Think and Grow Rich: Opinions?

[Ben Zelenka]

Hey BP community I just bought the book Think and Grow Rich and was just wondering what you guys' opinions are about it. What were the big key takeaways for you guys

[Erik W.]

@Ben Zelenka, hi and welcome to BP!

I assume you're talking about the Napoleon Hill book.  Hill was a contemporary of and interviewed Andrew Carnegie, who as you may know was one of the richest men in American history.  So the man knows a thing or two about the habits of the rich.

It's been 2 decades since I read that book, but the lesson that stuck with me is that there is a psychology behind those who become rich that those who do not become rich often lack: and that is simply the will to become rich.  Not that this is enough in and of itself.  You still have to work hard, plan diligently, and often it requires a strong dose of "being in the right place at the right time and ready to act".  We call that "making our luck" in business terms.  Carnegie wouldn't have been successful if he hadn't spent years desiring wealth and turning himself into the person who could run a major corporation.  He took classes, made connections, got work experience, etc.  In short, much of his life was largely dedicated to making a lot of money.  That would not have happened if he hadn't strongly desired wealth and believed he could achieve it in the first place. 

Hill argues that we can get what we desire, but first we have to believe in it.  His theory on auto-suggestion paved the way for a lot of self-help gurus in later decades, but no one uses that term any more.  "Believe in yourself" is one of the more commonly used modern equivalents.

The Book is not a "how to"....it's more of a "why to". You won't learn to become a multi-millionaire real estate investor reading it, but you will learn whether or not you practice the habits that extremely rich and/or highly successful people routinely practice. It won't tell you how to BRRRR your way to 1,000 doors, but it might tell you that you CAN do it, if you WANT IT badly enough.

A lot of people THINK they want to be rich, but many of them are self-deluding.  Do you really want to be rich and do the things that are required?  Only a few people are ready to do it at Carnegie's level.  Most of the rest of us pick up some useful tidbits from book's like Hill's, incorporate them into our already set thought patterns, and achieve a greater level of success, but nothing near Carnegie's level.  I certainly don't do everything he talks about, not because I think Hill is wrong, but rather I don't desire that level of wealth and am not willing to dedicate my time and mental energy to pursuing that kind of wealth.

Overall, it's a good book, and you should read it and see what wisdom it holds for you.