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GREATEST HABIT Question of desire Preface 1

Questionof desire

PREFACE

Greatesth a b i t

By John Cornelius www.greatesthabit.com

2 Preface Question of desire GREATEST HABIT

rayer IS the Greatest Habit for living our best life.

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Let’s start with the core affirmation this program makes and why this is so, because there are many ways to validate this assertion:

Jesus for example affirmed that ‘my house shall be called a house of prayer’. More accurately translated, the word ‘house’ (originally

[oikos]) meant ‘household’, and by implication ‘family’. Thus for Jesus, “my family shall be called a family of prayer” – thus, upon this one habit is to rest his entire fellowship.

Buddha as another example taught six centuries before Christ: “Words have the power to both destroy and

heal. When words are both true and kind, they can change our world... Prayer brings wisdom; lack of prayer leaves ignorance. Know well what leads you forward and what hold you back, and choose the path that leads to wisdom.”

From East to West, the wisest of all time affirmed prayer as the source of all good. And yet, what is surprising is the knowledge of just how ‘the greats’ pray:

For how one prays and the results one creates, can be like the difference between

night and day.

P

More things are wrought by prayer than this world dreams of Alfred Lord Tennyson

Jesus Christ


Let’s face it, we most likely know someone that prays regularly, yet struggles with the same limitations, the same old fears, the same old problems, year after year after year. Truth be told, some are probably little better off than the people who don’t pray. Statistics in fact show that up to 90% of Americans pray, with more than 50% doing it daily - and there are comparable statistics all around the world.

There is no shortage of prayer ‘quantity’ per se. But judging on results, there is a clear and distinct difference in ‘quality’.

This project is an exploration into ‘quality’ - what are the fundamental principles of prayer that make a

positive difference?

Perhaps we have lacked much insight into this question, because we do tend to make one major error of judgment. Speaking personally, I have done this much in my earlier life and that is that I assumed that I already know what prayer is. Why would I need to study it?

And yet when Jesus affirmed that ‘my house,shall be called a house of prayer’, we have to understand that whether we’re speaking about how to become all that we can be, or how to have what we want to have, or creating the highest good in society, in the environment, the world - ALL these solutions and more, are housed in the habit of prayer.

The whole architecture of living a blessed life rests upon this one single practice.

Therefore, do we therefore really know?

Buddha


For just the same, when Albert Einstein taught at Princeton University and was asked by a PhD student, ‘What was left in the world for an original research?’ - Einstein wisely replied, ‘Find out about prayer’.

Therefore there’s a whole body of knowledge implicit to this practice, that I think what you’re about to experience, only scratched the surface…. And I’m certainly not here to ’preach’ on the matter, for I too am a student of this program and its principles.

This is a journey that we shall undertake together – with the aim being that we

interact together, that we make our learning active,

and we create real and measurable changes. I’m of the philosophy that there is little value in learning great new things, if we don’t put this wisdom into action and improve our lives with it.

So, if it’s ok with you, I’ll be asking you questions and getting you to engage with the content here - through exercises, thought experiments and the like - to make this knowledge relevant and practical.

Furthermore can I just say – do make yourself comfortable - because the lessons here frequently take a bit more time to explain. I realize we live in ‘twitter generation’ and that the internet is full of quick and trivial info-bites, for people on the go...

But this project isn’t like that. What we will be discussing is vitally important, and so you don’t want to be distracted, nor be impatient with it.

Albert Einstein


If it helps, put this time spent in real perspective – most lessons here, average about the length of a sitcom session or related show – and yet, only one of these time slots will actually change your life for the better…

Now, I realize how overused this word ‘life changing’ can be. Everything seems to change lives these days – from soft-drinks to shampoos – so please don’t let this term get you all jaded… You’ll find that in this case it is true, because we’re actually working on the one habit that makes the biggest difference in the quality of anyone’s life - period.

For the Path of Principled Prayer = The Path of Meaning, Happiness & PowerWith that said, let’s just get to the heart of the matter then. Let’s ‘jump in the water’ so to speak - for just like we cannot learn swimming by merely reading about it on dry land, we also cannot learn prayer by merely talking about it as an ‘abstraction’…

Swimming is learned by being immersed in water, and prayer is learned as being immersed in the subject of desire, specifically, your desire.

