I find this book to have a long and weird title. This book records the interview that Napoleon Hill did with Andrew Carnegie, which talks about the 17 success principles. Let me share with you the striking philosophy that I picked up from the book. To make sure no meaning is lost, I shall quote Andrew Carnegie’s words in verbatim.
The importance of knowing your purpose in life, and how it translates to tangible benefits,
“Definiteness of Purpose involving a hundred dollars, for example, might be translated into its financial equivalent in a few days, or even a few hours, or a few minutes, whereas, desire for a million dollars might call for considerably more time, depending to some extent on what one has to give in return for the million dollars… The best way I can think of to describe the time necessary for the translation of a definite purpose into its physical or financial equivalent, can be accurately stated by determining the exact time necessary to deliver the service, or the equivalent in value one intends to give in return for the object of that purpose.”
Wealth is a process of providing valuable service to others,
“riches and material things that men get are the effect of some form of useful services they rendered. My fortune did not come to me until I had delivered to others definite values in the form of large quantities of well-made steel.”
Money has no use when in possession, money need to be used constructively,
“…men seldom profit by money except that which they earn… The good there is in money consists of the use to which it is put, and not in the mere possession of it. Generally speaking, the man who earns his own money, acquires, along with it, some of the necessary wisdom as to its constructive use.”
Embrace responsibilities and work,
“Of the thousands of men who work for me, I hazard the guess that not more than a score of them would be willing to assume my responsibilities and work the hours I work, if I gave them all the money I possess for doing so. A few of the men who work for me have been willing to assume such responsibilities, and it is significant that every one of these is as rich as he desires to be.” (more…)
Trading is a crucible of life: it distills, in a matter of minutes, the basic human challenge: the need to judge, plan, and seek values under conditions of risk and uncertainty. In mastering trading, we necessarily face and master ourselves. Very few arenas of life so immediately reward self-development–and punish its absence.