You can do it if you believe
(The story behind “Law of Success” and “Think and Grow Rich”)
by Michael G A Brown
Why did I choose the title you can do it if you believe, an interesting point that Napoleon Hill suggested in his books is that you can achieve what you want as long as you do not harm anyone in the process. The story behind the “Law of Success” and “Think and Grow Rich” is quite and interesting one. Napoleon Hill was a man who desired to become a lawyer but it would seem that he did not have money to pay his way through Law school. The interesting thing is that he substituted his lack of finances with an idea. This idea was to provide income for him to support his way through Law School. He said he had the ability to write, and came to the conclusion that he could use this talent to bring in an income while studying.
So he decided to write articles about successful people, now this turned out to be a gem in more than one way. The reason why he was to see how this idea would bring him much success was in the way he would use this talent. He applied his initiative by deciding to write journalistic articles about rich and successful people. This idea was to make the way for him becoming a success in life and paving the way for millions of others to also as he puts it.
His first break through came when he decided to write an article about the successful industrialist Andrew Carnegie. Carnegie was at the time a very successful self made business man, who had made a fortune in the Steel industry.
I believe Napoleon Hill felt that if he wrote articles about successful people he would earn enough money to pay his way through Law School. Even in this he was applying a principle of success. So we see he was applying some of the principles which he discovered which can bring people success.
So Napoleon started his first assignment which was to interview Andrew Carnegie in preparation for an article. The interview was for 3 hours, but after the 3 hours something interesting happened in that Mr Carnegie said this interview is just beginning. Napoleon Hill was kept there at Mr Carnegie’s home for 3 days, and at the end of 3 days Carnegie made Hill and interesting job offer.
Mr Carnegie asked Napoleon if he was interested in writing a Philosophy of success which the working man could use to find success. Mr Carnegie may have decided to do this as he had coached many young men in his methods and each one had become successful.
Mr Carnegie continued that the job would take 20 years and he would supply Hill with the details of 500 self made millionaires who Hill should interview. Mr Carnegie stated he would not be paying Hill any money for the job. This request presented a number of challenges to Hill, first he did not know what the word philosophy meant, and second he did not like the idea of working for twenty years with no pay.
So this was quite a dilemma for young Hill, but something occurred in the mind of young Hill. He realised that Mr Carnegie had a habit for picking the right people to do the right jobs. It was once said that Mr Carnegie seemed to know the thoughts that a person was thinking, so Hill may have realised that Mr Carnegie could see that Hill had the ability to complete this task. When you consider that Hill acted on initiative to write articles about successful people to pay his way through law school, you can see how Mr Carnegie saw the potential in this young man Napoleon Hill.
An interesting result of this research turned out to be these instructions, which are.
• Get a pocket book and write down the one thing that you desire
and consider as your success in your life, before you start writing remember
the only limitations you will have are the one’s that you set up in your
mind, or permit others to set up for you.
• On page two of your note book, write down a clear statement of what
you intend to give in return for that with which you desire from life, then start
from where you are to start giving.
• Memorise both your statements, what you desire and what you intend to
give in return for it, and repeat about 12 times each day (about once every
hour). Always end your statement with this expression of gratitude.
“For the blessings with which I was gifted at birth,
Oh divine providence I ask not for more riches,
but for more wisdom to accept and use wisely,
riches I received at birth in the form of the power
to control and direct my mind to whatever ends I desire.”
After twenty years of research Napoleon Hill had learned many important lessons, his first book had a number of principles that he found that successful people do. He wrote these 15 principles in his book called “Law of Success”. This book was quite a detailed book that showed that the way a person thinks can determine the type of success a person gets in life. He found 15 principles that successful people have been applying either consciously or unconsciously which allowed them to have success in life. The book was 1170 pages long and consists of individual lessons of approximately 70 pages each.
The first lesson or chapter is the introduction which sets the scene for the rest of the book, he comments on scientific laws that will help to set the foundation for new concepts that he will show later in the book.
Another book that he wrote which builds on the theme of success is his book called “Think and grow rich” this book is 270 pages long and has 13 principles that allow a person to find success in life. The principles are built around the way a person thinks and not as could have been assumed around techniques to make money.
By MGA Brown
