Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American philosopher, lecturer, essayist, and poet, best remembered for leading the Transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century.  Emerson’s work has influenced nearly every generation of thinker, writer and poet since his time.

Today I want to talk about some of the profound lessons we can learn from Emerson. 

…This is going to be good!

7 Profound Lessons from Ralph Waldo Emerson:

Lesson 1: Thoughts Rule the World

“Great men are they who see that spiritual is stronger than any material force – that thoughts rule the world.”

If what I preach is truth, if we’re truly “in charge” of our destiny, if we’re really the captain of our souls, it is for the singular cause that we are in charge of our thoughts.  The power of our kingdom resides exclusively in our thoughts.  If you are ever to succeed and master your world, the first step, is to master your thoughts.  Have you mastered your thoughts yet?  Do you control your thoughts, or do your thoughts control you?

Thoughts rule the world!  Your thoughts rule your world, they are king.

Lesson 2: You Need To Be Rich

“Every man is a consumer, and ought to be a producer. He is by constitution expensive, and needs to be rich.”

You should be a producer, a creator, and your creations should make you rich.  What are you producing?  Who are you producing it for?  What are they giving you in exchange for your production?  Is it making you rich?  …Why isn’t it making your rich? 

Ponder these questions, they hold the key to your wealth.

Lesson 3: Be Thankful for Your Faults

“Every man in his lifetime needs to thank his faults.”

I’ve fallen down on my knees and given thanks for my faults.  My faults have brought me to where I am today.  My faults have taught me, they’ve trained me, they’ve prepared me; they’ve made me a better me.  I am more relevant to today because of my faults.  I am grateful for the faults that I’ve made; they’ve strategically positioned me for success.

Lesson 4: It’s Okay to be an Amateur

“Every artist was first an amateur.”

It’s true, the greatest artist in the world was once just an amateur, but through desire, perseverance, hard work and patience, they became a master.  The same is true for your, it’s okay to start small, don’t despise starting small.  Don’t despise what I call the “silent years of success.”  That’s when no one knows who you are, and no one cares who you are.  It’s how you perform during the ”silent years” that determine if you leave the chrysalis and become the butterfly.

Lesson 5: Cause and Effect

“Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.”

It’s not luck that determines if you succeed or fail, it’s you.  It’s not the circumstances; circumstances are just a circle (cirum-ference) around your stance.  It’s a circle around your position, your belief.  When you change your beliefs your circumstances will change.  You change your beliefs by changing your thinking, and you change your thinking by consciously changing what you give your attention to.

Lesson 6: There’s Nothing Wrong with Gold

“The desire of gold is not for gold. It is for the means of freedom and benefit.”

The reason you should want to be rich is for the freedom and the benefits it permits.  Who doesn’t want to be free?  Only a slave who’s been so brainwashed that he can not perceive freedom and its benefits, only a slave who’s bought into the idea that the pit is better than the palace.  Only a slave who does not believe that freedom is worth the price.

Lesson 7: Great Men are Simple Men

“Great men don’t mind being little.”

Russell Conwell said, “The greatest of men, are the simplest of men.”  I love that, “The greatest of men, are the simplest of men.”  The greatest individuals aren’t the ones whose chest is puffed out the most, or the ones who won’t speak to you in passing.

The greatest men are the simplest men!  They are simple every day “Joe’s” who have used their simple thinking to provide simple solutions to a great number of people.  The greatest men and women are individuals who can relate to anyone.

The greatest of men, are the simplest of men!

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