4.42

1

Oct 26, 2012

Let's be honest to ourselves and face the truth: success in business depends on a complex equation with a lot of variants, such as 1) how well your business idea adapts to the powers of supply and demand, which govern (and oppress) contemporary society, 2) where you come from economically to begin with (I've seen aromatherapy businesses run by middle-class sons of bitches grow and be more "successful" than neighborhood food establishments run by poor honest people), 3) how much investing capital Let's be honest to ourselves and face the truth: success in business depends on a complex equation with a lot of variants, such as 1) how well your business idea adapts to the powers of supply and demand, which govern (and oppress) contemporary society, 2) where you come from economically to begin with (I've seen aromatherapy businesses run by middle-class sons of bitches grow and be more "successful" than neighborhood food establishments run by poor honest people), 3) how much investing capital you have at the time of creating your business, 4) your race, and 5) sheer dumb luck.

Quotes like “The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat” are ludicrous, absolutely ridiculous and delve into the worst kind of new-agey, self-help bullshitting bullying: victim-blaming. So, if your business is not successful, you are to blame, because you simply failed to desire it enough? Fuck that shit. This book is a perfect example of everything that is wrong in today's first-world-white-heterosexual-male-dominated economic culture. Tell me that such ideas as "desiring it enough" would work in Somalia, hell, even in Egypt, and then we'll talk.

Don't waste your time with this codswallop. Read real literature instead: you'll definitely increase your IQ this way. ...more

5

Mar 14, 2011

I was looking through some of the reviews and see that some people gave it five stars and some gave it only one. I think if the people who gave it one star would practice the principles given in this book they would quickly upgrade their rating.

This book was published in 1937, during the Great Depression, and if the people who suffered during that time had read this book their lives might have been better.

It is really about convincing yourself to become wealthy. It outlines the steps you need to I was looking through some of the reviews and see that some people gave it five stars and some gave it only one. I think if the people who gave it one star would practice the principles given in this book they would quickly upgrade their rating.

This book was published in 1937, during the Great Depression, and if the people who suffered during that time had read this book their lives might have been better.

It is really about convincing yourself to become wealthy. It outlines the steps you need to take and the steps you need to avoid.

There are also a lot of interesting ideas in this book. For example, sex transmutation is where you transfer the energy of your libido into other purposes. Great people have done this. Also, 99% of the public has no goal in life that is why they are stuck in jobs they do not want.

Most people do not succeed until they are older. In fact, most success does not come until after you are 40 years old. Edison & Carnegie were past the age of 40 when they made their fortune. He forgot to mention that George Washington was 43 when he took on the greatest military on earth.

His roundtable idea is very intriguing.

I do not see why anyone would not want to read this book.
...more

5

Oct 24, 2016

Timeless information, great words of wisdom, and excellent advice from, perhaps, the greatest personal development book ever published. The principles can be used for anything that you desire. I bought this bestseller from: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01...

1

Aug 17, 2007

Want to get rich?

Don't waste your hard earned money on "Get Rich Quick" books.

3

Dec 30, 2015

3 "fascinating, ridiculous but well-meaning" stars !!

2016 MOST AVERAGE OF AVERAGE AWARD

Let me start with a childhood story:

As some of you know, I have an aunt that I love to bits. She has been my anchor in childhood chaos, my wise teacher, my introduction to literature and opera, my favorite playmate and a believer in "Jaidee" through all my trials, challenges and tribulations.

Anyways back to the story. I am about six and I am spending the day with her. We went to Woolworth's for grill 3 "fascinating, ridiculous but well-meaning" stars !!

2016 MOST AVERAGE OF AVERAGE AWARD

Let me start with a childhood story:

As some of you know, I have an aunt that I love to bits. She has been my anchor in childhood chaos, my wise teacher, my introduction to literature and opera, my favorite playmate and a believer in "Jaidee" through all my trials, challenges and tribulations.

Anyways back to the story. I am about six and I am spending the day with her. We went to Woolworth's for grill cheese and coke, walked in the park and came to the second hand bookstore where each week we would each choose a book. I look up and lo and behold I see this book "Think and Grow Rich" (I learned to read when I was four or so). I said "Auntie what is that book about?"

She winked. O how I loved her winks, with her long dark blonde hair, bright red lipstick and brightly colored polyester dresses she looked like a movie star. She whispered, "Jaidee, if you close your eyes hard enough and wish hard enough and if you are good enough- money will appear".
My brown eyes must have grown huge because she said- "but only when you are with me." Well now not only was she a movie star but like a tooth fairy.

That whole day my eyes were closed so tightly and at the end of the day I found a quarter in my pocket. This game went on for two years until I found out the truth and I mist over thinking of the magic that wonderful woman made for me and that is only one example.

