Think and Grow Rich

Think and Grow Rich

book cover with title and art

Original Hardcover
Author Napoleon Hill
Country United States
Language English
Subject Personal-success
Self-help
Philosophy
Genre Non-fiction
Publisher The Ralston Society
Publication date
 1937
Media type Print (Hardcover, Paperback, E-Book)
Pages 238 pages
ISBN 978-1-60459-187-3
OCLC 156886959

Think and Grow Rich was written in 1937 by Napoleon Hill and is a personal development and self-improvement book. Hill was inspired by a suggestion from Scottish–American business magnate and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie.[1] While the book's title implies that it deals with how to attain monetary wealth, the author explains that the philosophy taught in the book can be used to help people succeed in all lines of work, to do and be almost anything they want.[2]

The book was first published during the Great Depression.[3] At the time of Hill's death in 1970, Think and Grow Rich had sold more than 20 million copies and by 2011 over 70 million copies had been sold worldwide.[4][5] It remains the biggest seller of Napoleon Hill's books. BusinessWeek magazine's Best-Seller List ranked it the sixth best-selling paperback business book 70 years after it was published.[6] Think and Grow Rich is listed in John C. Maxwell's A Lifetime "Must Read" Books List. [7]

Content

The text of Think and Grow Rich is founded on Hill's earlier work The Law of Success, the result of more than twenty years of research based on Hill's close association with a large number of individuals who achieved great wealth during their lifetimes.[3]

At Andrew Carnegie's bidding, Hill studied the characteristics of these achievers and developed 16 "laws" of success meant to be applied by people to achieve success. Think and Grow Rich condenses these laws further and provides the reader with 13 principles in the form of a philosophy of personal achievement.[3] Mark Hansen has said time has shown that two of the laws/principles are most important: 1) The MasterMind principle/process and 2) "Know very clearly where you want to go."

It is noted in the book that an individual with desire, faith and persistence can reach great heights by eliminating negative energy and thoughts and focusing on the greater goals at hand.

The 13 "steps" listed in the book are: 1. Desire 2. Faith 3. Autosuggestion 4. Specialized Knowledge 5. Imagination 6. Organized Planning 7. Decision 8. Persistence 9. Power of the Master Mind 10. The Mystery of Sex Transmutation 11. The Subconscious Mind 12. The Brain 13. The Sixth Sense

There are several courses created from the Think and Grow Rich content and principles.

Editions

Napoleon Hill holding his book Think and Grow Rich

Original version

The first edition of Think and Grow Rich was released in March 1937. Despite limited promotion, mostly word of mouth, the original print run of 5,000 sold out in six weeks, at $2.50 a copy. Another 10,000 copies were printed, all of which also sold in six weeks. The third print totaled 20,000.[9] W. Clement Stone wrote: "One of the most important days in my life was the day I began to read Think and Grow Rich in 1937.[10]

1960 Fawcett Crest edition

Think and Grow Rich was revised in 1960. This version was originally published by Crest Book, Fawcett Publications. This revised edition includes the following testimonial from W. Clement Stone on the inside front cover page: “More men and women have been motivated to achieve success because of reading Think and Grow Rich than by any other book written by a living author.” [11] In 1987, Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback Fran Tarkenton hosted a TV infomercial that sold the 1960 version with an audio cassette version of the book (the audio cassettes contained an introduction and conclusion by Tarkenton and supplemental study guides).[12] In the introduction noted above, Tarkenton stated that he believed Think and Grow Rich to be "the greatest most honored formula for success that has ever been developed."[13]

Notes

  1. ↑ Briley, Richard Gaylord, 1995, The Seven Spiritual Secrets Of Success, p. 151, Thomas Nelson Publishers, ISBN 0-7852-8083-9
  2. ↑ Hill, Napoleon, 1960, Think and Grow Rich. [Revised Edition, p. 19], Fawcett Books, New York, ISBN 0-449-21492-3
  3. 1 2 3 A Lifetime of Riches: The Biography of Napoleon Hill, Michael J. Ritt and Kirk Landers (Revised Edition 1995) (ISBN 0-525-94146-0)
  4. ↑ Forbes on Think and Grow Rich: "It has sold more than 70 million copies since its publication in 1937 and continues to sell robustly today." (March 2011)
  5. ↑ AP, November 10, 1970, 'Grow Rich' Author Dies
  6. ↑ The BusinessWeek Best-Seller List, BusinessWeek magazine, January 15, 2007
  7. ↑ Maxwell, John A Lifetime "Must Read" Books List, March 2008
  8. ↑ Copyright MCMXXXVII by Napoleon Hill, All Rights Reserved and Transferred, March, MCMXLI, to Ralston Publishing Co.
  9. ↑ Don Green (2008). The Next Chapter in Personal Development (digital video). The Napoleon Hill Foundation, The Millionaire Mentor Corp.
  10. ↑ Hill, Napoleon, 1990, The Think and Grow Rich Action Pack, Plume, ISBN 0-452-26660-2
  11. ↑ Hill, Napoleon, 1960, Think and Grow Rich. [inside front cover page], Fawcett Books, New York, ISBN 0-449-21492-3
  12. ↑ Partners in Time: Guthy-Renker, Charles Wesley Orton, Response Magazine, May 2001
  13. ↑ Think and Grow Rich audio cassettes 1A, 8B [introduction and conclusion by Fran Tarkenton], 1988, Napoleon Hill Foundation, Guthy-Renker Corporation

Further reading

External links

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