In a sense, that’s what prayer breaks down to - as an active expression of desire.And so, let’s dunk into this question directly and consider now:

‘What was left in the world for an original research?’ - Einstein wisely replied, ‘Find out about prayer’.


What is your prayer?In other words, if you were to direct a wish to God that you knew could not be denied - because it is good - what would you choose? What does your heart desire at this moment?

Or to use a more formal term -

what is your ‘prayer petition’?

• Would you like to come into a deeper fellowship with God?

• Would you like to get rid of some negative emotions like depression, anger, fear guilt? ... to experience more joy, love and peace in your life?

• Would you like to create more intimacy and affection with your soul mate or to find him or her? ... would you love a greater network of friends? ...to start a family?

• Perhaps would you like to be expressing your full creativity and build a marvelous legacy with your life? ... to create something truly worthwhile that will outlast you?

What is, that idea that whispers to you right now as you’re reading? What idea seems to be the most pressing? The most urgent?

While I realize how tempting it is to just keep listening, for the sake of this program here - just take one single minute now to seriously consider this. It is very important!

In fact please do this right now. STOP. Close your eyes.

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And reflect now.

“What is my present prayer to God? What do I want support with?”

Be like a small child who puts no limit on what is possible, but simply asks.

Sit still. Be attentive. And await your answer.

I PRAY THAT…And having answered this question, let`s move on!

Prayer is the single most powerful tool we have on Earth. And yet so many people misunderstand it -- or ignore it altogether.

Those who ignore prayer are missing the best part of life. John LeBoutillie

So I assume you have arrived at your answer for a prayer topic to work on. I want to congratulate you on your commitment to participate in the lessons of this program as intended. It’s these kinds of actions that will get you to your desired destination - for you are now stretching your understanding through active participation, not just passively listening.

It’s ‘applied knowledge’ that makes the difference.

And to crystallize your prayer intention now, let`s just take one step further. Take out your journal – if you have one, and if do not, a piece of paper will do- and write out your answer. The act of writing will integrate this knowledge at a physical level, which is important.

Please take now one more minute now to write out your petition, and it doesn’t need to be perfect. But in one sentence just describe your desired prayer. Begin with:

My Prayer is ... and complete your answer.

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“ ”


A Side Note: It suffices to say here, that when we are talking about defining a prayer to come true for you - it is referring to an inner desire, in-line with your authentic potential and calling. A fantasy to play the starring role in the ‘World Cup’ may be something that you wish for, but unless it’s in line with your calling - this is not expressive of your whole self - in body, mind, heart and spirit. An authentic prayer desire is something that God may bring through you, from the inside-out, in line with your life’s purpose. It is holistic.

PLEASE WRITE OUT YOUR PETITION RIGHT NOW

It’s interesting to note, that although this question can take just one minute to answer, for over 90% of people, this initial answer is often the right answer. Meaning that in most cases, if we took a whole day to explore this question, by the end, the answer will pretty much be the same.

And I mean ‘right’, not in the ‘absolute sense’, because it often isn’t. But it is right in that it provides your mind with a link, an entry way into a journey that will come to transform the way you look at your life, the way you live - and ultimately, the way you pray. It’s a vital part of your life journey, at this moment in time, respective of the inner and outer resources you have right now.

The desire you stated is the gateway to the life of blessings, and God knows where this initial prayer will lead you in the long term…

In the rare cases where this petition is still unclear, then perhaps this should be your prayer – to discover what it is that your spirit desires to fulfill. This is actually a wise prayer in and of it itself. So if that’s you, write this down now.

“ ”


As such, whether you know what your desired destination is, or you desire is to discover it anew in light of God’s Will for your life - this is a perfect starting point for your prayer.

The word ‘desire’ is a word we associate with the state of longing or wishfulness and we may have both positive and negative emotions attached to the word. In its original sense however, ‘desire’ comes from the Old French word [de] and [sider] - literally meaning, ‘of Heaven’.

The ancients believed that the desire you have just named, is not accidental. It is ‘of Heaven’. God would not have implanted within you this desire, without you having the capacity to reach it. It is actually your gift. It is the key for how you’ll come closer to God and to realize His Power and Grace in your life.

Or as the Benedictine monk and philosopher Anselm of Canterbury put it, “God does not delay to hear our prayers because He has no mind to give; but that, by enlarging our desires, He may give us more largely”.

