Organized Planning - What Does This Mean To You?
The Title of Chapter 7 from the book, Think and Grow Rich was originally misleading to me. When you read it please share in the discussion area below what did you get out of this chapter?
For those whom have stumbled onto this weekly book study on this iconic book Think and Grow Rich, you can catch up with what we have been doing through the following original bog post that started this all off:
Think and Grow Rich Could Be Worth A Million Dollars To You!
At the end of this post I have placed the links to posts on the previous chapters of this book that provided summaries and important points from the respective chapters.
The Role Of Leadership In Organized Planning
Although this chapter has a title about organized planning, it addresses the importance of LEADERSHIP as a critical component of organized planing.
The link between organized planning and leadership is the importance of using INTELLIGENT LEADERSHIP in planning one's course of action that will eventually provide you with the riches you desire.
In its simplest form, accumulation of riches is obtained by the selling of one's personal services. This can occur through one's job, or the business you create.
How To Shave Time Off Your Timeline
Napoleon Hill goes into great detail on how to approach getting a job that will propel you half-way up the ladder through deliberate and careful planning.
The process starts with being a good follower to leaders worth following. In so doing, you can learn from them and eventually become a successful leader yourself. For it is the quality of enlightened leadership that will develop confidence in your followers.
Let me make a connection to the followers we in affiliate marketing need - namely the readers of our bog posts who we hope will become customers. We want them to follow our advice. Right?
Can you see what we are really doing with our posts is selling our personal services? What do you think is the quality we must have to earn the trust of the reader? They must feel we know what we are talking about, At a level they can trust our advice.
Why?
So that they can make an informed decision to follow whatever we tell them. To buy what we are promoting because it will satisfy a need they have.
11 Attributes Of Leadership
Napoleon Hill elaborates on 11 attributes of enlightened leadership. He also goes into 10 major causes of failure in leadership. I strongly recommend you read this chapter carefully, especially the section about leadership.
In not so many words, the best form of leadership is SERVANT leadership. He addresses this by using the QQS ranking method.
- Quality of Service
- Quantity of Service
- Spirit of Service
If you attain high marks in 1 and 2 but low marks in 3, success will be elusive. In order to provide exceptional service, we must deliver it in the right spirit. Were you aware of that?
The day of the go-getter has been replaced by the go-giver. Sound principles are timeless.
The Value Of Preparation
Mr. Hill uses the example of a lawyer to illustrate his point. It is not the lawyer who know the most law but the one who best prepares his case who wins.
I found it enlightening that all those years ago, Napoleon Hill stated that do not be afraid of making your brief too long. Aren't we taught in Wealthy Affiliate to write long posts?
When you happen to watch webinars that are promoting a product or service aren't they quite long? And if you try to leave the video, you get redirected to a written blog that is also very long?
Why is that?
Long articles that explains all about the product or service in great detail is what an interested person is looking for. The key element is that the visitor must be looking for that item. And they do that by entering a keyword phrase in the search engines.
What Is Your True Worth?
This chapter takes us through a process of helping us to determine what our true worth is by using a 28 point questionnaire. I suggest we all go through this and answer the questions honestly.
To help us succeed, this chapter lists 31 major causes of failure. Knowing what they are so that we can avoid or minimize these causes, will help us enormously towards being successful.
Napoleon Hill suggests asking a friend you know well to go over this with you to tell you which points of failure apply to us. You can do this by yourself. However, we rarely can judge ourselves accurately without emotion.
Intelligent Planning
Intelligent planning is an essential process for success. Individually we may not have all the knowledge to plan intelligently all by ourselves. Here is where it is critical to have a MasterMind of others to draw on whom have the expertise we do not have in order to plan the actions we need.
Doesn't membership in Wealthy Affiliate help us in this direction? Here we have an army of individuals who are experts in areas we are not who we can draw on for assistance. Napoleon Hill certainly knew what he was talking about as he emphasized how important this process was.
Without having a MasterMind to help, success would not happen. Nobody who has achieved success was able to do is all by themselves. Equally, important, it was necessary to work in harmony with members in the MasterMind.
Everything above leads to the creating plans that are practical. Let me quote:
FIRST: you are engaged in an undertaking of major importance to you. To be sure of success, you must have plans that are faultless.
SECOND: you must have the advantage of experience, education, native ability and imagination of other minds. This is in harmony with the methods of every person who has accumulated a great fortune.
If Your Plan Fails What Next?
And if a plan fails, never give up. All that means is that specific plan was flawed. Create a replacement plan using lessons learned. Until one quite, you never truly fail. Virtually all successful people faced temporary defeat. They never gave up. And we shouldn't either.
Some people think that by just working hard is all that is necessary to succeed. That is not true. You need to have a good plan in place that is used as a guide on what actions to work hard on.
There is so much golden nuggets in this chapter that I cannot address all of them in a blog post. You have to read it, just like all the other chapters in order to absorb it all in. Now I can see why it is necessary to read this book several times.
