The Mastery of Destiny

(1909)

by James Allen

In this companion piece to The Life Triumphant, the bestselling author of the inspirational classic As a Man Thinketh continues his life's goal of revealing universal principles-both spiritual and practical-to empower the individual. With his emphasis on personal responsibility and harnessing one's inner power, he covers such topics as the Science of Self-Control, Training of the Will, Cultivation of Concentration, the Power of Purpose, and the Joy of Accomplishment. This is self-help for the inner self, from a man who believed that we alone are masters of our own destiny. Although best known for As a Man Thinketh, he authored several other books that deal with the power of thought including The Path to Prosperity, The Way of Peace, and Entering the Kingdom.

About the Author

James Allen (1864-1912) was a British philosophical writer known for his inspirational books and poetry and as a pioneer of self-help movement. His best known work, As a Man Thinketh, has been mass produced since its publication in 1903. It has been a source of inspiration to motivational and self-help authors. Born in Leicester, England, into a working class family, Allen was the eldest of two brothers. At age fifteen, with the family now facing economic disaster, Allen was forced to leave school and find work. For much of the 1890s, Allen worked as a private secretary and stationer in several British manufacturing firms. In 1893, Allen moved to London where he met Lily Louisa Oram who he then wed in 1895. In 1898, Allen found an occupation in which he could showcase his spiritual and social interests as a writer for the magazine The Herald of the Golden Age. At this time, Allen entered a creative period where he then published his first book of many books, From Poverty to Power (1901). In 1902, Allen began to publish his own spiritual magazine, The Light of Reason, later retitled The Epoch. In 1903, Allen published his third and most famous book As a Man Thinketh. Loosely based on the biblical proverb, "As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he," the small work eventually became read around the world and brought Allen posthumous fame as one of the pioneering figures of modern inspirational thought. The book's minor audience allowed Allen to quit his secretarial work and pursue his writing and editing career. In 1903, the Allen family retired to the town of Ilfracombe where Allen would spend the rest of his life. Continuing to publish the Epoch, Allen produced more than one book per year until his death in 1912. There he wrote for nine years, producing 19 works.

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