Chapter 7 - The Latest Models In Human Beings

One of the social pbactices accepted in certain other parts of the world but frowned on by our Western civilization is the idea of a harem. Other than the moral side of it, the idea just doesn't add up in our way of thinking.

But have you ever wondered just how one of those harem princes goes about picking his wives? Does he look for variety, or likeness? Does he have some kind of standards that he goes by? Does he pick the latest wife like most of us buy cars, by choosing the latest, smartest model that catches our eye?

I don't suppose that you or I will ever know the answers, and I'm sure we won't lose any sleep over those questions. But this idea of picking and choosing different "models" of people is not limited to princes who are looking for fifth or sixth wives. You picked a certain "model" for your marriage partner, and you have picked certain other "models" for your friends.

What model are you?

But how about yourself? Have you picked a new "model" of yourself, for yourself, recently? Or haven't you thought of that possibility. Perhaps you haven't considered it possible.

Well, it's time now to consider whether the current "model" of you is up-to-date or whether you should consider a trade-in.

We are about to leave the planning stage in your experience with self-influence. We have already stepped over the line a bit into the practice stage, practice that has been in the nature of preparation for the full-scale practice that is coming. But good planning involves one more step, which is exactly where you are now, as far as your life is concerned at this moment. It is most important to take a "personal inventory," because this is the only way you will know what to do, specifically, in the practice steps. You must know what specific changes you want to make in your habits and attitudes and what specific actions to take to make those changes.

Being objective pays dividends

I want this to be a revealing, and a stimulating, experience for you. So I ask you to prepare yourself through the practice of a bit of self-influence. Do you know what "objectivity" means and what it means to be "objective"? These are commonly used words, of course, but they also have common interpretations that are superficial. I want you to practice objectivity, but I want you to know really know its value and to be truly objective. If you are in doubt, see what your dictionary says they mean. Briefly, objectivity means to concentrate on the reality of something that has external shape, form, or action, without "coloring" that something with wishful thinking. To be objective means to see the basic truth.

So, in the privacy that exists between just you and your book, you are going to take a realistic look at yourself and at your life, which has shape, form and action related to it. Will you make the agreement with yourself, therefore, to be objective?

Choose your model

I am going to line up several kinds of people, through word pictures. These represent the latest models in human beings, as they exist in today's world. Out of this "line up," you will choose the models about which you will say: "That one is just like me" or "That one is like I want to be." You will find that the choices you make will add strength to your plan. Incidentally, as each model appears, put a "skirt" or "trousers" on it, to match the variety of "model" you are.

Many people are like this model

Here is model Number 1. This is a person who lives in an emotional whirlpool. He sees the world as a dark, unfriendly place where circumstances and conditions are always plotting against him. He is suspicious of the motives of others, yet he won't ever let himself be exposed to mutual understanding. He has great fear of doing the wrong thing at the wrong time. He is apprehensive of the future, almost on a day-by-day basis. He creates a false security by withdrawing from any pattern of participation that he is not forced into. Outside influences have built up stresses and tensions in his life that make it a private "hell on earth." He is probably the least self-influenced of any of the models.

Here's a model you see often

Model Number 2. Life is filled with question marks for this one. He is the "worry-wart" variety who seems to enjoy not finding answers to the questions in his life. He is inclined to say about a specific "answer" that has been pointed out: "Yes, that's possible, but I just don't believe it!" He isn't the passive type, by any means. He does get some things done in life, but always the hard way because he sees life as one big problem. Self-influence with him is overshadowed by a maze of half-truth influences from the outside.

This one matches people you know

Model Number 3. This model's life is full of good intentions. In fact, he is so full of them, it could be said that they represent his major activity in life. He sees most of the desirable things that society has to offer and he thinks they are just fine. He wouldn't mind having most of them related to his Me. To that extent, at least, he has a concept of self-influence. But he "talks to himself too much about these good things, and he does too little about action. This is the person who goes through Me wishfully and hopefully. His actions are those of a person who is stumbling along.