Now enough sentimentality and onto the book:

I have wanted to read that book since then and finally I have. I read the 2015 updated edition and it was absolutely fascinating in a scary kind of way.

Napoleon Hill was a motivational speaker who was friends with Edison, Ford and some other wealthy people and he "studied" them and came up with thirteen steps to riches. The book is engaging and full of "convenient" examples.

The book is a real slice of Americanah with many examples taken from the depression and it is infused with common sense, populist thought, pseudo-mysticism, quasi psychology and philosophy and a lot of silly little exercises that if somebody tries hard enough will lead to untold riches. Of course if you don't- you didn't try hard enough and there are fears tied in your subconscious that you have not yet overcome.

There was an interesting chapter on sex transmutation. In short- turn your horniness into money- read the chapter and you will found out how.

This positive thinking book is really well meaning but I just cannot give it any more than three stars despite its interesting nature due to the fact that it blames a complex problem of poverty right on the poor rather than the greed of capitalism or the myth of socialism.

Sociologists, Economists and Psychologists must cringe when they read this.

It was however very interesting, lures you with its common sense, feeds on your sense of greed and if you are middle class is no more dangerous than a lottery ticket or small trip to the casino.

For the millions of poor however , I think this is a harsh and dangerous slap in the face. Read it with a grain of salt, no make it a shaker of salt and for entertainment value only. ...more

1

Aug 02, 2012

About his deaf son on page 37: "We would not permit him to learn sign language. We were determined that he should live a normal life and associate with normal children, and we stood by that decision, although it cost us many heated debates with school officials."

That stupid statement immediately made me dislike Napoleon Hill. As someone who is hard-of-hearing and can function well in "normal society", yet, knows sign language, I take offense to this. I take offense that he thinks knowing sign About his deaf son on page 37: "We would not permit him to learn sign language. We were determined that he should live a normal life and associate with normal children, and we stood by that decision, although it cost us many heated debates with school officials."

That stupid statement immediately made me dislike Napoleon Hill. As someone who is hard-of-hearing and can function well in "normal society", yet, knows sign language, I take offense to this. I take offense that he thinks knowing sign language isn't "normal" and that he wanted his son hanging out with "normal" children. Ugh.

By the end of Chapter 2, I didn't want to read anymore.

Not only did I dislike his opinion about deaf children, but this entire book is about making money. Lots of it. And how to do so. And while his methods may work, I don't want to make a lot of money -- just enough to pay the bills. Life is about much more than getting rich.

Perfect book for you if all you care about is getting rich. ...more

2

Dec 06, 2017

I expected a practical guide to managing personal finance, but got something a little kooky. On to the next one. :)

5

May 03, 2012

Overview: 60% brilliant, 30% obvious, 10% batshit crazy - and 100% worth reading

Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich" is about more than getting rich: it's about getting what you want. And while his no-bullshit insights come with a liberal dose of craziness and – well – bullshit, his overarching philosophy is spot-on. Hill's recipe boils down to this: to get what you want you must 1) desire, 2) believe, 3) act, and 4) persist.

First, the battiness
Hill's advice is always useful, even if not always Overview: 60% brilliant, 30% obvious, 10% batshit crazy - and 100% worth reading

Napoleon Hill's "Think and Grow Rich" is about more than getting rich: it's about getting what you want. And while his no-bullshit insights come with a liberal dose of craziness and – well – bullshit, his overarching philosophy is spot-on. Hill's recipe boils down to this: to get what you want you must 1) desire, 2) believe, 3) act, and 4) persist.

First, the battiness
Hill's advice is always useful, even if not always completely truthful. For instance, he repeatedly claims that "thoughts can affect mother nature." I don't think this is true, and Hill doesn't provide any evidence to support his claim, but his reader might be better off believing it. Because thoughts do profoundly affect you. And if you think you can affect nature by thought alone, and "think" accordingly, the impact this will have on your beliefs and your actions can be profound.

"Lack of evidence" is a common theme through "Think and Grow Rich." Some of the claims Hill makes are pretty crazy, though they're presented as if they were glaringly obvious and unquestionably true. He often states that a claim has been "proved" where it's simply been stated. You'll read about the transmutation of the subconscious, about how thought vibrations travel through the ether, and how to plant creativity in your subconscious via communication with the infinite intelligence. The book is heavy on mystical musings and light on facts. That said, I don't think these bits of battiness detract from Hill's core message, and if anything, my occasional outrage kept me engaged.

Onto practical matters: The first step towards riches is DESIRE
On first glance, this statement might seem banal, or even tautological: if you want riches, the first step is to… want riches. But Hill's advice cuts much deeper than this. It is not enough to want riches, or to wish you had them. Hill means something more radical: you must have a burning desire to be rich. If you fail in this regard, you will fail to achieve your (vaguely) desired goal.

