Think and Grow Rich – Complete Book Summary

Napoleon Hill begins this transformative book with the incredible story of Edwin C. Barnes, a man who possessed a burning desire to become business partners with the great inventor Thomas Edison. Despite having no money, no personal introduction, and not even knowing Edison personally, Barnes traveled to Orange, New Jersey and presented himself at Edison's laboratory. His journey wasn't immediate success, but his persistence and unwavering definite purpose eventually led to the business relationship he so deeply desired.

This powerful opening story illustrates the central theme that runs throughout the entire book: whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Hill explains that this book represents the culmination of twenty years of intensive research commissioned by the steel magnate Andrew Carnegie himself. Carnegie challenged Hill to interview five hundred of America's most successful individuals and distill their success principles into a practical philosophy that could be used by ordinary people to achieve extraordinary results.

The principles presented in this book were not merely theoretical concepts but were tested by thousands of people over several decades before being published. Hill emphasizes that these principles work in any economic condition and have been proven by people who started with absolutely nothing. Throughout the book, Hill mentions a "secret" to success that runs through every chapter, deliberately not naming it directly but challenging readers to discover it for themselves through careful study and application of the principles.

The second chapter introduces what Napoleon Hill considers the first and most fundamental step toward riches: desire. Hill emphasizes that merely wishing for riches will not bring wealth. What's required is a burning desire, a white heat of purpose that consumes one's entire being. This intense desire becomes the starting point from which all achievement flows.

Hill provides a detailed six-step method for turning desire into its financial equivalent. The first step involves fixing in your mind the exact amount of money you desire, being specific rather than vague. The second step requires determining exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire, recognizing that there are no something-for-nothing deals in the universe. The third step involves establishing a definite date by which you intend to possess this money, creating urgency and focus.

The fourth step is to create a definite plan for carrying out your desire and to begin at once, whether you feel ready or not. The fifth step involves writing out a clear, concise statement that includes the amount of money, the time limit, what you will give in return, and the plan you will follow. The sixth and final step requires reading this written statement aloud twice daily—once before retiring at night and once after arising in the morning—while seeing, feeling, and believing yourself already in possession of the money.

Hill shares the cautionary tale of Darby and his uncle during the gold rush era. They had invested everything in a gold mine and worked tirelessly, but after encountering a layer of hard rock just three feet from a massive gold vein, they became discouraged and sold their equipment to a junk man. That junk man brought in an expert who discovered the gold just three feet beyond where the Darby's had stopped digging. The mine went on to produce millions of dollars worth of gold, illustrating the critical importance of persistence that comes from a burning desire.

Faith represents the second step in Napoleon Hill's philosophy of achievement. Hill describes faith as the "head chemist of the mind" because it has the power to transform the vibration of thought into its physical equivalent. When faith is blended with thought, the subconscious mind instantly picks up the vibration, translates it into its spiritual equivalent, and transmits it to Infinite Intelligence.

Faith is the vital element that gives life, power, and action to the impulse of thought. Hill emphasizes that faith is the only known antidote to failure. It is the element that takes the feeling of belief and gives it staying power, substance, and driving force. Faith is a state of mind that may be induced by auto-suggestion, by repeatedly giving positive instructions to the subconscious mind.

Hill provides a powerful self-confidence formula that readers can use to develop faith: "I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my definite purpose; therefore, I demand of myself persistent, continuous action toward its attainment." Repeating this statement with conviction helps to program the subconscious mind for success.

The chapter explains that faith can be developed through several methods, including auto-suggestion by repeating affirmations, surrounding oneself with positive influences, studying the successes of others who have achieved great things, and systematically eliminating negative thoughts and people from one's life. Hill stresses that faith is not something that can be summoned only when needed but must be cultivated as a permanent state of mind through daily practice and reinforcement.

Auto-suggestion is the principle of self-suggestion through which an individual can voluntarily feed their subconscious mind with thoughts of a creative and positive nature. Hill compares auto-suggestion to programming a computer—whatever you program into your subconscious mind is what will manifest in your reality. It is the medium of communication between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind.

The practice of auto-suggestion involves repeatedly giving instructions to your subconscious mind through spoken words, thoughts, and visualizations. Hill recommends that readers write out their statement of desire, as developed in the desire chapter, and read it aloud each morning and night with as much emotion and feeling as possible. The subconscious mind responds most powerfully to thoughts that are mixed with strong emotion.

This practice should continue until the individual can literally see themselves in possession of the money or achievement they desire. The repetition of positive statements, when done with feeling and emotion, gradually overcomes the negative programming that most people receive throughout their lives. From childhood, people are often programmed with limiting beliefs about money, their capabilities, and what's possible for them. Auto-suggestion serves as the primary tool to reprogram these limiting beliefs with empowering ones that support the achievement of goals.

