“Think and Grow Rich” (Classic Edition) by Napoleon Hill
Audio Book of running length more than 8 hours or so
Anyone who reads self help books or listens to them would know about this book and this could be called one of the first self help books ever!
Originally published in 1937, it is based on Hill’s study of over 500 wealthy and influential individuals, including Andrew Carnegie, Henry Ford, and Thomas Edison.
Since I have read innumerable self help books which are too many to count; it was surprising that I did not read this one! It was because of Edison! Growing up we had so much respect for Edison but you become mature when you realize that Edison was a vain egoistic maniac and a big bully!
The book is actually an ode to people like him which I found very difficult to digest!
Then again for all the blue, this one is indigo! There can be no denying the fact that Edison may not be a great inventor or even a good human; he was a great businessman! He was wildly successful and wealthy!
That is actually the core idea of the book! How to become rich!
It was made during the time of the great depression which shook the world and US! In fact a similar situation happened to the world during COVID! Which is when the book becoming relevant again!
So the core idea of the book is that riches begin with a state of mind, and anyone can achieve success by applying certain mental principles. Hill outlines 13 key principles, including:
Desire – A burning desire is the starting point of all achievement.
Faith – Belief in yourself and your goals fuels success.
Autosuggestion – Repeating positive affirmations to influence the subconscious mind.
Specialized Knowledge – Knowledge alone isn’t power—applied knowledge is.
Imagination – Creative ideas lead to wealth.
Organized Planning – Success requires a clear, actionable plan.
Decision – Successful people make decisions quickly and firmly.
Persistence – Never give up, even in the face of failure.
Power of the Master Mind – Surround yourself with a group that supports your goals.
The Mystery of Sex Transmutation – Channel sexual energy into creative and productive efforts-
The Subconscious Mind – Feed it positive thoughts to manifest success.
The Brain – A powerful tool that can be tuned to attract wealth.
The Sixth Sense – Intuition helps guide decisions when all other steps are mastered.
Most of the above have been supplemented with examples of people like Ford, Edison and others which is difficult to digest but true! He elaborates each point in detail and gives a guide on what to do to make money or wealth! The section on sex and lust has been described vividly specifying how your sex drive must be channeled for success!
The best part of the novel though is this meeting which the author has with famous people! Even those who are not only not there but from the past! He has famous and successful people like Edison or Ford ‘suggesting’ him on what to do! In some meetings he even has kings and emperors like Napoleon who ‘give’ him advice and guidance! It is midway between a dream and going cuckoo! Pardon my French but if you think that it is actually just a manifestation of your mind then you will not think it is crazy! In fact many intelligent people and geniuses manifest or ask advice from other brilliant minds like say, Newton or Einstein! Though the whole scene is actually played in mind! Nevertheless it is a great exercise!
Unfortunately though this must have been one of the first self help books to start reading and in my case it has become one of the last! This is because many self help books after this have been heavily ‘inspired’ by this one! Which is why most guidelines and suggestions feel like routine or familiar!
I would suggest you to read this one at the beginning of your self help journey! If you are already done with at least fifty self help books then simply read the summary and you will get it!
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