Think and Grow Rich – The Napoleon Hill Classic

There are certain wisdoms that stand the test of time. Stoicism is one such example. Napoleon Hill’s classic book is another. As soon as we hear classic, we hear boring. That is wrong, there is a reason it has stood the test of generational scrutiny and neglect.

I spent some time considering whether or not I should share this, as you would get far more value from reading the book. I have to balance the benefit of intriguing your interest vs. the danger of you thinking you’ve covered the material. There is unlikely to be the same emotional attachment you need for these concepts to internalise them. Perhaps you have read it and this may refresh the concepts. See this an introduction or reminder. I will keep it brief.

Each person will get something different out of it and it is recommended that you listen to it several times. The material may not be different, but you may be.

Napoleon Hill deliberately does not specifically state the formula, in my view this is because it is more likely that we are missing a key ingredient, rather than the entire recipe, this is different for different people. You may not even need them all.

Napoleon Hill dedicated much of his life to interviewing many self-made millionaires to destil the keys needed.

The ingredients:

1. Desire – The starting point. Without desire, we will achieve nothing. It is not a hope, it is something distinctive and definite.
2. Faith – The second step. The visualisation and belief that the desire can be attained.
3. Auto-suggestion – Repetition of your plans, faith and desire. Allow them to dominate your thoughts. Your brain can then plot the path.
4. Specialized Knowledge – Knowledge is not power, it is only potential power. It needs to be directed. It pays to purchase the knowledge needed.
5. Imagination – This is the workshop to create the plan needed.
6. Organized planning – This is the crystallization of the desire (through the plan) into action.
7. Decision – To overcome and master procrastination. Make a commitment to action. Lack of decision is the number one cause leading to failure (not bad decisions).
8. Persistence – The sustained effort needed.
9. Power of the master mind – Plans are inert and useless without the power to translate them into action. Napoleon Hill had daily conference with his “master mind”, a collection of people he respected. He would seek their opinion, in order to do this effectively, he had to internalise how they thought more than what.
10. Mystery of Sex
11. Subconcious mind – The connecting link.We need to ensure it is fed the right things.
12. Brain –
13. Sixth Sense – The portion of the brain that internalises the above.