Napoleon Hill (1883–1970)

It's been a few years since I've read this, but I still recall how disappointing it was. I swear the author wrote in ALL CAPS like every FOURTH word, and it sounded like a 12-year old was SCREAMING at you the entire book. I do agree with the idea of having a definite plan and setting deadlines for goals, and I do agree with the idea of ambition and desire as contributing factors to accumulating wealth. Perhaps my favorite part of this book (and trust me there aren't many) is when he mentioned transmuting the strongest desire in humans (sex) to whatever goal you're trying to achieve. I'm sure the average American household networth would be at least 100% greater if that were the case.

I still wouldn't recommend this book. If you want an actual book that would get you fired up and instill actual discipline in you, read David Goggins's book.… (més)

I’ll follow Nappie in not explicitly putting into words the secret, since it’s obviously enough if you want to know what it is, but if you try to force it on people, they’ll just get angry or whatever. (/pushing large rock/ Against!…. I’m, against!…. (stops, waves fist) You set ‘em up, I’ll knock ‘‘em down!). Of course, that’s to make it comic; then, of course, for almost thirty-five years, almost half a life, (even longer than I was a meat-eater for! But I digress), I thought that being rich was not, in practice, a good or truly desirable outcome for me, so obviously I can’t judge people who don’t think that it’s possible. And there are, of course, problems with the system, and some people would feel slighted by entering it fully and becoming important and reforming it, bit by bit, you know. So….

Well, I’m still kinda a “negative”, analytical (take-apart) person, that’s a strong thread in my makeup, so, I’ll just dive right in. Nappie isn’t perfect. He brings up politics occasionally, and although for the first half of the 20th century he was pretty tolerant and open—and any self-help then was an innovation; the FDR years were when AA was new, actually T&GR is kinda like AA in that they are both spiritual “self-help”, but old-fashioned and terminology-light enough to seem rather neutral and secular to a lot of non-woo woo people—but anyway Nappie also does have that element where he steps onto the soap box in the middle of a pub and harangues people about America and such…. “How much has he had?” “(waves hands) Oh, nothing. That’s just the libertarian.”—….

I mean, examples Are important—which is why there must be a good half dozen books at least of “Think and Grow Rich for (non white male group)”—but…. I don’t know. It’s not Overly important. Basically Nappie lays out the social and spiritual laws of making money, and this is what he does well, and does most of the time. It’s true that some people who have become creators have created imperfectly. But unless you think that Everyone, Necessarily creates imperfectly, that You necessarily create imperfectly, then…. Why not? If it can work, why can’t it work for you?

As for the laws themselves, I guess the ones that are most obviously lacking in my past life (the first 33 years), are—off the top of my head, in no particular order, persistence, the master mind group, and desire. The first time I was in business—I was very young—I kinda half-believed and thought Id really buy in emotionally once it started to work and kinda shuffle around looking the right way till then, and once it really seemed to not work, I gave up. I also didn’t like needing the company of other prosperity thinkers; for a long time in all aspects of success, even emotional regulation books, I was like—Fix me, but don’t change me! (😸). And also, desire. Desire can go wrong, so sometimes we think it can’t go right. Most people IMO are like the guy in John’s gospel who wants to be healed but doesn’t want to take action and doesn’t think Jesus can, either. Resigned, but impatient. (Sitting by the pool for 38 years.) For awhile I got all the way on the other side of this, like I would’ve: You’ve probably had a long day, Jesus. Just sit down; I’ll tell you stories. And the Jewish miracle worker would’ve: Maybe we can futz around later, after I heal you? Do you want that to happen?

You know, it’s like, It’s okay to want money. It’s okay to want money. It can be worth having. It doesn’t mean you have to be attached, like now you think that’s the reason why are you are (or are not) a real man, or that flow bothers you because you have to have it, or anything like that. Just let it go, let it flow. Receive.

And make a plan, take action, conspire with the saints, and persevere.

…. Obviously there are things you wouldn’t believe, in a five minute review.

But I’ll say that Nappie does have some claims to being a liberal, and not only of the FDR years/Lost Generation, you know. (He’s a bit of a libertarian too, but even there there are passages where he claps back against the alarmists. Actually, he does that a lot, in his way.) He’s certainly not the sort Enneagram Six that I’ve been; he’s not into being afraid. “But I thought that fear was God’s greatest gift to Christians!” 😸😵‍💫

Certainly Christianity in its full flower is nice, but sometimes the church needs to be reminded, and things like AA or the Carnegie secret can be one of those things, that it shouldn’t be a license to frighten people and rag at them, right.

Maybe if you decide to make a million dollars and do it, you’ll need a whole book to decide how to be the most responsible millionaire; of course you will, perhaps. But you also need a book to show you that there are good things in this world, and that living need not be hidden from, or suffered.… (més)