Think and Grow Rich – Napoleon Hill’s Inspiring Book
Muhammad Ali and Napoleon Hill.
What does the first sentence of this article say to you?
For many probably not much at all, and for quite a few, you might even ask ‘who are they anyway?’
Napoleon Hill has probably become the most read author of Personal Development of all time. His seminal work Think and Grow Rich is commonly regarded as the number one book in terms of being the most published book in its genre of all time. Many people have built their own successful business empires based on the teachings and ‘secrets to success’ contained in its pages.
Whilst the language of the time [mid 1930’s], can be a little difficult to interpret, those who take the time to study the book [not just read it], begin to realise the power and truth of Hill’s writing.
Of course Hill had successfully distilled the lessons he learned from over 500 top business leaders and entrepreneurs of those times. And those lessons have proved to be timeless.
We see these lessons ‘modernised’ in the Law of Attraction and the plethora of books, tapes, DVD’s, movies, seminars that have been spawned largely on the back of ‘The Secret” which really is a version of ‘Think and Grow Rich”.
Let’s leave Napoleon Hill and Think and Grow Rich for a moment and talk about Muhammad Ali.
As a young man about the time Ali was becoming famous, I’d never seen anyone ‘show off’ like he did.
Here in New Zealand our sporting heroes were the All Blacks [Rugby Football], they were the best – and still are – but none of them announced their prowess [and future success], quite like Ali did.
His “I am the greatest’ and ‘float like a butterfly, sting like a bee’ took some getting used to. He became known as the Louisville Lip – for obvious reasons.
However what I did not know until I read an article about him [he turns 70 years of age on January 17], was the fact that from a very young age Ali had a particularly strong work ethic. He would run to school instead of catching the bus. It wasn’t until his bicycle was stolen that he met a policeman who was also a boxing coach. According to a friend, “he was developing punches back then” and that Ali aspired to become a heavyweight boxer.
In fact a neighbour is quoted as saying that at a very young age Ali told him that he’d be heavyweight champion of the world, and the neighbour did not believe him: ” I told him, ‘Man, you better get that out of your mind.’ But he succeeded. He followed through.”
As we all now know, Ali did become not only world champion, but is arguably the best heavyweight boxer of all time.
In the very first chapter of Think and Grow Rich, Hill outlines the first key to success: You must develop a ‘burning desire’ for the thing that you want. He shares a six-step plan how to get there.
And here are some quotes from this chapter [in the version of the book that I have]; that will help illustrate the similarity between what Hill espouses and Ali’s achievement.
‘You become as great as your dominant aspiration. If you cherish a vision, a lofty ideal in your heart, you ill realise it.’ James Allen
Our only limitations are those we set up in our own minds. [Hill]
‘If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy, and inspires your hopes.’ Andrew Carnegie.
And an insight from Hill: ‘ Remember, no more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty.’
So, by comparing Ali’s achievement and his use of these principles and there is no doubt that he, Ali, had a burning desire to succeed. As his neighbour said: “He succeeded. He followed through.”
Your Coach
Phil