Why does everyone love Think and Grow Rich

[GlobalWealth]

Ironically, you would all be better served reading the book than reading this thread about this book. (with fingers point back to myself as well).

 

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[Bellini]

The other Napoleon thread led me to this one...

I agree with a lot of the posters on this thread. I found "Think and Grow Rich" rather boring. While he had some good points, some of it was out in left field. I felt like @Kak - when I heard about resumes, jobs, working for $1, and how to be a good employee, I bailed.

I appreciate his work, but I honestly don't get the hype. I thought MJ's book was much better.

I am curious though about some of this other writings like "You Can Work Your Own Miracles" (the one he was writing when he died) and "Outwitting the Devil".

Interestingly, Napoleon Hill is buried only about 45 miles from me!

 

[stevedg]

Why is it so popular? Timing + Catchy Title + Good Info.

Timing: It was written in 1937. It has almost 100 years of word of mouth, and back in the day it was one of the first books on how to make money, obviously a topic that everyone is interested in to some degree.

Catchy Title: Think & Grow Rich is an amazing title.. its short, catchy, and the concept of think (super easy on the surface level) and grow rich (what everyone wants).. is a tantalizing title that sparks the person's curiosity right away.. "OMG I can THINK & grow rich.. wow gotta read this book!!".

Good Info: While the title is misleading and sounds alot like The Secret (just think about what you want and it will come to you BS), if you take the time to actually read Think & Grow Rich, it flows something like this: Influence your subconscious with wealth ideas and the exact amount of money you want, develop a specific action plan on how to achieve it, write out your goal and your plan, read your plan 3 times a day, and take action towards it every day. (it's something like that, I wrote that from memory and haven't read the book in years lol). So it starts with THINK, but actually talks a lot about how ACTION is necessary. The title is just catchy/misleading slightly.

My personal issue with the book is how it's loaded with too many long drawn out boring stories that serve as examples. If you want a more modern book that will teach you the same concepts only better writing style, check out Maximum Achievement or Goals by Brian Tracy. Both are great books. And if you haven't read Millionaire Fastlane yet, then I suggest reading every single page in that BEFORE any other books.

 

[JAJT]

My personal issue with the book is how it's loaded with too many long drawn out boring stories that serve as examples.

Yeah - that was my issue as well.

There's a lot of bloat in that book. It's not a bad book, but I'd argue that there are plenty of other books that teach the same subject in a better and more modern way.

Worth reading? Yes. Some kind of holy grail of information you can't find in a better form elsewhere? Hardly.

 

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[ravenspear]

Although almost all people who bust their a$$ and become rich had the desire, not all who have the desire will become rich.

Very true, but that mostly has to do with how many failures those who did not gave up after.

Walt Disney was denied 302 times by banks before he got the first loan he needed.

Howard Shultz was denied 242 times before he founded Starbucks.

The people who succeed are also many times those who failed the most first.

 

[H Dog]

I think it's a great beginner's read to start getting people inspired... but without closing your eyes and dreaming about things there isn't really any actionable points to the book (I may be wrong, it was a long time ago I read it).

However it's a great book to start inspiring and getting you in the mood to take action and be disruptive!!

I think the people who rave on about it mostly are the people who are starting out. It's almost like a pre-intro the MFL... then after MFL, you start going off on specific tangents such as sales, processes, copy, SEO etc... I remember when I first read it I loved it, now I like to read stuff that helps me within the areas where I'm wanting to improve.

 

[jpanarra]

I know this book is a bit old and has older philosophies, but everytime it gets to the deaf guy story, I have to put it down and walk away. It pisses me off to no end. It gives major vibes of audism in disguise and I might be a bit too emotional about it, but it strikes home a bit too close for me.

I understand that you guys might find that story inspiring in a positive aspect, but to me it's still a driver but in the negative side of things.

 

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[jpanarra]

You mean the entire story about his son?

Yes the story about his son. The fact that he justified he was able to "speak" was an indication of his intellect, abilities, and drive.

