Think and Grow Rich! - Up-Date
Earl Nightengale's 1950's advice to think and grow rich is written for a world that no longer exists, if it ever did.
Ok, so I said it.
Nightengale's America at that time was the "richest country in the world" and not a place that is trillions of dollars in debt. His women baked apple pies, they aren't single moms working two or three jobs just to make ends meet. His men had a vocation such as running a gas station or being a salesman, they were not facing the new jobless economy and indebted for a college education they couldn't use.
Does this make his advice wrong?
I believe that much of his advice is even truer today than it was in the 1950s. This is because he was not writing about the conditions that we work in, but about our attitude towards ourselves and our lives. Eighty percent of his 100 American men failed despite the opportunities that proliferated around them. Moreover, Nightengale's America was a paradise of promise, but not for everyone.
Oprah's success was impossible in a country that barred Ella Fitzgerald from using the main entrance to the venues where she was the star attraction. However, this proves that Nightengale was correct -- Ella could not be kept down and niether could Oprah. These women both believed in themselves and surrounded themselve with people who also believed and were a positive influence.
The steps that Nightengale outlines are even more inportant to people who face systemic barriers to success, such as the racism that Ella encountered, because the positivity necessary for success is that much harder to find. The fears are more deeply ingrained and harder to extricate, but it must be done. The true supporters are not as plentiful because they are beaten down too, but they are out there and must be found.
In other words, if you let systemic barriers become your focus instead of thinking about your success, then that constant negativity will steal your life from you. Thinking to become rich is not about acting like barriers don't exist. Its about acknowledging them without accepting them as a limiting factor. You are bigger than that -- your success is only possible when you decide that it will indeed happen despite all.
Success has only one question -- when? The "how" is about sticks and stones, its the stuff you use your thinking power and positive attitude to overcome, step-by-step. If the question of how stops you in your tracks, then take the time to assess the possible fears that can be lurking behind that question. For example, maybe your website is not making money but you have been afraid of stepping out of your technological comfort zone to make it look different and really stand out. Or maybe you have a fear of standing out and you carry this into the design of your website.
We do not live in Nightengale's 1950s America, but that does not mean that some golden age of opportunity has passed that we will never see again. Remember that 80% of men didn't see the promise around them even then. Here are the take-aways that Nightengale gives us up-dated for the early 2000s:
- Recognize that you have a valuable contribution and can succeed in expressing this to the demographic that needs it, the money will follow.
- Think your way towards success, not away from it.
- Live your goal as an attitude toward life, change your lifestyle to reflect this attitude and actively become the person you want to be. Give yourself permission to do this starting now! If that permission is not forthcoming, assess the fears that are keeping you from it.
We are all on a journey, I hope that this brief up-date of Earl Nightengale's key principles is useful for you. Thank you to @herinnelson for pointing me toward Nightengale's teachings on YouTube and all the best to her on her $50,000 personal challenge.
Recent Comments
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Linser, what an awesome blog you have written!
I have read Napoleon Hills book "Think and Grow Rich". It made me start thinking different and it was the first step to the transformation of my thought pattern. About one year later I found Wealthy Affiliate - how happy I am to be here.
I definitively want to check out Nightengale on Youtube as you suggested in the thread below.
:-)
For sure, Nightengale does take Hill's ideas further. And he gives tasks to do so you can make the changes he suggests. He doesnt just say, "try to be this different person, so long and good luck." He gives steps to make the changes.
Sounds perfect!
Linser, you have made me convinced.
I'm going to listen to what Nightengale has to say.
Can't wait to learn about what steps to take.
:-)
On the weekend I found a video that Nightingale did with Napoleon Hill. Seems like there was a brief period when the two men actually worked together to try and get these ideas out there.
I have listened to a couple of the Nightengale videos. Excellent!
I'll look for the one you talk about too. Thank you Doug, for the additional tip.
Always work on strengthening my mind!
:-)
Yes, there always seems to be excellent advise out there that we somehow have never heard. Its amazing how much useful information was shared decades ago!
Exactly, when listening to Nightengale, it's like he lives today. It doesn't sound much different than it is now.
Have listened to the episode whith Naoleon Hill too. Great!
:-)
WOWEE, Linser! You truly have a way with words, my friend! This post is one of the most amazing blogs I've read here! You have captured the essence of Earl Nightingale's earnest dreams for people's mindset, and have expanded on it even more with your own thoughts! I love the way you compared his theories in the 1950's to how life has panned out today! Well stated! You have expressed here exactly how I am feeling in going forward with my quest. I have to do it in order to live life on MY terms! Thanks!
You are so welcome and thanks for leading me on to him. At first I had my doubts and then he dug deeper and really got to the issues that keep us from our own success. A lot of it I knew in my gut, I just hadnt put the bigger picture together as he does. When you see that and put yourself in it, you suddenly see why you have to give yourself permission to start truly living your own life. Now I understand why you want to start your experiment with Nightengale.
Incredible reply, Linser! Everything is coming together, with the help of a positive outlook, motivational direction and a pure sense of self! I give myself permission to live my own life the way I see fit! The truth of Nightingale's words are astounding! You are making a huge impact in your life and in the lives of others, and for that reason, your life is an abundance of opportunity! Great insight!
Great post Linser, thank you.
Positive thinking will get you a long, long way - I truly believe that :)
In the past I thought it was kind of a nice thing to do, like a warm-and-fuzzy thing some folks thought was serious. Now I am doing it and its literally life changing. I've had to confront the negative norms that I grew up with and give up a number of friendships that were not good for me, but having a happier life is worth it. And it has such a direct application to what we do here at WA.
The book, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, published in 1937, although dated in some small ways in which to do things, is still very relevant today.
It's a great read for those who want to believe and achieve!
Its pretty clear that Nightengale was influenced by Hill and he quotes Hill. If you like what Hill had to say, then check out Nightengale on YouTube. Its mainly speaking from his tapes and records so Im sure you could listen to it driving or wherever.
I took the risk of making the post look like it was bashing Nightengale because that's how I thought of him when I first started listening to him on YouTube. Then I started to apply his own principles and "thought" more deeply about his message and opened my attitude up to being more "positive" about what he could be saying. That's when he stared making more sense. Thanks for sticking with it!
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Great history reminder, I love your analogy.
Sandy