiln, and oven operators
Graders and sorters agricultural products
Graders and sorters, exc. agricultural
Grinding/abrading/buffing/Polishing machine operators
Hand cutting and trimming occupations
Hand engraving and printing occupations
Hand molding, casting, and forming occupations
Hand packers and packagers
Heat-treating equipment operators
Industrial truck and tractor equipment operators
Inspectors, agricultural products
Inspectors, testers, and graders
Knitting. Looping, taping, and weaving machine operators
Lathe and turning machine operators
Lathe and turning machine set-up operators
Laundering and dry-cleaning machine operators
Locomotive operating occupations
Longshore equipment operators
Machine operators, not specified
Machinery maintenance occupations
Machinist apprentices
Marine engineers
Metal plating machine operators
Milling and planning machine operators
Mining machine operators
Mining occupations
Mist metal and plastic processing machine operators
Mist metal, plastic, stone,, and glass working machine operators
Miscellaneous hand working occupations
Miscellaneous machine operators
Miscellaneous material moving equipment operators
Miscellaneous plant and system operators
Miscellaneous precision workers
Miscellaneous textile machine operators
Miscellaneous woodworking machine operators
Mixing and blending machine operators
Molding and casting machine operators
Motor transportation occupations
Nailing and tacking machine operators
Numerical control machine operators
Operating engineers
Packaging and tilling machine operators
Painting and paint spraying machine operators
Parking lot attendants
Photographic process machine operators
Plumber, pipefitter, and steamfitter apprentices
Precision assemblers. metal
Precision grinders, filers, and tool sharpeners
Pressing machine operators
Printing press operators
Production inspectors, checkers, and examiners
Production samplers and weighers
Production testers
Punching and stamping press machine operators
Rail vehicle operators
Railroad brake, signal, and switch operators
Roasting and baking machine operators, food
Rolling machine operators
Sailors and deckhands
Sawing machine operators
Separating, filtering, and clarify machine operators
Shaping and joining machine operators
Sheet metal worker apprentices
Shoe machine operators
Slicing and cutting machine operators
Solderers and brazers
Taxicab drivers and chauffeurs
Textile cutting machine operators
Textile sewing machine operators
Tool and die maker apprentices
Truck drivers
Washing, cleaning, and pickling machine operators
Welders and cutters
Winding and twisting machine operators
Wood lathe, routing, and planning machine operators

SERVICE WORKERS
Attendants, amusement and recreation facilities
Baggage porters and bellhops
Barbers
Bartenders
Child care workers
Cooks
Correctional institution officers
Crossing guards
Dental assistants
Early childhood teacher’s assistants
Elevator operators
Family child care providers
Fire inspection and fire prevention occupations
Firefighting occupations
Food counter, fountain and related occupations
Guards and police, exc. public service
Guides
Hairdressers and cosmetologists
Health aides, except nursing
Housekeepers and butlers
Janitors and cleaners
Kitchen workers, food preparation
Launderers and ironers
Maids and housemen
Miscellaneous food preparation occupations
Nursing aides: orderlies, and attendants
Personal service occupations
Pest control occupations
Police and detectives, public service
Private household cleaners and servants
Protective service occupations
Public transportation attendants
Sheriffs, bailiffs, and other law enforcement officers
Supervisors, cleaning and building service workers
Supervisors, firefighting and fire prevention occupations
Supervisors, food preparation and service occupations
Supervisors, guards
Supervisors, personal service occupations
Supervisors, police and detectives
Ushers
Waiters and waitresses
Waiters’/waitresses’ assistants
Welfare service aides

NOTE: If you don’t want to bother anybody you personally know, most of the trades and occupations listed here have specialty publications produced specifically for them. Tracking these down and placing ads there can generate highly-targeted prospects for your business, as well.

Have you noticed that compared with the person who is ‘being’ sad, the person who is ‘being’ happy seems to have all the time, all the money and all the energy to do important things in their life?

Many people think that if they have more time, more money or more energy then they would be truly happy. But they don’t get the connection between ‘not being very happy right now’ and ‘not having the time, money or energy they want.’

In fact, most people believe in Have-Do-Be:

It actually turns out that ‘having’ something does not produce ‘being’ - but the other way around really does.

Being results in Having.

Once again - It’s worth repeating…
Being results in Having.

Be-Do-Have works:

The way to set this creative process in motion is by:

Adopting and generating the Be-Do-Have approach to living your life allows you to choose who you are ‘being’ ahead of time in the knowledge that who you are ‘being’ will produce the actions and experience you genuinely seek.

