Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich is a timeless classic in the field of personal development and self-improvement. It is a book that has helped millions of people achieve their dreams, especially in the realm of financial success.
Hill’s book offers a comprehensive framework for achieving success, based on the principles of setting clear goals, having unwavering faith in oneself, acquiring knowledge, using imagination, being self-aware, feeding the subconscious with positivity, and persisting in the face of obstacles.
In this review, we will delve deeper into the key takeaways from each of these principles.
7 Key Principles
1. Setting Clear Goals
The first principle of achieving success, according to Hill, is setting clear and specific goals. He emphasizes the importance of defining one’s personal goal with precision, including the desired amount of money to be earned, the timeframe for achieving the goal, and the required investment to accomplish it.
Moreover, Hill advises coming up with a detailed plan that outlines every step necessary to reach the goal. He also recommends reading the plan aloud twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, to anchor the desire for success firmly in one’s thoughts and actions. The book underscores that having a clear, specific, and time-bound goal can help one pursue it wholeheartedly and efficiently.
2. Having Unwavering Faith in Oneself
The second principle of success, according to Hill, is having unwavering faith in oneself. Hill argues that success cannot be achieved without a foundation of self-confidence and an unshakable belief in one’s abilities. He provides the example of Mahatma Gandhi, who managed to lead his country to freedom without access to traditional instruments of power such as money or the military, but with his unbending belief that he could influence his fellow countrymen to stand up for their common goals.
Hill suggests using auto-suggestion, a way of influencing oneself by thinking specific and purposeful thoughts or ideas, to convey positive commands to the subconsciousness, increase self-belief, and steer all thoughts and actions toward making the desired goal a reality.
3. Acquiring Knowledge
The third principle of success, according to Hill, is acquiring knowledge. However, Hill redefines knowledge and education, saying that it is not limited to formal education, such as a high school diploma or university degree. Instead, Hill emphasizes the importance of acquiring the right experiences and knowledge, using one’s strengths, and exploiting one’s potential fully.
He stresses the significance of lifelong learning and the ability to know where to find the necessary knowledge, rather than knowing everything oneself. Hill suggests surrounding oneself with a network of experts who share their specialized knowledge.
4. Using Imagination
The fourth principle of success, according to Hill, is using imagination. Hill argues that every success story begins with an idea and that behind each idea is the imagination. Hill highlights two types of imagination, creative imagination and synthetic imagination.
Creative imagination is the ability to come up with new things, while synthetic imagination rearranges old ideas into new combinations. Hill asserts that the two types of imagination can play off one another productively. Hill suggests that imagination can be stimulated, kept active, and trained like a muscle to become more productive and powerful.
5. Being Self-Aware
The fifth principle of success, according to Hill, is being self-aware. Hill advises performing a thorough and honest self-analysis by going through a checklist of questions to figure out one’s strengths and weaknesses. He also suggests comparing one’s subjective self-analysis with somebody else’s objective evaluation to gain a better understanding. Hill argues that self-awareness can help constructively take action against weaknesses and balance them out with strengths.
6. Feeding the Subconscious with Positivity
The sixth principle of success, according to Hill, is feeding the subconscious with positivity. Hill argues that our subconscious receives and stores sensory stimuli, feelings, and thoughts, whether positive or negative.
Therefore, Hill advises “feeding” the subconscious with positive things to act as a constructive guide towards realizing desires and goals. Hill suggests avoiding negative influences and paying attention to positive impulses, such as enthusiasm and love. He believes that positivity can be developed as a long-term habit.
7. Persisting in the Face of Obstacles
The seventh and final principle of success, according to Hill, is persisting in the face of obstacles. Hill argues that persistence and endurance are key to achieving success, and this involves constantly working on the realization of one’s goals and not losing sight of them. However, obstinacy and inveteracy should be avoided.
Hill suggests following four simple yet crucial rules: having a concrete goal and developing a burning desire to achieve it, having a thorough and precise plan to support the implementation of the goal, not allowing oneself to be influenced by negative and disheartening opinions, and having an intimate, trusting relationship with a person or a group that provides support and assistance.
Praise
1. The book reveals the secret of success
Think and Grow Rich is a book that reveals the secret of success that has been recognized and given different names throughout the ages. Whether you call it Karma, the Subconscious Mind, Faith, or Belief, the secret is the same: it is the power of the Mind. The book explains how you can apply this secret to achieve success in every aspect of your life, not just financial success.
2. The writing style is engaging and hypnotizing
Napoleon Hill has a unique and impressive way of writing that is engaging and hypnotizing. His writing style makes it possible to apply the secret just by reading the book alone. This means that you can benefit from the book without the need for additional tools or resources.
3. The principles described in the book have been used by successful people
The principles described in the book have been used by successful people, either consciously or unconsciously. Bruce Lee is one of the famous people who used the principles to reach the Himalayas of success. Once you learn about the secret, you can use it in any way you want, not just for making money. You can create your own reality and become the master of your destiny.
Critique
1. It can come across as vague and lacking practical advice
The book can be vague and lacking practical advice, despite claiming to boil down the similarities amongst rich people. It doesn’t provide concrete information about investment strategies, perspectives on things like real estate vs stocks, or the books that successful people read. Instead, it emphasizes desire, auto-suggestion, and other abstract concepts that may not be helpful from a practical standpoint.
2. It is heavily biased towards the power of the mind
The book is heavily biased towards the power of the mind and fails to deal with other aspects of being/growing rich. It focuses on the importance of desire, faith, auto-suggestion, and inspiration, without delving into other essential aspects of becoming wealthy, such as managing risk, understanding interest rates, or creating a good investment portfolio.
3. The writing style may not appeal to everyone
The writing style of the book may not be for everyone. Some readers may find it hard to take the author’s ideas seriously due to his use of phrases like “the secret” or the overemphasis on the power of the mind. The voice of the book may also be perceived as preachy or overly optimistic, which can be a turnoff for some readers.
Conclusion
Overall, Think and Grow Rich is a must-read book for anyone seeking success, especially in the realm of financial success. Hill’s principles of setting clear goals, having unwavering faith in oneself, acquiring knowledge, using imagination, being self-aware, feeding the subconscious with positivity, and persisting in the face of obstacles provide a comprehensive framework for achieving success.
The book emphasizes the importance of mindset, positive thinking, and hard work in attaining success. Hill’s principles are backed up by real-life examples, making the book a practical guide for anyone looking to improve themselves and achieve their dreams.
Napoleon Hill was an entrepreneur who wrote several self-help books, beginning with The Law of Success in 1928. Over the next 43 years, he wrote ten more books. Hill’s works became well-known for his self-improvement and personal responsibility philosophy.
Hill’s primary source of inspiration for Think and Grow Rich is an interview he conducted with Andrew Carnegie, during which he claims Carnegie tasked him with disseminating the secret to his success.
Hill writes that he considered writing books like The Law of Success to be his life’s work. He goes on to say that his career was guided by mentally conjured character influencers in the form of ghosts of famous leaders.
Buy The Book
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