how to live on twenty-four hours a day-第5节

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I　have　incidentally　mentioned　the　vast　expanse　of　forty…four　hours　between　
leaving　business　at　2　p。m。　on　Saturday　and　returning　to　business　at　10　a。m。　
on　Monday。　　And　here　I　must　touch　on　the　point　whether　the　week　should　
consist　of　six　days　or　of　seven。　　For　many　yearsin　fact；　until　I　was　approaching　
fortymy　own　week　consisted　of　seven　days。　　I　was　constantly　being　informed　
by　older　and　wiser　people　that　more　work；　more　genuine　living；　could　be　got　
out　of　six　days　than　out　of　seven。

And　it　is　certainly　true　that　now；　with　one　day　in　seven　in　which　I　follow　no　
programme　and　make　no　effort　save　what　the　caprice　of　the　moment　dictates；　
I　appreciate　intensely　the　moral　value　of　a　weekly　rest。　　Nevertheless；　had　I　
my　life　to　arrange　over　again；　I　would　do　again　as　I　have　done。　　Only　those　
who　have　lived　at　the　full　stretch　seven　days　a　week　for　a　long　time　can　
appreciate　the　full　beauty　of　a　regular　recurring　idleness。　　Moreover；　I　am　
ageing。　　And　it　is　a　question　of　age。　　In　cases　of　abounding　youth　and　
exceptional　energy　and　desire　for　effort　I　should　say　unhesitatingly：　　Keep　
going；　day　in；　day　out。

But　in　the　average　case　I　should　say：　　Confine　your　formal　programme　
（super…programme；　I　mean）　to　six　days　a　week。　　If　you　find　yourself　
wishing　to　extend　it；　extend　it；　but　only　in　proportion　to　your　wish；　and　
count　the　time　extra　as　a　windfall；　not　as　regular　income；　so　that　you　can　
return　to　a　six…day　programme　without　the　sensation　of　being　poorer；　of　
being　a　backslider。

Let　us　now　see　where　we　stand。　　So　far　we　have　marked　for　saving　
out　of　the　waste　of　days；　half　an　hour　at　least　on　six　mornings　a　
week；　and　one　hour　and　a　half　on　three　evenings　a　week。　　Total；　
seven　hours　and　a　half　a　week。


I　propose　to　be　content　with　that　seven　hours　and　a　half　for　the　
present。　　〃What？〃　you　cry。　　〃You　pretend　to　show　us　how　to　live；　
and　you　only　deal　with　seven　hours　and　a　half　out　of　a　hundred　
and　sixty…eight！　　Are　you　going　to　perform　a　miracle　with　your　
seven　hours　and　a　half？〃　　Well；　not　to　mince　the　matter；　I　amif　
you　will　kindly　let　me！　　That　is　to　say；　I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　
attempt　an　experience　which；　while　perfectly　natural　and　explicable；　
has　all　the　air　of　a　miracle。　　My　contention　is　that　the　full　use　of　those　
seven…and…a…half　hours　will　quicken　the　whole　life　of　the　week；　add　
zest　to　it；　and　increase　the　interest　which　you　feel　in　even　the　most　
banal　occupations。　　You　practise　physical　exercises　for　a　mere　ten　
minutes　morning　and　evening；　and　yet　you　are　not　astonished　when　
your　physical　health　and　strength　are　beneficially　affected　every　hour　
of　the　day；　and　your　whole　physical　outlook　changed。　　Why　should　
you　be　astonished　that　an　average　of　over　an　hour　a　day　given　to　the　
mind　should　permanently　and　completely　enliven　the　whole　activity　
of　the　mind？

More　time　might　assuredly　be　given　to　the　cultivation　of　one's　self。　　
And　in　proportion　as　the　time　was　longer　the　results　would　be　greater。　　
But　I　prefer　to　begin　with　what　looks　like　a　trifling　effort。

It　is　not　really　a　trifling　effort；　as　those　will　discover　who　have　yet　
to　essay　it。　　To　〃clear〃　even　seven　hours　and　a　half　from　the　jungle　is　
passably　difficult。　　For　some　sacrifice　has　to　be　made。　　One　may　have　
spent　one's　time　badly；　but　one　did　spend　it；　one　did　do　something　
with　it；　however　ill…advised　that　something　may　have　been。　　To　do　
something　else　means　a　change　of　habits。

And　habits　are　the　very　dickens　to　change！　　Further；　any　change；　even　
a　change　for　the　better；　is　always　accompanied　by　drawbacks　and　
discomforts。　　If　you　imagine　that　you　will　be　able　to　devote　seven　
hours　and　a　half　a　week　to　serious；　continuous　effort；　and　still　live　
your　old　life；　you　are　mistaken。　　I　repeat　that　some　sacrifice；　and　an　
immense　deal　of　volition；　will　be　necessary。　　And　it　is　because　I　know　
the　difficulty；　it　is　because　I　know　the　almost　disastrous　effect　of　failure　
in　such　an　enterprise；　that　I　earnestly　advise　a　very　humble　beginning。　　
You　must　safeguard　your　self…respect。　　Self…respect　is　at　the　root　of　all　
purposefulness；　and　a　failure　in　an　enterprise　deliberately　planned　deals　
a　desperate　wound　at　one's　self…respect。　　Hence　I　iterate　and　reiterate：　　
Start　quietly；　unostentatiously。


When　you　have　conscientiously　given　seven　hours　and　a　half　a　week　
to　the　cultivation　of　your　vitality　for　three　monthsthen　you　may　
begin　to　sing　louder　and　tell　yourself　what　wondrous　things　you　are　
capable　of　doing。

