For as I hope clearly to prove it is an easy matter to create a strong will, or strengthen that which we have, to a marvelous extent, yet he who would do this must first give his Attention firmly and fixedly to his intent or want, for which purpose it is absolutely necessary that he shall first know his own mind regarding what he means to do, and therefore meditate upon it, not dreamily, or vaguely, but earnestly.  And this done he must assure himself that he takes a real interest in the subject, since if such be the case I may declare that his success is well nigh certain.

And here it may be observed that if beginners, before taking up any pursuit, would calmly and deliberately consider the virtues of Attention and Interest, and how to acquire them, or bring them to bear on the proposed study or work, we should hear much less of those who had “begun German” without learning it, or who failed in any other attempt.  For there would in very truth be few failures in life if those who undertake anything first gave to it long and careful consideration by leading observation into every detail, and, in fact, becoming familiar with the idea, and not trusting to acquire interest and perseverance in the future.  Nine-tenths of the difficulty and doubt or ill-at-easeness which beginners experience, giving them the frightened feeling of “a cat in a strange garret,” and which often inspires them to retreat, is due entirely to not having begun by training the Attention or awakened an Interest in the subject.

It has often seemed to me that the reason for failure, or the ultimate failing to attain success, in a vast number of “Faith cures,” is simply because the people who seek them, being generally of a gushing, imaginative nature, are lacking in deep reflection, application, or earnest attention.  They are quick to take hold, and as quick to let go.  Therefore, they are of all others the least likely to seriously reflect beforehand on the necessity of preparing the mind to patience and application.  Now it seems a simple thing to say, and it is therefore all the harder to understand, that before going to work at anything which will require perseverance and repeated effort we can facilitate the result amazingly by thinking over and anticipating it, so that when the weariness comes it will not be as a discouraging novelty, but as something of course, even as a fisherman accepts his wet feet, or the mosquitoes.  But how this disposition to grow weary of work or to become inattentive may be literally and very completely conjured away will be more fully explained in another chapter.  For this let it suffice to say that earnest forethought, and the more of it the better, bestowed on aught which we intend to undertake, is a thing rarely attempted in the real sense in which I mean it, but which, when given, eases every burden and lightens every toil.

Mere forethought repeated is the easiest of mental efforts.  Yet even a little of it asserted before undertaking a task will wonderfully facilitate the work.