Now, on a Personal Note...The Greatest Habit project itself began with such an experiment in asking.

While the seeds of its inception began more than a decade ago, the circumstances of its conception were interesting and it may be worthwhile to share them with you. Although I am now a student of Theology, my

professional background began by training as an architect, then moving into executive coaching, then into higher education as a lecturer in business management.

The ancients believed that the desire you have just named, is not accidental. It is ‘of Heaven’. God would not have implanted within you this desire, without you having the capacity to reach it.


“

To tell the whole truth, I never wanted to write a whole book on the subject. Far from it… But, I suppose ever since I was just 11 - I have been fascinated to know and practice the most potent methods for becoming greater in character, for experiencing life more fully, for becoming more effective.

Having come from humble beginnings from Eastern Europe to a new country, I wanted passionately to make the most of my life and the opportunities I had - so I kind of wanted or better said needed to know -

‘what are the most potent methods for tapping into my potential, and making the most of my life?’

As a result, I studied this question in hundreds of books, speeches and seminars - from personal development, to philosophy, to theology and in particular business management and training. I experimented with many, many tools for personal and organizational change, and have been afforded the practice of working for many years as a coach and personal development teacher.

I`ve researched and applied dozens of psychological and spiritual tools and techniques - from hypnosis, to neuro-linguistic programming, to cognitive therapy, to Gestalt, to psychotherapy, to systems thinking, to all kinds of meditations, and many other practices that are popular today.

Tasmania, Australia


“

I don’t know, but somewhere in my mind I suppose I had it linked up that real wisdom and character development comes through sophisticated and complex procedures. Prayer on the other hand seemed a bit, well, too ‘old fashioned’ and ‘uncool’ to have any real value. It seemed a bit simplistic.

Maybe it was a matter of time in having researched the lives of so many that I admired – but then I happened to observe a clear and undeniable pattern:Most, if not all of the greatest souls throughout human history, used prayer as their primary tool for personal and global change! It wasn’t actually some fancy esoteric technique, it wasn’t psychotherapy, and it certainly wasn’t ‘subliminal affirmation mp3s’!

It consistently was and still is the act of prayer – of principled prayer.

Many years ago, in fact I completed a Masters in Education, whereby I compared the findings of two prominent researchers into the field of peak performance, high achievement and highest mental health. Specifically, I looked at the whole body of work of: Dr. Napoleon Hill and Dr. Abraham Maslow:

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“

These names you may be familiar with because Napoleon Hill is the author of one of the best-selling books of last century, ‘Think

and Grow Rich’, and popularized personal development in many homes and businesses; and Abraham

Maslow is the author of the ‘Hierarchy of Human Needs’, and is affectionately thought of as the father of ‘positive psychology’.

In essence, Maslow and Hill sought to understand what made people great by studying great people first hand, and then analyzing their findings.

Their ideas became influential because they were based on two research projects that spanned two decades each to complete, and directly involved many of the brightest minds of the nineteenth and twentieth century - i.e. perhaps two of the most intensive and influential ‘one-man research projects’ into the nature of personal greatness.

Now their work was also fascinating to study, because Hill and Maslow presented two fundamentally different ways of exploring the same question - through ‘street smarts’ and ‘book smarts’.

Hill was practical and pragmatic. He wasn’t an academic, but observed first-hand the nature of highly productive and prodigious people - predominantly from within the context of business. Maslow was intellectual and idealistic. He analyzed the nature of highly inspirational and influential individuals - predominantly within the

academic context.

Unlike many authors who present their own opinions about greatness, or develop theories based on little experiments or their own biases and so on - Hill and Maslow investigated the lives of the greats, and let their practices speak for themselves. They applied that timeless principle of “judging a tree by its fruit”, as Jesus put it.

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“ ”Do men gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

Even so every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree brings forth corrupt fruit.

A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Jesus

That is, by being attentive to ‘who’ leads a life of blessedness, they worked out what are the good and effective life patterns - i.e. the qualities and habits that helped them get there.

My interest was to identify what did they both agree – what was their area of intersection - because they came from different angles…And as I coded, categorized and analyzed intensively their writings, the one common habit in both their findings was - yes, you guessed it - prayer.

In fact, one visionary statement from Napoleon Hill that stuck with me at the time was that:

The time will come when the schools and educational institutions of the country will teach the ‘science of prayer’.

