As a Man Thinketh

What are you reading?

“I just got a book by James Allen called As a Man Thinketh. The main thing in it is that your thoughts pretty much determine the outcome of your life. If you’re thinking negative thoughts, you’re just going to get negative results. If you think positive thoughts, then your assets are going to follow that. I’m only on page nine so far, but he’s talking about how, on a daily basis, you have to have an idea that you can put into action. You can’t just have thoughts. And he talks about how you can develop your thinking from your interactions — like the way you and I are interacting right now.”

Compare it to other books you’ve read.

“It’s different from Robert Greene’s 48 Laws of Power, which I read along with his The Art of Seduction and The 33 Strategies of War. The 33 Strategies of War was from more of a business standpoint. This was more like psychology, more manipulative. This is the first time I’ve been moved into metaphysics. I was listening to a lecture, and the lecturer mentioned James Allen and tied it into the metaphysics, and I thought, Okay, I’m going to check that out.”

Who is your favorite author?

“I’ve got so many books, it’s crazy. Right now, I’d have to say Robert Greene. But I like Donald Goines. He’s an African-American novelist; he wrote Never Die Alone and Daddy Cool. Once you start reading him, you can’t put him down — you can visualize what’s happening, actually happening in the real world. I think he writes about a lot of stuff that happened to him — he just turned it into a story.”

What book has been most life-changing for you?

“I would say As a Man Thinketh. I’ve always been a hard worker and everything, but that book just put things in perspective for me as far as thoughts determining actions.”

What magazines or newspapers do you read?

“I read Heavy Hitters cover to cover. The majority of magazines are about movie stars or athletes or something, but this is more about business owners — showing how they got their success. And I read the Union-Tribune every other day — I read the front page, and I always check the sports, because I like basketball.”

Do you talk to your friends about reading?

“I try to share books with my friends because my friends don’t read a lot. They’re just not used to it. But I expose them to a lot of books. I came across this one book called How to Hustle and Win: A Survival Guide for the Ghetto by Supreme Understanding. That’s another book that changed my life because, on a personal level, it was about how you can get through everything in life, the struggles and everything.”

Name: Patrick Robinson | Age: 30 | Occupation: Photography and graphic design

Neighborhood: Spring Valley | Where interviewed: Borders Bookstore, Bonita