Napoleon Hill claimed that the industrialist Andrew Carnegie encouraged him to study hundreds of successful people and identify the shared philosophy behind their achievements. Published in 1937, in the middle of the Great Depression, the book presents that philosophy as a formula for acquiring wealth and achieving any goal.
Hill sets out thirteen principles, including desire, faith, autosuggestion, specialised knowledge, imagination, organised planning, decision, persistence and the mastermind group of allies who pool their thinking. He insists that a clearly defined aim, written down and repeated daily, combined with unwavering belief, will lead the subconscious mind to find a path to it. Later chapters discuss fear, indecision and doubt as obstacles.
Historians have questioned many of Hill's claims about his interviews and his own business record, and the book's mental techniques read as early versions of the positive-thinking and manifestation movements. Even so, it has sold tens of millions of copies and its ideas on goal setting and peer support remain influential in sales and entrepreneurial circles.
Book details
| Author | Napoleon Hill |
|---|---|
| First published | 1937 |
| Original language | English |
| Genre | Self-help |
| Type | Non-fiction |
| Pages (approx.) | 238 |
Themes
- Goal setting
- Persistence
- Belief
- Wealth creation
- Mastermind groups
Who should read it
Readers curious about the roots of modern success and motivational literature who want its original, unvarnished form.
If you liked this, try
- How to Win Friends and Influence People
- Rich Dad Poor Dad
- The Power of Positive Thinking