Around 1997, when I was starting to change my thinking, there were two books that were very influential to me. One of them was Richard Brooke’s Mach II With Your Hair on Fire. The other was Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich. I read Think and Grow Rich so many times the pages are tattooed. It is considered one of the most influential books of all time. These are some of the highlights of the book. It is a “must read” for anyone wanting to start their own business.
In Chapter 1, Napoleon Hill discusses how Thoughts are Things. He states: “When a man really desires something so deeply that he is willing to gamble his entire future on a single turn of the wheel to obtain it, he is sure to win.” Riches really start with a state of mind. It can be in the form of an idea, plan or purpose.
Chapter 2 deals with desire, the starting point of all achievement. Hill gives Six Ways to Turn Desire into Gold. The key point in this chapter is that the desire has to be very strong. It has to be a “burning desire”.
Chapter 3 deals with faith, belief, and visualization. He says that faith is a “state of mind which can be induced or created by the affirmation of the subconscious mind through the principle of auto-suggestion. He gives the powerful example of men like Charles Schwab, John Pierpont Morgan, and Andrew Carnegie in the development of the United States Steel Corporation.
Chapter 4 deals with autosuggestion. This is how the subconscious mind is influenced. Napoleon Hill offers a six-step formula to stimulate his subconscious mind. He explains how it will pave the way for a complete understanding and mastery of the principles of success.
Chapter 5 of Think and Grow Rich is about specialized knowledge. However, Hill claims that you don’t necessarily need the knowledge yourself. He explains how you can form a group of “Master Mind” that has the knowledge.
Chapter 6 deals with imagination. Napoleon refers to the imagination as a workshop where plans are made. Hill explains the two forms of imagination and how to exercise them. As in many of the Think and Grow Rich chapters, specific life examples are used, many of which we are familiar with.
Chapter 7 deals with organized planning. In this chapter he re-enters the “Master Mind” group. If one plan fails, try another. Napoleon Hill gives many good attributes of good leadership and causes of failure in leadership.
Chapter 8 deals with the decision. People who fail to accumulate money make decisions slowly and change them quickly and often. People like Henry Ford were in the habit of making decisions quickly and changing them slowly. Once again the “Master Mind” group is brought here. Napoleon says that if you know what you want, you will usually get it.
Chapter 9 deals with persistence. Hill gives a good test of persistence, how to overcome your failures, and how to train yourself to be persistent. Persistence can be developed, and this chapter of Think and Grow Rich has four excellent steps to do just that.
Chapter 10. After referring several times to the “Master Mind” in other chapters, here he shows his power. Putting multiple minds together has a multiplier effect, not just an addition effect. He says that it is the only way to accumulate great power.
Chapter 11 was a bit out of character for me. I’ll let you read it for yourself and decide.
Chapter 12 is about the subconscious mind and what the connecting link is like. Although he referred to it earlier, he goes into more detail here on how to energize it for creative endeavor. Napoleon also shows how the subconscious mind is linked to seven main positive emotions.
Chapter 13 deals with The Brain. I found this very interesting because Hill liked a radio that he transmits and receives. The telepathy direction from him might be a bit over the top for some, however I have found it works for me many times.
Chapter 14 is about The Sixth Sense. It is the portion of the mind called creative imagination. There is a part of the brain that receives thought vibrations called “hunches.” In her book The Game of Life and How to Play It, Florence Scovel Shinn also addresses this topic. It’s not something that comes fast. By applying the principles of Think and Grow Rich, the ability to use it can be strengthened.
Chapter 15 is about fear. Napoleon Hill tells us that the study, analysis, and understanding of three enemies—indecision, doubt, and fear—must be eliminated before any part of his philosophy can be used successfully. To help you overcome them, he reviews the symptoms of the main fears.
This book has been called an inspiring classic and I couldn’t agree more. Everyone should read it over and over again like I have. In fact, if you do, you will definitely think and become rich.