Moreover, then prayer may be, and will be reduced to a science.

“ ”


I certainly found that statement intriguing when I first read at the time, but I was certainly not ready to take up ‘the cause of prayer’, much less to write a whole program about it. Yet in having the facts before me, I started taking the practice of prayer a little more seriously, and started to experiment with its principles. Like you, I began with a simple petition like you have just done- to know God’s will for my life.

And that’s when God called me up on writing up this project - much to my exhilaration and dismay. Because, to be frank, I was afraid…After all, I was educated and have worked in the world

of business primarily…. ‘Shouldn’t this be left to priests and theologians? Why me?’, I kept asking myself.

A part of me wanted to pursue this, but another part really resisted it - so I kept on dabbling with it for a while,

half-minded and half-hearted...

As the great C. S. Lewis put it, I was brought into religion, like a prodigal, ‘kicking, struggling, resentful and darting my eyes in every direction for a chance to escape’. Having opened myself up now to prayer, it was now taking me in a direction I seemed to have little control over.

So I finally decided to take a 40-day ‘vision quest’ in the Tasmanian wilderness - that is, a secluded island state that’s part of Australia - to be there totally alone and to get back my focus and direction. Alone in the woods for 40 days, I let my spirit speak as I contemplated on God, Life and Prayer itself.

In this 40 day wilderness contemplation is where much of the material for this program sparked off.


In this 40 day wilderness contemplation is where much of the material for this program sparked off.

From there I went on to research the lives of the ancients, as well as the contemporary who powerfully applied the practice of prayer - and demonstrated this, by the fruits they bore with their lives. Dozens of notebooks went into this research - as scouring hundreds of books for insights and common patterns.

As such, what you have here is a distilled concentrate of wisdom of how to make

the most of the Greatest Habit. Prayer is something deeper than words. It is present in the soul

before it has been formulated in words. And it abides in the soul after the last words of prayer have passed over our lips.

0. Hallesby

Good Fruits, Good TreesAs starting this journey together let’s consider what are some ‘good trees that bore good fruits’ and what do they have to say about prayer? I think you’ll find that you’re in good company.

But for this purpose, let’s not look into the lives of saints or spiritual leaders and their perspectives on prayer. That

would be too easy. After all, prayer is synonymous with saintliness, because without it, it’s basically impossible.

In fact the four most influential people of all time who make it on just about every list of “All time greats” –

Jesus, Mohamed, Buddha and Confucius

Prayer is something deeper than words. It is present in the soul before it has been formulated in words. And it abides in the soul after the last words of prayer have passed over our lips. 0. Hallesby

Confucius


are all are unanimous about this habit. According to all their teachings and their life examples, their greatness came as a direct and consequential result of this practice – above all else.

But let’s not go there yet. Let’s just begin with a random list of ‘Greats’ that I happened to see a few months back on the Discovery Channel. The station ran a nationwide poll to find who the population considered to be, ‘The Greatest American’ of all time. Millions of votes were counted in the making of the show, and at the very top, the following 5 people emerged:

George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, Ronald Reagan and Benjamin Franklin.

So what do these Great Americans have to say about prayer?Let’s begin with George Washington–for when he was asked about the role of prayer in his life, he fervently stated, “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God. It is the duty of all to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favors.”

Abraham Lincoln, likewise affirmed that, “it is the duty of nations as well as of men to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God - to recognize this sublime truth.” And Lincoln warned repeatedly that

George Washington

Abraham Lincoln


we don’t become “too proud to pray to the God that made us”.

Naturally, Martin Luther King led many powerful prayer meetings. He was a preacher after all. As his wife Coretta Scott King states, “For my husband, prayer was a daily source of courage and strength that gave him the ability to carry on in even the darkest hours of our struggle. And Martin summed it up best when he said, “To be a Christian without prayer, is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.”

Fourth, a more contemporary figure, Ronald Reagan when asked about prayer’s function in his life, he also stated that to “think that anyone

could carry out the awesome responsibilities of this office without asking for God’s help through prayer strikes me as absurd. We must seek Divine guidance…When we open ourselves to Him we gain not only moral courage but also intellectual strength.”

Fifth, Benjamin Franklin, the great inventor, philosopher, and statesman was so resolute in his belief in the power of prayer, that when he consulted with the architects who wrote the Constitution, he proposed that, “henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessings on our deliberations, be held in this Assembly every morning before we proceed to business.”