Hill explains that the subconscious mind cannot distinguish between real experiences and vividly imagined ones. Therefore, when you repeatedly visualize yourself achieving your goals and combine this visualization with strong positive emotions, your subconscious mind accepts these experiences as real and begins working to make them manifest in your physical reality.

Napoleon Hill makes a crucial distinction in this chapter between general knowledge and specialized knowledge. He explains that general knowledge alone, no matter how great in quantity or variety, is of little use in accumulating money. Knowledge only becomes power when it is organized and intelligently directed through practical plans of action toward a definite end. Specialized knowledge is knowledge that is organized and applied to the achievement of a specific goal.

There are two main ways to acquire specialized knowledge according to Hill. The first is through one's own experiences and formal education. The second, and often more efficient method, is through alliance with others who possess the knowledge you need, which relates to the Master Mind principle that Hill discusses later. Successful people understand what specific knowledge they need to achieve their goals and either acquire it themselves or form partnerships with those who already have it.

Hill emphasizes that successful people are not afraid to admit what they don't know. This humility allows them to seek out experts and build teams that complement their knowledge gaps. Many unsuccessful people make the mistake of pretending to know everything, which prevents them from acquiring the specialized knowledge they truly need. The most successful individuals are often not those with the most general knowledge but those who have identified the specific knowledge required for their goals and have either acquired it or aligned with those who possess it.

The chapter also discusses the importance of continuous learning and adaptation. In a rapidly changing world, specialized knowledge can become obsolete quickly, so successful people commit to lifelong learning and regularly update their knowledge base to stay relevant and effective in their chosen fields.

Imagination is presented as the workshop of the mind where all plans are created. Hill identifies two forms of imagination: synthetic imagination and creative imagination. Synthetic imagination involves arranging old concepts, ideas, or plans into new combinations. This form of imagination doesn't create anything new but works with the material of experience, education, and observation to create new arrangements and applications.

Creative imagination, on the other hand, is the faculty through which hunches, inspirations, and "sixth sense" impressions are received. This form of imagination is where true innovation and original ideas are born. Creative imagination functions automatically when the conscious mind is working at a high rate of speed, such as when driven by a burning desire for the attainment of a definite purpose.

Hill explains that all man-made things begin as an idea in someone's imagination. He shares examples of famous inventions and business ventures that started as simple ideas in someone's imagination. However, he emphasizes that ideas themselves have no material value until they are coupled with definite plans and persistent action toward their realization.

Like any faculty, imagination grows stronger with use. Hill recommends that readers set aside dedicated time for creative thinking and problem-solving. Many great ideas come when the conscious mind is relaxed or focused on something else entirely. The development of imagination requires practice, and Hill suggests various exercises to strengthen this mental faculty, including brainstorming sessions, visualization practices, and challenging oneself to find new solutions to old problems.

This chapter addresses the critical transition from desire to concrete action through organized planning. Hill emphasizes that desire alone means nothing without a practical, organized plan for its achievement. He provides detailed guidance on creating effective plans, including what to do when the first plan fails—the solution being to replace it with a new plan rather than abandoning the desire.

Hill shares his research into the thirty-one major causes of failure, which represent the common traits and behaviors of people who never achieve significant success. These causes include unfavorable hereditary background, lack of a well-defined purpose in life, insufficient education, lack of self-discipline, ill health, procrastination, lack of persistence, negative personality, lack of decision-making ability, and various other self-limiting behaviors and attitudes.

The chapter also includes twenty-eight questions for self-analysis that readers can use to conduct an honest assessment of their strengths and weaknesses. This comprehensive self-evaluation is crucial for creating effective plans for personal and professional improvement. By understanding where they currently stand, individuals can create more realistic and achievable plans for where they want to go.

Hill discusses the importance of learning from defeat and failure. He explains that every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. Successful people learn to extract the lesson from every setback and use that knowledge to refine their plans and approach. Failure only becomes permanent when individuals accept it as such; otherwise, it serves as valuable feedback for course correction.

The analysis of twenty-five thousand people who experienced failure revealed to Hill that lack of decision was near the top of the list of causes of failure. Procrastination, the opposite of decision, is one of the most common enemies that people must conquer. Hill's research showed that successful people make decisions quickly and change them slowly, if and when a change is warranted. Unsuccessful people, in contrast, make decisions slowly and change them frequently and quickly.

Hill warns strongly against allowing others to negatively influence one's decisions. He observes that many people have their dreams destroyed by well-meaning but negative friends and relatives who lack the courage to pursue their own dreams. These individuals often project their own fears and limitations onto others, discouraging them from taking the risks necessary for significant achievement.

The chapter contains the famous advice that "free advice is usually worth the price." Hill cautions readers that the majority of people give advice freely, but this advice is often based on their own limitations, fears, and lack of experience rather than on genuine knowledge and wisdom. Successful people learn to evaluate advice carefully and make their own decisions based on their definite purpose and plans.

