‘Think And Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill

It is astonishing to consider that a book written approximately 85 years ago continues to provide valuable insights on resume drafting, job searching, and finding business opportunities to create wealth. Published in 1937, Napoleon Hill’s best-selling ‘Think and Grow Rich’ was designed to help individuals navigate the challenges of the Great Depression and achieve financial success.

As you explore the book, you’ll find that numerous examples cited originate from a century ago; nevertheless, the core principles continue to hold significance and remain unchanged. The author systematically identifies the critical resources and mental frameworks necessary for transcending poverty and building wealth through a detailed thirteen-step methodology.

The author highlights that achieving success begins with a strong, burning desire. He proposes that ‘auto-suggestion’—the practice of self-talk—is a powerful method for cultivating this desire. Furthermore, he explains that we can engage in imaginative meetings with individuals we aspire to emulate. He argues that auto-suggestions effectively imprint our desires onto our subconscious mind, which serves as our most potent resource.

Hill advocates that one should always aim for promising or growth-oriented roles. To achieve this, he emphasizes the importance of tailoring your resume to highlight specialized knowledge and experience that aligns with the responsibilities of the desired role.

There is a profound saying that a man can create anything which he can imagine. If you can imagine it, you have the faculty of sound ideas. However, imagination alone is not enough; it must be coupled with specialized knowledge and organized planning to bring those ideas to life.

One of the compelling anecdotes to prove the power of imagination, Hill shares the story of the ‘Enchanted Kettle’. This tale involves a pharmacist who invested his entire life savings, $500, to purchase a recipe from a doctor. This recipe was none other than the formula for Coca-Cola. The pharmacist, Asa Candler, saw beyond the mere ingredients and imagined the potential of this concoction to become the world’s most-loved drink.

Hill’s anecdotes about Henry Ford and the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence underscore the power of decisive action. Successful individuals and leaders are characterized by their ability to make prompt, well-informed decisions that drive progress and innovation.

Persistence is an essential factor, needed to transmute the desires into monetary equivalent and for that, you have to have the power of will. If you have people working in harmony towards a definite goal set by you, you harness the power of the Mastermind group. This synergy amplifies the collective intelligence and resources, driving the group toward achieving monumental success.

Hill comments that the trio of love, romance, and sex has the capacity to uplift a man to higher achievements. He believes that these emotional forces can stimulate creativity, passion, and motivation, driving individuals to accomplish extraordinary feats. In the 10th step towards riches, Hill provides detailed arguments to make this point. He further extends this idea by mentioning that many men achieve considerable success in their forties as they attain emotional maturity along with greater experience and specific knowledge by that time.

Hill emphasizes the power of the subconscious mind and the ripple effect of thoughts driven by emotions. He identifies seven major positive emotions (Desire, Faith, Love, Sex, Enthusiasm, Romance, and Hope) and seven major negative emotions (Fear, Jealousy, Hatred, Revenge, Greed, Superstition, and Anger).

In the thirteenth step towards riches, Hill discusses the concept of the ‘Sixth Sense’. He believes that harnessing the power of the Sixth Sense will connect individuals with infinite intelligence. This intuitive faculty allows individuals to tap into a higher level of insight and understanding, guiding them to make wise decisions and recognize opportunities that others might miss.

At the end of the book, Hill includes a questionnaire designed to help readers assess how much they are influenced by various fears (Poverty, Criticism, Ill Health, Loss of Love, Old Age & Death). This self-check encourages readers to identify the types and levels of fear they experience. The purpose of this assessment is to bring awareness to these fears so that individuals can take corrective actions to mitigate them.

I really enjoyed reading the book. The book’s clear language and the way Napoleon Hill integrates all his principles throughout the text indeed make it a truly impactful read. It’s no wonder it remains a must-read classic even after all these years.