“I have lived, Sir, a long time, and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth - that God

governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?”

* * *

Benjamin Franklin

Martin L. King

Ronald Reagan


Now the practice of prayer is actually universal though – and I want to make this point clear. This is not about American leaders, this list before was just a good example of a set of outstanding leaders admired the world over.

When prayer is principled though, it sources amazing blessings within and without

throughout the globe – as Saint Peter said it, “God doesn’t show

favoritism. Among all nations, whoever worships him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.”

As stated in the video at the outset, Mahatma Gandhi proved beyond the shadow of a doubt, the incredible power that ‘applied prayer’ has.

When you read his autobiography, “My experiments with truth”, you’ll notice that Gandhi used prayer to strengthen his soul in embracing the heart of non-violence. He used prayer to strengthen his mind in maintaining integrity upon truth. He used prayer to strengthen his body in times of intensive physical punishment from armed aggressors. He healed and transformed relationships by praying for his devotees and for their aggressors.

Here’s a small section of what he said about prayer:

No act of mine is done without prayer. I can give my own testimony and say that a heartfelt prayer is undoubtedly the most potent instrument that man possesses for overcoming cowardice and all other bad old habits. Properly understood and applied, prayer is the most potent instrument of action.

Prayer is the only means of bringing about orderliness and peace and repose in our daily acts. So take care of the vital thing and other things will take care of themselves. Rectify one angle of a square, and the other angles will be automatically right.

St. Paul

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The man of prayer will be at peace with himself and with the whole world. The man who goes about the affairs of the world without a prayerful heart will be miserable and will make the world also miserable... I can say from experience that he who does not pray is certainly a loser.

Those are strong words… Somehow I don’t think he wants us to overlook this habit.

Ok, so we can agree that great leadership follows the practice of prayer. But some may still argue that perhaps prayer is only necessary for leaders, because they seek to influence by their call upon values - but isn’t really unnecessary in the real world of science, facts and objectivity. Let’s see, is this true?

Cause it’s a good question.

Let’s look at another list and take on arguably the four most important scientific characters who have fundamentally established the scientific enlightenment over the last few hundred years – that is, the great foundational characters who set the stage so to speak, for modern knowledge and technological progress itself-

Isaac Newton, Francis Bacon, Immanuel Kant and Blaise Pascal.

What did they have to say about prayer?

Isaac Newton, considered unanimously as the greatest scientist of all time - actually, prayed constantly. In fact, as he said it, it was through prayer and meditation that he was able to penetrate into the profound realizations about light, gravity, mechanics, calculus and much more! He saw himself as an alchemist - one who needed transform internally his mind through prayer and meditation as to perceive these ‘higher laws’.

Isaac Newton

”


Here’s one famous quote of his:

In earnest prayer I see more of Heaven and get closer to God than I can when assisted by all the telescopes and material

agencies on Earth.

Francis Bacon, the man who is considered the principal founder of modern science itself - because he’s the man who both established and popularized what is today known as the ‘scientific method’, or what used to be referred to early on as the ‘Baconian method’.

It was Francis Bacon who coined the phrase ‘Knowledge is Power’, and set up the scientific method of observation, hypothesis, and testing – as well as envisioning the modern research university, in both applied and pure science... and many other things. For him scientists were meant to be prayers and the modern research university was to have certain ordinances and rites of prayer.

As he wrote in one of his many books:

We have certain hymns and services, which we say daily, of Lord and thanks to God for His marvelous works; and some forms of prayer, imploring His aid and blessing for the illumination of our labors, and the turning of them into good and holy uses.

Francis Bacon wrote several such prayers, one of which we will come upon later on in our course – because as he would put it, “Knowledge of prayer is true power”.

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“Knowledge of prayer is true power”.

Francis Bacon

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Immanuel Kant, perhaps the greatest philosopher of modernity - whose works influenced everything from metaphysics, ethics, political science, aesthetics and all our overarching theories about knowledge. Kant was one of the most astute minds that focused intently on what is the proper exercise of human reason, in getting to Enlightenment.

For this purpose, he had dedicated whole philosophical sections onto the principle of prayer - and made it his object of mastery to get to its integral experience.