You'll have to understand the history and difficulty we face as a deaf population and how the public percieves one when he can or can't speak.(I'm profoundly deaf myself if I didn't make that clear )

There were several intellectual deaf people without the ability to speak that had so much to share to the world with the written word or American sign language but only to be put aside because he couldn't speak. We only find out about them via stories within the culture and those are the true idols and some bad a$$ mofos, not some guy that was able to "talk" bc his dad rejected sign language and pushed him to take the harder way to learn.

 

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[AntiGuru]

I can understand your take on that. I actually thought it pretty extreme that he rejected signing or sending his son to a special school (the college I went to had a school for the deaf next door, they do great work, highly regarded.) And in the end it may have been more luck that it ended as well as it did. It could have easily gone the other way.

I guess all I can say is in AA they have an expression "Take what you can use, and leave the rest". I think Napoleon Hill, old school as he was, still offered a lot. I can see how it may be too much to get over though. I've dropped reading a book (3-volume set actually) because of one line in it. My wife tried telling me what I'm telling you "the rest of the books are worth it", but I could never get beyond that one line.

 

[jpanarra]

I can understand your take on that. I actually thought it pretty extreme that he rejected signing or sending his son to a special school (the college I went to had a school for the deaf next door, they do great work, highly regarded.) And in the end it may have been more luck that it ended as well as it did. It could have easily gone the other way.

I guess all I can say is in AA they have an expression "Take what you can use, and leave the rest". I think Napoleon Hill, old school as he was, still offered a lot. I can see how it may be too much to get over though. I've dropped reading a book (3-volume set actually) because of one line in it. My wife tried telling me what I'm telling you "the rest of the books are worth it", but I could never get beyond that one line.

I'm sure that the book has a lot more to offer if I was able to put my emotions on hold and power through and finish the book. I started out at a deaf school only to switch to a public school by choice because I wanted the challenge. (I was always crazy even in 3rd grade). I still stand by my decision because it benefited me in the long run by being able to socialize with the public. However, I strongly believe that I wouldn't be where I am right now if I didn't learn sign language at a younger age and having a solid foundation in sign language and healthy social skills while socializing with other peers like myself.

Also, badasses in deaf history if you want to look em up, Laurent Clerc, Deaf Smith(my personal favorite, not the standard deaf community dude but awesome regardless), William Hoy, Edmund Booth (teacher that became a successful gold miner that was blind in one eye as well)

 

[AntiGuru]

I've since come across this extensive unauthorized bio of Napoleon Hill:

http://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-untold-story-of-napoleon-hill-the-greatest-self-he-1789385645

It is tempting to dismiss something like this as a "haters gotta hate" hatchet job except it's very thorough, and long. I only came across this yesterday so I'm still parsing what it means to me personally. I have a tendency to insist my role models "walk the walk", so if any of this is true (or more accurately that much of what Napoleon Hill made himself out to be was untrue), what does that mean for his writings? Is it all b/s? Snake oil pulled out of an a$$ on a quest to flim-flam the world?
In AA they have an expression "take the message, leave the messenger", which was primarily intended to protect privacy but also may have some utility here. I still know from personal experience that I've done a lot better with a positive mental attitude than a negative one.

 

[PedroG]

From what I remember when I read it, "Think and Grow Rich" actually does focus a lot on taking action. "The Secret" is garbage because it doesn't focus on action at all. One of the guys on there talks about visualizing checks and then they just started coming in the mail LOL. He never says what he had to do to get those checks. Just visualize them I guess.

 

[Graves]

I can't read past the fourth chapter on this book. Its so much fluff. That whole law of secret was based on this. Why are people raving about it so much? Looking in the mirror, saying affirmations does not make you rich.

It makes people feel better.

 

[Jonleehacker]

The formula is often over-complicated much like weight loss -- eat right and exercise.

That may be the formula, but without a burning desire to have a better body, that math is going to be just Sudoka puzzles for a couch potato.

