In my previous post I wrote about The 13 Principles of Napoleon Hill explained in the book “Think and Grow Rich” that has recently become a movie. I highly recommend you both the book and the movie.
I explained the first 6 principles and TODAY I EXPLAIN THE LAST 7.
7. DECISION. In the 7th principle, Napoleon Hill insists that the lack of decision is one of the main causes of failure. He also explains that decisions can be changed and sometimes have to be changed. Hill recommends that the decision-making process has to be well thought-out in order to be sure of their effectiveness and therefore make sure to execute them.
“Close friends and relatives, while not meaning to do so, often handicap one through ‘opinions’, and sometimes through ridicule, which is meant to be humorous.”
8. PERSISTENCE. The 8th principle is based in the sustained effort necessary to induce faith. Persistence is about refusing to give up. Continuing working towards the objective despite the problems that might appear. Most people fail many times before they succeed. So, not giving up in difficult times is essential to be successful in the future. After analyzing top outstanding people, Hill discovered that they did not rest until their objectives were accomplished and their dreams were a reality.
9. POWER OF THE MASTER MIND. Being around successful people increases one’s chances of getting closer to success and growing and bigger motivation. Hill stresses the importance of having a mastermind group of like-minded people. Hill defined it:
“The ‘master mind’ may be defined as; coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.”
I wrote about the importance of a Master Mind in my previous post 6 ways to enhance your professional development (Part II). I have had the pleasure to be part in different masterminds and I can assure you it’s worth it.
10. TRANSMUTATION. In this chapter, Napoleon Hill argues that finding a way to turn sexual energy and desire into a creative and productive willpower is a highly efficient tool in the quest for success. This idea is based on the fact that sexual desire is the most powerful human desire.
“When driven by the emotion of sex, men become gifted with super power for action.”
11. THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND. Napoleon Hill explains that one of the most important parts of achieving our goals and reaching success is through reaching our subconscious minds and installing the thoughts that will boost our motivation and push us forward. The subconscious can, however, be consciously programmed and controlled by the conscious mind. The subconscious mind is the source of insight, intuition, imagination and creativity. The subconscious mind is also your direct link to the collective subconsciousness of humanity, which also has a greater influence on your beliefs, thoughts and actions than does your conscious mind.
“You cannot entirely control your subconscious mind, but you can voluntarily hand over to it any plan, desire or purpose you wish to be transformed into concrete form.”
12. THE BRAIN. In the time Hill wrote the book (1937) there was limited knowledge about the brain. Hill always tried to understand how the brain worked and how to get the most out of it. The main message Napoleon Hill wants to explain in this chapter is that the subconscious mind gets accustomed to what its conscious half feeds it; especially when it comes to creativity. Napoleon Hill argues that when we imagine something, our subconsciousness cannot differentiate whether the scene is an outcome of our imagination or an actual reality. That’s why we need to pay special attention to creativity whether in our real-life tasks or imaginary visualizations.
“When stimulated or ‘stepped up’ to a high rate of vibrations, the mind becomes more receptive to the vibration of thought that reaches it through the ether from outside sources.”
13. THE SIXTH SENSE. The final principle is about intuition. What Hill calls the sixth sense is your direct and intimate connection to the infinite, ineffable universal mind, source of all that is and all that can be. You are the channel whereby the infinite makes manifest the finite. You are wealthy beyond measure. All you need to do is to claim your birthright. Napoleon Hill explores how we can work on developing a gut feeling that keeps us a step ahead of everyone else. He argues that intuition can be developed by meditating and connecting with the subconscious mind.
“The sixth sense is not something one can take off and put on at will. Ability to use this great power comes slowly, through the application of other principles outlined in this book”.
Think and Grow Rich, by Napoleon Hill is an outstanding book. I have summarized the 13 principles to have a successful life. I highly recommend you read the book. It has changed the life of many people.
And I finish with a quote of Napoleon Hill that summarizes the book and his idea about life and success: “Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve”.