How to Achieve Success According to Napoleon Hill and His Book Think and Grow Rich

It’s been a while since I read Napoleon Hill’s book. About half a year, I think. But I still remember a lot of things from this book.

Think and Grow Rich is literally the timeless book. It was originally published in 1937 but from this time it was revised and republished three times. It is the most successful book written by Napoleon Hill. It is timeless because there are actually chapters which are still topical even after more than seventy years. These chapters can still help people to change their mind and achieve success in whatever field they choose. There are also described steps one should take in order to achieve success. But first let’s talk a bit about the book itself and its secret.

Napoleon Hill was initiated by a multimillionaire Andrew Carnegie to write his book Think and Grow Rich – it took him twenty years to finish this book. In these years, Napoleon Hill talked with a lot of famous and successful people, he asked them about a key to their success, he even passed this key to another people, because he believed that everyone (men, women, and people from different professions) should be able to achieve success.

In his book, Napoleon Hill hid a so-called secret. It is a secret which can help one to achieve success. He talks about that secret a lot in his book. Napoleon Hill is convinced that everyone should find the secret by himself/herself, so he doesn't mention it directly.

So far, I’ve come to a conclusion that there probably isn’t only one secret as there isn’t only way to success (that’s only my opinion though). I discussed this matter with my brother who read the book as well and I read internet discussions regarding this topic and there were a lot of opinions what the secret could be. They differed a lot. Just as a matter of interest I will present some of those opinions:

• There is no secret – this opinion was presented in one of internet discussions; it said that all Napoleon Hill’s talking about secret was just a marketing move – to convince people to buy his book in order to find the hidden secret to success
• There is not only one secret – this is my opinion (not only mine though); probably there is a different secret hidden for everyone
• The secret is hidden in some of steps to success and wealth – Napoleon Hill presented thirteen steps which are important in order to achieve success; I talked to people who thought that secret is hidden especially in some of those steps be it desire, faith or persistence
• The secret is a mix of all thirteen steps – it’s as simple as it sounds; the secret can be hidden in all of those steps to success and because of that every step is important while trying to achieve success

Earlier I mentioned so-called ‘steps’ which can help anyone to achieve success. Napoleon Hill described thirteen steps and each of them described in a single chapter in his book. But describing each of those steps would take a lot of space, so I will only make a list for you.

1. Desire
2. Faith
3. Autosuggestion
4. Specialized Knowledge
5. Imagination
6. Organized Planning
7. Decision
8. Persistence
9. Power of the Master Mind
10. The Mystery of Sex Transmutation
11. The Subconscious Mind
12. The Brain
13. The Sixth Sense

Each of them is important in order to achieve success. But if you take your time to read Think and Grow Rich, you may realize that there are things which are still topical (even after more than seventy years) but there are also things which are little bit off. We can find those things in the chapter Organized Planning. Although thirty one causes of failure can be still used nowadays, it doesn’t apply to a resume preparation or success opportunities.

But other chapters are surprisingly topical and you can find a lot of opinions similar to Napoleon Hill’s in books published nowadays. His chapters regarding positive mind focusing, believing in yourself and your dreams or overcoming fears could be easily part of any self-development book and if you are willing to change yourself and the way you think, the book Think and Grow Rich can provide you with considerable amount of advices.

Apart from thirteen steps to success (which are described in thirteen chapters), Napoleon Hill, in his chapter about Desire, wrote down some kind of manual which can be used especially if you long for wealth. I would like to present you this manual as one of ways to success - to be more precise, to financial success.

The first important thing to mention is that faith plays a big part of this. If you don’t believe in these kinds of things no manual may work for you. That’s why there is the chapter about Faith included in Napoleon Hill’s book. It doesn’t mean that you have to believe in some superior power or something like that. You just need to believe that this manual will actually work for you.

Alright, here it is – the manual which can lead you to success (made by Napoleon Hill).

Step one

Determine (in your mind) an exact amount of money you desire. This amount of money must be unequivocally determined.

Step two

Determine what you are willing to give as an exchange for money you desire (it doesn’t need to be some thing or anything like this – it can be will to provide the best services, to make high quality business, to give it your best and don’t waste your time; it all depends on a way you chose in order to make money).

Step three

Determine an exact date you intend to own this amount of money.

Step four

Determine a detailed plan how to make your money desire to become reality. Begin to implement this plan no matter whether you are prepared for it or not.

Step five

Write down clear, brief statement about the sum of money you intend to gain (write down also the date you determined earlier and what you are willing to sacrifice for it and describe the plan).

Step six

Read this statement aloud twice a day (before sleeping and after waking up). While reading your statement, imagine that your desired sum of money already belongs to you. You must really believe this.

Sounds easy, doesn’t it? If you are interested in this method, Napoleon Hill himself made an example how your statement should look like.

“By the first date of January, 19… I will have in my possession $50,000, which will come to me in various amounts from time to time during the interim.

In return for this money I will give the most efficient service of which I am capable, rendering the fullest possible quantity, and the best possible quality of service in the capacity of salesman of (describe the service or merchandise you intend to sell).

I believe that I will have this money in my possession. My faith is so strong that I can now see this money before my eyes. I can touch it with my hands. It is now awaiting transfer to me at the time, and in the proportion that I deliver the service I intend to render in return for it. I am awaiting a plan by which to accumulate this money, and I will follow that plan, when it is received” (Napoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich).

If you think about your statement carefully, you’ll realize that bigger part of Napoleon Hill’s thirteen steps to success is included in his manual. You need desire to lead your way and really deep faith that everything will work out. Autosuggestion is connected to faith. And in order to make your dreams and wishes come true you need to imagine the plan for it. Organized planning is also important part of creating the plan as well as specialized knowledge and power of the master mind (people around you). You also need to be decisive and persistent when it comes to realizing your plan.

The last thing I would like to say is that you should take your time to read Think and Grow Rich. You may find there your own secret which can lead you to success. And if not – there is a lot of things and quotes to think about. All of this can help you to change whatever you wish.