I am speaking from my own experience here, as I have known the formula for many years, but always plateaued in my fastlane pursuits. It wasn't until I cultivated a burning desire to attain my dreams (it wasn't natural to me at all) that I began to break through.

 

[ClintonSkakun]

Although almost all people who bust their a$$ and become rich had the desire, not all who have the desire will become rich.

Right! Just because you have a constant focused desire doesn't mean you'll inevitably become rich. I've always noticed that, either in the fastlane or slowlane, the people who worked the most made the most. It's called the Law of Getting Off Your a$$(LoGOYA), and it's not called the "Secret" but the Damned Obvious Truth!

 

[RustyZ32]

Think and Grow Rich is actually a short "commercial" version of Napoleon Hills work Law of Success, that book is pretty big and very comprehensive. Its the only book that kept me motivated and got me inspired. Its one of the best books out there and in my opinion is still the best, its just full of practical advice.
Its not for everyone and there is nothing wrong with it, you just have to approach it with the right mindset.

 

[Rafal]

I didn't like Think and Grow Rich - I couldn't even finish it - but his Outwitting The Devil - book that came out in 2011 - after 73 years "in hiding" - o man - good shit!

Amazon.com: Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success (9781402784538): Napoleon Hill, Sharon L. Lechter CPA, Michael Bernard Beckwith, Mark Victor Hansen: Books

 

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[DiceMan]

I kept falling asleep on the bus trying to read this book. Some good stuff but very boring.

 

[deSeingalt]

I have a few books by Napoleon Hill and nothing come even close to his work. All these new books is just a rehash of same information that Hill wrote long time ago.
I just started rereading them again and I am very surprised how similar his work is to even millionaire fastlane .
Its a shame that people associate Hill's work with crap like "the secret", they have nothing in common if you actually study Hills lectures and his LoS book.
Think and Grow Rich is not his best work either. It was castrated by the editors when it was published.

 

[arpeggiomeister]

I must say that I am really enjoying this conversation. I personally agree with the original poster that this book did absolutely nothing for me, but I also understand that certain things speak differently to different people.

I had read things explaining how passive income would set you free but I never truly got it until I saw the cash flow diagram in Rich Dad Poor Dad. Robert G Allen's books tried to explain this concept but it just seemed like an arbitrary idea that was unattainable for "normal people" like me. They were both speaking about the same thing, but it was the presentation that made the difference. Rich Dad Poor Dad had a huge impact on me and I have gone on to show friends this book and they thought it was just a bunch of fluff.

I think you need to take any advice with a grain of salt. If it resonates with you use it. If not, move on, but understand that even though it might not doing anything for you, for someone else the message might be profound and life-changing.

I know Think and Grow Rich wierded me out, especially with the whole sexual energy thing. If that works for people than more power to them.

ps I dig Tony Robbins. I believe he is on the cutting edge of human psychology and achievement. I don't hang on his every word, but he has a lot of great stuff.

 

[FDJustin]

What I gathered from Hill is two simple things.
1: Success comes to those who continually move towards it. If you don't train yourself to be unshakable, you will fail.

I find life has a strange sense of humor, always going out of it's way to give you obstacles when they're most inconvenient. Maybe there really is a force of nature that seeks to always test and tamper those who look to achieve something.

2: He's training you to be focused. That's literally all this 'Definite chief aim' and self-affirmation stuff is for. If you give yourself a -purpose-, if you hold this purpose so close to your heart that all of your choices are made with it's consultation, then you will 'just do shit' to achieve it.The rest of it seems to be simple details that will help you deal with yourself, deal with others, and maybe even be prepared for success once you have it. After all, if you can't handle criticism, you're going to be in hell once you make it.


P.S. For those who say they pay no mind since he died poor... Do you know the circumstances behind it? There are reasons to be poor, and not all of them are a result of failure.

 

[JAJT]

I had a rough time with TaGR.

I can see how it had value at the time and it certainly has some golden nuggets in it but IMHO there are better, more to-the-point books out there today on every concept presented in the book. It just didn't stick to my ribs the same way Millionaire Fastlane or How to Get Rich did, for example.