Here is just one of his insights and quotes:

[Prayer} we ought to say it both with a trust in God’s wisdom and with a submission to this wisdom. The greatest utility

of prayer is indisputably a moral one, because through prayer both thankfulness and resignation toward God become effective in us.

[Prayer] is so soul-elevating a power - that words, in comparison, pass away as empty sound because the emotion arising from such a vision of the hand of God is inexpressible.

Blaise Pascal, the genius who at age sixteen had already developed the mathematical theorem that is now named after him; at the age of eighteen constructed the very first mechanical calculator (the basis of computers today); then went on to establish whole new branches of studies in mathematics and physical sciences; and then to study extensively the subjects of philosophy and theology – here is also what he wrote:

There is a God shaped vacuum in the heart of every man which cannot be filled by any created thing, but only by God, the Creator. Happiness is neither without us nor within us. It is in God,

both without us and within us...

Why did God institute prayer? To give his creatures the dignity of causality.

Immanuel Kant “”

Biase Pascal

“”


What about the artists then? Once again, let’s consider three more of the

best-of-the-best:

Michelangelo Buonarroti - arguably the very best visual artist in history –he was well known

for his intense fervor in prayer, before and during the creation of his art works and advised all of his pupils and family, to do likewise.

In fact, even when it came to his health, as he stated in one of his letters, he had more confidence in prayer, than in medicine - even when he faced painful ailments; and he actually lived to be 89, during a time when the average life span was about 35 or 40 for peasants, and about 50 if you happened to be part of royalty!

He even wrote a few prayers, like this one, which was translated by the poet William Wordsworth:

Do Thou, then, breathe those thoughts into my mind By which such virtue may in me be bred That in Thy holy footsteps I may tread; The fetters of my tongue do Thou unbind, That I may have the power to sing of Thee, And sound Thy praises everlastingly.

Ludwig van Beethoven, arguably one of the best musical artist of all time, likewise applied prayer as to create those soul uplifting melodies for which he is renowned. In fact Beethoven built-in prayers into his pieces - both in music and in lyrics - like the beautiful, “Prayer for inward and outward peace” in Missa Solemnis.

Like Michelangelo, he also wrote many poetic prayers in his notebooks:

“”

Michelangelo

L.V. Beethoven

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”

O God, give me strength to be victorious over myself, for nothing may chain me to this life. O guide my spirit, O raise me from these dark depths, that my soul, transported through your wisdom, may fearlessly struggle upward in fiery flight. For you alone understand and can inspire me.

And last, let’s consider Cecil B. De Mille –the artist of the most important medium of the 20th century - the ‘moving pictures’ or cinema for whom the Golden Globe’s “DeMille Award’ stands in recognition of one’s lifetime achievement in the film industry. Here is one of his quotes about prayer:

Let the Divine Mind flow through your own mind, and you will be happier.

I have found the greatest power in the world in the power of prayer. There is no shadow of doubt of that. I speak from my own experience.

Now I could put together pages and pages of other examples - athletes like Roger Bannister (the great runner, who done what was thought impossible, beating the four minute mile – through principled pray-er), or Nadia Comanici (the great gymnast, who was the first gymnast in history to be awarded all perfect tens–through principled pray-er), or Muhammad Ali (the great boxer, the first

“

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Cecil B. De Mille


and only three-time lineal world heavyweight champion– through principled pray-er)…

And of course let’s not forget all of the greatest humanitarians of all time that we could get into…

But I brought up here a few examples of individuals who even the most staunchly atheistic would have to consider as ‘Great’ – and to ask a self-evident question:

Can it be a mere chance that the most inspiring and positively influential people of all time, consistently prayed?

Can we afford to ignore their very own words that say that prayer was their cause and habit for their Greatness?

Personally, I think not, and hopefully, their words have built a convincing case for you as well. But, if you’re still on the fence about it… just hang in here and apply the lessons you’re about to experience and just see what happens. Experiment and see for yourself. Be like a real scientist – one who follows where the facts and experiences lead - without prejudice or preconceived opinion.

Because like another master, Ralph Waldo Emerson put it best, “Coffee is good for talent, but genius wants prayer’.

“Coffee is good for talent, but genius wants prayer’.Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nadia Comanici, Roger Barnnisterm , Muhammad Ali


Florence Nightingale, Albert Schweitzer, Mother Teresa of Calcuta

Now, why prayer?Well, according to the many philosophers and theologians who have thought about this question – it is because ‘whether we like it or not, asking is the rule of the kingdom’, like Charles Spurgeon put it.