Hill gives some concrete advice for nurturing desire. First, you must define your purpose. Only then can you become consumed by it. Hill's recipe for making desire concrete is this: decide exactly how much money you desire; establish a definite date by which you intend to possess it; create a definite plan; write it down; and read your written statement aloud - twice when you wake up, and twice before you go to bed. Become so obsessed with desire that you already see yourself in possession of the money

But don't kid yourself into thinking desire will be enough: "wishing will not bring riches... [only] planning definite ways... and backing those plans with persistence" will. Take, then, this burning desire, and put all your effort behind it. I love Hill's emphasis on action: you are instructed to be a practical dreamer. It's not enough to 'decide' you're totally committed: act accordingly. Cut off all sources of retreat, Hill tells us. Burn all bridges behind you, so that you win or perish. The tone here might be a little extreme, but his message carries crisp and clear: don't half-ass it.

Include liberal doses of FAITH
It is impossible to translate burning desire into action without belief. You must have faith: you must believe in your plan, and more importantly, believe in yourself. Of course, this is easier said than done. One concrete way to foster faith is through autosuggestion. The idea here is that you can come to believe something by repeating it to yourself sufficiently. Repetition of thought is powerful, and Hill claims it's the best way to influence your subconscious mind – the presumed bastion of belief.

This might come off as a little crazy, but Hill elaborates: repetition alone isn't enough. The mere reading of words is of no consequence unless you mix in strong emotions. Desire is one such emotion. Thus, if we've followed Hill's first step and developed a burning desire, it will be that much easier to apply autosuggestion to foster a sense of faith. And believing in yourself, and in your plan, is absolutely crucial. This might all be getting a little speculative, but so far, I'm inclined to agree with Hill.

A short aside on transmutation: the mystical powers of sex and the subconscious
It's only when Hill starts discussing the power of belief that I find myself getting incredulous. Hill claims that belief is "picked up by the subconscious mind and transmuted to its physical equivalent." If by this Hill means 'your beliefs will affect your own actions,' then I agree. If instead he means 'your beliefs themselves can influence physical reality,' then I disagree - or at least I would love to be presented with evidence.

And indeed, you soon discover that Hill does mean the latter. He explains that our brains are connected by vibrations of thought, and that these vibrations connect us to the "infinite intelligence" – whatever that is. Hill confidently states that there is an undiscovered organ in the brain that receives 'vibrations of thought' – called hunches – from this infinite intelligence. Once these hunches have been captured, our subconscious mind will hand them over to our conscious mind in a flash of inspiration. And this, he claims, is how to get your plan for riches. As best I could tell, this is what Hill means by "transmutation of thought."

It's my opinion that Hill here is liberally dipping into craziness – and he doesn't stop there. "Sex transmutation" comes next. We're told that "sex energy" is "creative energy," and you're implored to "harness and transmute" your desire for sex to lift yourself to a "higher sphere of thought." Harnessing sexual energy, it seems, will help you capture those aforementioned hunches. Here, at least, Hill offers some circumstantial evidence: apparently, many of the highly successfully men he studied were "highly sexed." Again, I'm not quite sure what this means, and I'm not quite sure how he was able to ascertain the sexual nature of so many strangers, but there you have it.

There is no substitute for PERSISTENCE
Back to practical matters: we've discussed desire and belief, and the need to "act" has been referred to throughout. The final ingredient is persistence. Without persistence, you will fail. Unfortunately, lack of persistence is a "weakness common to the majority of men." Fortunately, it can be overcome, and the ease with which it may be conquered "depends entirely on the intensity of one's desire." Of course, it's hard to 'learn persistence,' since you need to be persistent in the first place to be able to successfully employ a 'persistence enhancing technique.'

That said, Hill does give some good 'persistence enhancing' advice, which amounts to restating the advice that’s been given thus far. The key, again, is to have a definite purpose and a burning desire for its fulfillment. You must then transform that purpose into a definite plan, and immediately act. Consciously conquer procrastination and indecision. Throughout, guard your mind against negative and discouraging influences. And finally, form a "master mind alliance" – a coordination of knowledge and effort, for the attainment of a definite purpose – consisting of people who will encourage you to follow through with your plan and your purpose.

Conclusion
Hill might be a little crazy, and his writing style is a bit over the top. He tends to take on the tone of a late night infomercial ("I have never known anyone who was inspired to use the secret, who did not achieve noteworthy success in his chosen calling") and he has an troll-like propensity to go into all-caps mode ("ALL ACHIEVEMENT, ALL EARNED RICHES, HAVE THEIR BEGINNING IN AN IDEA!"). More critically, some of the particular things he says are at odds with his philosophy as a whole ("these steps call for no hard labor. They call for no sacrifice"). The danger is that these are the statements readers latch on to, and lose the forest for the trees.

