There has been a lot of nonsense written and spoken about the law of attraction. People have been solemnly taught that they all need to do is to simply adopt a certain mental attitude, think thoughts of success and abundance, and then to sit and wait for abundance of all good things to drop from the sky at their feet. The folly of this is seen when we find it those teachers of “abundance” and joy, themselves having to work for a living, by teaching the very thing which, if true, would save them from all necessity of work. Some are even on the dole.

It’s the equivalent to a psychic not knowing the winning numbers for the lotto draw. 

Suppose it were true, then what is possible for one would be possible for all, and if adopted, this method of getting a living would raise the questions of who would farm, or make clothes? Would everything we need just come from the sky?

Even if these were true and humankind could draw all that we need from the power of thought from the big blue vault of heaven, then no one would have anything to do, life would become stagnant, and the whole human race would perish from inaction.

Life is action, and if a human being ceases to work, then they immediately begin to disintegrate and soon require six feet of soil wherein to cover their bones. When business people retire they quickly die, and those who, being born with wealth, have no necessity to work for a living, have to find something to do, to play at work, in order to prevent themselves from the mental and physical decay of addictions and self-destruction.

There is no such thing as getting something for nothing. There are no free lunches. The principle of “doing a deal“ runs right through life and the universe. A business person who tries to get something for nothing, who, in other words, fails to give value for money, finally find themselves without the customer. Those who try to evade this law by creating trusts and tax havens will find that their ill gotten gains will be confiscated by a power greater than themselves. The “square deal,“ reasonable profits, fair wages, on a straightforward business integrity, all these will succeed and continue to succeed, as long as there remains people to do business with; but the idea of squeezing dishonest profits out of the life and blood of common people, will only survive as long as the community allows it to. All those who read history know what has been the fate of cheats in the past, and there is no reason for believing that the profiteers and extortionists of the present will do any better.

Even if, a person can gain a fortune by unfair means, i.e. by not giving good value for money, by extortion or profiteering, they will lose in one direction exactly in proportion to that which they gain in another. Let them make a fortune by bad practice; let them snap their fingers and sneer at integrity and honour and universal law; let them rejoice in what they have done; let them think themselves a fine, clever person; nevertheless truth awaits. They will lose in love, peace of mind, happiness and health in exact proportion to their dishonest game. They make money, granted, but they lose that which money cannot buy. The author has known people to be happy until they became wealthy, then they became really miserable people. I’ve known them to be healthy while they were comparatively poor, and full of sickness and trouble when they became passing rich. There is a law of compensation running through life and the universe and you cannot avoid it. If you are to succeed you must work and accomplish; if you are to receive the riches of the world you must give of your best in exchange.

“Gift to the world the best you have, and the best will come back to you.“

This is where the law of attraction operates, not by sitting still and expecting the impossible to happen, but by the giving in faith and confidence of your best efforts to the world. By calling on your hidden powers, and by creating powerful thoughts, you attract yourself the full abundance of thoughts of a similar kind, which passing into your  subliminal mind are translated into actions of the highest type, the type that results in achievement, that wins success. Thus if you give your best to the world, then in the form your visualise, a rich and abundant success, the best will come back to you.

These people who expect to be successful without working for it, take a position in life such as a gambler, living life hoping for the roll of a dice or the luck of numbers to cause their destiny.

What we own is ultimately that to which we are entitled. Therefore what we own can only be what we have earned, earning or are going to earn by service to others. In other words, you have given, giving or will give, your best to the world, and what you actually own will be the best that comes back to you through the operation of the law of compensation.

The principle of “the square deal” runs through all life and the universe. If an artist conceived a picture or a photographer took a photo and they are content that it remain in their mind, or even in storage somewhere, then they have no right to expect payment for their creation. No, because they have not rendered any service to any human being, they have not given value for money. Let them therefore put a picture on canvas and by giving or selling, or even putting on social media let it bring joy and nourishment to many, and then for this service, payment will be received in the form the artist wishes, whether gratitude alone, fame or material wealth. The greater their conception (brand) the greater will be the reward.

Similarly, an engineer might conceive a bridge. Would they be rewarded with money if they keep this idea in their mind? No. They will need to transfer that mental image to paper or to the computer in some form or another and translate their drawings into inspiration for an actual steel and stone construction, and then their work, conception, will become a blessing worth millions of dollars. Then, when it is translated to a service (the bridge) will they be worthy of the greatest reward. Life demands of us “square deals,” a fair exchange. If we are to receive we must give. If we give we will receive. Do not believe for one moment that marketing, or online tricks, nasty practices of under handed theft, or hiding faults, or taking advantage of other people‘s ignorance or weakness is going to lead to success, because it will not, and cannot. I’ve known plenty of people splendidly equipped for the battle of life, “brainy“ resourceful, capable, and not lacking in courage, yet they have not succeeded, simply because they were not “straight.“ They were clever and plausible and could always do well at first interview, but they could never keep their clients or customers because they fail to give a service in exchange for honest money. They win in getting the job and then get distracted by spending their income rather than earning it.

This world is crying out loud for honest, straightforward and sincere people; lawyers, doctors, business people, consultants, coaches, politicians, preachers and teachers. It calls for people of integrity, people who live their lives according to a principal instead of being mere opportunists; for people who love honour and truth, for people who believe in the principle of a square deal. The world wants people who will give their very best, and as such the world is willing release its treasures to them in profusion. Principal and sincerity are more than ever needed today. People who can be trusted, people on who business, a family, a world, can rely.

No great success is, or ever can be, possible without the quality of sincerity; no great achievement was ever won except for those to whom honour and principal were the very breath of life. Look at the lives of all the truly great and successful ones that have ever lived, and we can only find sincerity of purpose – a powerful intention, a giving of the very best service to the world. The extent of this sincerity was the measure of their greatness. They were not always “nice” to others but they held a standard of service was uncompropmised. They sacrificed even their own family life to sustain that service. They actually earned their wealth by the delivery of a service (or product) that was exception and they never stopped improving it They gave their best, and greatness in immortality was their reward.

You may not see greatness, you may not desire to become an “immortal“; your ideas of success may be just an increase of salary, a moderate fortune, or a well paid position in your calling or profession. To be a great writer or politician or poet or philosopher or leader of people; to be one great enough in character to carve your name in the history of your time; all these may not be interest to you in the slightest degree, or, on the other hand they maybe. But whatever your ambition may be, low or high, meagre or great, you can only realise that if you are sincere.

To win success of any kind you must be sincere, you must give your very best, you must somehow find expression for that which is within you.