"As Man Thinketh" is a fascinating classic of developmental literature from 1902. A book so thin that I read it during one walk around Kuala Lumpur.

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It's full of optimism, agency, and written in an almost mystical language. James Allen sneaks in lessons proven many years later in reliable research.

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Here's an example passage:

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"In the armory of thought, man forges tools with which he destroys himself or such with which he builds joy, strength, and peace for himself. Between these two extremes are all possible degrees of character, and man is their creator and master."

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For clarity: I don't believe in the magical "law of attraction."

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I do believe that our thoughts determine whether we notice emerging opportunities and have enough confidence to use them. It's not the universe responding to our wishes - it's us determining whether we go after their realization or not.

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I went through 2022 working hard on my beliefs - through cognitive and behavioral therapy, looking for deeper thought traps. It was fascinating, but at some point... I felt I had dug to the end of that hole, at least for a while. I stopped looking for things to improve and started focusing even more on my strengths.

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Selectivity regarding my environment and its support was a very reinforcing factor here - my fiancée, the right people in the company, friends with an "offensive" mindset.

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Consistently, whether through my Notion templates in the newsletter, through AI Journaling, or through 22community meetings, I share this process with others.

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If you're looking for quick inspiration for your own mindset work - I highly recommend this book!