“When riches begin to come they come so quickly, in such great abundance, that one wonders where they have been hiding during all those lean years.”
-Napoleon Hill
PARADIGM SHIFT
2 Simple Steps to Think and Grow Rich
Napoleon Hill, in his book Think and Grow Rich, gives a very simple formula for success:
- You must define exactly what it is that you want.
- You must design a plan to get there by a specific date.
In his own words, “there is one quality which one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge of what one wants, and a burning desire to possess it.”
“Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.”
Interestingly, it seems to me that the most difficult of these two principles is defining exactly what one wants.
Sure, that probably includes a specific monetary amount. But it easily includes other things, like what someone wants to make their legacy upon this earth. How do they want to affect the world for good?
Once the definite goal is decided upon, the plan to get there seems to me the easier part. We subconsciously even begin to take micro-actions that lead us closer to that goal, if we truly desire it. With enough pondering and research upon the subject, and definite plan can be designed. And that plan will change and adjust as one begins to take their first steps.
Defining exactly what you want is something that will emerge from deep within you. Only you will know what this is.
To get the wheels turning, there are six early steps you can take:
- Start with what comes to mind. Write down 3 roles or purposes that pique your interest (e.g. author, restaurant owner, counsellor, digital nomad, etc.).
- Read about, listen to and join online communities of others who are doing exactly what you listed. Learn the “language” and the basics that go into the success of each.
- Consider peripheral constraints or benefits to each: location dependence or independence, time commitment, monetary commitment, earnings potential, and specific risks involved, for example.
- Visualize how it would feel to live a day in each of these roles. Pay attention to the feelings you experience when seeing this life in your mind’s eye.
- If you need additional help in choosing, consider using personality tests (such as the Enneagram and Myers Briggs) to further analyze how certain roles resonate with your unique personality.
- Choose one, and design the time-bound plan to achieve it.
Hill’s success principles are simple. But permanent indecision is a costly trait. The sooner we each have definiteness of purpose, the sooner we will naturally desire to create an actionable plan to achieve it.