Think and Grow Rich! is the most widely acclaimed, influential book on success ever published, it was published in March 1937. For a quarter-century, Napoleon Hill interviewed hundreds of successful men and women under the guidance of the richest man of his time, Andrew Carnegie. In this timeless classic, he reveals the secret to their great achievements, a powerful, proven formula that can empower you to achieve your own most cherished goals, too. If there is one must-have guide you need on the road to high achievement and success, to real riches in every aspect of your life, this is it.
HOW THIS BOOK HELPED US?
The book helped us learn how to use the knowledge we possess in attaining our goals, as it’s not about having the knowledge but rather how you organize it and put it into use, is what will get us the goals we desire.
THE BOOK EXPLAINED IN UNDER 60 SECONDS
- The book draws the starting point of achievement is to have a burning desire for what you want to achieve regardless of its nature, purpose or scope. You must begin with a burning desire for you to achieve something.
- The book will guide you on how to stay persistent in achieving your goals even after you have encountered opposition and failure in your first trials.
- It’s not just about knowing that you will be able to acquire your goals, but rather, it’s how you organize and use the knowledge you acquired that will help you achieve your goals.
TOP THREE QUOTES
- “When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.”
- “Set your mind on a definite goal and observe how quickly the world stands aside to let you pass.”
- “An educated man is not, necessarily, one who has an abundance of general or specialized knowledge. An educated man has so developed the faculties of his mind that he may acquire anything he wants, or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others.”
BOOK SUMMARY AND NOTES
CHAPTER ONE: DESIRE
The starting point of achievement: To achieve a goal, you must have the desire for it, though a mere desire or wish will not get you the goal you want, no matter the nature, scope, or purpose of the achievement. To achieve your goal, you must begin with an intense burning desire, a belief that you will possess it and knowledge about what you want. That burning desire is the fuel that drives you to achieve what you want. No matter the circumstances and criticism around you, stand by your desire until it becomes reality.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.”
CHAPTER TWO: FAITH
Visualization and Belief in the Attainment of Desire: Faith is the starting point of transforming your desires into physical or monetary returns. A state of mind may be caused by repetitive instructions to the subconscious mind that you believe you will achieve what you desire. Therefore, your subconscious mind will react to that belief and then pass it back to you through faith, accompanied by definite plans for attaining what you desire. Through repeated suggestions to the subconscious mind, one develops the emotion of faith needed for him/her to turn their desires into reality.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “FAITH is a state of mind which may be induced, or created, by affirmations or repeated instructions to the subconscious mind, through the principle of autosuggestion.”
CHAPTER THREE: AUTOSUGGESTION
The medium of influencing the subconscious mind: Through autosuggestion, you may voluntarily feed your subconscious mind on thoughts of the nature of the desire you want. no thoughts, whether negative or positive, can enter the subconscious mind without the aid of the principle of autosuggestion. Therefore, autosuggestion acts as an agency of communication between conscious thoughts and the subconscious mind.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “Thoughts which are mixed with any of the feelings of emotions constitute a magnetic force which attracts other similar or related thoughts.”
CHAPTER FOUR: SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE
Personal Experiences and Observations: General knowledge or academic knowledge will not get you any kind of success you desire, no matter how great in quantity it may be. Apply specialized knowledge, and you will achieve your desires without violating the rights of others. The specialized knowledge required to build your business or attain your goals can be acquired by supplementing your knowledge with other individuals by forming y a “MasterMind” group. A group where you will share your thoughts, plans and desires.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge.”
CHAPTER FIVE: IMAGINATION
The workshop of the mind: Imagination, the workshop where all plans are fashioned, desires are given shape, form and action. Imagination has two models; Synthetic Imagination and Creative Imagination. You can organize old concepts and ideas into new combinations through synthetic imagination. Therefore, developing this particular image is crucial since it’s frequently used to transform your desires into tangible or physical results. Under different circumstances, creative imagination is also called for as it connects with infinite intelligence to create new ideas after being induced by solid desires, faith, love or even sex. Your imagination will never die but become dormant and weak if it’s not put to use; ideas are the products of your imagination. Practise those ideas, and your imagination will become stronger.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “Riches, when they come in huge quantities, are never the result of hard work! Riches come, if they come at all, in response to definite demands, based upon the application of definite principles, and not by chance or luck.”