Or as Pascal explained just before, ‘God instituted prayer in order to give us the dignity of causality’ – it’s how we become co-creators with God, here on Earth.

This is the rule of the kingdom and the awesome responsibility and dignity we have as human beings.

• Doesn’t it make sense then that behind the practice prayer must exist crucial principles for how to bring this order all about?

• Doesn’t it make sense that when the weight of being the cause of God’s kingdom on Earth depends on this practice, that there would be a kind of science?

• That it is both our privilege and duty to know it?

If yes, let’s then seriously get into it…


A moment of ActionThe purpose of this book is to support you with the application of a number of these important principles. This book is consequently structured in a practical manner –so as you read, chapter by chapter, you get to integrate these principles into your prayer life.

The goal is not to create an abstract theory about the Greatest Habit, but for us to work together to practically implement these principles into our daily rituals. For as Jesus explained, the one who puts principles into practice, “is like a man who builds a house, and digs down deep and lays the foundation on solid rock”.

By putting principles into direct practice, our house then can stand the test of time.

For this purpose, these principles are structured as a series of ‘coaching experiences’ or lessons that are to be integrated into your daily habits, one day at a time. It’s my recommendation therefore that you read and apply this book according to the schedule: one day on, one day off –as the chart here suggest - so you can complete this book in just two weeks, and have an immersive experience:

By putting principles into direct practice, our house then can stand the test of time.


Set aside a particular time in your day to access your inbox and this book, like with any important educational experience.The automated email system will send you out the links to the lessons, at around the same time, so they’ll act as a great reminder.

It is important to understand that to merely read about these principles, will make little difference to your prayer life. What will matter most is their direct application on a day to day basis.

That’s the rock foundation. In addition, please note that skipping through the lessons is not recommended. It will be like watching a movie where you jump from scene to scene arbitrarily. Please read and practice this book in order. There’s a logical sequence to the lessons here presented, which build upon one another.

Remember also that like with all ‘principles’, they cannot be ‘crammed’ or quickly assimilated into our understanding. Authentic growth takes time and diligent cultivation.

Just like we cannot go to the gym and develop strength by packing all the exercises in just one session - we cannot grow mentally and spiritually, just by reading about all these ideas, all at once. These lessons have been specifically organized so you take one idea and apply it one day at a time - so that each principle becomes a part of your prayer habit.

So therefore, balance the theory with immediate daily practice - i.e. integrate faith with action.


To make this learning experience work as intended then, you’ll need:

1. A prayer journalIf you don’t have a journal, your first prerequisite homework task for today is to get yourself one. Each lesson will have a set of exercises and a prayer for you to compose in relation to a principle covered for the day –so go out and purchase (if you haven’t one already), a hard-bound exercise book. You can find these at most stationary shops and even in most supermarkets.

In this journal is where you’ll write out your personal notes on any insights gained, complete the daily exercises, and where you’ll write out your personal prayers.

As such, I do recommend investing in a beautiful, well-made journal. There are many quality designs to choose from these days and it is worthwhile spending a bit extra on something that you can reference years or decades from now.

Journals can be one of the most valuable things that you can pass down to your children or grandchildren in years to come too. When filled out with your highest thoughts - i.e. when journaling your growing relationship with God, your personal insights and your poetic prayerful expression - this will be worth so much more than its material cost.

It will also serve you well beyond the completion of this short program, as I hope this is a habit you’ll want to continue for life.


2. The preface pray upWhen you get your journal, open it up and write on the first page - like Benjamin Franklin used to do in his own personal journals - one of your favorite prayers or quotes that fills you with faith, courage and hope.

You can choose your own quotes or prayers, or to get you started, have a read through the list of quotes file on the website, and select your purpose in your learning-why are you reading this book or attending this lecture?

3. Your purpose in learning On the next page, please write out your purpose in your learning – why you are reading this book? This may seem like a simple question to ask yourself, but please reconsider and answer this question along the lines suggested here.

A friend of mine once told me to listen to a comedian (who shall go unnamed), who opened his act with an observation that apparently there is a lot of “anti-intellectualism” in Texas/ in America. And to

prove his point, he described a scenario where he was sitting alone at a table in a cafe, when a waitress asked him, “What are you reading for”?

