Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill · 1937
The original success book. Flawed, dated, and still selling a million copies a year.
Worth reading? The source code of every modern success book — read it once so you recognize the clichés everywhere else. It's flawed and dated, and Hill's 'interviews' don't hold up, but the persistence-and-definite-aim core still lands. Skip it if you need evidence-based advice; this isn't it.
| Author | Napoleon Hill |
|---|---|
| Published | 1937 |
| Category | Business & Money |
The Verdict
Hill’s research claims are questionable and the mystical parts haven’t aged well. Read it anyway if you’re curious where the entire self-help genre came from: definiteness of purpose, the mastermind group, and persistence as a system all start here. Treat it as a historical document with useful bones, not gospel.
readers who want the source material behind nearly every modern success book
you need evidence-based advice (Hill's claims about his interviews don't hold up)
Book Summary
Hill's thesis: desire, written down as a definite aim and held with obsessive persistence, is the engine of achievement. His '13 principles' — autosuggestion, faith, specialized knowledge — are about training your mind to act, not about tactics.
Take the method, distrust the mysticism. The book mixes useful habits (clarity of goal, persistence) with unproven claims about secret councils and infinite intelligence. Read it as the ancestor of self-help, not as proven science.
Top 7 Lessons from Think and Grow Rich
- Write down a definite, burning goal — vagueness is the enemy.
- Persistence beats bursts; most quit just before the breakthrough.
- Your self-talk shapes your actions; use it on purpose.
- Specialized knowledge beats general education for earning.
- Mastermind groups multiply what you can do alone.
- Distrust the mysticism; keep the discipline.
- Decision and speed beat endless deliberation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Think and Grow Rich worth reading?
Worth one read as the original success book that spawned the genre, but take it as history, not evidence. Skip it if you need advice backed by data; Hill's interview claims don't hold up.
What is the main idea of Think and Grow Rich?
A definite, obsessive desire — written down and held with persistence — drives achievement. Hill's 13 principles are about training your mind to act, not about tactics.
How long does it take to read Think and Grow Rich?
About 320 pages, so roughly 8 to 9 hours of reading.
Who should read Think and Grow Rich?
Readers who want the source material behind nearly every modern success book. Avoid it if you need evidence-based advice; Hill's claims about his interviews don't hold up.
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