Chapter 4

LATENT POWERS

Most of you know from actual experience in everyday life that we have within our physical bodies what we call a “second wind.” We have attempted original: "essayed" some physical task and, after a short time, found ourselves “winded”—that is, short of breath—and we are tempted to stop and rest our panting bodies. However, we have also found by experience that if we stick to the task at hand, the feeling of physical distress will usually pass away, and we will gain what is called our “second wind.” Now, exactly what this “second wind” is has long perplexed physiologists scientists who study how the bodies of living things function, and even today they have not been able to provide a very good guess as to the underlying cause of the phenomenon. It seems to be a fresh start acquired by opening up reserve stores of vital energy—latent latent Existing but not yet developed or manifest; hidden or concealed. physical power stored away for such emergencies. All people who have engaged in athletic sports know the details of this peculiar physical phenomenon very well; its reality is too firmly established to admit any doubt.

As is often the case, an examination shows a curious parallel between the way Nature works on the mental plane and on the physical. Just as there is a physical “second wind,” there is also a mental reserve force or latent energy upon which we can draw to get a fresh start. The circumstances surrounding physical “second wind,” as noted above, are almost exactly duplicated by certain mental phenomena. We may be exhausted original: "jaded" while performing some tedious piece of mental work, and we begin to feel that we are “all in,” when suddenly—some new interest The original text is missing a word here; "interest" or "incentive" is implied.—and away we go with a full mental “second wind,” doing our work with a freshness, vigor, and enthusiasm that far surpasses our original effort. We have tapped into a fresh source or supply of mental energy.

Most of us have little or no conception of the reserve mental energies and forces contained within our being. We move along at our usual pace, thinking that we are doing our best and getting all out of life that there is to get—thinking we are expressing ourselves to our utmost capacity. But we are living only in the “first wind” mental state. Behind our working mentality are stores of wonderful mental energy and power—faculties lying dormant and power lying latent—awaiting the magic command of the Will Atkinson often capitalizes "the Will" to refer to the focused, conscious power of the mind to direct one's life. in order to awaken into activity and outward expression. We are far greater beings than we have realized; we are giants of power, if only we knew it. Many of us are like young elephants that allow themselves to be mastered by weak men and put through their paces, hardly dreaming of the mighty strength and power concealed within their bodies. Those of you...