Hill also discusses the importance of listening to one's own intuition or "hunches" when making decisions. While gathering facts and seeking counsel are important, the final decision should align with one's inner guidance, especially when that guidance is developed through the practice of the other principles outlined in the book.

Persistence is an essential factor in the process of transmuting desire into its monetary equivalent. Hill describes persistence as simply willpower directed toward a definite end. However, he clarifies that willpower alone is not enough—it must be combined with a burning desire to achieve something specific. The basis of persistence is the power of will, and willpower and desire, when properly combined, make an irresistible pair.

Hill outlines four simple steps that lead to the habit of persistence. The first is a definite purpose backed by a burning desire. The second is a definite plan, continuously acted upon. The third is a mind closed tightly against all negative and discouraging influences, including negative suggestions from relatives, friends, and acquaintances. The fourth is a friendly alliance with one or more people who will encourage one to follow through with both plan and purpose.

The chapter emphasizes that persistence is tested most severely when everything seems to be going wrong and there appears to be no light at the end of the tunnel. This is the point where most people quit—and this is exactly when persistence is most needed. Hill shares numerous examples of highly successful people who faced repeated failures and setbacks before finally achieving their goals, demonstrating that persistence often makes the difference between temporary defeat and permanent failure.

Hill also provides guidance on how to develop persistence through practice. He suggests starting with smaller goals and building the persistence muscle gradually. Each small victory strengthens one's ability to persist through larger challenges. The development of persistence is a gradual process that requires conscious effort and daily practice until it becomes an automatic response to obstacles and setbacks.

The Master Mind principle is defined as the coordination of knowledge and effort between two or more people who work toward a definite purpose in a spirit of harmony. Hill explains that no individual can have great power without a Master Mind alliance. The Master Mind may be defined as the coordination of knowledge and effort, in a spirit of harmony, between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose.

Hill reveals that Andrew Carnegie, one of the wealthiest individuals in history, attributed his entire fortune to the power of the Master Mind. Carnegie surrounded himself with a team of experts who complemented his knowledge and skills, creating a synergistic effect where the collective intelligence and capability far exceeded the sum of individual contributions.

The chapter provides practical guidance on how to create and maintain an effective Master Mind group. Hill suggests selecting members who possess skills and knowledge that complement rather than duplicate one's own. Harmony and shared purpose are essential ingredients, and regular meetings should be held to brainstorm, plan, and support one another's goals. Absolute confidentiality must be maintained within the group to create a safe space for sharing ideas and challenges.

Hill explains that when two or more people coordinate in a spirit of harmony and work toward a definite purpose, they place themselves in position to absorb power directly from the great storehouse of Infinite Intelligence. This is the same power that the Master Mind principle gives to the individual, making possible the achievement of goals that would be impossible to attain alone.

Sex transmutation is defined as the switching of the mind from thoughts of physical expression to thoughts of some other nature. Hill explains that sexual energy is the most powerful human desire, and when this energy is harnessed and redirected, it can fuel extraordinary creative achievement and drive. The emotion of sex contains the secret of creative ability and has a tremendous effect in accelerating the frequency of vibrations of thought.

Hill suggests that many great leaders, artists, writers, and innovators achieved their status through the transmutation of sexual energy. When properly transmuted, this same energy may be used as a powerful creative force in literature, art, business, and other professions. Genius is often developed through this process of directing sexual energy into creative channels.

The chapter discusses the ten major mind stimuli that can arouse the mind to action, with sex desire being the most powerful of all. The other nine stimuli are love, burning desire for fame or power or money, music, friendship between either or both of two people, a Master Mind alliance based upon harmony of two or more people, mutual suffering such as that experienced by people who are persecuted, auto-suggestion, fear, and narcotics and alcohol.

Hill explains that sex energy is the creative energy of all geniuses. It has been found that most great leaders were motivated by the influence of a woman. The emotion of love, when combined with sex, can lift one to incredible heights of creative imagination and achievement. The transmutation of sex energy requires self-control and discipline but yields tremendous rewards in terms of personal power and achievement capability.

The subconscious mind is described as the connecting link between the finite mind of man and Infinite Intelligence. Hill compares the subconscious mind to a fertile garden in which any seed of thought will grow and produce its corresponding manifestation in physical form. The subconscious mind works continuously, day and night, using infinite intelligence to manifest the dominant thoughts that are impressed upon it through the conscious mind.

The subconscious mind is most receptive to thoughts that are mixed with feeling or emotion. This is why affirmations spoken with strong emotion and conviction are far more effective than those spoken mechanically or without feeling. Hill explains that merely reading or speaking words without the accompanying emotion has little effect on the subconscious mind.

