To possess a great strength of character; the self-confidence that allows initiative and success; a thoughtful, resolute, tenacious will; the faculty to dominate oneself, to guide oneself deliberately; a clear, easy, judicious confidence in the presence of anyone; the gift of influencing the thoughts and dispositions of others; the mental vigor and dexterity necessary to overcome a thousand sorts of difficulties: all this, indeed, seems inaccessible to most of us. These things, however, can be acquired. The present book will show you how to methodically determine in yourselves, to a large extent, all these qualities. To fortify by education the will, the power that governs the consciousness, is a matter of exercise. The subordination of the various psychological activities to the reflexive control of the intelligence constitutes the greatest quality of success, because it makes you fit to act in spite of obstacle or difficulty, in accordance with a decision or principle fixed in advance. At a certain level of psychic development, the will is constantly and intimately associated with the central "I". It allows the will to direct one's thoughts, to moderate or heighten, as the case may be, emotions or impulses, and to reign supreme over sensory states. Precise, continuous, intense volitions have, it is well understood, a much more effective action at a distance than indecisive, fugitive and neglected thoughts. The individual psychic influence is therefore increased by reducing the multiplicity of moods, learning to think with energy. In this book we will deal with a method of development of the will; first of all, self-control, then the practice of mental influence at a distance over one or more persons, and finally the application of the methods of voluntary conditioning of destiny. The first effects result first in an impulse to mental initiative, then in a feeling of security, of "power": one has the consciousness of being capable of efforts of will. Little by little, one's self-mastery increases, and soon one's senses, one's sensitivity, one's intellect are directed with the greatest satisfaction. Even independently of the direct tele-psychic influence on others, it is evident that one has succeeded in learning to master oneself, to reason about one's impressions. A look that expresses determination, a precise speech conducted with judgment, a calm and energetic attitude, impresses considerably. The man will carry out what he has planned in a manifestly active manner, with full attention to what he is doing, passing at the appointed moment to the next occupation, maintaining during all phases of his work the same directive expressing the same volition.