THE CONVERSATION OF HILL AND CARNEGIE (IMAGINATION)

 

                                   CONVERSATION OF HILL AND CARNEGIE 

                                                             IMAGINATION

                         HILL : WILL YOU NAME THE PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE MOST COMMONLY USED BY THOSE WHO APPLY THE PRINCIPLES OF IMAGINATION?

                       CARNEGIE : WELL, THAT DEPENDS SOMEWHAT ON THE NATURE OF THE APPLICATION THAT IS TO BE MADE OF IMAGINATION, AND THE PERSON MAKING IT, BUT GENERALLY SPEAKING THE FOLLOWING ARE THE PRINCIPLES WHICH ARE MORE OFTNE ALLIED WITH IMAGINATION.

                    (1) DEFITENESS OF PURPOSE, BASED ON AN OBSESSIONAL DESIRE GROWING OUT OF ONE OR MORE OF THE NINE BASIC MOTIVES. (SEE LIST OF THE NINE BASIC MOTIVES IN CHAPTER TWO) THE MOTIVE WHICH MORE COMMONLY SERVES TO STIMULATE THE IMAGINATION IS THAT OF DESIRE FOR FINANCIAL GAIN. THE PROFIT MOTIVE HAS BEEN WITHOUT A DOUBT THE GREATEST INSPIRATION TO THE MEN WHO HAVE DEVELOPED INDUSTRIAL AMERICA.

                    (2) THE MASTER MIND PRINCIPLE, THROUGH WHICH MEN GO INTO A HUDDLE AND FRANKLY EXCHANGE THOUGHTS WITH THE OBJECT OF SOLVING BUSINESS OR PROFESSIONAL PROBLEMS, IS ALSO A GREAT STIMULATION OF THE IMAGINATION. IT WAS THIS PRINCIPLE, MORE THAN ALL OTHERS, THROUGH WHICH THE TEEL INDUSTRY, OF WHICH I WAS THE FOUNDER, BECAME PROSPEROUS. THE SO-CALLED "ROUND TABLE" IS A GREAT INSTITUTION. WHEN MEN SIT DOWN AND BEGAN TO POOL THEIR IDEAS, IN A SPIRIT OF HARMONY AND ONENESS OF PURPOSE, THEY SOON FIND A SOLUTION TO MOST OF THE PROBLEMS THAT CONFRONT THEM, NO MATTER WHAT BUSINESS THEY MAY BE ENAGGED IN, OR WHAT MAY BE THE NATURE OF THEIR PROBLEMS.

                   (3) GOING THE EXTRA MILE COMES IN PROMINENTLY FOR ITS SHARE OF CREDIT AS A STIMULANT TO THE IMAGINATION. WHEN A MAN MAKES IT A HABIT TO DO MORE THAN HE IS PAID FOR, HE GENERALLY BEGINS TO DRAW UPON HIS IMAGINATION FOR NEW SOURCES THROUGH WHICH TO RENDER THIS SORT OF  SERVICE. THIS FACT ALONE WOULD BE SUFFICIENT COMPENSATION FOR GOING THE EXTRA MILE, EVEN IF THERE WERE NOT STILL GREATER BENEFITS AVAILABLE.

                   (4) APPLIED FAITH IS A DEFINITE SOURCE OF STIMULATION OF THE IMAGINATION. MOREOVER, IT IS AN ESSENTIAL IN CONNECTION WITH THE STIMULATION AND APPLICATION OF CREATIVE IMAGINATION. MEN WITH OR NO FAITH WILL NEVER RECEIVE THE BENEFITS OF CREATIVE IMAGINATION.

                  (5) ORGANIZED INDIVIDUAL ENDEAVOR DEPENDS DIRECTLY UPON THE APPLICATION OF IMAGINATION FOR ITS EFFECTIVENES, AS ALL FORMS OF DEFINITE PLANNING ARE CALLED ON THROUGH IMAGINATION.

                   THERE ARE MANY OTHER SOURCES OF STIMULATION OF THE IMAGINATION, BUT THESE FIVE ARE ON THE "MUST" LIST.

