Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill
Well, this one’s a classic, right?
Millions of copies sold, written about frequently, and praised by many people who’ve enjoyed great successes.
I read this one on the beach in Larnaca, Cyprus last year whilst on holiday… Beautiful place :-)
What follows are some quotes from the book I found meaningful:
“Neglecting to broaden their view has kept some people doing one thing all their lives.”
Sure you’ve heard the following quote as its become somewhat of a cliché, but had to get it in here:
“Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe it can achieve.”
I particularly like the following short inspirational poem:
I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store.
For Life is just employer,
He gives you what you ask,
But once you have set the wages,
Why, you must bear the task.
I worked for a menial’s hire,
Only to learn, dismayed,
That any wage I had asked of Life,
Life would have willingly paid.
Nice, huh?
The following is one of my all time favourite quotes:
“There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge.”
Interestingly, the following Napoleon Hill quote is on a big sign on the main wall at my gym (think the owner must have read Think and Grow Rich!)
“A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits.”
Think quite a few of the gym goers have been thinking these words whilst feeling the BURN. Yeeha.
“Happiness is found in doing. Not merely in possessing.”
Another personal favourite of mine:
“Tell the world what you intend to do, but first show it.”
“When you think about it, what else except ideas and personal services can you give in return for riches if you don’t have products or property?”
The following are ‘The Major Attributes of Leadership’ Napoleon Hill outlines:
- Unwavering courage
- Self-control
- A keen sense of justice
- Definiteness of decision
- Definiteness of plans
- The habit of doing more than paid for
- A pleasing personality
- Sympathy and understanding
- Mastery of detail
- Willingness to assume full responsibility
- Cooperation
And here’s ‘The Ten Major Causes of Failure in Leadership’:
- Inability to organize details
- Unwillingness to render humble service
- Expectation of pay for what they “know”
- Fear of competition from followers
- Lack of imagination
- Selfishness
- Intemperance
- Disloyalty
- Emphasis of the “authority” of leadership
- Emphasis of title
I found the following ‘Thirty-One Major Causes of Failure’ quite interesting:
- Unfavourable hereditary background
- Lack of well-defined purpose of life
- Lack of ambition to aim above mediocrity
- Insufficient education
- Lack of self-discipline
- Ill health
- Unfavourable environmental influences during childhood
- Procrastination
- Lack of persistence
- Negative personality
- Lack of control of sexual urges
- Uncontrolled desire for “something for nothing”
- Lack of well-defined power of decision
- One or more of the six basic fears (fear of poverty, criticism, ill health, loss of love, old age, and death)
- Wrong selection of a mate in marriage
- Overcaution
- Wrong selection of associates in business
- Superstition and prejudice
- Wrong selection of a vocation
- Lack of concentration of effort
- The habit of indiscriminate spending
- Lack of enthusiasm
- Intolerance
- Intemperance
- Inability to cooperate with others
- Possession of power that was not acquired through self-effort
- Intentional dishonesty
- Egotism and vanity
- Guessing instead of thinking
- Lack of capital
- Here, name any particular cause of failure from which you have suffered that has not been included in the foregoing list
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Okay, now back to some more compelling content from Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich:
“Opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth.”
“The mark of genuine wisdom is modesty and silence.”
“Those who reach decisions promptly, and definitely, know what they want and generally get it. The leaders in every walk of life decide quickly, and firmly. That is the major reason why they are leaders. The world has a habit of making room for the people whose words and actions show that they know where they are going.”
“No man achieves great success who is unwilling to make personal sacrifices.”
“The ladder of success is never crowded at the top.”
“More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has ever been taken from the earth.”
“Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.”
“The man who actually knows just what he wants in life has already gone a long way toward attaining it.”
“When others offer you free, unsolicited advice do you accept it without question or do you analyze their motive?”
“You have absolute control over only one thing, and that is your thoughts. This is the most significant and inspiring of all facts known to humans. It reflects our divine nature. This ability to control your thoughts is the sole means by which you may control your own destiny.”
(The previous quote is the same lesson discussed in Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl)
“Mind control is the result of self-discipline and habit. You either control your mind or it controls you.”
Another of my all time favourite quotes:
“Life is a chequerboard, and the player opposite you is time. If you hesitate before moving, or neglect to move promptly, your men will be wiped off the board by Time. You are playing against a partner who will not tolerate indecision!”
“Remember that your real wealth can be measured not by what you have, but by what you are.”
Hope you enjoyed these words of wisdom.
Sincerely,
Sam
P.S. If you’ve not got a copy of Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich yet I’d recommend you do. As will all books: beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so even if the above means sweet FA to you, you might well find something of value in the book that does.