What you act as if you are, you become.

Unfortunately, many people jump at opportunities based on advertising hype or unsubstantiated promises and are quickly disappointed. There’s nothing wrong with a company promoting its opportunity in the best light, or with your friends focusing on the potential benefits available in their own ventures. It’s just that you need to separate facts from illusions, reality from fantasy and true potential from the enthusiastic sales pitch of the people who stand to profit from your involvement. They may have taken a leap of faith themselves without having done their own due diligence. There are many good opportunities for those willing to work and work hard. Any business that offers real opportunity requires real effort. Just remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Here are the six questions you should ask to help you make educated decisions about your time and money investment.

1. How long has the company been in business? If they’ve been around for several years, they’ll have network marketing operators who have already paved the way. Ask for references. And if they won’t give you any, dig deeper to find out why.

If this is a start-up venture, look for signs of financial stability. Are they properly funded to deliver on the promises they promote?

2. Who are the people behind the company? Do they have proven business expertise? Have they had other successes prior to this business that assure you they understand what it takes to succeed? Do they have a successful network marketing background? If not, is a member of their executive team or a consulting organization guiding them?

3. Are the products or services of personal interest to you? You usually won’t do well in a business when you can’t personally relate to the products. Would you buy this product yourself? Would you recommend it to friends even if you weren’t paid to do so? Have you actually tried the product?

4. What type of training is offered in the beginning? You can’t do what you don’t know, so make sure you have access to beginning and ongoing training support.

5. Does the company offer great support tools? Do they provide a time-tested and proven marketing and sales system, as well as tools to help you? Video and audio training or sales presentations, printed literature, catalogs and a strong Web site linked to an online e-commerce catalog are all considered standard sales support. Linking your personal Web site to the company site is a must when marketing branded consumer products–you need this to ensure sales credit for your customers’ online purchases.

6. How do you earn your money? If you’re buying products or services at wholesale and marking them up for your profit, the company should have a suggested formula for profitability. Is it rich enough to return your investment quickly? Is the compensation plan easy to understand? Find out whether the profit percentages are paid on retail sales, wholesale after retail commissions are deducted, or on an amount selected by the company based on product profitability. Don’t judge the plan solely on the promotional copy. Ask questions and make sure you understand when you’ll receive your profits. Also, ask someone you trust who has network marketing experience to evaluate how the money will flow. The company should have a detailed explanation of their plan to help the novice work though the complexities. Good compensation plans can be complex. Don’t let this scare you. Just take the time to understand the reward for your investment.

You can’t afford to make hasty decisions in choosing a network marketing business. Your time is your life. Waste your time, and you waste your life. Making good decisions means seeking out the facts. It’s well worth the effort–it saves you time and money by eliminating the bad choices and finding winners.

One other thing: Sometimes you’ll make your decision based on pure emotion and gut feeling. If the opportunity is recommended by a friend, as is the case with most network marketing programs, look upline several levels from your sponsor to determine the type of support you’ll receive in building your business. You rarely succeed alone. It takes a team effort matched to a good product and support system. But in the end, the dollar bill won’t sprout wings and fly into your mailbox. You have to make it happen.

Advantages
Requires a lower initial fee than a franchise. Although the number of low-investment franchises has increased, the fee to get into a business opportunity is still considerably lower. The FTC requires a $500 minimum investment for an opportunity to be considered a business opportunity, but there are many that fall under this set fee, although most average around $2,000 to $3,000.

A proven system of operation or product. Existing systems serve to maximize efficiency and returns and minimize problems. It’s simply a matter of passing on experience, still the best teacher. Whether they admit it or not, most people like having their hands held once in a while. During crises, the parent company is there to help the licensee over the bumps. Many people like this idea of safety in numbers.

Intensive training programs. In any new business, a lot of time and money are consumed during the learning period. A good business opportunity venture can eliminate the majority of ineffective moves through an intensive training program.

Ongoing counseling. Most business opportunity ventures offer support not only through training but also through counseling from a staff of experts who offer assistance that no independent could afford. Legal advice is available to a certain degree. The most efficient accounting systems—perfect for that particular business—have been designed by experts in the field. Some licensors offer free computer analysis of records, and through comparison with other units can pinpoint areas of inefficiency or loss as well as profitable aspects of the business that are being neglected.

No ongoing royalties. In a business opportunity, unlike in a franchise, there are no ongoing royalties to pay to the seller. The profits are all yours.