The next time I do that I will use a thick yellow marker to identify key phrases throughout the book for easy reference. I suggest you also do the same.
Call To Action
Please read this chapter at least twice and go through the exercises recommended. That is a surefire way to benefit from the lessons taught here. The plan is by the end of this book study, we will all be better positioned to take our business to the next level.
Share your thoughts in discussion area below.
A Reminder
Are you reading your affirmations you developed from Chapter 2 aloud and with conviction twice daily? It is crucial to do that to reprogram one's brain for the reasons explained there. I am remiss in doing this and must correct the situation.
I wish you much success in your affiliate marketing journey.
Edwin
Recent Comments
22
So...I had to read this chapter at least twice - some sections more. This was one information packed chapter!
This may be the first time I have encountered the phrase Organized Planning. My interpretation: The process of creating and following a sound plan with the emphasis on “sound”.
What Napoleon has done is provide us with another recipe for success.
When you use high quality ingredients and follow the recipe the result will be the culinary masterpiece you envisioned.
To Think and Grow Rich begin with:
* One plan containing high-quality information
*One competent leader with impeccable leadership qualities
* Add as many people as needed who possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to help put that plan into action.
* Capital – You can never have too much
* Desire – Unlimited
* Persistence - Unwavering
Implement this plan in a logical sequence. Once established, top with profits, slice and enjoy!
Napoleon further describes the reasons for failure, principles for success, guidelines for obtaining a job, marketing strategies, etc. Each of the myriad topics he covers are of significant value however, I'm observing a common thought running throughout each chapter that boils down to this: Our MIND.
Plan or no plan, stop, start, obstacles, setbacks, difficulties…no matter the event, it is our state of mind that is the essential element that allows us to persevere, overcome, reach our goals, and succeed.
This is why it is important to take time each day to read our affirmations. We need to program our minds for success and this requires repetition.
Change your mind and you change your life!
Susan
Absolutely, Susan. This is an enormous chapter which I had only sufficient time to read once, last week. I will read it again.
I enjoyed reading your post, particularly including the six bullet points.
How fortunate we are as WA members that Edwin set this challenge for all who wish to participate.
There are magnificent lessons to be learned from Napolean Hill's writings in Think and Grow Rich.
Valerie
Hi Edwin, To write a better response to your post than this is going to be, I needed to do what you asked. That being, to read this chapter at least twice. Regrettably, I haven't been able to do that this week.
From personal experience, I see organized planning to be something that requires dedication, determination and strong leadership. That leadership may be of a selected group. Or, it could be the leadership of a business such as a one-person affiliate marketing business.
If the leader of a one-person affiliate marketing business is a true leader, they will eventually hire, or employ, people to help grow their business. That has been evident within Wealthy Affiliate.
Casting my mind back to years of employment in a position of leader, and a strong need for organized planning, the success came from understanding and appreciation of staff dedication to their work.
I relate that to how, as an affiliate marketer, I must understand and appreciate the visitors to my website. The greater majority of people do not respond to 'pressure to purchase'. To be able to sell products online, or offline, organized planning is essential.
Affirmations: With regard to your reminder, Edwin. I do read my affirmations twice daily. And, I'm pleased to say the positivity of the affirmations is having an effect on my daily life.
Thank you, Edwin.
Valerie
I agree with your thoughts about understanding and appreciating staff. If the leader supports and acknowledges his staff he will gain a dedicated support system. I found very few of my bosses understood that. I like how you transfer that to our visitors. Well put.
I am finding the affirmations to have a positive effect also! Who knew?
Thanks for your thoughts.
Barbara
Thanks, Barbara for responding to my comment. I appreciate your words and it's clear that we have a similar understanding of this huge and powerful subject. If I was a writer, which unfortunately I'm not, I could and would write a book on the subject of Leadership. Although I did experience seventeen years of administration leadership if it had not been for a spiteful "Head of Office Staff" when in my first job, I could have become qualified in the area of architecture. The opportunity was offered to me, but the head of the office staff would not release me. That kind of behaviour would not be tolerated these days. I'm referring to many years ago! I have never forgotten that person's meanness. The story goes further, but I'll leave it as is.
I'm pleased you're gaining benefit from the affirmations. Those who take affirmations seriously will benefit, as you and I are doing.
I daresay it's time to start reading the next chapter.
Enjoy your week.
Valerie
Well, I'm finally adding my two cents. It has taken me a week to think about this chapter. And to consider what Edwin and everyone else (My Mastermind Group) wrote.
Yes I have been saying my affirmations daily. I have gone beyond that to think about how my life will change when I reach that goal. I am in the process of making a visualization board also.
I read the chapter once and listened to it once. I took notes and underlined concepts.
Yes, Edwin, our readers have to trust us. They can only come to do so if we are trustworthy. I believe I display that by 1. recommending products that I believe in and stand behind 2. researching extensively to make sure I know what I'm talking about.