CHAPTER SIX: ORGANIZED PLANNING
The crystallization of desire into action: Everything you create or attain starts with a desire, and to change that desire into physical or monetary equivalent, you have to formulate a definite and practical plan for which the transformation is to be made. A distinct plan can be built by creating a Mastermind group in which you supplement your knowledge with other individuals and ensure that the plan is checked and approved by all the mastermind group members. If you encounter failure while executing your plans, accept it as a signal or warning that your plans are not sound. Therefore, you will have to rebuild, recreate and innovate them and try again.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal.”
CHAPTER SEVEN: DECISION
The mastery of procrastination: Procrastinating is the opposite of decision and an enemy that every individual has to conquer, failure has come to many due to their inability to make decisions. Try as much as you can not to be influenced by other people’s opinions. You will have no desire if you are easily driven by the opinions of others, and you will not succeed in transforming your desire into your physical goals. Take no one into your confidence except the members of your MasterMind Group and make decisions based on accurate analysis and thought. Decision-making requires you to possess a high level of courage, which many don’t have, and that’s why wrong decisions are made or procrastinated.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “The value of decisions depends upon the courage required to render them.”
CHAPTER EIGHT: PERSISTENCE
The sustained effort necessary to induce faith: Persistence is crucial in transmuting your desire into its monetary equivalent. The foundation of persistence is the power of will. Combining willpower and desire is essential in ensuring your goals and objectives are achieved. However, many people throw away their goals and purposes after encountering their first failure or opposition because of their lack of persistence.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “Riches do not respond to wishes. They respond only to definite plans, backed by definite desires, through constant persistence.”
CHAPTER NINE: POWER OF THE MASTER MIND
The driving force: Power may refer to the organized effort that enables you to transmute your desire into its monetary equivalent. You can attain information and power by creating a Mastermind alliance with people who will multiply your access to knowledge by transforming your desire into a monetary equivalent. Join efforts with individuals who have different strengths, perspectives and knowledge you lack to attain a definite purpose.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “Great power can be accumulated through no other principle than that of the mastermind!”
CHAPTER TEN: THE MYSTERY OF SEX TRANSMUTATION
Sexual desire is the most powerful of all human desires, it’s natural and can not be eliminated, but most people waste this energy frivolously through intemperate sex habits. People driving in a positive and constructive sense by sexual desire can channel it to the acuteness of imagination, courage, willpower, persistence and creative ability to transform their desires into physical or monetary equivalent.
Favourite quote of the chapter: The desire for sexual expression comes at the head of the list of stimuli which most effectively step up the vibrations of the mind and, thus, “start the wheels” of physical action.”
CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE SUBCONSCIOUS MIND
The connecting link: The subconscious mind receives and registers all impressions and thoughts no matter their nature. It’s the medium for translating mental impulses into their spiritual, physical and monetary equivalents. You cannot control the subconscious mind, but you can give it the thoughts, plans or purposes you wish to be transformed into their physical or monetary equivalent.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time.
One or the other must dominate.”
CHAPTER TWELVE: THE BRAIN
A broadcasting and receiving station for thought: Every human brain is a broadcasting and receiving station for the vibration of thought. When induced to a high rate of vibration, the mind becomes more receptive to the vibration of thought through positive or negative emotions. Vibrations of an exceedingly high rate are the only vibrations picked up and carried, by the ether, from one brain to another.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “When thus highly stimulated, or stepped up, the mind becomes more receptive to thought impulses that somehow reach it from sources outside itself. This stepping-up process is driven by powerful emotions, either positive or negative.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE SIXTH SENSE
The door to the temple of wisdom: The sixth sense is that part of the subconscious mind known as Creative Imagination. It is through this sense that inspiration is received, and all new ideas are handed over to us. The sixth sense will help you receive thought vibrations or influences from the minds of others. Allowing you to communicate with the subconscious minds of others.
Favourite quote of the chapter: “All individuals have become what they are because of their
dominating thoughts and desires.”
HOW THIS BOOK CAN HELP SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS?
“Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill can help software developers by providing a mindset shift towards success and achievement. It emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals, developing a strong desire and determination to achieve them, and having a positive mental attitude. As software developers, implementing the book’s principles of goal setting, persistence, and creative problem-solving can lead to increased productivity, career advancement, and financial success. It also encourages cultivating a strong network and continuous learning, which are vital in the fast-paced and constantly evolving field of software development.