And this would be a shame, for when all is said and done, "Think and Grow Rich" is terrific book. Hill is passionate, and his advice is refreshingly practical. The above caveat aside, Hill tells it like it is. He decries the "universal weakness of lack of ambition" and our "national pastime of trying to get without giving". He explains that people mistake their wants for their just dues, and is explicit on the fact that you can't get something for nothing: "there is but one dependable method for accumulating, and legally holding riches, and that is by rendering useful service."

Mystical musings aside, Hill's philosophy makes sense, and not in the vague "no shit, Sherlock" sense. He believes that "riches begin in the form of thought," and he makes this claim concrete. Desire, believe, act, and persist, he advises. If you do these things, you cannot fail – and never forget that "a quitter never wins-and-a winner never quits."
...more

2

Mar 06, 2012

When my dad introduced me to this book he made it sound like every second I wasn't reading it was wasted. I was skeptical. After all, the book was written in 1960, and I hadn't ever heard of it. But I gave it a try, just so my dad would drop it.
What I discovered is that rich people are rich because they're eccentric. Well, maybe not eccentric, but definitely obsessed with the idea of making money. I guess the one good thing this book did for me was help me realize what it would take for me to When my dad introduced me to this book he made it sound like every second I wasn't reading it was wasted. I was skeptical. After all, the book was written in 1960, and I hadn't ever heard of it. But I gave it a try, just so my dad would drop it.
What I discovered is that rich people are rich because they're eccentric. Well, maybe not eccentric, but definitely obsessed with the idea of making money. I guess the one good thing this book did for me was help me realize what it would take for me to become rich. I'd have to forget distractions, such as my family, my church, and my health, and develop an all-consuming lust for wealth. The bottom line is that if I want money I have to love it and hunger after it and dream about it every waking minute of my life. I think Napoleon is right. Anyone that obsessed with money probably will get rich sooner or later. But I read another good book recently that took a slightly different view. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Admittedly, the principals of "tunnel-vision" and psychotic-level tenacity can work with other goals in your life. But the only healthy obsession I can think of is one of reaching out to those around you, lifting up the downtrodden, and in fact laying up treasures in heaven. Why would I need this book to tell me how to do that when we've already got one that does its job pretty well.
I think the sequel to this book should be entitled, I'M FINALLY RICH: SO WHY AM I NOT HAPPY? ...more

5

Jul 14, 2007

This is the best self help book any entrepreneur could ever read. Perhaps the only one they need to. Truly transformative. I have it on audio too and listen to it at the gym often.

Napoleon Hill was tasked by Andrew Carnegie to write a book on what made a successful person succeed, and he spent 20 years researching and interviewing every great name of the day (Ford, Woolworth, Edison, etc), plus lots of people who failed (because you have to know what doesn't work too). This book is the result.

This is the best self help book any entrepreneur could ever read. Perhaps the only one they need to. Truly transformative. I have it on audio too and listen to it at the gym often.

Napoleon Hill was tasked by Andrew Carnegie to write a book on what made a successful person succeed, and he spent 20 years researching and interviewing every great name of the day (Ford, Woolworth, Edison, etc), plus lots of people who failed (because you have to know what doesn't work too). This book is the result.

It basically hammers home a single point, over and over again. Success comes from knowing what you want to achieve and having a burning desire to achieve it.

"The starting point of all achievements is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat." ...more

4

Jan 27, 2008

Ted, my old boss at KWE (Kintetsu World Express) first recommended this book to me and told me that it very much changed his way of thinking. He said it might do the same to my own thinking.

I was skeptical and after forgetting that age old phrase of "never judge a book by its cover" (and not reading it for two months even after I bought it...I bought it only to appease Ted because I knew he was going to ask me if I had bought it...which he did)I finally sat down to read it and couldn't put it Ted, my old boss at KWE (Kintetsu World Express) first recommended this book to me and told me that it very much changed his way of thinking. He said it might do the same to my own thinking.

I was skeptical and after forgetting that age old phrase of "never judge a book by its cover" (and not reading it for two months even after I bought it...I bought it only to appease Ted because I knew he was going to ask me if I had bought it...which he did)I finally sat down to read it and couldn't put it down.

I thought it would be about making money and "growing rich" as the cover leads one to beleive...and which only half-heartedly interests me. I was wrong, however, and came to learn that the book was more about setting an "envisioned desired outcome" for ourselves each day or for each activity instead of passively going through life. What one may learn from this book is that life will only give you what you ask of it...whether it is joy, happiness, money, friendship, love, family, a dog ;) or anything in between.

To my great benefit, Ted actually worked with me in analyzing the book to help me pull out meaning from it. We could spend 1-2 hours at a time after work just talking about it and trying to figure out what the book was saying.

