Bert Cantrell, a successful industrialist, head of a large manufacturing company, and a long time student of the Science of Success, has given us an excellent demonstration of how a positive mental attitude can bring success. Let him tell his story in his own words:
“I originated a simple system which served as a check on my day to day control over my mental attitude, and it served to keep me reminded that only a positive mental attitude can possibly pay off in terms of success.
In one section of a little memorandum book which I carried in my pocket I carefully recorded every circumstance under which I expressed a negative mental attitude, including the length of time I permitted this attitude to prevail. In another section I carefully recorded every circumstance in which I acted entirely through a positive mental attitude.
When I added up the results I discovered, to my astonishment, that every form of activity in which I engaged while I was motivated by a positive mental attitude led to a successful conclusion. And I also discovered that every circumstance in which I moved under the influence of a negative mental attitude ended in disaster.
In neither of these instances did the results vary. Naturally this experiment led to careful control of my mental attitude at all times, and within a surprisingly short time I found I had developed the habit of doing all my thinking with a positive mental attitude.
This habit attracted people to me and made it easy for me to relate myself to them in a way which was beneficial to all parties concerned. It helped me to negotiate successfully with difficult people. It aided me in settling many business situations harmoniously, situations which were of such a nature that only a positive mental attitude could have brought success.”
Source: PMA Science of Success. Educational Edition. The Napoleon Hill Foundation. 1961. Pg. 237.