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Showing posts from April, 2021

The Stubborn Horse Theory

Introduction  There is a quiet lesson hidden inside simple stories—lessons that stay with us long after the words are forgotten. The Stubborn Horse Theory is one such reminder. It speaks not about animals or rivers, but about people, relationships, and the emotional weight of caring deeply. At some point in life, almost all of us become the person standing beside the river—hoping, explaining, insisting, and trying our best to help someone we care about. We believe we know what’s good for them. We see their potential, their struggles, and their unspoken pain. And because we care, we want to fix it. But this story reminds us of a difficult truth: good intentions alone are not enough.  The Story Behind the Theory  He looked at the horse and thought, “It’s tired. It must be thirsty. This water will help.” So he gently nudged the horse toward the river. “Drink,” he said softly. “This will help you.” But the horse didn’t move. It didn’t sip. It didn’t even look at the water. Co...

Principle 6: Personal Initiative

Introduction The fifth principle of Napoleon Hill's 17 principles of success is the Pleasing Personality. Personal initiative is that aspect of success, which in the process of rendering one’s paramount purpose into its physical financial equivalent, initiates the transition of faculty of imagination into action. Success, if chosen above mediocrity, requires you to learn to act on your own personal initiative. It must be achieved by you for yourself without anybody’s interference or suggestions, as to, what should be done or how should it be done. Cyrus H. K. Curtis, the former owner of the Saturday Evening Post, once said that two kinds of men never amount to much; First, those who cannot do as they are told, Second, those who can do nothing else!’ This implies that people who move on their own personal initiative without being told what to do or why they should do it, are the ones who amount to something worthwhile in life. A person who is habitual of taking action on his own pe...

Principle 5: Pleasing Personality

Introduction  The fifth principle of Napoleon Hill's 17 principles of success is the Pleasing Personality. Our personality decides whether people will be attracted towards us or shy away. It is a display window that shows our character to others and it distinguishes us from other people. It is our trademark and hence we must see ourselves just as others see us. Napoleon Hill explained how 29 major factors shape our personality and we can modify our personality at any given point in time. 29 Factors of a Pleasing Personality 1. A Positive Mental Attitude: This is the most important factor for the formation of a pleasing personality. We can attract other people by showing our positive mental attitude. The outside world can be very harsh on us but we can decide our response in every situation. 2. Tactfulness: There are several ways of telling the same thing. We must say things in a more pleasing way. Many people may ask very obvious questions but we must respect other’s feelings and ...

Principle 4: Going the Extra Mile

Introduction The fourth principle of Napoleon Hill's 17 principles of success is the habit of going the extra mile. This is the habit of rendering the more and better service than s/he is expected to render and doing it with a positive mental attitude. We must give in order to get something. The principle of going the extra mile is based upon the Law of Reciprocity. Law of Reciprocity says that when you give something to someone then he or she will feel obligated to give something in return. Napoleon Hill explained this principle with the help of a QQMA formula. Let’s explore QQMA formula in detail. QQMA Formula a) Quality of service you render: Whenever we serve others we must focus on our quality. We must not superficially try to help others. Service to the others must be done wholeheartedly. b) Quantity of service you render: We must not limit our services to limited people. Always try to touch maximum lives through your efforts. c) Mental attitude in which you render services:...

Principle 3: Applied Faith

Introduction The third principle of Napoleon Hill's 17 principles of success is the Applied Faith. This is our greatest asset but people used to ignore it. This is a medium by which we can tap and draw upon the supreme power which created us and runs the entire universe. Many people relate faith with religion but we can also apply faith in our professional life. He said that subconscious mind do not have thinking capability. Subconscious mind used to believe our self talks. He also said that faith is our state of mind which maybe created or induced by repeated instructions or affirmations to our subconscious mind, by using the principle of auto suggestion.  Change your life through these books: Ikigai | Ichigo Ichie | Hyperfocus | The 10X Rule | Goals Applied faith is a firm belief in our objective or purpose backed by a strong prayer. Make an expression of gratitude for your blessings while praying for the help of God. Applied faith is a mental attitude that we must deve...

Principle 2: Mastermind Alliance

Introduction The second principle of Napoleon Hill's 17 principles of success is the mastermind alliance. The mastermind principle says that two or more people who work in a perfect harmony for the attainment of definite purpose can achieve impossible tasks. Napoleon Hill states that by applying mastermind alliance we can borrow and use education, influence, experience and the capital of other people. No one can achieve lasting success without applying the master mind alliance. Napoleon Hill explained that master mind is a coordination of effort and knowledge, in a spirit of harmony between two or more people, for the attainment of a definite purpose. Great successful people like Thomas Alva Edison and Henry Ford became successful with the help of engineers, mathematicians, technicians and many other technocrats. They just utilised the principle of master mind alliance and channelised the talent of others. A very simple example of mastermind principle is 2-3 friends going to fitne...

Principle 1: Definiteness of Purpose

Introduction  Napoleon Hill is one of the widely read authors of history and his 17 principles of success are very popular among the masses. The first principle of 17 principles of success is the Definiteness of Purpose. He said that the Definiteness of Purpose is the starting point of all achievements. Suppose we are traveling with a supercar at an amazing speed of 250 mph but in the wrong direction then we can never reach our destination. We can reach our destination only when we have the right direction. In a similar way, Principle 1: Definiteness of Purpose is an absolute necessity for achieving great success. Napoleon Hill rightly said that “successful people always move on their own path but they know where they are going”. Find Definiteness of Purpose in 3 Steps We must not be a rudderless ship, powerless and directionless. We must also decide our target, execution plan and take daily small actions to achieve those big targets. We can find our purpose in 3 simple steps: 1....