                  FEAR SOMETIMES STIMULATES THE IMAGINATION, WHILE OF COURSE T OTHER TIMES IT PARALYZES THE IMAGINATION. WHEN A MAN IS IN GREAT DANGER HIS IMAGINATION OFTEN PERFORMS SEEMINGLY SUPERHUMAN FEATS, ESPECIALLY WHERE SELF-PRESERVATION IS THE MOTIVE.

                 FAILURE AND TEMPORARY DEFEAT SOMETIMES HAVE THE EFFECT OF STIRRING ONE'S IMAGINATION, ALTHOUGH MORE OFTEN THEY HAVE THE OPPOSITE EFFECT.

                  THE QUESTION METHOD WHICH MASTER MASTER SALESMAN OFTEN RESORT TO, HAS THE EFFECT OF AROUSING THE IMAGINATION AND PUTTING IT TO WORK, AND THE REACTION FOR THIS IS OBVIOUS. BY ASKING QUESTIONS THE SALEMAN FORCES HIS PERSPECTIVE BUYER TO THINK. MOREOVER, HE CHOOSES THE LINE OF THOUGHT TO BE ENGAGED IN, BY THE ADROITNESS OF HIS QUESTIONS.

 

                    CURIOSITY OFTEN STIMULATES IMAGINATION TO A HIGH PITCH, CURIOSITY, GROWING OUT OF DEATH AND THE UNCERTAINLY OF LIFE, AND THE UNKNOWN AND PERHAPS UNKNOWABLE FACTS OF IMMORTALITY, HAS BEEN THE CHIEF SOURCE OF INSPIRATION OUT OF WHICH ALL THE RELIGIOUS HAVE GROWN.

                 SELF-EXPRESSION, THROUGH SPEAKING AND WRITING, IT A NEVERENDING SOURCE OF STIMULATION OF IMAGINATION, AS ARE MANY OTHER FORMS OF ACTION. THE VERY MOMENT A MAN BEGINS TO ORGANIZE HIS THOUGHS FOR THE PURPOSE OF EXPRESSION, WHETHER THROUGH WORDS OR DEEDS, HE STARTS HIS IMAGINATION OT WORK. FOR THIS REASON CHILDREN SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED TO GIVE FREE EXPRESSION TO THEIR THOUGHTS, AS THIS DEVELOP IMAGINATION EARLY IN LIFE.

               HUNGER IS A UNIVERSAL SOURCE OF INSPIRATION OF IMAGINATION. WHEN A MAN NEES FOOD HIS IMAGINATION GOES TO WORK AUTOMATICALLY, WITHOUT ANY FORMS OF URGE. IN THE LOWER ORDER OF LIFE, INSTINCT GOES TO WORK IN THE FACE OF HUNGER, AND I HAVE KNOWN OF INGENIOUS APPLICATIONS OF INSTINCT UNDER SUCH AN URGE.

 

              THUS WE SEE THAT WHEREVER WE TOUCH LIFE, WHETHER IN MAN OR THE LOWER ORDERS OF ORGANIC LIFE, IMAGINATION AND INSTINCT MAY BE FOUND AS ESSENTIAL PARTS OF THE INDIVIDUALS WORKING QUIPMENT.

                CONCENTRATION OF ATTENTION ON A DEFINITE PROBLEM OR OBJECT TENDS TO PUT THE IMAGINATION TO WORK IMMEDIATELY. WITNESS, FOR EXAMPLE, THE ASTOUNDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF DR. ELMER R GATES, WHO CREATED HUNDREDS OF USEFUL UNVENTIONS BY "SITTING FOR IDEAS". THE SAME PRINCIPLE WAS USED BY THOMAS A. EDISON AND DR. ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL. BY FIXING THEIR MIND ON DEFINITE OBJECTIVE, THROUGH DEFITENESS OF PURPOSE, THEY PUT CREATIVE IMAGINATION TO WORK WITH FAR-REACHING RESULTS.