It’s nothing to be ashamed of. We’ve all been there at some point.

Here’s an astounding truth you’d better accept right now:

YOU must accept full responsibility right now for your current situation.

You are where you are because of the decisions you’ve made in your life. It’s nobody else’s fault. Those decisions were made based on your belief system at the time. Pause for a moment to honestly reflect and verify the truthfulness of this statement.

Here’s the good news: If you’re not happy where you are, and you’re current situation is a result of your decisions (based on your beliefs), then it’s logical to assume that in order to improve your situation, you must make better decisions, right?

How?

By changing your thinking and belief system through personal development training.

By flushing out all the garbage in your mind that led you to making the decisions that led to your unhappiness. By replacing your poverty conscious thoughts with ones of wealth consciousness.

I know what some of you might be thinking, “This sounds like a bunch of new age garbage; I don’t need anybody to tell me how to think.”

Honestly, that’s what I thought at first, but I soon discovered that the principles of personal development are not new at all, but in fact, have been around forever and are also included in ancient texts as well. Don’t take my word for it:

Personal development training will allow you to persist long after others quit.

It will allow you to develop a “millionaire mindset”. It will allow you to become the leader that others are attracted to and will follow. It will allow you to manifest your desires physical, social, spiritual, material, and monetary. It will allow you to become a better you.

The importance of your own personal development simply cannot be overstated. Without it, you’re doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past.

In other words:
“The significant problems we face cannot be solved at the same level of thinking we were at when we created them.”
–Albert Einstein

If you’re not prepared to accept this, you may as well stop reading right now… you’re already beaten before you’ve gotten started.

Here’s a couple of great places to start: “The Master Key System” by Charles F. Haanel and “The Game of Life and How To Play It” by Florence Scovel Shinn

If you have practiced each of the exercises a few minutes every day, as suggested, you will have found that you can get out of life exactly what you wish by first putting into life that which you wish, and you will probably agree with the student who said: “The thought is almost overwhelming, so vast, so available, so definite, so reasonable and so usable.”

The fruit of this knowledge is, as it were, a gift of the Gods; it is the “truth” that makes men free, not only free from every lack and limitation, but free from sorrow, worry and care, and, is it not wonderful to realize that this law is no respecter of persons, that it makes no difference what your habit of thought may be, the way has been prepared.

If you are inclined to be religious, the greatest religious teacher the world has ever known made the way so plain that all may follow. If your mental bias is toward physical science, the law will operate with mathematical certainty. If you are inclined to be philosophical, Plato or Emerson may be your teacher, but in either case, you may reach degrees of power to which it is impossible to assign any limit.

An understanding of this principle, I believe, is the secret for which the ancient Alchemists vainly sought, because it explains how gold in the mind may be transmuted into gold in the heart and in the hand.

Part Twenty Four

1. When the scientists first put the Sun in the center of the Solar System and sent the earth spinning around it, there was immense surprise and consternation. The whole idea was self-evidently false; nothing was more certain than the movement of the Sun across the sky, and anyone could see it descend behind the western hills and sink into the sea; scholars raged and scientists rejected the idea as absurd, yet the evidence has finally carried conviction in the minds of all.

2. We speak of a bell as a “sounding body,” yet we know that all the bell can do is to produce vibrations in the air. When these vibrations come at the rate of sixteen per second, they cause a sound to be heard in the mind. It is also possible for the mind to hear vibrations up to the rate of 38,000 vibrations per second. When the number increases beyond this, all is silence again; so that we know that the sound is not in the bell, it is in our own mind.

3. We speak and even think of the Sun as “giving light.” Yet we know it is simply giving forth energy which produces vibrations in the ether at the rate of four hundred trillion a second, causing what are termed light waves, so that we know that we call light is simply a form of energy and that the only light there is, is the sensation caused in the mind by the motion of the waves. When the number increases, the light changes in color, each change in color being caused by shorter and more rapid vibrations; so that although we speak of the rose as being red, the grass as being green, or the sky as being blue, we know that the colors exist only in our minds, and are the sensations experienced by us as the result of the vibrations of light waves. When the vibrations are reduced below four hundred trillion a second, they no longer affect us as light, but we experience the sensation of heat. It is evident, therefore, that we cannot depend upon the evidence of the senses for our information concerning the realities of things; if we did we should believe that the sun moved, that the world was flat instead of round, that the stars were bits of light instead of vast suns.

