Think and Grow Rich

I started to read an interesting book written by Napoleon Hill. It is titled Think And Grow Rich. It is too early to say whether it is a good book or not. However, I will tell you why I selected to read this book.

As all of you might know, Andrew Carnegie is one of the most successful people ever lived. He is an industrialist, businessman, entrepreneur, and a major philanthropist. He is considered the second richest man ever lived on the earth after Rockefeller. He made his millions building steel plants. Carnegie donated most of his money to establish many libraries, schools, and universities (viz: Carnegie Mellon) in America.

The story starts like this……..

Long ago, a 20-year-old young journalist (Napoleon Hill) went to interview Andrew Carnegie. The journalist wanted to know how people like Carnegie made their fortune.

During this interview, Carnegie got quite impressed with the brilliance of this young journalist. Carnegie immediately popped a question at the journalist. This is what he asked. " If I give you a job with great potential to work with successful people like me, would you take that position? The job comes with a 20-year commitment. I'll cover all your travel costs;  your pay will be minimal; however, you will learn the secret of success from highly successful men/women like me. Your job is to spread the lessons you learned to the entire world".

Napoleon Hill accepted the offer within 36 seconds. Carnegie told later, "I would have withdrawn this offer had you delayed the decision for more than 60 seconds. I don't trust anyone who cannot make a decision within a minute after having all the facts".

Norman Hill never took another job in his career. He learned the recipe for success and worked all through his life lecturing these principles to the world.

Here is the summary of what I learned so far from the book (…taken directly from the book).

1. Have A Definite Major Purpose.

What is the most important thing you would like to accomplish in your lifetime? Try to define it in one paragraph, even if you have to keep rewriting it a hundred times until it gets as clear as possible.

If you don't currently have what you feel is a definite major purpose, then have a definite major purpose to find your definite major purpose.

2. Be Willing To Stake Your Entire Existence On Achieving It.

Don't Quit. There Are Many Starters In Life, But Very Few Finishers - When The Going Gets Tough They Quit. A person with a definite major purpose never gives up - no matter how long and tough the road is; instead, they become more determined.

3. Keep Intensifying Your Desire.

There are many "firemen" in life that will come along and try to put your fire of desire out. They will give you all kinds of reasons why your idea or goal won't work and tell you to give it up, forget it, or tell you "You can't do it." You have to become an Arsonist. An arsonist sets fires. Every morning when you wake up you have to re-light and re-build the intensity of your fire of desire. You have to eat it, sleep it, walk it, talk it, and concentrate on it until it becomes a red-hot flaming, burning, obsessional desire that will eventually mow down all of the opposition you will face throughout each day.

4. Have Bulldog Determination And Perseverance That Will Eventually Mow Down All Opposition.