Demand imperiously and persistently any quality of character in which you may be lacking, and you attract increase in such quality. Demand more patience or decision or judgment or courage or hopefulness or exactness, and you will increase in such qualities. These qualities are real elements. They belong to the subtler, and as yet unrecognized, chemistry of nature.

The man discouraged, hopeless and whining, has unconsciously demanded discouragement and hopelessness. So he gets it. This is his unconscious mental training to evil. Mind is 'magnetic,' because it attracts to itself whatever thought it fixes itself upon, or whatever it opens itself to. Allow yourself to fear, and you will fear more and more. Cease to resist the tendency to fear, make no effort to forget fear, and you open the door, and invite fear in; you then demand fear. Set your mind on the thought of courage, see yourself in mind or imagination as courageous, and you will become more courageous. You demand courage.

There is no limit in unseen nature to the supply of these spiritual qualities. In the words 'Ask, and ye shall receive,' the Christ implied that any mind could, through demanding, draw to itself all that is needed of any quality. Demand wisely, and we draw to us the best. Every second of wise demand bring an increase of power. Such increase is never lost to us. This is an effort for lasting gain, that we can use at any time. 

Prentice Mulford
1834-1891
'Your Forces and How to Use Them'