17 Principles of Success from Napoleon Hill's Keys to Success
If you’re looking for the secrets of long-term success, reading Napoleon Hill’s Keys to Success if the best place to start.
The bestselling author is famous for his book ‘Think and Grow Rich,’ in which he outlines his secrets to success, and sums up his philosophy of being successful. The book continues to inspire and educate people from all over the world. It’s so influential, it’s one of the bestselling business books in the world, over 40 years after it was written! However, his earlier book Keys to Success provides a more in-depth, detailed insight for those wanting to put themselves on the road to riches.
Read on to learn Napoleon Hill’s ‘17 Principles of Personal Achievement’ to unlock your full potential and set you up for long-term success.
1. Define your definite purpose
Knowing what you want to achieve is the starting point for achieving it. If you don’t know what you want exactly, how can you start working towards it in the first place? Define your purpose in one clear sentence and use it as a blueprint for your achievement.
2. Set up a mastermind
Setting up a mastermind alliance with people who share the same goals, values, and desires as yourself will help inspire you when things get rough. Work with people who work well with you, and share your knowledge, efforts, and ideas with each other. Help each other up to the top.
3. Develop a winning personality
Having a positive attitude, a well-rounded personality, and being agreeable can fast-track you on your way to the top. When you have a great personality you attract people who genuinely want to work with and be around you. It can be your greatest asset. On the other hand, having a pessimistic, disagreeable personality can and will be your biggest downfall.
4. Have faith and listen to intuition
Be open to listening to your intuition and receiving information from above. You may or may not believe in an alternate reality, but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be open to it. When you open your mind up to the workings of the universe, you can bet that faith, feeling, and intuition will guide you along on your journey. This is how miracles happen.
5. Go one step further
Life often gives you back what you put in. That’s why doing more than what other people expect of you will give you compound interest on your actions. Going that extra step, whether that’s in your work, personal relationships, or for yourself will pay off hugely. When you overdeliver, you will get it back, with more added on top.
6. Create a personal initiative
Don’t wait to be told to do something, go out of your way to do it yourself. When you have a fire from within you can use it to ignite your actions instead of waiting for others to pass the lighter. When you have a strong personal initiative, you get things done. Know what you want to do and why, and use that knowledge to fuel your actions.
7. Build the right mental attitude
By having a positive outlook on things, you can drastically alter not just how you feel, but also what you bring into your life. Using the Law of Attraction, you can harness the power of your mind and turn your desires into reality – just by using the magic of positive thinking! When you focus on your desires, your desires get fulfilled.
8. Up your enthusiasm
Being enthusiastic is a state of mind. You can use your enthusiasm to inspire you, generate new ideas, even get people on your side. Enthusiasm is one of the strongest emotions, and those close to you will feel its power radiating from you when you're truly enthusiastic.
9. Be self-disciplined
Take responsibility for your words, actions, emotions, attitude, and everything you do. It is the only way to navigate through the world as an adult and is a clear sign of maturity that many lack. Instead of passing the blame onto others, discipline yourself to take responsibility for it, and set a good example.
10. How you think matters
You’ve heard the saying “you are what you eat” but did you know that it also applies to your thinking? You become what you think – so filter your thoughts just like you’d filter out toxic substances from your diet. Manage your thoughts through consciousness and meditation. The way you think influences your quality of life.
11. Focus your attention on what matters
This means becoming a pro at prioritizing. Instead of doing many small, meaningless tasks (which can otherwise be called procrastinating) prioritize the things that matter most. Focus your actions and attention on what is important and brings benefits to you. The rest can wait.
12. Learn to inspire teamwork
Learning teamwork skills, as well as how to inspire others to work together in harmony is a priceless skill that not many have mastered. Knowing how to work well with others and lead a team is essential in achieving business success and life success.
13. Learn from your mistakes
Instead of brushing off past mistakes as flaws or errors in your actions, use them as a springboard to learn from and become a better person. Every mistake you make is an opportunity to learn. Some of the smartest people in the world are wise simply because they have chosen to learn from their mistakes.
14. Have a vision
Having a creative vision to see beyond the realms of possibility is what drives people to achieve the impossible. Shoot for the moon, if you fall, you’ll land in the stars.
15. Keep your mind and body healthy
Exercise, meditate, read books, eat healthy foods. A healthy mind and body are vital when working for success.
16. Budget your money – and your time
People often complain that there aren't enough hours in the day. Actually, there are. Divide your 24 hours like this: 8 hours for sleep, 8 hours for work, 8 hours for play and spending time with your loved ones. Budget your time wisely, and you will have time to achieve everything you desire.
17. Establish positive habits
Building positive daily habits is essential in being able to keep up with everything. Having things in order will take the stress off because you know which part of the day will be spent doing what. Ditch negative habits like watching too much trash TV and eating junk food for positive ones such as exercise and spending quality time with your family. Tiny habits build up, whether negative or positive.
Conclusion
If you want to be successful, you will have to put in the time and effort, there are no two ways about it.
Use these 17 principles as a guide and establish healthy habits and routines, making sure you keep them all in check. Remember, success is replicable, so instead of trying to go it alone, learn from the best!
Learn the secrets of successful people and weave them into your daily life.
You will be surprised at the results!
