James Allen

He who has conquered doubt and fear has conquered failure.

Until thought is linked with purpose, there is no intelligent accomplishment. With the majority, the bark of thought is allowed to drift upon the ocean of life. A man should conceive a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it.

You will become as small as your controlling desire; as great as your dominant aspiration.

Profile / Biography

James Allen was an English author who was the father of the self-help movement with his work As A Man Thinketh.

James Allen was born in 1864 in Leicester and worked for a large corporation for several years before retiring at 38 to contemplate and write.  From his retirement to his death at the age of 48 in 1912, he completed 20 works, most of which emphasize the ability of an individual’s thoughts to have an impact on his or her life.

As A Man Thinketh operates on the basic premise that the way a person thinks will dictate the direction his life will take.  If one thinks noble thoughts, he will be a noble person. People who think lowly thoughts will be miserable.  Other works include The Low Country, Above Life’s Turmoil, and Byways to Blessings.

James Allen’s work never brought him wealth, and even with increased recognition today he still cannot be considered a famous author.  Nevertheless, Allen deserves a lot of credit as one of the most influential voices of the positive thought movement.