Why does everyone love Think and Grow Rich

[Maxjohan]

Sixth. 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.

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!

 

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[TonyStark]

I think the thing of most value we can take from 'Think and Grow Rich' is how this guy was able to sell so much 'fluff' to literally millions of people. If you can figure that one out, maybe you'll be the next big seller.

From my point of view, the people that preach thinking positive will make you rich, are the same ones that spend part of their paycheck on pyramid schemes a.k.a. MLM's, and to me that's not very positive at all.

 

[Maxjohan]

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

So you're saying that most billionaires have read the Miracle Morning?

 

[bizkitgto]

For me this book was the 'spark', I found it to be highly motivating and it set me on this journey to financial freedom. Also, the chapter on Sexual Transmutation couldn't be more 'bang' on! The first and best self help book ever written. My 0.02

 

[D11FYY]

I also gave this book a bash I did complete it but I found it to be a drag (although it did have some golden nuggets within its chapters)

Just I agree more with what MJ initially said about numbers being "the law".
I somehow doubt that MJ ever spoke to George Washing or Thomas Edisson about Limos.

But im glad some people on this forum/thread has read it and its principles worked for them.

 

[snappyhappy]

So you're saying that most billionaires have read the Miracle Morning?

You said zero. MJ endorses TMM so it clearly works for some.

 

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[Tyler Ellison]

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

The closest thing I've seen to that is 'Outliers' which takes the approach of explaining away success as a combination of lucky opportunities. He has a whole chapter essentially on Bill Gates. That's what the modern world wants to sell - scientific debunking of what many of us actually feel to be true.

 

[OscarDeuce]

He has a whole chapter essentially on Bill Gates

Yea, I kind of threw those names out there as recognizable alternatives, although I'm far from convinced Gates' accomplishment was equivalent to Carnegie's or Jobs' to Edison's. Then again, I'll admit to knowing a great deal more about Carnegie and Edison than I do about the other two.

Cheers,
O-2

 

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[Vincent_Vega]

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

@OscarDeuce: Do you know where I can find the original manuscript?

 

[Equilibrium]

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.

 

[Impressive M]

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.

I read this book and was really impressed how simple techniques can help you influence people but last night i read somewhere that the author Dale Carnegie, committed suicide, just have been thinking alot since then

 

[Impressive M]

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.

Even funnier is, that from the few who understood it, very few will ever make it to the top.... Learning and understanding is one thing, implementing principles in life is another....
It's the book on my read list, right after i finish... power of habbits... so far, good read

 

[bob johnson]

The main reason it is popular imo is that it is well written. The author was actually a writer.

Most business books, are very very poorly written - if compared to historians, novelists and journalists.

 

[dru-man]

Hill knew it took work to make money. Note the "ready or not" statement in there.

His entire premise is helping people overcome the psychological barriers that keep them from wealth.

That is the purpose of the book.

Well said.

I've found this tendency to drastically oversimplify an author's ideas in an attempt to discredit him or her is often the case when people slam books and ideas (as others pointed out, often when they're talking about a book they just couldn't stomach enough to finish). Inevitably, they slam some watered-down version of the book that removes half of what the author was saying and make arguments the author already addressed within the text in an effort to not be misunderstood.

This was true for "Think and Grow Rich," a book that talked about the need for hard work and study and correct knowledge and the ability to accept failure as a given but temporary obstacle.

This was true for "The Secret;" while it undoubtedly discussed the law of attraction as a metaphysical force of nature, it also stressed the need to take action to turn all your wishes and dreaming into something.

This was true about "The Four-hour Workweek," which very clearly stated the need for a massive effort, the benefit of continuing to work even once it's unnecessary for basic survival, and that the title was nothing more than the result of a split test.

Some authors and ideas just leave a bad taste in people's mouths, I guess.

And some critics just like to strawman in their attempt to convince themselves they're a "realist" that sees through BS. We've all got our pscyhological methods for tricking ourselves into maintaining our current paradgisms, and it's much easier to dismiss ideas that make you uncomfortable if you water them down and turn them into some cartoonish stereotype of what they really are.

But you're the only one that loses.

While we're at it, let's not forget that "Think and Grow Rich" has been credited by countless rich and famous people from a diversity of backgrounds as a huge playing factor on their path to success.

