Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill

Think and Grow Rich

Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill is one of the earliest self-help books ever written. It was published in 1937 and still continues to be a favorite today. This book is meant to be a step-by-step formula for achieving riches in which each chapter is devoted to one of the steps. Think and Grow Rich uses many examples of successful people to teach the principles of success. Napoleon uses money as the motivator for following his formula although he states that the formula may be used to obtain whatever form of success is desired. Napoleon speaks directly to the reader giving explicit instructions in order to achieve riches. Think and Grow Rich teaches one how to develop the subtle skills and personality traits needed in order to become successful.

Napoleon first conceived of this book during an interview with Andrew Carnegie, one of America's richest men. Mr. Carnegie hinted at some powerful psychological principle which could be used to obtain success. This launched Napoleon on a twenty-five year quest to find that principle. During those twenty-five years Napoleon interviewed many successful people and researched many successful people to learn about what aided them in their success. This book is the product of that research. Napoleon never expressly states what the amazing psychological principle is, but he promises that we will find it if we read the entire book (pg. 31).

Napoleon repeats several ideas across all the chapters of Think and Grow Rich. This includes the idea that thoughts are things (pg. 33) and that thoughts can be turned into their "physical equivalent" as Napoleon says. I believe this to mean that thoughts are powerful influences for whatever we want to use them. Thoughts will motivate our actions and cause us to do the things we need to do to reach our goals. This happens in a very automatic, intuitive way, which is directed by the subconscious mind. "Every man is what he is, because of the dominating thoughts which he permits to occupy his mind."(pg.84). That is why this book is called Think and Grow Rich, it is not Do and Grow Rich or Be Smart and Grow Rich because it is the power of positive thinking that Napoleon is communicating. I believe that this principle of positive thinking is the amazing psychological principle that Napoleon never expressly states.

The first step is desire. In this chapter Napoleon tells the story of Edwin C. Barnes. Edwin desired to go into business with the great inventor Thomas Edison. Edwin packed up his bags and headed to New Jersey to go to Edison's office where he would tell Edison that he was there to go into business with him. His desire was so firm that he did not let himself have a plan B in case it did not work out with Thomas Edison. He pursued his business with Mr. Edison until he was given an interview for a clerking position. He took it and eventually was given the opportunity to sell an invention called the Edison Dictating Machine, a machine that many salesmen were doubtful they could sell. Edwin had great success selling that machine, and was then given the opportunity to be Edison's business partner. The moral of the story is that through true desire accomplishing our dreams is possible.

The second step is faith. "When faith is blended with the vibration of thought, the subconscious mind instantly picks up the vibration, translates it into its spiritual equivalent, and transmits it to infinite intelligence, as in the case of prayer."(pg.79) This faith can be developed by the power of auto-suggestion which is the third step. According to Napoleon, faith is an emotionalized idea that immediately begins to be translated into its equivalents (pg. 81).

The third step is auto-suggestion. The idea behind auto-suggestion is that the conscious mind and the unconscious mind send thoughts to each other. Auto-suggestion is when our subconscious mind sends the conscious mind a thought. In order to empower yourself you must train your