James Lane Allen (1849–1925) was an American novelist and short story writer whose work, including the novel A Kentucky Cardinal, often depicted the culture and dialects of his native Kentucky. His work is characteristic of the late-19th century local color era, when writers sought to capture the vernacular in their fiction. Allen has been described as “Kentucky’s first important novelist.”
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The outer conditions of a person’s life will always be found to reflect their inner beliefs
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Belief
Circumstances do not make the man, they reveal him.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Chance, Circumstance, Character
Thus meditating you will no longer strive to build yourself up in your prejudices, but, forgetting self, you will remember only that you are seeking the Truth
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Meditation
For true success ask yourself these four questions: Why? Why not? Why not me? Why not now? .
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Success & Failure, Questions, Success
Self is ingenious, crooked, and, governed by subtle and snaky desire, admits of endless turnings and qualifications, and the deluded worshippers of self vainly imagine that they can gratify every worldly desire, and at the same time possess the Truth
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Selfishness
You are the handicap you must face. You are the one who must choose your place.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Decisions, Self-reliance
A man should conceive of a legitimate purpose in his heart, and set out to accomplish it. He should make this purpose the centralizing point of his thoughts. It may take the form of a spiritual ideal, or it may be a worldly object, according to his nature at the time being; but whichever it is, he should steadily focus his thought forces upon the object which he has set before him. He should make this purpose his supreme duty, and should devote himself to its attainment, not allowing his thoughts to wander away into ephemeral fancies, longings, and imaginings. This is the royal road to self-control and true concentration of thought. Even if he fails again and again to accomplish his purpose (as he necessarily must until weakness is overcome), the strength of character gained will be the measure of his true success, and this will form a new starting point for future power and triumph.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Purpose
Man is made or unmade by himself. By the right choice he ascends. As a being of power, intelligence, and love, and the lord of his own thoughts, he holds the key to every situation.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Choice
Let there be nothing within thee that is not very beautiful and very gentle, and there will be nothing without thee that is not beautiful and softened by the spell of thy presence.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Beauty
When mental energy is allowed to follow the line of least resistance and to fall into easy channels, it is called weakness
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Weakness
The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, his influence, his power for good. Calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Serenity, Influence
Thought allied fearlessly to purpose becomes creative force.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Purpose
In all human affairs there are efforts, and there are results, and the strength of the effort is the measure of the result.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Effort, Determination, Success
No temptation can gravitate to a man unless there is that is his heart which is capable of responding to it
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Control
He who would be useful, strong, and happy must cease to be a passive receptacle for the negative, beggarly, and impure streams of thought; and as a wise householder commands his servants and invites his guests, so must he learn to command his desires and to say, with authority, what thoughts he shall admit into the mansion of his soul.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Self-talk, Confidence
The selfishness must be discovered and understood before it can be removed. It is powerless to remove itself, neither will it pass away of itself. Darkness ceases only when light is introduced; so ignorance can only be dispersed by Knowledge; selfishness by Love.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Selfishness
The greatest achievement was at first and for a time a dream. The oak sleeps in the acorn, the bird waits in the egg, and in the highest vision of the soul a waking angel stirs. Dreams are the seedlings of realities.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Achievement, Achieve, Vision, Dream
All that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Thought, Thinking, Thoughts, Achievement, Reason
Think lovingly, speak lovingly, act lovingly, and every need shall be supplied.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Love
To desire is to obtain; to aspire is to achieve.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Desires, Desire
If there is no peace, there must be strength; if there is to be security, there must be stability; if there is to be lasting joy, there must be no leaning upon things which at any moment may be snatched away for ever.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Peace
A man is literally what he thinks.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Belief, Thought, Thoughts, Thinking, Think, Positive Attitudes, Optimism
Where faith is there is courage, there is fortitude, there is steadfastness and strength… Faith bestows that sublime courage that rises superior to the troubles and disappointments of life, that acknowledges no defeat except as a step to victory; that is strong to endure, patient to wait, and energetic to struggle… Light up, then, the lamp of faith in your heart… It will lead you safely through the mists of doubt and the black darkness of despair; along the narrow, thorny ways of sickness and sorrow, and over the treacherous places of temptation and uncertainty.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Faith
It is a process of diverting one’s scattered forces into one powerful channel.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Concentration, Focus
If you real desire is to be good, there is no need to wait for the money before you do it; you can do it now, this very moment, and just where you are.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Desire, Opportunity
He who would accomplish little must sacrifice little; he who would achieve much must sacrifice much; he who would attain highly must sacrifice greatly.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Sacrifice
As you think, you travel, and as you love, you attract. You are today where your thoughts have brought you; you will be tomorrow where your thoughts take you.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Destiny, Optimism, Thoughts, Thinking, Positive Attitudes, Reason, Thought
The birds are moulting. If man could only moult also—his mind once a year it’s errors, his heart once a year it’s useless passions.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Birds, Change
Our life is what our thoughts make it. A man will find that as he alters his thoughts toward things and other people, things and other people will alter towards him.
—James Lane Allen
Topics: Thinking, Thoughts, Thought
A man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer of the man with his surroundings.
—James Lane Allen
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