Hill identifies seven major positive emotions that help program the subconscious mind for success: desire, faith, love, sex, enthusiasm, romance, and hope. He also warns against the seven major negative emotions that must be avoided: fear, jealousy, hatred, revenge, greed, superstition, and anger. Positive and negative emotions cannot occupy the mind at the same time, so the key is to ensure that positive emotions dominate one's mental state.

The chapter explains how to properly communicate with the subconscious mind through auto-suggestion, faith, and visualization. When these methods are applied consistently, the subconscious mind becomes a powerful ally in the achievement of one's definite purpose, working automatically to bring desired outcomes into reality.

Hill proposes that every human brain is both a broadcasting and receiving station for the vibration of thought. He suggests that the human brain is capable of picking up thought vibrations from other brains and from the "ether," which we might interpret today as the collective unconscious or universal consciousness. This capability explains phenomena such as hunches, intuition, and sudden creative inspiration that seem to come from nowhere.

The creative imagination is described as the "receiving set" of the brain through which ideas, plans, and thoughts flash into the mind. These flashes of inspiration often occur when the conscious mind is relaxed or focused on something else entirely. Many great discoveries and inventions have come to people during moments of relaxation or when they were not consciously thinking about the problem at hand.

Hill suggests various ways to stimulate the creative faculty and enhance one's ability to receive intuitive guidance. These include working in Master Mind groups, seeking solitude for reflection and meditation, maintaining a burning desire for solutions to problems, and practicing the other principles outlined in the book. The more developed one's creative faculty becomes, the more readily one can access the infinite intelligence available through this universal broadcasting system.

The chapter also touches on the relationship between the brain and the sixth sense, suggesting that the sixth sense may be the medium through which Infinite Intelligence communicates voluntarily without any effort from the individual. This communication often comes in the form of hunches or inspirations that provide guidance at critical moments.

The sixth sense is described as that portion of the subconscious mind which has been referred to as the creative imagination. It has also been called the receiving set through which ideas, plans, and thoughts flash into the mind. These flashes sometimes come in response to prayer or intense desire. The sixth sense is the apex of Hill's philosophy and cannot be fully described because it cannot be satisfactorily explained in words that those without experience with it would understand.

Hill considers the sixth sense to be the "guardian angel" that can warn of impending danger and reveal opportunities at the appropriate time. This faculty functions automatically and spontaneously without any conscious effort on the part of the individual. The sixth sense is the substance of genius and becomes available only after one has mastered the other twelve principles outlined in the book.

The development of the sixth sense is a gradual process that occurs naturally as one practices and applies the other principles. It cannot be rushed or forced but emerges organically as the individual becomes more aligned with their definite purpose and more open to receiving guidance from Infinite Intelligence. The sixth sense is the medium through which one may access infinite knowledge and wisdom beyond the limitations of the five physical senses.

Hill shares his personal practice of holding imaginary meetings with what he calls his "Invisible Counselors"—nine great historical figures including Ralph Waldo Emerson, Thomas Paine, Thomas Edison, Charles Darwin, and others. Through these mental meetings, conducted in his imagination, Hill claims to have gained remarkable insights and solutions to complex problems. This practice represents one method for developing and accessing the power of the sixth sense.

Before you can apply any of the principles in this book effectively, you must prepare yourself to receive them by conquering the six basic fears that hold most people back from success. Hill identifies these as the fear of poverty, the fear of criticism, the fear of ill health, the fear of loss of love of someone, the fear of old age, and the fear of death. All other fears are minor and can be grouped under these six main headings.

The fear of poverty manifests as indifference, doubt, worry, over-caution, and procrastination. Its antidote is a burning desire for riches backed by a definite plan. The fear of criticism shows up as self-consciousness, lack of poise, personality complex, and extravagance. Overcoming it requires understanding that criticism is often a reflection of the critic's own insecurities rather than an accurate assessment of one's abilities or worth.

The fear of ill health appears as auto-suggestion of illness, hypochondria, and susceptibility to illness. Its solution lies in focusing on health and vitality through positive thinking and healthy habits. The fear of loss of love manifests as jealousy, fault-finding, and gambling. The remedy involves developing self-love and understanding that true love doesn't seek to possess or control others.

The fear of old age reveals itself through slowing down prematurely, apologizing for being old, and killing initiative. Overcoming it requires viewing age as wisdom and experience rather than decline. Many people achieve their greatest success later in life. The fear of death appears as thinking about dying instead of living and lacking purpose. The solution is to focus on living fully, leaving a legacy, and viewing death as a transition rather than an end.

Hill explains that all these fears are states of mind and nothing more. They are created by humans and can be eliminated by humans. The first step in overcoming them is to recognize their existence and understand their symptoms. The next step is to consciously replace fearful thoughts with thoughts of courage, faith, and confidence through the practice of auto-suggestion and the other principles outlined in the book.