This model looks better than it acts

Model Number 4. Here is a person who is well equipped in many ways to live a purposeful, rewarding life. His education has been adequate. He has tried his hand at enough different activities to really know where his best abilities lie. He knows "black from white" and has the capacity for good understanding. Yet he always seems to be just starting up the ladder to success. Time never seems to work in his favor. This is the person who fails to go all the way with his knowledge of self-influence. He uses it only periodically or until some irritating outside influence throws him off the track. He isn't like the wishful thinker. This person knows what to do, but he fails to capitalize on that knowledge.

You see this model stalled quite often

Model Number 5. This is the person who talks himself into being a spectator in life, rather than a participant. He is a prime example of the effects of negative self-influence. He feels that he could do a lot of progressive things if there weren't so many other people who were able to do them so much better than he can. He has convinced himself that he can't stand up to competition. He has built up a fear of competition. He fails to see that competition improves his chances for success, because it establishes realistic goals to work for. So he withdraws to the more "comfortable" position of being just a spectator.

Here's the most wanted model

Model Number 6. This is the person who is going along steadily and surely on a program of his own making. He has admirably fitted his program into that of the world about him, and at times he even induces some of the world's program to fit his! His program of living is basically self-influenced, yet he also makes sure that he aligns himself with the best outside influences. Knowing that other people and environmental conditions can be influenced, he does influence them at times when the results will be advantageous to all concerned. He is a member of the "no mystery to life" club, and he is an active participant in the "better world through better people" movement. He would certainly be among those present, if the members of that "superior race" were called together.

There you have six models of human beings. Consider any person you know, and you can say that he or she is like one of those models. Now, what about yourself? Having been objective about it, I know that you have seen images of yourself as these models were paraded before you.

You can be the model you choose

However, I intended this to be a realistic experiment, just as I intended you to have an objective relationship to it. So I don't think that any one model fits your circumstances. I am sure that you found that parts of more than one model better described your pattern of life up to this point. And that is as it should be, considering your distinctiveness, as well as your "alikeness," to others. But whatever combination does describe you, objectively, it is a most valuable bit of knowledge to have, as I will prove to you in a moment. Just now, I want to acknowledge that I know you have made another choice from those models. I know that you chose Number 6 as the ideal model for yourself. It is ideal for you, and I ask you to accept that model as your objective.

Having acquired an objective picture of yourself, there is nothing to be ashamed of in knowing the "why and wherefore" of the truth about yourself. You aren't seeing anything that you really haven't known before, except that now you are defining the things that you want to change in your life. This, in itself, has been a commendable experience in self-influence. Few people seem to have the fortitude to face up to such truths; YOU have, and you are a better person for it.

Trade in that old model

Here is the practical side of this self-influence. As we move more and more into the practice steps, you can relate every one of them directly to one of those specific circumstances you want to change in your life. We will be able to acquire a replacement model, one that will be exactly like that model Number 6. What is more, as you grow from practice to perfection in self-influence, you will be able to keep that model up-to-date at all times!

In Sum

Be objective.

This is to say, see the basic truth in evaluating yourself.

Then, and only then, will you know what changes you will want to make in your habits and attitudes.

Then, and only then, will you know what actions you can and must take to make those changes.
 
Result Getting Projects

Spend some time analyzing Model No. 6, the one that we agree is ideal for you. Point by point, consider what makes this model "ideal."
 
Then go back over those other five models and consider again what parts of them combine to make a simulated model of you, today. As you do this, those elements that seem to fit you now all line up as something lacking in your life. The greatest lack appears to be the right action at the right time.

All right, now consider those lacking elements that fit you and compare them with your analysis of Model No. 6. You will find that, in Model 6, there is a counterpart of positive action for everyone of those elements representing a lack in your life! If, for example, the model is faced with a difficult problem, he acts quickly, and with determination, to solve that problem. He does not procrastinate. Are you as positive?

Do this analysis, and this comparison, and you will have revealed to you the realness of that Model 6, when you imagine an ideal life for yourself. Your objective is thus established to make this model real, in the form of yourself!

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