Think & Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill (In-Depth Summary)

Update – I really recommend the original edition as the new ones have too many editors notes and extra bits which I think are distracting from the main message and also feel are just gimmicks to plug other products and thoughts.

Lots of great stuff in the book. In the start I thought it was too repetitive but you get why he’s doing it.

6 Steps:
1st – Fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire. It is not sufficient merely to say ‘I want plenty of money.’ Be definite as to the amount.
2nd – Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire. (There is no such reality as ‘something for nothing’.)
3rd – Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire.
4th – Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.
5th – Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money you intend to acquire, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return for the money, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.
6th – Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. As you read – see and feel and believe yourself already in possession of the money.

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Self-Confidence Formula (Affirmations)
1 – I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in life, therefore, I DEMAND of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment and I here and now promise to render such action.
2 – I realize the dominating thoughts of my mind will eventually reproduce themselves in outward, physical action and gradually transform themselves into physical reality, therefore, I will concentrate my thoughts for thirty minutes daily, upon the task of thinking of the person I intend to become, thereby creating in my mind a clear mental picture of that person.
3 – I know through the principle of auto-suggestion, any desire that I persistently hold in my mind will eventually seek expression through some practical means of attaining the object back of it, therefore, I will devote ten minutes daily to demanding of myself the development of SELF-CONFIDENCE. For more info – The Science Of Self Confidence – Brian Tracy (Summary)
4 – I have clearly written down a description of my DEFINITE CHIEF AIM in life, and I will never stop trying, until I shall have developed sufficient self-confidence for its attainment.
5 – I fully realize that no wealth or position can long endure, unless built upon truth and justice, therefore, I will engage in no transaction which does not benefit all whom it affects. I will succeed by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use, and the cooperation of other people. I will induce others to serve me, because of my willingness to serve others. I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness and cynicism, by developing love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me, because I will believe in them and in myself. I will sign my name to this formula, commit it to memory and repeat it aloud once a day, with full FAITH that it will gradually influence my THOUGHTS and ACTIONS so that I will become a self-reliant and successful person.

Important Factors of Leadership
1. Unwavering courage.
2. Self-control.
3. A keen sense of justice.
4. Definiteness of decision.
5. Definiteness of plans.
6. The habit of doing more than paid for.
7. A pleasing personality.
8. Sympathy and understanding.
9. Mastery of detail.
10. Willingness to assume full responsibility.
11. Cooperation.

Major Causes of Failure in Leadership
1. Inability to organize details.
2. Lack of preparedness to perform inadequate work.
3. The expectation to be paid for what you know instead of what you do with what you know.
4. Fear of the competition that follows.
5. Lack of imagination.
6. Selfishness.
7. Excessiveness.
8. Disloyalty.
9. Emphasis of the “authority” of the leadership.
10. Emphasis on the title.

30 Major Causes of Failure
1. Unfavorable heriditary background.
2. Lack of well defined purpose in life.
3. Lack of ambition to aim above mediocrity.
4. Insufficient education.
5. Lack of self-discipline.
6. Ill health.
7. Unfavourable environmental influences during childhood.
8. Procrastination.
9. Lack of persistence.
10. Negative personality.
11. Lack of controlled sexual urge.
12. Uncontrolled desire for ‘something for nothing’.
13. Lack of well defined power of decision.
14. One or more of the six basic fears (Poverty, Criticism, Ill Health, Loss of Love, Old Age, Death).
15. Wrong selection of a mate in marriage.
16. Over-caution.
17. Wrong selection of associates in business.
18. Superstition and prejudice.
19. Wrong selection of vocation.
20. Lack of concentration of effort.
21. The habit of indiscriminate spending.
22. Lack of enthusiasm.
23. Intolerance.
24. Intemperance.
25. Inability to cooperate with others.
26. Possession of power that was not acquired through self effort.
27. Intentional dishonesty.
28. Egotism and vanity.
29. Guessing instead of thinking.
30. Lack of capital.

28 Personal Inventory/Self-examination Questions
1. Have I attained the goal which I established as my objective for this year? (You should work with a definite yearly objective to be attained as a part of your major life objective).
2. Have I delivered service of the best possible QUALITY of which I was capable, or could I have improved any part of this service?
3. Have I delivered service in the greatest possible QUANTITY of which I was capable?
4. Has the spirit of my conduct been harmonious and cooperative at all times?
5. Have I permitted the habit of PROCRASTINATION to decrease my efficiency, and if so, to what extent?
6. Have I improved my PERSONALITY, and if so, in what ways?
7. Have I been PERSISTENT in following my plans through to completion?
8. Have I reached DECISIONS PROMPTLY AND DEFINITELY on all occasions?
9. Have I permitted any one or more of the six basic fears to decrease my efficiency?
10. Have I been either “over-cautious,” or “under-cautious?”
11. Has my relationship with my associates in work been pleasant, or unpleasant? If it has been unpleasant, has the fault been partly, or wholly mine?
12. Have I dissipated any of my energy through lack of CONCENTRATION of effort?
13. Have I been open-minded and tolerant in connection with all subjects?
14. In what way have I improved my ability to render service?
15. Have I been intemperate in any of my habits?
16. Have I expressed, either openly or secretly, any form of EGOTISM?
17. Has my conduct toward my associates been such that it has induced them to RESPECT me?
18. Have my opinions and DECISIONS been based upon guesswork, or accuracy of analysis and THOUGHT?
19. Have I followed the habit of budgeting my time, my expenses, and my income, and have I been conservative in these budgets?
20. How much time have I devoted to UNPROFITABLE effort which I might have used to better advantage?
21. How may I RE-BUDGET my time and change my habits so I will be more efficient during the coming year?
22. Have I been guilty of any conduct which was not approved by my conscience?
23. In what ways have I rendered MORE SERVICE AND BETTER SERVICE than I was paid to render?
24. Have I been unfair to anyone, and if so, in what way?
25. If I had been the purchaser of my own services for the year, would I be satisfied with my purchase?
26. Am I in the right vocation, and if not, why not?
27. Has the purchaser of my services been satisfied with the service I have rendered, and if not, why not?
28. What is my present rating on the fundamental principles of success? (Make this rating fairly and frankly, and have it checked by someone who is courageous enough to do it accurately).