4. The whole range then of the theory and practice of any system of metaphysics consists in knowing the Truth concerning yourself and the world in which you live; in knowing that in order to express harmony, you must think harmony; in order to express health you must think health; and in order to express abundance you must think abundance; to do this you must reverse the evidence of the senses.

5. When you come to know that every form of disease, sickness, lack and limitation are simply the result of wrong thinking, you will have come to know “the Truth which shall make you free.” You will see how mountains may be removed. If these mountains consist only of doubt, fear, distrust or other forms of discouragement, they are none the less real, and they need not only to be removed but to be “cast into the sea.”

6. Your real work consists in convincing yourself of the truth of these statements. When you have succeeded in doing this you will have no difficulty in thinking the truth, and as has been shown, the truth contains a vital principle and will manifest itself.

7. Those who heal diseases by mental methods have come to know this truth, they demonstrate it in their lives and the lives of others daily. They know that life, health and abundance are Omnipresent, filling all space, and they know that those who allow disease or lack of any kind to manifest, have as yet not come into an understanding of this great law.

8. As all conditions are thought creations and therefore entirely mental, disease and lack are simply mental conditions in which the person fails to perceive the truth; as soon as the error is removed, the condition is removed.

9. The method for removing this error is to go into the Silence and know the Truth; as all mind is one mind, you can do this for yourself or anyone else. If you have learned to form mental images of the conditions desired, this will be the easiest and quickest way to secure results; if not, results can be accomplished by argument, by the process of convincing yourself absolutely of the truth of your statement.

10. Remember, and this is one of the most difficult as well as most wonderful statements to grasp…. remember that no matter what the difficulty is, no matter where it is, no matter who is affected, you have no patient but yourself; you have nothing to do but to convince yourself of the truth which you desire to see manifested.

11. This is an exact scientific statement in accordance with every system of Metaphysics in existence, and no permanent results are ever secured in any other way.

12. Every form of concentration, forming Mental Images, Argument, and Autosuggestion are all simply methods by which you are enabled to realize the Truth.

13. If you desire to help someone, to destroy some form of lack, limitation or error, the correct method is not to think of the person whom you wish to help; the intention to help them is entirely sufficient, as this puts you in mental touch with the person. Then drive out of your own mind any belief of lack, limitation, disease, danger, difficulty or whatever the trouble might be. As soon as you have succeeded is doing this the result will have been accomplished, and the person will be free.

14. But remember that thought is creative and consequently every time you allow your thought to rest on any inharmonious condition, you must realize that such conditions are apparent only, they have no reality, that spirit is the only reality and it can never be less than perfect.

15. All thought is a form of energy, a rate of vibration, but a thought of the Truth is the highest rate of vibration known and consequently destroys every form of error in exactly the same way that light destroys darkness; no form of error can exist when the “Truth” appears, so that your entire mental work consists in coming into an understanding of the Truth. This will enable you to overcome every form of lack, limitation or disease of any kind.

16. We can get no understanding of the truth from the world without; the world without is relative only; Truth is absolute. We must therefore find it in the “world within.”

17. To train the mind to see Truth only is to express true conditions only, our ability to do this will be an indication as to the progress we are making.

18. The absolute truth is that the “I” is perfect and complete; the real “I” is spiritual and can therefore never be less than perfect; it can never have any lack, limitation, or disease. The flash of genius does not have origin in the molecular motion of the brain; it is inspired by the ego, the spiritual “I” which is one with the Universal Mind, and it is our ability to recognize this Unity which is the cause of all inspiration, all genius. These results are far reaching and have effect upon generations yet to come; they are the pillars of fire which mark the path that millions follow.

19. Truth is not the result of logical training or of experimentation, or even of observation; it is the product of a developed consciousness. Truth within a Caesar, manifests in a Caesar’s deportment, in his life and his action; his influence upon social forms and progress. Your life and your actions and your influence in the world will depend upon the degree of truth which you are enabled to perceive, for truth will not manifest in creeds, but in conduct.

20. Truth manifests in character, and the character of a man, should be the interpretation of his religion, or what to him is truth, and this will in turn be evidenced in the character of his possession. If a man complains of the drift of his fortune he is just as unjust to himself as if he should deny rational truth, though it stand patent and irrefutable.

21. Our environment and the innumerable circumstances and accidents of our lives already exist in the subconscious personality which attracts to itself the mental and physical material which is congenial to its nature. Thus our future being determined from our present, and if there should be apparent injustice in any feature or phase of our personal life, we must look within for the cause, try to discover the mental fact which is responsible for the outward manifestation.