I do agree the book itself can sometimes be a challenging read. As another poster mentioned, the abridged audio version is a lot easier to swallow. I used to listen to that one everyday in my truck and attribute some very fast, very impressive business progress at the time to that habit.

Wouldn't be a bad idea to pick it up again.

 

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[ChrisJTurner]

Does anyone else think this LOA stuff is actually a conspiracy to stop "normal" people getting under the toes of the rich? ha ha
Rather than tell people they cant achieve, tell people they can achieve by just believing in it.

I used to read LOA, but that all changed when I went to a conference called "Achievers and Believers".
It was all high-five's and dancing around, I just humored it.
The whole meeting was centred around belief, whilst I am an advocate for belief, one of the speakers had so much belief, it was unbelievable.
so much so, he actually wrote a book about how to be financially wealthy by just believing that you could become wealthy.
I was curious, so I asked him a few probing questions (who doesn't want to be wealthy) and I cannot remember what I asked him but I specifically recall
his answer.
He said "Well I've been invited to another speaking event but (...... wait for it.....)I have to go to work that day"
Boom... there it was, the truth.

I digress, I dont think its a conspiracy. I just think it gives people hope and whilst it helps some people, its not for me.
I do have to say. I've never known anyone in real life get rich by thinking about it, doesn't work.

 

[Torobaro]

Think and Grow Rich is one of the best books out there. Its not about affirmations and repeating stuff in the mirror, It´s not about dreaming about stuff. Hill talks about the importance of taking action a lot through the book.

However taking action is not as easy as waking up one day and out of the blue saying "hey I´m going to take some kick a$$ action", some may start taking action and stop after they receive the first setback. That is where all the other stuff comes, each chapter deals with one important issue required for taking action:

Faith, Desire, Knowledge, Imagination, Persistence, Organized Planning, Decision, Persistence...

Think and Grow Rich is an amazing book, but you have to read it several times to grasp all what the book has to offer.

 

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[JamesSJ]

The only way to become wealthy is to take action; start a business, then work every day to make that business successful

That's pretty much exactly what Think and Grow Rich is about.

 

[GMSI7D]

Napoleon Hill was the first to write in this theme..... a really pioneer.
All other writers takes from him the inspiration.
The deep of thinking in Napoleon Hill it is only in rare great writers.

what' s the point anyway with all these books ?

making sense of the stupid world we live in. finding a way in this mess.

that's why i will reply in the freemasons topic in a few seconds.

 

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[policebaton]

Agreed man! I could not get past the first half it wasn't really my style.

 

[AvocadoMan]

From my experience if you actually desire something - you just cease to give a F*ck. Your goal is all you can see, you don't sleep, you don't eat - you are on a new level..

 

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[Sander]

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.

I had a teacher back in primary school who showed us The Secret, and she actually believed in it and wanted us to do so to. No wonder I didn't like her that much..

 

[NuclearPuma]

Think and Grow Rich is about controlling your own thoughts.

I think the application of psychology for sales and marketing give merit to Hill's thesis.

In Think and Grow Rich, Hill wants you to use advertising and marketing techniques on yourself to compel you to act towards any aim that you choose.

 

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[socaldude]

Think and grow rich was the first "success" book I read at 16.

I did like it at the time but now I don't like it so much.

Why?

There is not a lot of timeless principles in the book and the author basically made a living selling success magazines and writing books on success instead of being successful himself. No ideas or insights on starting businesses.

The book leans heavily into "the secret" type BS modes of thinking your way rich instead of solving problems etc.

Economies change and evolve and the ideas and principles in the book are pretty much useless.

 

[Telamon25346]

My problem with TAGR is the "cult" surrounding napoleon hill, People think he unlocked the ONE SECRET to getting rich and he's sharing it with everyone. in summary, his book tells people: think about something you want often enough, in this case being rich, and eventually, it'll happen.

here's something really funny:

Napoleon Hill didn't get rich by believing he will, he was a fraud, a scam artist, and a salesman that wrote some bullshit in a book and sold it to millions of people.

don't believe me? here's a rundown:

• In his first job as an author for the news, He would make up stories whenever something interesting wasn't happening.
• He then made a lumber business where he would buy lumber on credit, Never pay the suppliers, and then sell it to others.
• After his fraudulent lumber plan fell apart, he moved to Washington and opened an automotive school, where people would pay him to learn how to work on cars. But really he would use them as free labor to build vehicles he could sell. And after he found out they couldn't build cars well, he turns it into an MLM, where the students could refer other people to the school and earn more money for each person they brought in.
• He lent out money to students so they could pay him for the school, with a 5% interest.
• After his school got busted, he moved, got married, and then opened up a "self help" school which taught people the secrets to success
• In reality, the school was a scheme to sell stock to investors, the company it was under was worth $1000 or so, but he would sell shares to business owners evaluated at $100,000 or more.
• He then KEPT the money people invested in the school, and never paid them back.
• After this, he started a charity that was supposed to help inmates recover and become good members of society, when really he started it so he could get one of his mail fraud buddies out of jail. and he also took donations for the charity, but pocketed 100% of them and never gave them to the prison.
• he then wrote his book "the law of success" which lied about him meeting Andrew Carnegie, being an advisor for Woodrow Wilson, and being an advisor for Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
• He goes bankrupt after spending all the money for this book, writes another book about success called "think and grow rich" and that starts selling like crazy.
• he spends all the money from think and grow rich, and becomes bankrupt for a second time

Essentially, napoleon hill's whole life was full of scams. He continued creating new schemes up until he died in 1821. Napoleon Hill isn't even his real name. his name was Oliver, and he used Napoleon because he was scared for his life of police and government authorities catching him for all his fraudulent activities.

If you want to read more about it (trust me there's A LOT more), Here's an article over the research of napoleon hills life: https://paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-untold-story-of-napoleon-hill-the-greatest-self-he-1789385645

What I'm trying to say here isn't that Think and grow rich is a terrible book, it teaches you about self-confidence and the mindset of setting goals for yourself. but after learning about the author, It's hard for me to believe that the book actually helps you, but instead makes you feel good, and motivates you about entrepreneurship.

Bottom line: people love what they want to hear. The reason people love TAGR is that it plays to their wet dream of getting rich doing nothing. they think: "there are secrets to success, and this book tells me that I can get there by simply willing it to happen... I've found the jackpot!"
which is probably why everyone shares it around so much. Even though, the author of the book didn't sit there and will for success to come his way. In truth, the author built a Fastlane business selling people lies about becoming rich.

One thing I forgot to mention (i'm very passionate about this topic as you can tell)

we have a major problem today with gurus and motivational speakers. Napoleon hill essentially invented the "self-help" industry, People hold him on a pedestal. His influence is everywhere, his influence is in "the law of attraction" and tony robbins, His influence is on people that buy lottery tickets, it's everywhere. Most Gurus today are all their own little napoleon hills, they're all great at feeding to people's hopes to get rich and selling them what they want to hear.

 

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[raad182]

I often see self-made millionaires who publish their books on how to make money/mindset and then when I went to check their profile is always the same... Entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker but always seems like the book is their enterprise.

 

[guy93777]

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.

don't care about the rest of the book

just focus on the chapters of desire and faith. this is enough according the pareto principle

20 % of the content of a book deliver 80 % of the value of the book.



just focus on this quote , you don't need to read the rest of the book :


" He presented himself at Mr. Edison’s laboratory, and announced he had
come to go into business with the inventor.
In speaking of the first meeting between Barnes and Edison, years later, Mr. Edison said, “He stood there before me, looking like an ordinary tramp, but there was something in the expression of his face which conveyed the impression that he was determined to get what he had come after.
I had learned, from years of experience with men, that when a
man really DESIRES a thing so deeply that he is willing to stake his entire future
on a single turn of the wheel in order to get it, he is sure to win. I gave him the op-
portunity he asked for, because I saw he had made up his mind to stand by until
he succeeded.
Subsequent events proved that no mistake was made.
Just what young Barnes said to Mr. Edison on that occasion was far less impor-
tant than that which he thought. Edison, himself, said so! It could not have been
the young man’s appearance which got him his start in the Edison office, for that
was definitely against him.
It was what he THOUGHT that counted.
If the significance of this statement could be conveyed to every person who reads it, there would be no need for the remainder of this book. "

from this :

Napoleon Hill Think And Grow Rich : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

Napoleon_Hill-Think_and_Grow_Rich

archive.org

.