                SCIENTISTS,  AND SOMETIMES LAYMEN, PUT THEIR IMAGINATION TO WORK BY SETTING UP HYPOTHESES OF FACTS OR IDEAS WHICH, FOR THE TIME BEING, THEY ASSUME TO EXIST, SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND EXPERIMENT WOURL HARDLY BE PRACTICAL IF HYPOTHETICAL CASES WERE NOT UTILIZED, AS OFTEN THE FACTS FOR WHICH THEY ARE SEARCHING ARE ENTIRELY UNKNOWN.

                 LAWYERS AND TRIAL JUDGE OFTEN RESORT TO THE USE OF HYPOTHESIS IN ORDER TO ESTABLISH FACTS THAT CANNOT BE UNCOVERED THROUGH ANY OTHER SOURCE. THE CHEMISTS AND THE PHYSICISTS RESORT TO TEH SAME METHOD WHEN SEARCHING FOR UNKNOWN FACTS. AND SO DOES THE DOCTOR, WHEN OTHER MEANS OF DIAGNOSIS OF DISEASE FAIL HIM. DETECTIVES OFTEN WORK ENTIRELY THROUGH THE AID OF HYPOTHESIS IN THE SOLUTION OF CRIME.

                    HILL : WHY IS IT THAT SO FEW PEOPLE APPEAR TO HAVE A WELL DEVELOPED IMAGINATION? IS THE CAPACITY FOR KEEN IMAGINATION A MATTER OF HEREDITY, MR. CARNEGIE?

                 CARNEGIE : NO, THE FACULTY OF IMAGINATION, LIKE ALL OTHER FACULTIES OF THE MIND, CAN BE DEVELOPTED THROUGH USE. THE REASON SO MANY PEOPLE SEEM NOT TO HAVE A KEEN IMAGINATION IS OBVIOUS. MOST PEOPLE ALLOW THE FACULTY OF IMAGINATION IS OBVIOUS, MOST PEOPLE ALLOW THE FACULTY OF IMAGINATION OT ATTROPHY, THROUGH NEGLECT.

                  HILL : IN AS MUCH AS EVERYONE MUST USE SALESMANSHIP, IN ONE WAY OR ANOTHER, WILL YOU ILLUSTRATE IMAGINATION CAN BE USED IN SELLING?

                CARNEGIE : I CAN GIVE YOU AN ENDLESS NUMBER OF EXAMPLES OF THIS SORT. TAKE THE CASE OF A LIFE INSURANCE WHOM I KNOW, FOR INSTANCE. HE BEGAN SELLING INSURANCE AFTER AN ACCIDENT WHICH INCAPACITATED HIM FOR ANY SORT OF HEAVY MANUAL LABOR, AND WITHIN A YEAR HE BECAME THE HIGH MAN FOR THE ENTIRE INITED STATES, IN THE AGENCY FORCE OF HIS COMPANY.

                  I WILL GIVE YOU ONE ILLUSTRATION THAT WILL TELL THE STORY OF HIS SUCCESS, BUT, BEFORE I DO SO I THINK I SHOULD TELL YOU THAT THIS MAN BECAME A MASTER AT APPLYING THE MASTER MIND PRINCIPLE. HE ALSO BECAME EQUALLY PROFICIENT IN APPLYING MANY OF THE OTHER PRINCIPLES OF ACHIEVEMENT, AMONG THEM CREATIVE VISION.

               ONE DAY HE WALKED INTO THE OFFICE OF A VERY DISTINGUISHED AND WEALTHY LAWYER AND CAME OUT, WITHIN HALF AN HOUR, WITH AN APPLICATION FOR A MILLION-DOLLAR POLICY ON THE LAWYER'S LIFE, ALTHOUGH THE LAWYER WAS KNOWN TO HAVE REFUSED TO PURCHASE INSURANCE FROM A HALF DOZEN OR  MORE OF THE ABLEST INSURANCE MEN IN THE CITY IN WHICH HE LIVED.

              

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