Napoleon Hill - What is the 'secret'

[geoffw]

Hi Fivemillion
I spend a lot of time travelling between Canberra and Sydney by car and often listen to the man himself through a series of CD,s that I got given indirectly from Geoff W(I think he has the info on where to get copies).

Yep.

"The Science of Personal Achievement" from Pow Wow Events- cost $145 for 5 CDs.

Or there is Think and Grow Rich for $97 for 6 CDs.

I find it very useful to have things like this to listen to in the car- it makes it less of a time waster.

 

[monoply]

Not sure if anyone has seen the adds for the program coming soon (channel 9 I think) called "the Secret". There is a fair chance this program may relate to this book (I could be very wrong, but have heard it will interest investors) so a lot of you may be interested in catching it when it is on.

Cheers

 

[simonjulie]

Hi Monoply
What a novel idea for attracting ratings.
I suppose the secret will be revealed and 20% of viewers will say "that was interesting" and maybe 20% of those people may take that knowledge and act on it to some degree and so on and so on. As for the other 80% they would probably tell you that they already knew it and turned over to the footy or something far more interesting like LOST
regards
Simon

 

[markpatric]

There is good reason why it is not taught in schools, and that is because it is all speculation.
At the end of the day you find motivation and you acheive something, no book will give you anything that is not already there and it is doubtful whether "brainwashing" is benefitial.
Hill himself reveals how little about the human brain is known yet the whole concept is based on repetative affirmation of orders to the brain.
I could go on and on but the book is at the end of the day "junk food for the mind" imo.
If the principles work why is Hill dead and why is there so much poverty and suffering in the world?, and my fav why is it Hill could not flap his arms and fly?.
The secret Hill refers to is simply to "think" your way to anything at all, by imagining you have something before you actually do, which is here nor there in the real world, it may improve your prospects in many areas of life and so may be very helpful to those who study the book ceaselessly and live by it, all the while elevating Hill to godlike status.
Hill very artfully dodges the concepts of time and reality.
In one chapter he mentions a friend in hospital who the doctors fear won`t make it, but due to the patients "mind power" he does of course.
I ask you one question is this man still alive?.
People in hospital die every single day regardless of whether they think they will live or not.
Compare it to the safety of driving a car, you can study driving skills and obey the road rules and drive a very late model car with airbags etc but still you may become a statistic, because there are others using the roads, do you think these poor souls believed they would die on the roads?, at the very instant before collision perhaps they did but this is where the whole concept of TAGR falls down.

It`s a crock.

 

[simonjulie]

Hi markpatric
the book is entitled "Think and grow rich" not "think and live forever"
I might add that Nepoleon Hill's lifes work has imortalised him as an inspiration to millions of people and I believe this inspiration will live on for future generations as the basic concepts of his principals are in line with nature and honest in there presentation.
He was just a man like anyone else but took up a challenge presented to him by the then wealthiest man in the world. What would you have done if offered the same?
Thanks for your thoughts
Simon

 

[markpatric]

After having studied the book thoroughly I believe it does offer far more than riches or success, but whether or not it delivers on any count is another question.
He has an awful lot of famous successful people putting thier stamp of approval on the book, can they all be wrong, you bet!.
I have long come to the conclusion that noone should ever blindly follow other peoples methods or generally accepted outlooks on anything.
Hills whole philosophy is based on the example I gave you, do you not agree it is bogus?.
If not, where are the lines drawn and who draws them?.
The whole concept is based on anything at all being acheivable if you believe it or even trick your mind into believing it!.

 

[simonjulie]

The whole concept is based on anything at all being acheivable if you believe it or even trick your mind into believing it!.

Hi markpatric
I don't think you and I have same understanding of the secret to TAGR.
The key ingrediant that your above quote is missing is "by focusing on the solution one will be in a much better position to figure out, equip and educate oneself on how to acheive the goal at hand.
There is nothing supernatural about that aproach.
If you only look for bmw's then that is all you will every see.(Robert Kywasaki)
10% propblem and 90% solution.(Tony Robbins)
And Nepoleon Hill said, a person can set all the goals and have all the plans they can think up but they will be of no lasting benefit to that person if they can't figure out a way to make their goals,plans, etc work.
That's common sense.
thanks for your input
regards
Simon

 

[markpatric]

It`s very clear we don`t have the same understanding of the book.
Ask yourself really how many times did you read the book or listen to the tape from start to finish?.
I ask because you seem to have a very limited understanding of what the book is about, simply because the book is VERY supernatural, that`s the whole aim of the book to acheive extraordinary goals, it`s not I want to own five houses type of book it`s, I want to own a thousand houses, yet I have no money, no job and no prospects type of book, it is about bringing techniques into play that can transform an ordinary man into an extraordinary one in a profound way.

 

[simonjulie]

It`s very clear we don`t have the same understanding of the book.
Ask yourself really how many times did you read the book or listen to the tape from start to finish?.
I ask because you seem to have a very limited understanding of what the book is about, simply because the book is VERY supernatural, that`s the whole aim of the book to acheive extraordinary goals, it`s not I want to own five houses type of book it`s, I want to own a thousand houses, yet I have no money, no job and no prospects type of book, it is about bringing techniques into play that can transform an ordinary man into an extraordinary one in a profound way.