22. It is this truth which makes you “free” and it is the conscious knowledge of this truth which will enable you to overcome every difficulty.

23. The conditions with which you meet in the world without are invariably the result of the conditions obtaining in the world within, therefore it follows with scientific accuracy that by holding the perfect ideal in mind you can bring about ideal conditions in your environment.

24. If you see only the incomplete, the imperfect, the relative, the limited, these conditions will manifest in your life; but if you train your mind to see and realize the spiritual ego, the “I” which is forever perfect and complete, harmonious; wholesome, and healthful conditions only will be manifested.

25. As thought is creative, and the truth is the highest and most perfect thought which anyone can think, it is self-evident that to think the truth is to create that which is true and it is again evident that when truth comes into being that which is false must cease to be.

26. The Universal Mind is the totality of all mind which is in existence. Spirit is Mind, because spirit is intelligent. The words are, therefore, synonymous.

27. The difficulty with which you have to contend is to realize that mind is not individual. It is omnipresent. It exists everywhere. In other words, there is no place where it is not. It is, therefore, Universal.

28. Men have, heretofore, generally used the word “God” to indicate this Universal, creative principle; but the word “God” does not convey the right meaning. Most people understand this word to mean something outside of themselves; while exactly the contrary is the fact. It is our very life. Without it we would be dead. We would cease to exist. The minute the spirit leaves the body, we are as nothing. Therefore, spirit is really, all there is of us.

29. Now, the only activity which the spirit possesses is the power to think. Therefore, thought must be creative, because spirit is creative. This creative power is impersonal and your ability to think is your ability to control it and make use of it for the benefit of yourself and others.

30. When the truth of this statement is realized, understood, and appreciated, you will have come into possession of the Master-Key, but remember that only those who are wise enough to understand, broad enough to weigh the evidence, firm enough to follow their own judgment, and strong enough to make the sacrifice exacted, may enter and partake.

31. This week, try to realize that this is truly a wonderful world in which we live, that you are a wonderful being that many are awakening to a knowledge of the Truth, and as fast as they awake and come into a knowledge of the “things which have been prepared for them” they, too, realize that “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man,” the splendors which exist for those who find themselves in the Promised Land. They have crossed the river of judgment and have arrived at the point of discrimination between the true and the false, and have found that all they ever willed or dreamed, was but a faint concept of the dazzling reality.

“Though an inheritance of acres may be bequeathed, an inheritance of knowledge and wisdom cannot. The wealthy man may pay others for doing his work for him, but it is impossible to get his thinking done for him by another or to purchase any kind of self-culture.”
– S. Smiles

Study Questions with Answers

231. Upon what principle does the theory and practice of every system of Metaphysics in existence depend?
Upon a knowledge of the “Truth” concerning yourself and the world in which you life.

232. What is the “Truth” concerning yourself?
The real “I” or ego is spiritual and can therefore never be less than perfect.

233. What is the method of destroying any form of error?
To absolutely convince yourself of the “Truth” concerning the condition which you wish to see manifested.

234. Can we do this for others?
The Universal Mind in which “we live and move and have our being” is one and indivisible, it is therefore just as possible to help others as to help ourselves.

235. What is the Universal Mind?
The totality of all mind in existence.

236. Where is the Universal Mind?
The Universal Mind is omnipresent, it exists everywhere. There is no place where it is not. It is therefore within us. It is “The World within.” It is our spirit, our life.

237. What is the nature of the Universal Mind?
It is spiritual and consequently creative. It seeks to express itself in form.

238. How may we act on the Universal Mind?
Our ability to think is our ability to act on the Universal Mind and bring it into manifestation for the benefit of ourselves or others.

239. What is meant by thinking?
Clear, decisive, calm, deliberate, sustained thought with a definite end in view.

240. What will be the result?
You will also be able to say, “It is not I that doeth the works, but the ‘Father’ that dwelleth within me, He doeth the works.” You will come to know that the “Father” is the Universal Mind and that He does really and truly dwell within you, in other words, you will come to know that the wonderful promises made in the Bible are fact, not fiction, and can be demonstrated by anyone having sufficient understanding.

“Temples have their sacred images, and we see what influence they have always had over a great part of mankind; but, in truth, the ideas and images in men’s minds are the invisible powers that constantly govern them; and to these they all pay universally a ready submission.”
– Jonathan Edwards