 

[Mattie]

Napoleon hill was one of the first books I listened too. I believe it was the door that opened the idea there was something more out there. And also building character and I suppose at the time listening to him on many videos he had a different perspective I needed to know at the time. By the time I got to M.J. It was more of a validation of I was in the right direction. Although I've read so many books previously it was fresh and resonated with my thoughts exactly.

 

[Delmania]

How many billionaire has gone this route? I would bet. Zero. I'm not saying those other things are particularly bad advice. But this!! Boy, he could be mistaken for a cult leader!

You're asking how many billionaires practice daily affirmations? Isn't that a part of The Miracle Morning? I think more than you realize.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chazmania]

I always heard so many people recommend it as the king of all books so I forced myself to get through it.

Good overall concept I guess: thoughts are the seeds of man's creations

Think and focus on what you want/take action from where you stand with whatever you have available/persist like a mofo until successful.

Of course there's more to the book but that's the gist of it for me.

The book is kind of a grind to get through and some stuff is a little out there.

 

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[OscarDeuce]

By the way, the version of Think and Grow Rich commonly available is the abridged (read "censored") version. My wife found a copy of the original manuscript which she gave me as a present. It contains a lot of spiritual / metaphysical stuff that was apparently too much for the publishers back in the 1930s. The abridged version "works," that's what I started with. But, it was interesting to read the original, if only to better understand the author's beliefs better.

Also understand, it doesn't matter whether the spiritual / metaphysical really exists or not. For me, I don't care whether success comes because I've put some "thought vibration" in effect in some unseen dimension, or simply because I've put myself into the right mental state to become successful. All I care about is that it comes!

Cheers,
O-2

 

[SBS.95]

Over the years I've tried reading it multiple times, listening to the audio book, the updated/revised edition, etc. I've only ever made it all the way through once or twice. I don't think it's a bad read, it just doesn't live up to all of the hype it receives. It may have been groundbreaking from the time, and I'm not trying to disregard it in that regard.

However, I think if you are talking about the select few business books everyone should read, it doesn't make the cut, at least in my opinion. I found TMF , Choose Yourself, and even Rich Dad, Poor Dad to all be more eye-opening.

If you want to read a great book written in the 1930s that still holds up today, read How to Win Friends and Influence People.

 

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[OscarDeuce]

It might me interesting to see a breakdown of the Think and Grow Lovers vs. Haters by age group. My hypothesis is that the lovers will trend towards the older segment while the haters will be younger. I base this on the fact that many have complained it was boring or "hard to get through." The book was written in the early decades of the last century. Writing styles have changed over time, as have the phrases and expressions in common use. I suspect those of us born closer to Hill's time are more accustomed to his "old fashioned" writing style than you young whippersnappers. Perhaps an updated version swapping Bill Gates for Andrew Carnegie and Steve Jobs for Thomas Edison, and written in a more modern style would resonate better with the younger crowd. Any thoughts?

Cheers,
O-2

 

[Tyler Ellison]

screw think and grow rich.. check out The richest man in babylon. now that's a book worth reading.
the funny thing is I have recommended this book to people, and only a select number read it.. from that select group only a few people understood it.

That's a great one too, and just like Think and Grow Rich - most people never read it and many that do just don't get it. But I'm a fan of George Samuel Clason's book too. We should start a thread on it to discuss.

 

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[MattR82]

I read the richest an in Babylon. It was ok. Had some things I agree with. I think the best thing I took from it was to do with knowing what you are getting involved in i.e. not setting up a jewellery business if all you know is bricklaying etc haha.

As for think and grow rich. I had it recommended to me by someone much older in my family who is hugely successful and somewhat of a mentor to me. I only made it half way through (if that). I think it was great to stress the importance and affect of positive and negative thinking. What you are telling yourself with your inner voice. But I'm definitely not going to start standing in front of the mirror telling myself I am awesome and will have 10 million bucks soon

 

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