Think and Grow Rich [Book Review]
I will admit that Think and Grow Rich wasn't at the top of my Reading List, but due to the fact the ones I was looking for weren't available for digital download I checked it out. Before I started reading it, I went online searched for reviews for it. It has an average of nearly 5 stars with almost a thousand reviews on Amazon. It is one of the best selling books of all time. Sold.
Now, this book is old school. It was published in 1937 by Napoleon Hill. The Great Depression lasted from 1929-1939 and this book was released at the tail end of it. The timing was perfect for it and he wrote it in a style knowing that. Like the title suggests, it is about"'thinking" and how merely changing your thoughts and subconscious can literally create material things or 'its monetary equivalent', money. After people lost everything and were suffering from the worst financial collapse in history, Hill wrote about how you could get everything back and an infinite amount more. It all depended on your thoughts and how you dealt with obstacles, like fear for instance. The world was ready for new businesses, products, and services. It was a clean slate for everyone. All it would take to become rich was just going for it with everything you have and having the correct mindset for it.
Hill worked closely with Andrew Carnegie and Henry Ford and interviewed around 50 others, including Thomas Edison. He observed that these men had certain characteristics that seemed to guarantee success. Goals, desire, un-relentless determination, creativity, and detailed plans form the foundation of success. You need to know what you want, how to get it and you can't quit until you do. Sounds simple enough. The book goes into plenty of detail about each of these and the fears and obstacles that can get in your way, for example fear of failure, fear of criticism, and fear of poverty. He basically says you can 'will' yourself to success, but only after you remove the fear and alibis that prevent most people from reaching their dreams. Hill explains that your destiny and future live in your mind. By changing your subconscious with a practice called "auto-suggestion", you can manipulate your thoughts. Hill also speaks very highly of the "Master Mind". Essentially, this is the practice of forming a group and making decisions based on experience, specialized knowledge, and best-practices rather than relying on only your own experience and knowledge.
The book lists what it takes to be successful, the characteristics of successful people, and the fears and obstacles that prevent it. The book was written 80 years ago, but it is just as relevent as what was when it was first published.