Are we discussing the same book?I don't have much time for supernatural stuff. You seem to be making judgements based on your interpretation of the book. I hoped that I could help clarify some of your concerns about the work of NH but I fear that you are more concerned about being right in your view.
So, what would make you happy?
Maybe you would like to have the last word on this?
I don't mind at all whether you agree or disagree with my comments but please stop the personal attacks. Is it not more important to build up than to pull down especially on a forum like this?
regards
Simon

 

[simonjulie]

"Norm Hill (finding car spaces)"
For those readers of this post who have not been introduced to Norm Hill. He is one of Nepoleon Hill's supernatural spirit guides who's job it was to go out before NH to find empty parking spaces for him to park his car and also do other things to help NH make better use of his time.
(He refers to a number of such spirit guides through out his talks. Each of them having particular roles to perform in various aspects of his life)

Now let's get this into logical perspective. IMHO, NH refers to these guides as imaginary helpers but we all could know that this is a very disiplined way of streamlining and fine tunning ones mind so that one can work more efficiently toward achieving their definate major purpose. In a nut shell, the supernatural spirit guides are really a very effective way to focus ones mind on the various complexities that make up our lives so to leave a path for clear positive thinking. There is nothing supernatural about that.
And that's my two cents worth.Happy investing
Regards
Simon
Norm Hill and all his mates work for me too

 

[fivemillion]

Hey Markpatrick

You are missing the point of the book. It's basically saying that you can achieve what ever you put your mind to as long as you are willing to "walk the walk" and not just talk about it.

I think you just don't get the book!!! so don't worry about it.

No offence intended

 

[markpatric]

So are you saying that if you disagree or see a comment which to you is misleading or wrong that you should say nothing for the sake of general concensus or a "positive attitude".
The book is what the book is.
Napoleon Hills own words.
It is a book which can change a persons life from lowly to a point where everything you touch seemingly turns to gold.
When you find someone who the book has done this for let me know.
I will finish by saying that in order to find how someone gets wealth or incredible success it is not sufficient at all to study only successful people or more importantly people after they have attained success.
Is this not blindingly obvious.
Also the core teachings of the book are based around "affirmation of orders to the brain" for which Hill admits literally nothing was or is known.

The book is full of contradiction and artistic licence.

It took Barnes years before he had his opportunity to find success working for Edison, he presented himself to Edison looking like a common tramp, he had been a total failure up to that point in his life, was it not important that Barnes present himself as someone with a work ethic or at least a respectable employee? or was it not important enough but only important enough that he beg for a job?.
Darcys uncle was going to kill a poor black child with a barrel stave over fifty cents and Darcy just sat and watched in horror????? and we are supposed to learn a valuable lesson from Darcy?, are we not learning the WRONG lessons?, I shudder to think what would have happened had Darcy NOT been present!.
Do these stories not tell you something?.
Further it is absolutely essential that a person fail time and time again before attaining true success, the burning desire does not have to be programmed into the mind it is a natural occurance and can happen at any given time, even a second before or a second after....anytime a goal is achieved, therefore it is not necessary to program your mind if a true desire to succeed is already there.

You can speak gibberish, but you still don`t answer the questions.

Anytime a person says "don`t question", you can guarantee there is an ulterior motive only blind faith will answer.
The answer is most often wrong!.

 

[geoffw]

I didn't "get" the book. It didn't do anything for me. But that's me.

I liked "The Science of Personal Achievement" much more.

Simon & Julie did "get" it. It obviously suited their mindset better than it suited mine.

They have done extremely well as a result. Many people in this forum talk about what they will do when they get out of the ratrace.

Simon and Julie gave up their jobs 3-4 years ago. They've been renovating, because they like it. And taking quality time off between renos. It's something they have a passion for- they don't have to do anything if they don't want.

 

[simonjulie]

Darcys uncle was going to kill a poor black child with a barrel stave over fifty cents and Darcy just sat and watched in horror?????

Perhaps the little girl would not have been so bold had Darcy not been present. Either way, she saw an opportunity, took a risk and it paid off.

Your view of this story is obviously different to mine.

I think it is one of things that make this book stand out from many others. People either understand it or they don't. Either way it pushes people's buttons. If it didn't this post would not be so long. Why do you think the book is still in publication today after so many years?

Julie
Audentes Fortuna Juvat

 

[simonjulie]

The fridge light does turn off. Can I get out now.

I like your mindset Geoff. I think you may save some of us from taking ourselves too seriously.


Happy New Year!
Julie

 

[markpatric]

So now the book is NOT to be taken seriously?.

My idea of why the girl persisted was simply her love for her mother, nothing to do with Darby being present and nothing to do with self gain or the fifty cents.

"MY MAMMYS GOTTA HAVE THAT FIFTY CENTS!".

 

[simonjulie]

So now the book is NOT to be taken seriously?

Not the book.
Me & you et al.

I'm on holiday atm. I think I'll go back to my true crime stories. No offence but we're chasing our tails here.

Happy New Year.
Julie

 

[Bricks & Mortar]

Well with this much dicussion it's certainly sparked more than enough interest to read it myself.
Haven't read it yet
Take in the bits that help and discard the things that dont
Cant expect all the answers in one book
thanks guys

cheers Timm

 

[DaleGG]

Oh dear.....

I think I would be arrested if I did that.....

Just kidding! Really! I am....

Dale

Get out there and act on your desires, and eventually you will become your greatest success!!!

Cheers,

Jo

 

[lizzie]

Well with this much dicussion it's certainly sparked more than enough interest to read it myself.
Haven't read it yet
Take in the bits that help and discard the things that dont
Cant expect all the answers in one book
thanks guys

cheers Timm

i agree - now i want to read it. love controversy