I am very thankful now that Ted had the patience he did with me then. In fact, ha, because of this book, Ted has become a mentor of sorts to me...even though I am an ocean away in Europe at the moment...I still keep in touch with him frequently. ...more

1

Oct 29, 2015

A lot of people I know speak very highly of this book. I disagree. It was so terrible I couldn't stomach finishing it. This is the early predecessor to the contemporary fantasy called "The Secret" - just think hard enough about what you want and it will happen. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's bullshit. Regardless of what Napoleon Hill supposedly researched, desire alone is not a determinant of success.

Don't waste your time and energy on this book. Instead, go read "I Will Teach You To Be A lot of people I know speak very highly of this book. I disagree. It was so terrible I couldn't stomach finishing it. This is the early predecessor to the contemporary fantasy called "The Secret" - just think hard enough about what you want and it will happen. Sorry to burst your bubble, but that's bullshit. Regardless of what Napoleon Hill supposedly researched, desire alone is not a determinant of success.

Don't waste your time and energy on this book. Instead, go read "I Will Teach You To Be Rich" from Ramit Sethi for actionable advice on how to build your financial success, or "The Personal MBA" by Josh Kaufman for a real primer on how business works. ...more

5

Feb 11, 2019

There are some books in your bookshelves which you can read many times and every time you will get some new ideas. Think and grow rich is a book like this. Whenever I read this book I find out some new ideas every time. The psychological techniques and dealing with cetain situaiton are delead in a pretty good manner. He is a time tested motivational author who wrote this immortal book. A child or a youth everybody needs motivation because it's a positive source of energy that keeps you going in There are some books in your bookshelves which you can read many times and every time you will get some new ideas. Think and grow rich is a book like this. Whenever I read this book I find out some new ideas every time. The psychological techniques and dealing with cetain situaiton are delead in a pretty good manner. He is a time tested motivational author who wrote this immortal book. A child or a youth everybody needs motivation because it's a positive source of energy that keeps you going in full blaze. ...more

5

Oct 30, 2008

I bought this book just as the year 2008 is starting. What's odd about this is that I don't even have any inkling of what kind of a book this is when I bought it in downtown Recto (I eventually found that it belong to the self-help genre). The book's title, "Think and Grow Rich" by napoleon Hill just flashed in my mind and, finding no prospective book to read at that time, I plunged on. As of this writing, I had finished the second round of reading it with future plans of doing it the third, I bought this book just as the year 2008 is starting. What's odd about this is that I don't even have any inkling of what kind of a book this is when I bought it in downtown Recto (I eventually found that it belong to the self-help genre). The book's title, "Think and Grow Rich" by napoleon Hill just flashed in my mind and, finding no prospective book to read at that time, I plunged on. As of this writing, I had finished the second round of reading it with future plans of doing it the third, fourth, and fifth time as my time permits. But life is too short and there's too much of books I still got to read. ^_^
Anyway, I'd outlined here a summary of the book's philisophy of how to accumulate Huge Amounts of money. I also found fascinating the subjects on the Principle of Autosuggestion and (get this!!) The Mystery of Sex Transmutation! Getting curious what these are all about..?? Why don't you grab the book and be awakened by the eternal truths on how to "attract" the surging wave of riches.

* Find something you love to do. You have to love what you are doing; you have to be anxious to go to work in the morning. Until you find something that you really love to do, you are probably not going to be successful because just making money doesn't make you successful.
* Develop a plan of action. Developing a plan takes more than just thinking. You have to take action, too. Hill says you may not have all the details figured out in the beginning, but forming a plan is a good start. You can always alter your plan later on, he adds.
* Involve other people. Hill states that in addition to finding something we are passionate about, we need to align ourselves with other people to accomplish our goals. No matter how smart we are, we need others because we can't know everything about a particular thing.
* Don't forget to give back. The more success you have, the more you are in a position to give back and make a difference in the lives of others is the philosophy that I have imbibed by reading this book. Most people who have been successful are very willing to help someone else achieve their own goals.

I wish to state here the insights I've gained in reading this book, but I think it will deprive you of the fascination of knowing these things first hand. I envy you the journey of truly knowing yourself. Remember it's not the destination that matters, but how you've come to enjoy the journey and made the most out of it!
My warm regards and happy reading! ^_^ ...more

3

Apr 17, 2010

In this oft-referenced self-help classic, Napoleon Hill promises to share the secret of the wealthiest people of his time (this book was published in 1937). At Andrew Carnegie's bidding, he spent 20 years interviewing and studying over 500 people, including Henry Ford, John Rockefeller, Thomas Edison, Marshall Field, Charles Schwab, and Alexander Graham Bell.

