"THE philosophy of New Thought offers a key to the essential life--the
life worthwhile. New Thought is a philosophy of life. It leads man out
of the labyrinths of weakness, doubt, and darkness into the sunlight of
hope, strength, and courage.

The art of living is the art of thinking, for life has no values except
as thought molds them-- except as thought creates ideals for the
individual to shape and pattern his life after. How we shall live is the
most momentous question for man's thought and consideration. It is
paramount because during its existence we mold character, either good or
bad, which is the only asset we carry away at its close.

Life is not built to any fixed plan. One ideal will not suffice for all
lives. Individuals cannot follow the same guide, because all persons
differ and the orbits of their respective lives cannot be the same. Each
person is endowed with some distinct and superior quality. The real
purpose of his life should be to develop that gift and bring it into
activity and expression.
We must, therefore, begin with the proposition that life is an
individual function, a problem for each person to work out in the manner
best suited to his own individuality. Each must be shaped by his own
ideal. Each must follow his own line of cleavage.

The inquiry is often made, What is the ultimate purpose in life? Of
course, millions would say that the real object in life is to observe
certain formulas and requirements that will secure one a safe place in
the next world when death ensues. But this does not answer the question
or satisfy the inquiring mind.

Every man has one supreme ideal. Every man is turning his thought toward
the future, with the hope of reaching one great result. What is this
inward longing, what is all this striving, the labors of life, what is
the goal of all man's efforts, but happiness? Ultimate happiness is the
motive power of life. The search for happiness, however, should be
distinguished from the search for pleasure.
=A0
No two persons will agree on what constitutes ultimate happiness.
Therefore no common ideal can be set up and established, by which to
reach that desired state. One may think wealth to be the direct means of
producing happiness, another travel. another work, another duty and
service. We all map out and travel different roads to arrive at the one
desired result. The essential fact is not what we may think will be
productive of happiness, for the greater part of our thinking along
these lines is defective and illusory; but the important thought for
consideration is what, in fact, will lead us to the coveted goal.

Our lives and energies are largely wasted in an endeavor to follow our
ideals of happiness. We spend the larger portion of life in discovering
and laying aside out cherished illusions and discarded ideals. Our
greatest illusions, the ones that most monopolize our thought and
energies, are those we treasure of happiness. They fade away and vanish
as we travel along the highways of life. After all, we gain much wisdom
from Nature. If we have eyes to see, or ears to hear she will furnish
guides that will pilot us safely toward the essential life, which in its
last=A0=A0 analysis and ultimate meaning is a life of happiness."

Abel Leighton Allen

http://website.lineone.net/~newthought/tmontinx.htm