It seems like I always have the best epiphanies when I’m on cross-country flights. For some reason I find them so inspiring. I, like everyone else, need inspiration wherever I can find it.When you have a dream, you’ve defined it, committed to it, work at it tirelessly and believe in it with all your heart — you will be faced with times when NOTHING seems to be happening. That’s when you start to question everything. Experience tells me that pushing through those times, is the key to get the ball rolling again. But sometimes it’s so hard. It’s easy to lose your way in times like that. And when you allow those times to drag on and on, and don’t put an end to those thoughts and feelings that’s when it starts to become dangerous. That’s when you’re at risk of losing it all together. And that’s the stage when most people become overwhelmed with doubt and start to think that it’s all a bunch of crap and that the Law of Attraction doesn’t work.
Two years ago I got a book called “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill. It instantly lit a fire under me. In the back of the book, on the last two blank pages, I wrote out my plan for success in detail. With defined deadlines and specific “moments” I expected to live out and manifest. Then I put the book away. That was September 1, 2011.
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| My 2011 goals written at the back of the book |
Before I walked out the door headed to the airport yesterday, I grabbed the book off my nightstand. And on my flight I began reading it again. I read over the plan I’d written out two years ago to the day. And I measured my progress against that plan.
I did not reach my goals. In the last two years I have not hit my timelines and bench marks and have not lived out all those moments. And as any logical person would do, I asked myself why not?
Here is what I realized.
All of those plans where centered around ONE specific requirement on MY part… to finish writing a quality memoir of my life.
I did finish my first attempt at my memoir, but it wasn’t good enough. I am a green writer and these things take time, and lots of re-writes! So when it came down to it, I did not do MY part. I had a plan, I had a vision, I had belief, but I had let the hustle die. I had written two versions of my book and then I got discouraged. I let it get to me, and got lost in the doubt and let the project sit on my shelf. So how can I question if any of this works if I’m NOT doing my part? How can my memoir end up on the New York Times Best Seller List, if I never finish writing it? I mean helllloooo!
Sometimes when we find ourselves discouraged, because we are not making the progress we set out to make. Or because it’s taking too long. Or it’s not happening the way we envisioned it to go… maybe we need to stop and take an unbiased inventory of our part in the process. Have we met and exceeded our goals? Have we finished what we set out to accomplish. If not, why not?
The magic can’t work if we have not put ourselves in the position to receive it. We can not expect success without work. We can not expect wealth without effort.
Our dreams are dependent on us doing the work to put us in the position to make them come true. If we have not adequately prepared, if we have not done our part, then no matter how much we struggle to get our dream to manifest –it remains just that, a struggle. Not a manifestation.
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Author | Life Coach | Motivational Speaker and single mama. I'm a chick on a mission to prove anything is possible for ANYONE. My story featured in the New York Times, Steve Harvey Show and NBC.
Sarah,
I found your blog while searching for “Think and Grow Rich Success Stories”. You see, I’m in the process of trying to turn my rather haphazard life into a successful, driven and amazing one. Part of that process is reading and implementing the teachings of Napoleon Hill that have helped so many become happy, successful people.
I plan on beginning yet another blog, I have more than a few, about the process and documenting my trials and successes — similar to what you did here. I hope it works out as well for me as it apparently has for you.
A bout of insomnia saw me reading through a few years worth of your posts, and after taking so much from you, I felt the need to comment and share something of my own.
Here’s a song by Xavier Rudd one of your posts made me think of…
Creating a Dream
http://youtu.be/PD-qMu73NO8
The chorus is one of my favorites.
Please
Patience, please.
Patience, please.
I’m creating a dream.
thank you very much! I’m glad you got some inspiration 🙂
Happy to see you here. You may find “success stories after reading think and grow rich” on my blog start-getting-rich.blogspot.com
Problem is that Napoleon Hill himself died completely broke. If his theories really worked he would have applied them on himself.
That is false. Just because he did not apply the principles to his own life does not mean that they do not work.
“Success” is in the eye of the beholder. Some define it monetarily, others spiritually, or through a strong family, good deeds, etc.
I believe that Hill’s true calling in life was to develop a success manual and give hope to those that believed there was none during the Great Depression of the ’30’s. He undoubtedly succeeded in his endeavor proven by the fact that it is still one of the best selling motivational books nearly a century later.
Follow his principles TO THE LETTER, and you will see…
who knows what napoleon Hill wanted? Being Rich didn’t only mean being financially wealthy. It also includes other aspects of life. Napoleon hill wanted to develop a philosophy of success…and he made his goal.
Think and Grow Rich has created more millionaires and billionaires than any other book. Want proofs?
Andrew Tan, the forth richest man in Philippine was inspired by the book.
Opran WInfrey has read the book thirteen times in his life.
Larry Ellison converted $1200 into $42 billion after reading Think and Grow Rich.
Frank Giustra, the Canadian billionaire, credits Think and Grow Rich for 95% of his wealth.
Prem Watsa, Canadian billionaire known as ‘warren buffet of canada’, read Think and Grow Rich and that turned his life all around.
David Murdock also credited Think and Grow Rich for his success.
Note, these are only BILLIIONAIRES who credits the book for their financial success. If you start making a list of millionaires…the list would be endless.
you may find complete story of how the book effected these billionaires on start-getting-rich.blogspot.com
You are actually wrong Napoleon Hill died at 87 with a million dollars net worth which in his time was quite allot.
I have myself identified many people who acknowledge their success to Think and Grow Rich. I have posted their stories on my blog start-getting-rich.blogspot.com. Surely, the book is fantastic. It is frustrating to see negative people reacting very negatively to the book
Unfortunately, you did what most people do when they read THINK AND GROW RICH. They don't follow the instructions in chapter 2 on DESIRE.
Writing out your goals, is not enough to make them happen.
You must use the principle of autosuggestion to make yourself BELIEVE not only in the goal but in yourself. This fact is stated in more than three or four different chapters.
Yet most people, don't follow the simple instructions.
Based on what you wrote you and keep your goals TOP OF MIND.