Did I discover the "secret" that will launch me to world-renowned success? Unfortunately, not that I'm aware. Do I have a better In this oft-referenced self-help classic, Napoleon Hill promises to share the secret of the wealthiest people of his time (this book was published in 1937). At Andrew Carnegie's bidding, he spent 20 years interviewing and studying over 500 people, including Henry Ford, John Rockefeller, Thomas Edison, Marshall Field, Charles Schwab, and Alexander Graham Bell.

Did I discover the "secret" that will launch me to world-renowned success? Unfortunately, not that I'm aware. Do I have a better understanding of the psychology behind success or failure? Yes. I also realize how important it is to set a high goal, review it daily, and constantly work toward it.

Quick summary: "Anybody can wish for riches, and most people do, but only a few know that a definite plan plus a burning desire for wealth are the only dependable means of accumulating it."

The book contains a lot of practical advice on being successful, but it's mainly focused on the psychological motivation behind it. Although most of it's sound, there are some sections that are of questionable scientific validity, and some pure pseudoscience. For example, Hill believes that all human brains are connected by the "vibrating energy of thought", and that people can connect to the "Infinite Intelligence" - a cosmic force permeating all matter and energy.

Other nonsense presented as fact: telepathy, clairvoyance, ESP, precognition. These parts reminded me of some of the pseudoscience in The Power of Positive Thinking. At first I was concerned about Hill's mental state and ability to separate fact from fantasy when he described his imaginary meetings with a group of notable dead and living men he called his "Invisible Counselors". On second thought, however, I can see how imagining the advice that great people might give could help you make better decisions.

Here are the 13 Steps to Riches presented in the book, supposedly containing the great secret to wealth:

13 Steps to Riches
1. Desire
Have a burning desire for something definite (money, etc.).
Create a plan to obtain a definite amount of money through the sale of specific goods and services by a set date.
"See and feel and believe yourself already in possession of the money."

2. Faith
Believe in your idea.
Your self-confidence will influence your thoughts and actions.

3. Autosuggestion
Concentrate on your desire and faith, and your subconscious will create practical plans for obtaining your desire/money.

4. Specialized knowledge
Use your expertise and imagination to come up with ideas that earn far more than any job.

5. Imagination
Hard work and honesty alone won't make you rich.
Ideas become money through a definite purpose plus a definite plan.
Form definite plans to turn your ideas into money.

6. Organized planning
Create a practical plan for acquiring money.
Provide great service and convince others that you're worth the money you demand.
Follow the QQS Formula for service:
- Quality: be efficient, and increase in efficiency
- Quantity: give all the service you can, and improve through practice and experience
- Spirit: be agreeable and harmonious with others

7. Decision
Make decisions quickly and definitely; change them slowly.
Base decisions on your desire and your own opinions (not others').

8. Persistence
Have the willpower to follow your desire and plans despite obstacles and criticism.

9. Master Mind
Surround yourself with like-minded, intelligent people. This is your brain trust or think tank.
With your Master Mind group, coordinate your knowledge and effort to attain your desire.

10. Sex transmutation
Channel your sexual energy into creative energy.
Limit yourself to a moderate amount of sex and use your remaining energy to drive creativity and enthusiasm.

11. Subconscious mind
Plant your desires in your subconscious for it to work toward 24/7.
Fill your mind with positive emotions so that negative ones can't enter.

12. The brain
Send thoughts with your subconscious, receive thoughts with your creative imagination, and use autosuggestion.

13. Sixth Sense
Meditate to become attuned to inspiration and creative imagination.

Other notes
Don't expect poverty; demand riches.
The only thing you can absolutely control in life is your thoughts. Control your mind through self-discipline and habit.
Don't use the basic fears as excuses; overcome them through positive thinking - fears of poverty, criticism, illness, loss of love, old age, and death. Don't worry and don't be susceptible to negative influences.

My favorite part of the book was the poem in the Desire chapter: "My Wage" by Jessie Belle Rittenhouse:


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 a 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.

...more

5

Jul 13, 2012

The mind cannot differentiate between truth and falsehood, we simply need to instruct or manipulate it toward a certain mode!


'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill, takes an in depth look at the power of the mind and personal belief and how these influence our success. Hill uses examples of past success such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison to show how factors such as desire, the subconscious mind, faith and goals can interweave to create favorable condition for success.

The title The mind cannot differentiate between truth and falsehood, we simply need to instruct or manipulate it toward a certain mode!


'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill, takes an in depth look at the power of the mind and personal belief and how these influence our success. Hill uses examples of past success such as Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford and Thomas Edison to show how factors such as desire, the subconscious mind, faith and goals can interweave to create favorable condition for success.

