This is one book that has been featuring in the list of must-read books of the millionaires and billionaires around the globe. The author Napoleon Hill has summed up the role of your thinking in making you rich in a very nice and direct way. We read the book and couldn’t stop ourselves from sharing the summary of the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill in 10 lessons.
1. Burning desire
There is a difference between wishful thought and a burning desire. Everyone wants wealth and financial independence but it is just their wishful thought. Only the people which have it as their burning desire can achieve it. Thomas Edison even after failing 10,000 times didn’t give up because it was his burning desire and not a wishful thought. If it is your burning desire then you won’t stop working to make it true. Recognize a burning desire and then see what it can do for you.
2. Goal Setting and Detailed Planning
If you want to hit the bullseye you should first know where it is. In the same way, if you want to achieve any dream you should very precisely set your goal. If you want to earn money then define how much money you want to earn and in how much time. After setting the goal, plan the details of how you’ll reach that goal you have set. And after this planning, don’t waste a second and start working. This goal has to go into your subconscious. Write your goal and plan and read it first thing in the morning and just before you sleep.
3. Faith in yourself
This is to make sure that you can and you will achieve your goal and fulfill your dreams. Your faith in yourself forms the basis of your journey towards your goal. Also, without unshakeable faith in yourself, you won’t be able to achieve your goal.
It was our freedom fighters’ belief that we got independence. They didn’t have money or power but they had the belief that one day they’ll gain independence. It is this faith that helps us keep going.
4. Auto suggestions (Affirmations)
The faith that we talked about in the third point isn’t something you are born with. It has to be developed over time. You can do it by thinking purposeful ideas and thoughts.
By doing this, you can convey your positive goals to your subconscious mind. This in turn will increase your belief in your goals. If you engrave your goals in your subconscious then your actions will automatically align towards your goal.
5. Don’t overemphasize over knowledge from school
What is knowledge? Is it something that we gain in schools and colleges? According to the author, it is definitely not that. From the example of Henry Ford, we can definitely say that it is not the knowledge that we gain in schools and colleges that would take us to our dreams but it is the right experience.
We have to use our strength without stuffing our minds with so much “traditional knowledge”. You should always learn from experiences, be it yours or somebody else’s. And, always try to expand your knowledge by surrounding yourself with experts.
This is the best lesson we learned from the book “Think and Grow Rich”.
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6. Imagination
The author, in his book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ describes that imagination gives birth to the ideas you want to implement. It is of two types –
i. Creative imagination- this imagination comes up with totally new things. Various artists use this imagination.
ii. Synthetic imagination- this imagination rearranges old ideas to come up with new ideas.
For example, the recipe of Coca-Cola was bought by Asa Candler for $3000 but he made new marketing strategies to make Coca-Cola a global brand. Therefore, you have to keep training your imagination like you train your muscles. Because when you train it, it becomes more powerful.
7. Know yourself
If you want to achieve success and turn your dreams into reality then it is very important to know your strengths and weaknesses. If you know your strengths then you can use them to balance out your weaknesses.
Now to know your strengths and weaknesses then you need not go to a psychologist. All you need to do is perform a self-analysis. Ask yourself questions like how well I made my decisions, how did I behave, etc. Now sit down with a person who knows you in and out and discuss your analysis with them.
You should apply this lesson from this summary of the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill in every aspect of your life.
8. Feed subconscious with positivity
Knowingly or unknowingly our subconscious is being fed with a lot that happens during our day. So everything is stored irrespective of whether it is positive or negative.
We are not wrong when we say that our subconscious affects our actions. So it can go both ways. If you feed positivity into your subconscious then it can work wonders for you but it can also make us go into pessimism if negativity enters into it.
Surround yourself with people having a positive attitude and stay away from discouraging remarks.
9. Be determined
After analyzing the success journeys of the millionaires, it was found that they had these two things in common –
i. They made split-second decisions.
ii. They stood firmly behind their decisions.
As was shown by Henry ford when he stuck with his decision of keeping Model T in the market and in the end made huge profits with it. He was determined and hence, tasted success.
You have to show determination and not behave like a deaf stubborn. Getting influenced by every other person’s opinion will not let you make the right decisions in your life. Therefore, show determination and back yourself.
10. Persistence and Endurance
If you are aiming for something great then it will take time to accomplish it. And, during the course towards it, you would definitely face roadblocks and difficult situations. Some of us in such a situation are too quick to give up and change our plans. But the ones who stick are the ones who turn dreams into reality.
Persistence and endurance are the keys to success, however, flexibility should also be present at the back of your mind. You can develop persistence and endurance by having a goal followed by making a plan, not letting yourself get affected by other’s opinions, and having a trustworthy group or individual for your support.
So, readers, this was the summary of the book ‘Think and Grow Rich’ by Napoleon Hill in the form of 10 lessons. Try to implement these learnings and stay strong on the path to success.
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