by Craig Lock
'THINK AND GROW RICH' by Napoleon Hill
(Part One - from Inspirational Books)
Introduction:
This article is extracted from (and a summary of) a most inspirational book by Napoleon Hill titled 'Think and Grow Rich' (publisher Melville Powers, US) from notes that I've taken over the years. I am sharing the contents of this ground-breaking work in this field, together with additional comments based on my own experiences) in the spirit of encouraging and hopefully even inspiring those people, who really want to "achieve unlimited success" to read this 'classic' , fascinating book, apply the principles.. .and see what happens.
Craig has been studying the principles of success (and successful living) and researching the amazing powers of the human mind
for the past decade and is sharing his insights with the aim of
helping others reach their full potentials in life. That is my reason for sharing this piece - to encourage others to follow their personal dreams.
Thank you sincerely, Mr Hill for sharing your words of
wisdom ...and in so doing, in encouraging me to follow my "untrodden path" with passion and reach for my personal dreams.
*
What makes some people successful?
Firstly,
the secrets lie in knowing what you really want? .
DEFINE it!
PLAN ahead carefully... HOW will you BEST achieve the object of your desires, your aspirations and even fulfil your dreams. Leave to the subconscious mind, which works 24/7. Pray, if you are a "religiously -minded" person. Riches are not beyond you.
It may be the turning point of your life. All achievement, all earned riches, have their beginning in an idea!
The power of your mind signals success. Riches begin with a state of mind, a definiteness of purpose and DESIRE is the well-spring of all achievement.
Don't quit too soon. Don't be beaten by temporary defeat. Convert defeats to stepping stones of opportunity. For many successful people their greatest success usually comes one step after your last defeat (don't stop digging when you are two feet away from the gold).
This is a great little poem...
"If you think you're beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don't;
If you'd like to win, but think, you can't
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you will lose, you're lost;
For out in the world we find,
Success begins with a fellow's will,
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you're outclassed, you are;
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to hustle before
You can ever win a prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man,
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the one who THINKS he CAN."
- Walter D. Wintle, "The Man Who Thinks He Can"
"When riches begin to come, they come so quickly, in such great abundance, that one wonders where they have been hiding during all those lean years."
Impossible? Henry Ford told engineers to cast the V8 block.His words to them: "Stay on the job until you are successful, no matter how much time it takes." Know what you want.* That is the key to success in any endeavour.
Poet Henley: "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Because we humans have the power to CONTROL our thoughts... and our thinking determines our future..
Maintain a spirit of open-mindedness.
* PURPOSE: A strong man can be defeated by a child who has a purpose.
"Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve."
Step one towards riches: DESIRE. WHAT do you really want?
KNOW what you really want to do, to achieve in your life. DEFINE IT. Put it down in writing. Aim for CLARITY in your thinking.
"When you create clarity in your desires, you set out with an INTENTION and intention FOCUSSES the human mind. It engraves it deeply into our consciousness. Then when you move that intention forward each day you build up energy. Every small action you take each day then creates momentum, like a ball of snow rolling down a mountainside getting ever greater.
You will move in the direction of your most dominant thoughts.
Dreams come true, when desire transforms them into concrete action. Ask life for great gifts and you encourage life to deliver them to you. Have no way to retreat - me!
"Burn your boats." "Win or perish" - develop the mindset of a warrior.
*
Seven Steps that Turn Desire into Gold:
1. Fix the exact amount of money you require (if that is what you really want most out of life):
Have a date, plan, a time for achieving your financial goals; then read out this statement (either to yourself, or someone else). Doing this embeds it in your consciousness, so it becomes a focus.
"Definiteness of purpose, knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it is the key to success in any endeavour in life."
Your greatest obstacles, your grandest predicament may be your greatest opportunities.
Albert Einstein said: "In the middle of every difficulty lies
opportunity. " Once discovered, such opportunities are like
valuable diamonds hidden in the sand.
"How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the
young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the
striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong.
Because someday in your life you will have been all of these."
- George Washington Carver (American inventor and horticulturist)
Stay positive and optimistic in the face of adversity. John Bunyan wrote 'Pilgrims Progress' after being confined to prison and punished for his religious views. Dickens began by pasting labels on blacking pots (David Copperfield) . Helen Keller was deaf, dumb and blind - a true inspiration to humanity. There is strong evidence that no one is ever defeated, until defeat has been accepted as a reality - in the mind!
The great Scottish poet, Robert Burns was an illiterate country lad - poor and a drunkard. Beethoven was deaf and John Milton blind.
So develop an attitude of "never giving up" on your vision (grand).
STEP TWO: FAITH through affirmations (repetitions to the subconscious mind). Faith gives power to thought. Faith is indispensable to success.
