The majority of finance books and books on success in general have referenced Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. I was actually kind of sad as I neared the end of Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki (which I will be reviewing this weekend) because he had not referenced the book. Then I saw this!:
My hypothesis was confirmed! All movement starts with philosophy. See my article on The Triangle of Intelligence for more on how all movement starts with philosophy.
New Thought Movement
The Philosophy set forth in Think & Grow Rich stems from the New Thought Movement. The New Thought Movement is kind of complex due to many different strands of beliefs. On a basic level they believe that everything is energy and that God is energy. You may have heard of the popular book titled The Secret by Rhonda Byrne. Focusing on the law of attraction, positive thinking, and exercising will power- this movement has sparked the interest of many people who are looking to gain success in many different fields.
Along with many other truths that can only be captured by reading the book, Hill explains a very interesting principle that he calls “auto suggestion”. He explains auto suggestion as the working force whereby thoughts “hit you in the shower.” The spontaneous development of ideas is actually not spontaneous…we put them there! “Man may become the master of himself, and of his environment, because he has the POWER TO INFLUENCE HIS OWN SUBCONSCIOUS MIND.” (Hill 103). I could go into more detail and break that down, but I would rather you just read that line again and think about. I think Napoleon Hill would suggest the same thing…. especially since the books starts off with the words think… and this website is called Thought Chasers lol! I will however, give you a clue to the book; desire. Desire is the bridge that connects the sub-conscious mind to the conscious will. Together these two forces are unstoppable.
Striving for Riches
Applying this line of reasoning towards finances, Hill shows how one may begin their path towards a financially successful life. His writing style is conversational, so the reading is easy because its almost like reading a long text message from a friend. This keeps the book interesting and pleasant to read.
Another point that Hill elaborated on was the idea of money being evil. Many people shun the idea of growing rich and think that people that strive for financial success are greedy. Hill shows why kind hearted people should strive to become rich. By becoming rich we can share with those in need and ensure that greedy people don’t take everything from them. If you look at oppressed countries and compare the mindset of the rich with the mindset of the poor, you will quickly understand why the kind hearted should strive to be rich. Money in the wrong hands is very dangerous, so why not strive to ensure that it is in the right hands… like your own!
The Nugget
The biggest take away that I got from this book was the idea that thoughts could be transformed into wealth. The formula goes as such: Desire + Willpower = Success. The formula may seem too simple to actually be effective but it actually is pretty complex. If you do not already have a burning desire for something specific, you must create it. If you do not possess the willpower to accomplish your goals you must build it. So really the equation looks like this; (wants + Needs) + (belief + Self Discipline) = Success.
Thank you for your time. Join me This Weekend as I review the book Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki.
Eric Rivera