By self-discipline a man attains to every degree of virtue and holiness, and finally becomes a purified son of God, realising his oneness with central heart of all things. Without self-discipline a man drifts lower and lower, approximating more and more nearly to beast, until at last he grovels, a lost creature, in mire of his own befoulment. By self-discipline a man rises higher and higher, approximating more and more nearly to divine, until at last he stands erect in his divine dignity, a saved soul, glorified by radiance of his purity. Let a man discipline himself, and he will live; let a man cease to discipline himself, and he will perish. As a tree grows in beauty, health, and fruitfulness by being carefully pruned and tended, so a man grows in grace and beauty of life by cutting away all branches of evil from his mind, and as he tends and develops good by constant and unfailing effort.

As a man by practice acquires proficiency in his craft, so earnest man acquires proficiency in goodness and wisdom. Men shrink from self-discipline because in its early stages it is painful and repellent, and yielding to desire is, at first, sweet and inviting; but end of desire is darkness and unrest, whereas fruits of discipline are immortality and peace.

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I took test next day and got an "A". From that day on, I realized that circumstances and events around us somehow reflected our inner landscape. That perspective is important and by changing way I look at my world, I could change my very world.

Decades have come and gone since that first year in college. I have acquired various degrees in chemistry, mathematics and business and have worked in hallowed halls of corporate America. I have written best-selling books and have lectured from Sydney, Australia to San Francisco, California; from Bali, Indonesia to Bombay, India.

There are many things I have done and still many more I have left undone. Yet, wherever I go or whatever I do, I use as one of my guideposts in life, "It's better to light one candle than to curse darkness." Those words have stood me in good stead through darkest nights of my soul.

I heard again Dr. Dooley's voice when I stood at deathbed of my wife. It kept my company through loss of my business. It was with me when my car was repossessed and when they foreclosed on my house.

Times have changed dramatically since my journeys through "Valley of Shadow." But have times really changed or have I changed way I look at things? Life is a lot more pleasant now or could it be that I have learned how to look at life differently?

Change way you look at life and life will appear way you look at it. Look for good in everything and good in everything will look right back at you. The way I figure it, you could berate thorns on rosebush or tenderly pick a rose and enjoy its beauty.

Perspective, choose it and use it. Use it or lose it. The Universe is biased on your side. Trust process.