50 pages • 1 hour read
Dr. Joseph MurphyA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Chapter 11 examines the topic of success, which Murphy defines as successful living or “a long period of peace, joy, and happiness on this plane” (105). He says that Jesus’ references to “everlasting life” refer to the ability to experience these qualities eternally, and Murphy also asserts that such qualities come from the “Deep Self” of humans. Meditating on these qualities builds treasures in the subconscious.
He discusses three steps to take in order to achieve this definition of success. First, a person must discover what they most love to do and do it. A person can pray for guidance by asking the infinite intelligence of the subconscious mind to reveal the vocation. It is then necessary to wait for a feeling, hunch, or tendency to clearly manifest. Second, a person must specialize and work to excel in that specialty. Third, and most importantly, a person must ensure that their vocation benefits humanity.
Murphy gives the examples of an oil magnate whose success lay in his ability to see a project as completed, a film actor who pictured his name in lights, and a pharmacist who eventually owned his own store. For business success, he recommends the technique of holding imaginary conversations with wiser friends.