Persistence State of Mind
A. Definiteness of purpose.
B. Desire.
C. Self-reliance.
D. Definiteness of plans.
E. Accurate knowledge.
F. Co-operation.
G. Will power.
H. Habit.

7 major positive emotions – Desire, faith, love, sex, enthusiasm, romance, hope.
7 major negative emotions – Fear, jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, superstition, anger.
The negative emotions voluntarily inject themselves into thought impulses while positive ones need to be injected.

In the 6th sense chapter he talks about having conferences with his heroes (dead and alive) and getting knowledge from them in this way.

Mindsets
– Success requires no apologies, failure permits no alibis.
– Every failure brings with it the seed of an equivalent success.
– An intelligent follower has many advantages, among them the OPPORTUNITY TO ACQUIRE KNOWLEDGE FROM HIS LEADER.
– Leadership by consent is lasting, leadership by force does not last.
– Close friends and relatives, while not meaning to do so, often handicap one through “opinions” and sometimes through ridicule, which is meant to be humours. Thousands of men and women carry inferiority complexes with them all through life, because some well-meaning, but ignorant person destroyed their confidence through “opinions” or ridicule.
– Countless number of men and women, both young and old, permit relatives to wreck their lives in the name of DUTY, because they fear criticism. (Duty does not require any person to submit to the destruction of this personal ambitions and the right to live his own life in his own way).
– The greatest weakness lack of self confidence.

Three enemies – Indecision, doubt and fear. See Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers

Six Basic Fears and Their Symptoms
1 – Poverty – Indifference, indecision, doubt, worry, over caution, procrastination.
2 – Criticism – Self-consciousness, lack of poise, inferiority complex, extravagance, lack of initiative, lack of ambition.
3 – Ill health – Auto-suggestion, hypochondria, lack of exercise, susceptibility, self-coddling, intemperance.
4 – Loss of the love of someone – Jealousy, fault finding, gambling.
5 – Old age – Slowing down, inferiority complex, speaking apologetically, killing off initiative, imagination and self-reliance.
6 – Death – Thinking more of death instead of life.

Weaknesses to Master
1. Failure to recognize and to clearly define exactly what one wants.
2. Procrastination, with or without cause. (Usually backed up with a formidable array of alibis and excuses).
3. Lack of interest in acquiring specialized knowledge.
4. Indecision, the habit of “passing the buck” on all occasions, instead of facing issues squarely. (Also backed by alibis).
5. The habit of relying upon alibis instead of creating definite plans for the solution of problems.
6. Self-satisfaction. There is but little remedy for this affliction and no hope for those who suffer from it.
7. Indifference, usually reflected in one’s readiness to compromise on all occasions, rather than meet opposition and fight it.
8. The habit of blaming others for one’s mistakes and accepting unfavourable circumstances as being unavoidable.
9. WEAKNESS OF DESIRE, because of neglect in the choice of MOTIVES that impel action.
10. Willingness, even eagerness, to quit at the first sign of defeat. (Based upon one or more of the 6 basic fears).
11. Lack of ORGANIZED PLANS, placed in writing where they may be analysed.
12. The habit of neglecting to move on ideas, or to grasp opportunity when it presents itself.
13. WISHING instead of WILLING.
14. The habit of compromising with POVERTY instead of aiming at riches. General absence of ambition to be, to do and to own.
15. Searching for all the short-cuts to riches, trying to GET without GIVING a fair equivalent, usually reflected in the habit of gambling, endeavouring to drive “sharp” bargains.
16. FEAR OF CRITICISM, failure to create plans and to put them into action, because of what other people will think, do, or say. This enemy belongs at the head of this list, because it generally exists in one’s subconscious mind, where its presence is not recognised.

How to Develop Persistence
1. A definite purpose backed by burning desire for its fulfilment.
2. A definite plan, expressed in continuous action.
3. A mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions of relatives, friends and acquaintances.
4. A friendly alliance with one or more persons who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

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Contents
Author’s Preface
1 – Introduction
2 – Desire: The Turning Point of All Achievement
3 – Faith: Visualisation of, and Belief in Attainment of Desire
4 – Auto-Suggestion: The Medium for Influencing the Subconscious Mind
5 – Specialised Knowledge: Personal Experiences or Observations
6 – Imagination: The Workshop of the Mind
7 – Organised Planning: The Crystallisation of Desire into Action
8 – Decision: The Mastery of Procrastination
9 – Persistence: The Sustained Effort Necessary to Induce Faith
10 – Power of the Master Mind: The Driving Force
11 – The Mystery of Sex Transmutation
12 – The Subconscious Mind: The Connecting Link
13 – The Brain: A Broadcasting and Receiving Station for Thought
14 – The Sixth Sense: The Door to the Temple of Wisdom
15 – How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear

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