One sentence overview
Napoleon Hill researched more than forty millionaires to find out what made them the men that they were. In Think and Grow Rich, he imparts that knowledge to you. “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.”
Who is this book for?
Despite the book’s title, this book is not about how to increase your income and become rich. The author’s philosophy can help just about anyone succeed in their professional life, achieve their aspirations, and attract success in their life, but it’s definitely a must-read for investors and entrepreneurs.
The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desires bring weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.
The five big ideas from the book
- The starting point of all achievement is desire.
- You are the master of your destiny.
- When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.
- Your greatest success will often come just one step beyond the point at which defeat has overtaken you.
- Set your mind on a definite goal and observe how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass.
Key Insights from this book:
- ” The universe feeds us with ideas constantly, we just need to tune our minds to receive them, much like an antenna. One of the ways to tune our minds is to use “positive thinking”.
- ” Implementing your idea is the most important step in achieving your dream. However, only a few are able to work on their concepts, create an idea, and then implement it.”
- ” If you have a burning desire for something, you can surely achieve it.”
- ” If you desire to get rich, then you must imagine yourself in possession of that money.”
- ” Failure shows you that you need to try a different approach to accomplish something. It is a pointer on how not to go about something.”
- ” Without a doubt, the most common weakness of all human beings is the habit of leaving their minds open to the negative influence of other people.”
- ” A man whose mind is filled with fear not only destroys his own chances of intelligent action but, transmits these destructive vibrations to the other people also.”
- ” Success comes through the application of power, and power is attained through the cooperative efforts of other people.”
- ” Mind control is the result of self-discipline and habit. You either control your mind or it controls you. There is no hallway compromise.”
- ” You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be.”
- ” Every adversity, every failure, and every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
- ” More gold had been mined from the mind of men than the earth itself.”
- ” Success is good at any age, but the sooner you find it, the longer you will enjoy it.”
- ” Where failure is experienced, it is the individual, not the method, which has failed. If you try and fail, make another effort, and still another, until you succeed.”
- ” Never quit. Never give up. Focus. Seek help. Make new connections. Take different approaches. Seek additional resources to help you improve your job search skills. Persist and find people who can help you to achieve your goals.”
- ” Man’s thought impulses begin immediately to translate themselves into their physical equivalent, whether those thoughts are voluntary or involuntary.”
- ” Lack of persistence is one of the significant causes of failure. It can be conquered but depends entirely upon the intensity of one’s desire – weak desires bring weak results.”
- ” Going from ‘what do I get?’ to ‘how will I grow?’ requires shifting from ego-driven concerns (title, salary, benefits, etc.) to growth opportunities within the company and position.”
- ” Faith is the starting point of success and the glue that holds it all together. As a state of mind, faith can be induced or created through affirmations or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind. “
- ” When visualizing the money you intend to accumulate, close your eyes and see yourself rendering the service, or delivering the merchandise you intend to give in return for this money.”
About the Author
Napoleon Hill was an American author in the area of the new thought movement, who was one of the earliest producers of the modern genre of personal-success literature and is widely considered to be one of the great writers on success. Hill’s works examined the power of personal beliefs, and the role they play in personal success. He became an advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt from 1933 to 1936.
