The most important point — the most important idea — the most important set of sentences — you will read in The Master Key System by Charles F. Haanel — and perhaps anywhere else, for that matter — can be found in Week Four: Reversing the Process: Cause and Effect:
12. Unless you do this, you had better not start at all, because modern Psychology tells us that when we start something and do not complete it, or make a resolution and do not keep it, we are forming the habit of failure—absolute, ignominious failure. If you do not intend to do a thing, do not start. If you do start, see it through even if the heavens fall; if you make up your mind to do something, do it; let nothing, no one interfere; the “I” in you has determined, the thing is settled; the die is cast, there is no longer any argument.
Learn that.
Understand that.
Live that.
Life is about doing. You can have the greatest idea or dream in the world, but if you do nothing about it, then you are nothing but an idle dreamer and the best in you is wasted.
Think of what made the successful people successful: It was the fact that they did something!
Even the great thinkers became known as “great thinkers” because they took action; they wrote their ideas on paper for all to see.
There is a caveat, though. As Haanel wrote,
If you do not intend to do a thing, do not start. If you do start a thing, see it through even if the heavens fall; if you make up your mind to do something, do it; let nothing or no one interfere.
Every time you set yourself to do something and you accomplish it, no matter how great or small, you are depositing currency in your spiritual checkbook. When you fail to accomplish something, you are withdrawing currency. If you withdraw too much, then you bankrupt yourself.
It is vitally important to see through what you intend to do.
Decide.
Endeavor.
Persist.
Complete.
Win.
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It’s important to read great books because you discover ideas like this.