[Sidenote:  True Signs of Character]

The true signs of character are to be read only in the words, tones, and movements of a man—­and in his muscle structure as he has developed it or has left it undeveloped.  We already have seen in a previous chapter how a mind center and its co-ordinated set of muscles develop each other.  So the positive characteristics of the inner man are revealed clearly by the muscle structure built up by his habits of thinking and feeling and action.  On the other hand, his deficiency in certain mental and emotional development is indicated negatively by his lack of the muscle structure that naturally would be co-ordinate with such development.

The relation of muscular development to mental development, as explained in an earlier chapter, suggests the one sure way to judge a man’s habits of thinking. Observe discriminatingly his various muscle structures, and his muscle activities in detail. The development of certain sets of muscles proves a co-ordinate development of the mind centers most directly connected with these muscle structures.  Similarly the mental action of a man is indicated by his physical manifestations with his muscles in movements.

Hence if you learn to read the mental significance of particular muscle structures and of particular muscle actions, you will be able to size up both the habits of thought (individual characteristics) of a man, and what he happens to be thinking at the time you come to present your services or ideas for sale.

[Sidenote:  Recapitulation]

Before going on with our study of the subject of this chapter, let us summarize the preceding pages to make sure that we know thoroughly the somewhat difficult but very important ground we have gone over thus far.

You chose a certain man as your prospective employer because you believe that if you succeed in associating yourself with him you will have the best opportunities to achieve your ambition.  You are now standing in his presence.  You need to size up his true character quickly in order that you may be sure of presenting your capabilities in the particular way that is likely to be most effective with him.  You wish to impress this one man with right ideas of your qualities and their value.  You want him to perceive that he lacks and requires just such services as you purpose to offer for sale.  You realize it is unsafe for you to jump at conclusions about his characteristics.  You pause briefly to size him up before presenting your proposition, rather than to proceed blindly in ignorance of his habits of thought, and with no clue to what he happens to be thinking at the time you call.  You must know all it is possible to find out on the spot regarding him.

[Sidenote:  What Has He Done with His Birthright?]