By: Tanner Stanford

Everyone knows the popular adage of “You can accomplish anything you set your mind to.” Countless books have been written on this subject, but few come close to the original, Napoleon Hill’s classic work, Think and Grow Rich. Endorsed by incredibly successful businessmen, inventors, and politicians like Henry Ford, Theodore Roosevelt, Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Woodrow Wilson, John D. Rockefeller and many more, Napoleon Hill’s best seller has aided in the success of men and women for nearly a century. Despite its age, his methods and wisdom remain unparalleled for not only individual desiring wealth, but also to anyone with a goal. While some people may find his examples have circumstances that are outdated, the philosophy behind the individuals is the same. His thirteen steps towards success include obvious attributes like desire, persistence, and organized planning as well as lesser-utilized attributes such as faith, decision-making, and power, but all aid in the journey towards accomplishing your goal.

Desire is more than a wish or hope but rather an all-consuming sensation that becomes an obsession where an individual must be willing to cut off all potential escape routes to succeed. Faith is the belief that what you desire will come to pass. Persistence means having the willpower and desire to carry on despite any and all obstacles. Organized planning includes having a plan of action to accomplish your goal and working to find a plan that will not fail. Decision-making consists of not procrastinating putting your plan into action and acting quickly and definitively. Power is organized and intelligently directed knowledge. While on their own, each of these characteristics can help people succeed, but the combination of these six listed and the rest of the 13 steps will help an individual find success in anything in life.

For decades, Think and Grow Rich has been marketed for men and women who resent poverty. But for people who have aspirations beyond the material, they can find meaning in this book as well. Instead of having a secret stock tip or billion-dollar invention, Napoleon Hill and his steps are meant to instill a type of mind-set that will attract success, whether it be riches and fame, starting and owning your own business, or just happiness and peace of mind. A simple readthrough of the book will not guarantee this success, as such success comes with the continued application of Hill’s methods. I highly encourage anyone who desires to lead a successful life in any facet to pick up this book and see how Napoleon Hill’s philosophy can change their life.