The title of this book can be quite deceiving. I thought it would be a get rich quick book but was pleasantly surprised. Hill used timeless principles to illustrate the power of the mind, visualization and channeling our desires to attaining financial greatness. While the book was written many years ago, the principles demonstrated here in fact serve as guides to modern day self-help programs and books. The chapter on autosuggestion showing how we have the power to direct our minds toward achieving a certain goal fascinated me. Hill shows how the mind cannot differentiate between truth and falsehood, we simply need to instruct or manipulate it toward a certain mode.

This is a must read for everyone, regardless of your professional background. The insight you receive here will help you move from procrastination and fear to actualizing your goals.
...more

4

May 30, 2016

Unlike Good to Great I don't necessarily see this book as a must-read for business. I thoroughly enjoyed it myself and found a lot of the advice useful for life and self-belief, but as far as a business bible I wouldn't swear on it. What I did find enjoyable was sdespite some of the outdated advice, most of the "self worth" and envisioning/thinking goals into existence are still relevant and while people may disagree with the actual effectiveness of them they do help bolster one's self esteem, Unlike Good to Great I don't necessarily see this book as a must-read for business. I thoroughly enjoyed it myself and found a lot of the advice useful for life and self-belief, but as far as a business bible I wouldn't swear on it. What I did find enjoyable was sdespite some of the outdated advice, most of the "self worth" and envisioning/thinking goals into existence are still relevant and while people may disagree with the actual effectiveness of them they do help bolster one's self esteem, which is always important.

It was a fun little exploration into business books but I do not base my decisions on it. ...more

3

Jan 25, 2018

I eat up self-improvement books on a pretty regular basis and age or popularity ordinarily does nothing to persuade my interest. Given the longevity of this one I, however, relented. This was a pretty quick read, gave clear suggestions to improve success, and was full of interesting and inspirational anecdotes.

As I continued to read through this book, I found it to become a little samey. Like many books of this type there are only a few core elements that the book is structured around. The I eat up self-improvement books on a pretty regular basis and age or popularity ordinarily does nothing to persuade my interest. Given the longevity of this one I, however, relented. This was a pretty quick read, gave clear suggestions to improve success, and was full of interesting and inspirational anecdotes.

As I continued to read through this book, I found it to become a little samey. Like many books of this type there are only a few core elements that the book is structured around. The 'filler' often lay in the convincing stories that allow the reader to believe they can emulate the success. This occurred but I appreciated the positivity and was, initially, convinced on its brilliance. I soon began to question how the seemingly simple suggestions could relate the real-world, however. There were some inspiring elements but I found others to be beyond the range of my belief and could not believe that success and riches could be so easily garnered.

This was a solid self-improvement book but I have read others, in the same vein, that gave me a more solid foundation on which to go ahead and achieve all promised, in my own life. ...more

5

Mar 07, 2009

I have read hundreds of books over the past many years in my quest for success. "Think and Grow Rich" truly stands right near the top. It has made a positive impact on my life in many ways.

Frankly, as with many wonderful books, I have applied the principles in this book and have reaped incredible results.

5

Apr 17, 2019

Genre: Self-improvement, Success.
Publication Date: 1937

This book has been an eye opener.
The author rekindles our ambition and urges us to dream bigger with a strong desire.
Its a book that I highly recommend everyone to read atleast once in their lives.

Few Points by the author worth mentioning:
One should (have)
- Great Power of thought with intense desire.
- Seek expert counsel when needed.
- Go beyond the tipping point of failure, there is success there.
- Success comes to those who become SUCCESS Genre: Self-improvement, Success.
Publication Date: 1937

This book has been an eye opener.
The author rekindles our ambition and urges us to dream bigger with a strong desire.
Its a book that I highly recommend everyone to read atleast once in their lives.

Few Points by the author worth mentioning:
One should (have)
- Great Power of thought with intense desire.
- Seek expert counsel when needed.
- Go beyond the tipping point of failure, there is success there.
- Success comes to those who become SUCCESS CONSCIOUS.
- Determination(non stop)
- One of the secret is desire

Fords Example
Was specific as to what is to be built, had a team of experts, determined, do it anyway, no matter how much time, I want it and I will have it

- Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to burn his ships and cut all sources of retreat. Only by so doing can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as BURNING DESIRE TO WIN, essential to success.

- The world doesn't pay to someone who knows, but pats the one who does something great with what he knows. ...more

5

Nov 15, 2011

One of the best books I've ever read. It kept me thinking the whole time about the ideas that I've encountered in this book. It talks about the new philosophy of enlightenment with practical applications of it.
The book talks mainly about accumulating riches, but it could be replaced by any other gaol that one desires.
This book will probably affect your life greatly if you're not already familiar with the new age of enlightenment.
If I have to criticize it, it'll be about one thing only: that One of the best books I've ever read. It kept me thinking the whole time about the ideas that I've encountered in this book. It talks about the new philosophy of enlightenment with practical applications of it.
The book talks mainly about accumulating riches, but it could be replaced by any other gaol that one desires.
This book will probably affect your life greatly if you're not already familiar with the new age of enlightenment.
If I have to criticize it, it'll be about one thing only: that the author used too many stories of famous, successful people; when he could maximally use two to prove the same point. Other than that; it's a great book on all levels and I highly recommend it.

