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Proceed then to sort out the facts of your life. Decide (1) what is your principal purpose in life, (2) what subordinate purposes are necessitated by duty, legitimate enjoyment and amusement, and weakness, or by inclinations which you do not feel strong enough to subdue at present, (3) what things are in your power and to what extent they are so, and what are quite out of your power, (4) how those things that are in your power may be altered to suit your purpose, and how the other things also may be employed when they come your way. The first should be your one aim during the time dedicated to concentration of mind; the second constitutes the major portion of your everyday life; the third should help you to carry out the other two calmly and sanely, so that you will not on the one hand strain at a weight , which is beyond your strength, or on the other hand be depressed by obstacles which you are really able either to overcome or to circumvent.
Sit down in the morning and consider what things you are likely to meet with during the day, and of each one ask yourself the questions: ``Does it serve my principal purpose? Does it belong to my subordinate purposes? How far is it in my power for alteration or for use? What use can I make of it?'' And when the day is done go over the same list again, and ask yourself of each item: ``Have I made use of this for my principal purpose or a subordinate one? How far was it in my power? What use did I make of it?''
If you are much troubled by these intruding thoughts, when you are sitting down to begin your daily practice ask yourself the question: ``What am I about to do?'' And answer point by point: ``I am going to do so-and-so. Then I am going to do so-and-so.'' Then ask: `''Why am I about to do so-and-so?'' And answer: ``For such-and-such a purpose''. Secondly think: ``What is the business of my everyday life?'' Look over it briefly, and then clearly formulate the idea: ``I have no concern with it during my period of concentration.'' Finally think: ``What thoughts are likely to disturb me during this period? Mr. Ponsonby spoke ill of me; my son disobeyed me; my father misunderstood me; I lost some money; somebody robbed me; I fear that I shall lose my appointment; I want to have a smoke or a drink or to chew something; I wish it wasn't so hot or so cold; I wonder if I shall gain such-and-such a thing; how can I let my superior officer become aware of my many virtues? I wish my wife or my child were not ailing; Oh, when shall I succeed? I wonder if I am making progress; I wish these flies wouldn't bother me''.
Let them all come forward in review. Do not aggravate them by a hasty and angry rebuff, but say to each in turn, quietly: ``Good morning, sir, I hope you are well. No doubt your business is very pressing. I shall attend to it seriously and fully during the day, and endeavour to give you the most complete satisfaction; but for the next hour I am otherwise engaged. Good morning''. Treated thus politely, the visitors will feel constrained to bow themselves out in silence. They will feel that you have made room for them in ordering your life, and on the small pension of thought that you accord them during the day, they will live peaceably until they die.
The intruding thoughts of this class which come to disturb you during your efforts at concentration are due to your keeping open ends of emotion and thought; if then any such intruder still persists in coming in, pause to give it a moment's consideration.
Say to it: ``Come, don't interrupt me now. I will attend to you at five o'clock this afternoon'', and keep the appointment, and think it out. Consider whether it has to do with a matter which is in your power or not. If it is in your power, decide to do something to settle it. If you have done all that you can, or if it is not in your power to settle the matter, decide finally that it has no concern with you and that you will think of it no more.