Think and Grow Rich Book Review

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill was published in 1937. Since then it has sold over 70 million copies. It has helped people reach success all over the world and remains in the conversation of best business books ever written. Let’s take a look.

Napoleon Hill spent 25 years researching how wealthy people became wealthy. He has summarized his 25 years of research in this book, broken down into real life stories which describe the principles he learned.

Here are the principles.

Desire: Per the book, if you desire something, you have the ability to achieve it. Simple right? Before you can have anything, you must desire to have that thing. A burning desire is the first step towards being wealthy. Putting yourself in a state of mind that pictures yourself already having what you desire makes it easier to obtain what you want.

1. Fix your mind to exactly what you want

2. Determine exactly what you are willing to do or give up in order to achieve this desire

3. Choose the date in which you will obtain this desire

4. Write out a plan in which to obtain this desire

5. Write out a clear and concise statement describing the above points

6. Read this statement twice a day, before bed and when you wake up

Faith: Faith can be created by step 6 above. By constantly reading your plan and ingraining it into your subconscious, you will gain the faith required to accomplish your goal.

Auto Suggestion: Repeat your goal over and over, but in a way that you already have obtained it. For example: Instead of saying, “I want $10 million dollars,” you would say “I have $10 million dollars.”

Specialized Knowledge: Know everything about your craft in order to succeed. Take time every day to learn more about your field and to grow to become better and stronger in that field.

Imagination: Henry Ford said “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t- you’re right.” Your attitude towards your goal is one of the biggest factors. Stay positive and believe in yourself.

Organized Planning: A person without a plan is like a ship without a course. Know where you are going and exactly how you will get there.

Decision: In the research of over 25,000 wealthy men and women, they all shared this common trait. They made decisions quickly, and changed their mind slowly, if they changed their mind at all. Know what you want, and go for it. Don’t back out.

Persistence: Use your desire and will power to push through any obstacles. You only lose if you quit. Lack of persistence is one of the major causes of failure.

Power of the Mastermind: Use a team to help you reach your goal. Are there like minded people in your circle? Do they have answers, resources, and abilities that you could use?  A lot of the wealthy people that the author researched had a team. Meet with your team often and hold each other accountable.

Sex Transmutation: This involves channeling the natural sexual desire that all humans have into a creative energy that gives you the willpower to accomplish your goal. Hill states that the men who have created the greatest fortunes were motivated by the influence of a woman.

The Subconscious Mind: This ties into the section on Auto Suggestion. While a person cannot fully control their subconscious mind, they can feed it. Your subconscious mind will be working regardless, so feed it the correct things. Prayer, affirmations, and reading over your goals are great ways to feed your subconscious mind.

The Brain: Similar to a radio signal, the human brain is capable of transmitting and receiving vibrations. Per the author, every human is capable of picking up vibrations from other brains. Have you ever heard someone say, “I was just about to say that”?  Or “I was just thinking the same thing.”

The Sixth Sense: When all of the other principles are utilized, the sixth sense is what brings it all together. The sixth sense is a portion of the subconscious mind which has been referred to as creative imagination. Through the aid of the sixth sense, you will be alerted of great ideas and warned of impending dangers. The author notes the importance of mastering the other principles in order to utilize this one.

The book closes out by explaining how to remove fear from your path. The 6 basic fears are:

1. Fear of poverty

2. Fear of criticism

3. Fear of ill health

4. Fear of loss of a loved one

5. Fear of old age

6. Fear of death

When utilizing the principles above, you will have the ammunition to battle these fears. Do not let fear stop you from reaching your goal.

This book is and probably will always be a classic. It is a must read for anyone trying to obtain abundance. If you have not yet read Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, you can find this book in the business section in most bookstores.