I love your comment about being servant leaders. The man I follow was the ultimate servant leader. :-)
I was frustrated by the title because I didn't feel this was organized planning. I expected a chapter on making an organized plan! Oh well.
My review of the chapter is broken down into:
1. Qualities of Leadership
2. Reasons for failure; 2 lists
3. Self Analysis
Perhaps this is the organized plan? I love what vmccarthy said about monthly self analysis. And using the sections I listed above to do so.
So, as I continue on my WA journey and my Think and Grow Rich journey, I am making plans and setting goals.
Hill writes extensively about leadership. I translate that into authority. Because authority is what we must have to produce a valuable, engaging and hopefully money making website.
My favorite quote from this chapter is, "A quitter never wins - and a winner never quits".
Thanks for this opportunity to contribute, Edwin.
Barbara
Hi Barbara,
You have the right idea...part of having a successful money-making business is to be willing to make plans and set goals.
Napoleon discusses the two types of people - leaders and followers. It has been my experience, the most successful leaders I've encountered were those who were first willing to be a follower.
One of the best doctors I ever worked with was first (right out of high school) a nurses aide. He then went to school to become an RN and then graduated med school and continues his practice in internal medicine.
Never quit and you'll always be a winner!
Susan
I have been keeping an index card every month with 30 circles on it. I fill in a circle every day that I read/write my goal cards and workbook page. At the end of the month I have a record of how many days I completed it. I am finding out that I skip too many days! I need to be more consistent here because then my work towards my own business is more consistent.
I chose 3 of the major causes of failure from this chapter that I could personally work on. I plan to make a card to add to my daily cards as a reminder. I also think that the 28 question inventory could almost be done every month and then choose the weakest one to work on the following month. There is so much good advice in this book that I can see why people read this book over and over their whole life.
What I found remarkable in this chapter was how most of what he said in 1930 is still going on today. We do not seem to have improved much in our society as a whole.
He talks about the depression (the 1929 one not today's but it eerily fits today's) and says, "Behind the depression was a cause. Nothing ever happens without a cause. In the main, the cause of the depression is traceable directly to the worldwide habit of trying to Reap without Sowing....Nearly everyone was engaged in the pastime of trying to GET WITHOUT GIVING." (his caps not mine.)
He goes on to say, "These illustrations are brought to the attention of those who have personal services to market to show that we are where we are, and what we are, because of our own conduct....this same principle controls individuals and determines their economic status." In other words, give enough people what they need and the money will follow. Too many people trying to get something for nothing brings the whole society down.
So am I giving enough? I think this is the first place to look if I am not happy with the results I am currently achieving. Am I giving people enough of what they want and need in my niche? Or am I trying to get without giving? I think I will look at how I can give more.
My response for the next chapter will be succinct, I promise.
Veronica
Hi Veronica,
I commend you on the approach you are taking to get the most from this book. Your actions show how seriously you are trying to do the right thing.
You have introduced a way to measure what you are doing which will help you improve more easily compared to others who do not.
No matter what ones field of study, we are always told to test, test and test some more. When we get results we don't like, unless we can relate it to what our actions were that led to these results we will not know what we have to modify or change.
When you notice your shortcomings as well as know the reasons why through your testing, that says you are on the right track.
Thanks for sharing your insights Veronica. This is most helpful.
Edwin
I love your post! It is heartfelt and thought provoking. I have yet to make my contribution to the post; the chapter was so long and had so much in it! Thanks for this.
I hope your next chapter response WON'T be succinct! :-)
Barb
Hi Veronica,
Like you, I was struck by how history seems to repeat itself. Looks like the "something for nothing" crowd has been around since, I guess, the beginning of time!
I found it also interesting (at least it was my interpretation - I could be very wrong) how Napoleon referred to capitalism as the Law of Economics. I always understood the Law of Economics to be based on supply and demand and capitalism to be way more complex – way above my pay grade to fully understand!
And 30 - THIRTY reasons for failure! Holy Cow! After reading that I had to go back and re-read Chapter 6. I really needed an affirmation that even though I could attribute my failures to a hefty majority of those reasons listed, I still have a fighting chance of beating the odds and finding success.
Your statement, "Am I giving people enough of what they want and need"? If you have a good handle on who your audience is, chances are, you are.
Think of it this way, your audience has a problem and you are providing them with a solution. Give them more than what they expect and you're definitely on the right track!
Susan
Hi Susan, great advice! Know your audience and give them more than they expect. That’s a key to success in a nutshell. We all know these ideas but they get lost in all the tangents I guess.
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Wow, this was quite a chapter ,I read it twice and I am sure will read it again a few times more.
While I will not rehash the qualities or failures, you should avoid as leader ,I am happy that I can mark most of it as positive. Some I do need to work on.
the sum for me of it all is : no matter what obstacles you have to face ,never give up : "A quitter never wins and a winner never quits"