The comedian began to mock this line of questioning. Apparently for him, a question like, “What are you reading?”


is a logical one, but to ask, “What are you reading for?” is a sign of “deep anti-intellectualism”. So he replied that he was reading, “so he didn’t have to work as a cocktail waitress.”

Beyond the arrogance of his attitude, had he actually stuck with this question that this waitress presented him with, he might

have found something truly profound. For the question, “what are you reading for?” is one of the most important questions we can ever ask.

This exact same question framed the wisdom of both Saint Augustine and Leo Tolstoy for example. When they asked themselves this question, it literally turned their lives around! According to both their autobiographical confessionals they written, it was this line of questioning that began their enlightenment.

Both authors in fact wrote two profound transformational books based upon the considerations that emerged from this question. As a result, Augustine’s confessional book arguably made a bigger difference in the philosophy of Christian thought than any other, while LeoTolstoy’s confessional was the direct inspiration to Mahatma Gandhi’s choice of leadership and that of Rev. Martin Luther King.

So as we begin, let’s seriously consider this preliminary question in your journal:

• What is the point of your knowledge pursuit?

• Why invest your time in reading a book like this? Why listen to any other lecture for that matter? Why attend a course?

• Why seek knowledge in the first place?

These questions may seem simple or self-evident, but they’re really not.


For all of our learning experiences, actually aim towards something. Ordinarily, this aim is implicit and hidden from us. The scope for today is to make this pursuit explicit and clearly visible.

In having this knowledge pursuit clearly defined in front of you, you will now know what it is that you are looking for, how to make sure you recognize it, and in turn, how to make the most of it. For unless we understand why it is that we are pursuing knowledge - we will most likely

be reading, listening, and attending to the wrong things.

Furthermore, even if we read the right things, even if it is right in front of us - the right way of processing may still not be quite there - because our attention, our focus, our internal line of questioning may be misdirected.

So in your journal, write out your immediate answer to this question, “Why are you reading this bookor lecture?”. But don’t just stop with the first line of thought that pops into your mind.Continue to ask, “why?”. Take whatever is your first answer, and probe deeper, “why do I want to learn about that?” And continue with this line of questioning, considering the whole range of thoughts that emerge, and what is at the core of your learning motivation.

That is all that I will say on the matter for now. While we could get into the revelations that Augustine or Tolstoy derived from answering these questions, I believe it’s something that we all can work out.

For all of our learning experiences, actually aim towards something.

St. Agustine

Leo Tolstoy


You will have your own “light bulb moment” on your own – and you’ll value this insight that much more.

It is a very profound realization, and from it, you’ll be able to discern

for yourself, exactly what you need to make the most of this book or any other book from now on.

But please don’t assume you know what you’ll find, without doing it on paper. Please do this exercise in full, before engaging in reading the principles here. And leave another page blank after it – for any other related ideas that may pop up as you participate in the rest of this program.

When you’ve set yourself up with a prayer journal, its ‘dedication page’ and the ‘reasons for reading page’ -let’s begin with The First Principle.

God Bless You, and we’ll meet again

with the first principle.John Cornelius

Greatest Humanitarians?

GreatestHabit.com

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PostdataP. S. I brought up my short personal story here, because I don’t know where you are regarding prayer and its role in your life. Maybe you’re excited by the prospect of it. Maybe there is also a part of you that it is slightly afraid of the change to come (like I was at one point)... whether or not your prayer would be realized... where is all of this leading you and how and where and why...

But fear not. ‘The only thing we have to fear is fear itself’, as President Roosevelt put it. Or as Jesus expressed, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you.”

We are in good hands. There is a divine space that is prepared for us, and all we need is but to trust the journey that brings us here.

In fact, right now, remember this moment! Right now, right where you are, right at this very hour and at this very minute - this is a Holy Moment:

Because before you, is your call to Greatness!

For now though, you don’t really need to ‘see the whole staircase’, as Martin Luther King put it, ‘we just need to take the next step’.

When you pray, you open yourself to the influence of the power which has revealed itself as love. The power gives you freedom and independence. Once touched by this power, you are no longer swayed back and forth by the countless opinions, ideas, and feelings which flow through you.

You have found a center for your life that gives you a creative distance so that everything you see, hear and feel can be tested against the source. Henri J. Nouwen

“”

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