Before　coming　to　the　method　of　using　the　indicated　hours；　I　have　one　
final　suggestion　to　make。　　That　is；　as　regards　the　evenings；　to　allow　
much　more　than　an　hour　and　a　half　in　which　to　do　the　work　of　an　hour　
and　a　half。　　Remember　the　chance　of　accidents。　　Remember　human　nature。　　
And　give　yourself；　say；　from　9　to　11。30　for　your　task　of　ninety　minutes。


　
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　VII

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CONTROLLING　THE　MIND　


People　say：　　〃One　can't　help　one's　thoughts。〃　　But　one　can。　　The　control　
of　the　thinking　machine　is　perfectly　possible。　　And　since　nothing　whatever　
happens　to　us　outside　our　own　brain；　since　nothing　hurts　us　or　gives　us　
pleasure　except　within　the　brain；　the　supreme　importance　of　being　able　
to　control　what　goes　on　in　that　mysterious　brain　is　patent。　　This　idea　is　
one　of　the　oldest　platitudes；　but　it　is　a　platitude　who's　profound　truth　and　
urgency　most　people　live　and　die　without　realising。　　People　complain　of　
the　lack　of　power　to　concentrate；　not　witting　that　they　may　acquire　the　
power；　if　they　choose。

And　without　the　power　to　concentratethat　is　to　say；　without　the　power　to　
dictate　to　the　brain　its　task　and　to　ensure　obediencetrue　life　is　impossible。　　
Mind　control　is　the　first　element　of　a　full　existence。

Hence；　it　seems　to　me；　the　first　business　of　the　day　should　be　to　put　the　
mind　through　its　paces。　　You　look　after　your　body；　inside　and　out；　you　
run　grave　danger　in　hacking　hairs　off　your　skin；　you　employ　a　whole　
army　of　individuals；　from　the　milkman　to　the　pig…killer；　to　enable　you　
to　bribe　your　stomach　into　decent　behaviour。　　Why　not　devote　a　little　
attention　to　the　far　more　delicate　machinery　of　the　mind；　especially　as　
you　will　require　no　extraneous　aid？　　It　is　for　this　portion　of　the　art　and　
craft　of　living　that　I　have　reserved　the　time　from　the　moment　of　quitting　
your　door　to　the　moment　of　arriving　at　your　office。

〃What？　　I　am　to　cultivate　my　mind　in　the　street；　on　the　platform；　in　the　
train；　and　in　the　crowded　street　again？〃　　Precisely。　　Nothing　simpler！　　
No　tools　required！　　Not　even　a　book。　　Nevertheless；　the　affair　is　not　easy。

When　you　leave　your　house；　concentrate　your　mind　on　a　subject　（no　
matter　what；　to　begin　with）。　　You　will　not　have　gone　ten　yards　before　
your　mind　has　skipped　away　under　your　very　eyes　and　is　larking　round　
the　corner　with　another　subject。

Bring　it　back　by　the　scruff　of　the　neck。　　Ere　you　have　reached　the　station　
you　will　have　brought　it　back　about　forty　times。　　Do　not　despair。　　Continue。　　
Keep　it　up。　　You　will　succeed。　　You　cannot　by　any　chance　fail　if　you　
persevere。　　It　is　idle　to　pretend　that　your　mind　is　incapable　of　concentration。　　
Do　you　not　remember　that　morning　when　you　received　a　disquieting　letter　
which　demanded　a　very　carefully…worded　answer？　　How　you　kept　your　mind　
steadily　on　the　subject　of　the　answer；　without　a　second's　intermission；　until　
you　reached　your　office；　whereupon　you　instantly　sat　down　and　wrote　the　
answer？　　That　was　a　case　in　which　*you*　were　roused　by　circumstances　to　
such　a　degree　of　vitality　that　you　were　able　to　dominate　your　mind　like　a　tyrant。　　
You　would　have　no　trifling。　　You　insisted　that　its　work　should　be　done；　and　its　
work　was　done。

By　the　regular　practice　of　concentration　（as　to　which　there　is　no　secret
save　the　secret　of　perseverance）　you　can　tyrannise　over　your　mind　（which　
is　not　the　highest　part　of　*you*）　every　hour　of　the　day；　and　in　no　matter　
what　place。　　The　exercise　is　a　very　convenient　one。　　If　you　got　into　your　
morning　train　with　a　pair　of　dumb…bells　for　your　muscles　or　an　encyclopaedia　
in　ten　volumes　for　your　learning；　you　would　probably　excite　remark。　　But　as　
you　walk　in　the　street；　or　sit　in　the　corner　of　the　compartment　behind　a　pipe；　
or　〃strap…hang〃　on　the　Subterranean；　who　is　to　know　that　you　are　engaged　in　
the　most　important　　of　daily　acts？　　What　asinine　boor　can　laugh　at　you？

I　do　not　care　what　you　concentrate　on；　so　long　as　you　concentrate。　　It　is　the　
mere　disciplining　of　the　thinking　machine　that　counts。　　But　still；　you　may　as　
well　kill　two　birds　with　one　stone；　and　concentrate　on　something　useful。　　I　
suggestit　is　only　a　suggestiona　little　chapter　of　Marcus　Aurelius　or　Epictetus。

Do　not；　I　beg；　shy　at　their　names。　　For　myself；　I　know　nothing　more　〃actual；〃　
more　bursting　with　plain　common…sense；　applicable　to　the　daily　life　of　plain　
persons　like　you　and　me　（who　hate　airs；　pose；　and　nonsense）　than　Marcus　
Aurelius　or　Epictetus。　　Read　a　chapterand　so　short　they　are；　the　chapters！
in　the　evening　and　concentrate　on　it　the　next　morning。　　You　will　see。

Yes；　my　friend；　it　is　use