I must admit the first time I read “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill I wasn’t exactly sure of what I was getting into. Was this “secret” of his a real concept or some kind of “voodoo”?

As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until I had read more books by different authors on the same theme that I finally was able to get a perspective on his “secret”.

To me, and this is merely my opinion, Mr. Hill is basically saying a person can accomplish anything if they first put their mind to it. Notice it’s first put their mind to it. Completion of the task requires the application of the “thirteen steps”.

For those who have trouble believing in his concepts and conclusions I offer this example as a way of clarifying what he is saying. Again this is only my opinion and only concerns the first chapter, or introduction concerning thought.

Far from being some kind of far out, mind over matter concept, Mr. Hill’s insights into thoughts, I believe, are valid. One point of difficulty is that it’s sometimes harder to explain a concept than it is to give an example.

For instance, all of us probably know of someone who always believes the worst, looks for the worst and usually gets the worst. Then they will tell you that they think and believe and act in a certain way because that’s the way that they “are”.

In reality according to Napoleon Hill, the exact opposite is true. Our thoughts set everything in motion. As we think, we come to believe, then act accordingly and reap certain results. That may be why we sometimes tell people, “You brought that on yourself”.

According to “Think and Grow Rich”, that is basically what happens for better or for worse. Negative thoughts work in exactly the same way as positive thoughts. It’s strange to me how much easier it is to understand the negative power of thought rather than the positive.

The power of positive thought is the way I can most easily understand the idea. Positive thought creates a positive energy and will yield a positive result.

There are, according to Mr. Hill, thirteen steps involved in the whole process. One thing he consistently denies is the idea of merely thinking and not taking action.

Personally, I believe my preconceptions of where I “thought” he was going with his “secret” caused some initial doubts and misgivings. I’ve found that if I take the “voodoo” out of it, everything becomes a lot easier to grasp, and it works.

“Think and Grow Rich” is a fascinating study, worthy of many readings. The concepts Napoleon Hill presents are almost a prerequisite for marketing and other forms of business and would definitely be recommended for anyone desiring a positive, successful life.