You can think yourself to into disaster. Expect a favourable outcome to your endeavours. EXPECT SUCCESS!
"Faith sees the invisible and achieves the impossible."
"You are as great as your faith, as small as your ego."
- Shimon Peires (former Israeli Prime Minister)
"Faith is the pillar of strength that allows man to achieve the impossible, reach the unattainable and solve the unfathomable. "
Faith (strong) is the basis of Christianity. GIVE before you get. Gandhi had no money, no home, no suit of clothes; but he did HAVE POWER. Gandhi got it through FAITH and transplanted the idea into the 200 million people of India, leading them to independence from Britain..
Riches begin inside the man - in the form of thoughts and your faith removes your limitations. (Both poverty and riches are the offspring of faith).
You don't have to know HOW you are going to do it,to achieve your goals and fulfill your deepest aspirations and dreams;
but just KNOW that you one day you WILL...by simply taking one small step after another in faith and watch God, the Universe draw blessings towards you.
HAVE GREAT DESIRE AND THE MIND THEN FINDS A WAY. There are no limitations to the mind, except those we acknowledge. There is nothing which BELIEF, plus burning DESIRE cannot make real. Desire builds victory out of temporary defeat. These "God-given" qualities are free to everyone.
STEP 3: AUTOSUGGESTION: See yourself making money. Visualise it. You are master of your own destiny. Man may become the master of himself; because he has the power to influence his own subconscious mind. We have the power of choice in our actions (why we are "spiritual beings on an earthly existence" .
STEP 4: SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE: Professors of universities (like most writers and artists) are generally poor. They have lots of knowledge and teach it; but many don't USE it. However, knowledge is so easy to acquire (especially these days with the 'net'). Knowledge paves the road to riches - when you know which road to take.
Where to find it:
* your own experiences.
* universities.
* education
* libraries
and
* special training courses, night schools, etc.
Successful people never stop acquiring knowledge. SPECIALISE and develop a niche for yourself in your area of expertise.
You will be in demand, as specialists are sought after people and get rewarded accordingly.
STUDY.
It's never too late to stop learning. Market yourself effectively. If you don't want to sell a product, you can sell your services or your ideas at a very good price.
Knowledge is only potential power - you first have to USE it.
5. FOCUS on your most important goals, your priorities.
"If you can do the common things in life in an uncommon way,
you will command the attention of the world."
George Washington Carver (1864 -1943... again)
6. Develop SELF DISCIPLINE (and persistence) .
Say: 'I WILL UNTIL!"
DO NOT QUIT. NEVER.
"When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trodding seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
and you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
when care is pressing you down a bit --
rest if you must, but don't you quit!"
- Author Unknown
"All the world loves a winner and has no time for a loser."
So don't linger at the bottom of the "barrel".
and finally and most importantly. ..
7. ("lucky")
ATTITUDE: 'Your attitude will determine your altitude.'
A positive attitude towards life is probably the single most important characteristic on the path to success...
and always remember that "the road to success is always under construction" .
Be rich in spirit (most important of all, rather than striving for and achieving material wealth)
"God desires us to soar with the eagles...and not scratch with the turkeys and sparrows."
Happy soaring
Eagle Productions
"Eagles may fly high,
but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines."
" I truly believe we can ALL create and enthuse magic into
'so-called humdrum little lives'. You don't just have to be
the choreorapher, or the conductor of your life script -
rather paint your life as the masterpiece it could (one day)
be. There is a rich tapestry of talent in every human soul,
that flows through the spirit of God. So don't spend your
days stringing and tuning your instrument; start making and
playing your unique tunes of music right now."
- craig
"Success to others may be apparent in what you DO; but
significance, meaning and purpose lies, then reveals itself
in what you ARE and BECOME down the 'river of life' - how
and the spirit with which you face, then overcome the daily
obstacles, the frequent trials and tribulations along the
often rocky path-way of life's magical and mysterious
journey.
Light your path brightly."
About the submitter:
Craig believes in sharing information and insights with a 'dash of humour' to try to make a difference in this world: to help and especially encourage people along life's magical journey ... and that brings him the greatest joy.
Books by Craig are available at:
http://www2. webng.com/ writernz/
http://www.craigloc kbooks.com and www.lulu.com/ craiglock
"Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are
the children of your soul, the blueprints of your
ultimate accomplishments. "
- Napoleon Hill
"Do not go where the path may lead, go instead
where there is no path and leave a trail."
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Together, one mind, one soul at a time, let's encourage, impact, uplift and perhaps even inspire the world."
End of Part One (Part Two to follow)
THIS PIECE MAY BE FREELY PUBLISHED
Don't worry about the world ending today...
as it's already tomorrow in little scenic and tranquil New Zealand