P.S. it's a super positive book; hence, not recommended for sad people. ...more

3

Jan 24, 2010

I’d wanted to read a classic self-help book, and several modern motivational speakers have credited Napoleon Hill. This book was written in the US in 1937, during recovery from the Great Depression. Hill asserts that the Great Depression was worsened by mass fear, and this concept seems just as valid in today’s economy. Much of what is offered in “The Secret,” including that now-trademarked name (a term that Hill coined but failed to copyright), is a direct rip-off from Hill.

Hill was challenged I’d wanted to read a classic self-help book, and several modern motivational speakers have credited Napoleon Hill. This book was written in the US in 1937, during recovery from the Great Depression. Hill asserts that the Great Depression was worsened by mass fear, and this concept seems just as valid in today’s economy. Much of what is offered in “The Secret,” including that now-trademarked name (a term that Hill coined but failed to copyright), is a direct rip-off from Hill.

Hill was challenged by his friend Andrew Carnegie, the richest man in the world, to find out how people made money, in an era where most people did not. Hill spent many years interviewing powerful men of the era (powerful women in that era being very few), for example Thomas Edison, Henry Ford, Charles Schwab, and of course Carnegie. During a 20-year period, Hill distilled his findings into 17 principles by which to get rich and powerful. He hastens to point out that richness and power is not just about money, but about quality of life and achievement of goals. He even states that Mahatma Gandhi was the most powerful man living at the time, and that he also applied these principles to achieve that power.

Some of the concepts are old school: hard work, planning and persistence, for example. However, he was the first to suggest positive self-talk, imagination, and visualization as tools for achievement. He also offers some surprisingly modern ideas such as transmutation of sexual energy, sixth sense or intuition, and imagining wise counsel from a “Cabinet” of people one admires. He devotes a chapter to harnessing fear, giving tips on overcoming the “six basic fears” including fear of death and fear of ill health.

Although some of the material seems dated, I understand that an updated edition has been released that corrects this. While not written in a style I enjoy, I can appreciate the concepts that Hill pioneered that are still popular in self-help books today.
...more

4

Jun 27, 2007

I originally read this book as part of a business mentorship program. I admit, I had some mental blockage when I started reading it, and only because I had personal fears and doubts about finances that I have since addressed by self-educating (see other recommended financial books on my list) and seeking assistance from qualified professionals with a good frame of reference for what I needed advice on (I love my financial advisor, Jason!). My picture of growing "rich" in the beginning was, like, I originally read this book as part of a business mentorship program. I admit, I had some mental blockage when I started reading it, and only because I had personal fears and doubts about finances that I have since addressed by self-educating (see other recommended financial books on my list) and seeking assistance from qualified professionals with a good frame of reference for what I needed advice on (I love my financial advisor, Jason!). My picture of growing "rich" in the beginning was, like, Scrooge McDuck sitting on a mound of moneybags grasping fistfulls of cash, or a snakey ass backwards crooked business guy who favors profit over all else at the expense of humanity and the environment. Of course I don't want to be that way, who does?! This book helped me detatch from some emotional and fear based patterns I discovered within, and helped me get OK with making and managing money. This is an instruction manual for creating a prosperity based mentality and then putting it to good use. There are step by step instructions and exercises involved, and as usual, what you put into it is what you'll get out of it. ...more

4

Apr 10, 2010

- DESIRE: THE STARTING POINT OF ALL ACHIEVEMENT
- nu te lasa descurajat de insuccese. Dimpotriva acestea trebuie sa te motiveze
- Wishing will not bring riches. But desiring riches with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans with persistence which does not recognize failure, will bring riches.
- To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must - DESIRE: THE STARTING POINT OF ALL ACHIEVEMENT
- nu te lasa descurajat de insuccese. Dimpotriva acestea trebuie sa te motiveze
- Wishing will not bring riches. But desiring riches with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans with persistence which does not recognize failure, will bring riches.
- To all these I wish to convey the thought that all achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin with an intense, BURNING DESIRE for something definite.
- FAITH is a state of mind which may be induced, or created, by affirmation or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind, through the principle of auto-suggestion.
- FAITH IS A STATE OF MIND WHICH MAY BE INDUCED BY AUTOSUGGESTION
- FAITH is the “eternal elixir” which gives life, power, and action to the impulse of thought! ...more

5

April 16, 2017

Good job. He actually concluded the reason why some people becomes rich, and answered the question- "How to become rich?". Brilliant.