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The Law of Success #1
The Law of Success, Volume I: The Principles of Self-Mastery
Presents the first four lessons of Hill's program for achieving success with updated examples to show how its principles continue to apply.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1925
84 people are currently reading
2681 people want to read
About the author
Napoleon Hill
1,809 books5,370 followersOliver Napoleon Hill was an American self-help author and conman. He is best known for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the best-selling self-help books of all time. Hill's works insisted that fervid expectations are essential to improving one's life. Most of his books were promoted as expounding principles to achieve "success".
Hill is a controversial figure. Accused of fraud, modern historians also doubt many of his claims, such as that he met Andrew Carnegie and that he was an attorney.
Hill is a controversial figure. Accused of fraud, modern historians also doubt many of his claims, such as that he met Andrew Carnegie and that he was an attorney.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
September 22, 2019
Absolute garbage: people get rich selling this stuff to people who are looking for easy formulas in life. I only read this as someone highly recommended it to me when I was starting an expansion of my business. Ironically, that person moved from job to job, sabotaging every one in the search for big money.
November 4, 2013
This is by far one of my most favorite books. I listen to the entire series on CD in the car. This series of books are one of the most referenced books in the genre of Self-Improvement.
January 25, 2008
The turning point in Napoleon Hill's career came in 1908 with his assignment by Andrew Carnegie, who at the time was one of the most powerful men in the world. Hill discovered that Carnegie believed that the process of success could be elaborated in a simple formula that could be duplicated by the average person. Impressed with Hill, Carnegie commissioned him (without pay and only offering to provide him with letters of reference) to interview over 500 successful men and women, many of them millionaires, in order to discover and publish this formula for success.
As part of his research, Hill interviewed many of the most famous people of the time, including Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, George Eastman, Henry Ford, Elmer Gates, John D. Rockefeller, Charles M. Schwab, F.W. Woolworth, William Wrigley Jr., John Wanamaker, William Jennings Bryan, Joseph Stalin, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Charles Allen Ward and Jennings Randolph. The project lasted over twenty years, during which Hill became an advisor to Carnegie. As a result of these studies, the Philosophy of Achievement was offered as a formula for rags-to-riches success by Hill and Carnegie, published initially in 1928 as a study course called, The Law of Success. The Achievement formula was detailed further and published in home-study courses, including the seventeen-volume "Mental Dynamite" series until 1941.
As part of his research, Hill interviewed many of the most famous people of the time, including Thomas Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, George Eastman, Henry Ford, Elmer Gates, John D. Rockefeller, Charles M. Schwab, F.W. Woolworth, William Wrigley Jr., John Wanamaker, William Jennings Bryan, Joseph Stalin, Theodore Roosevelt, William H. Taft, Woodrow Wilson, Charles Allen Ward and Jennings Randolph. The project lasted over twenty years, during which Hill became an advisor to Carnegie. As a result of these studies, the Philosophy of Achievement was offered as a formula for rags-to-riches success by Hill and Carnegie, published initially in 1928 as a study course called, The Law of Success. The Achievement formula was detailed further and published in home-study courses, including the seventeen-volume "Mental Dynamite" series until 1941.
September 10, 2012
Some great lessons, it was just a little hard to get into because it is written in language spoken over 100 years ago. Once got into it though i enjoyed it.
July 26, 2021
There are 15 lessons in The Law of Success, and they’re all intertwined to serve as a sturdy backbone to a successful career. They can be used to make you a better salesperson or to set you on your way to founding a major international enterprise. Lessons on self-confidence, concentration, and enthusiasm are designed to have you overcome your fears and finally move from the idea stage to the taking action stage. These lessons are also meant to keep you thinking positive, in order to attract other positive minds and become even more effective as a cooperative unit moving toward a clear and definite goal.
Actionable advice:
Don’t let social heredity define who you are.
Social heredity is responsible for the kind of values we grow up with and are likely to pick up at an early age. The three most influential voices in the world are schools, churches, and media. Any of these three sources can instill intolerance, close-mindedness, malicious lies, and negativity that can lead you away from success and the Golden Rule. Stay attuned to accurate thinking and tolerance, and don’t let social pressure stand in the way of your success.
15 Laws
1. Decide on a Goal
A DEFINITE CHIEF AIM will teach you how to save the wasted effort which the majority of people expend in trying to find their lifework. Do away with aimlessness and fix your heart and hand upon some definite, well conceived purpose as a life-work.
2. Believe in Yourself
SELF-CONFIDENCE will help you master the six basic fears with which every person is cursed; the fear of Poverty, Ill Health, Old Age, Criticism, Loss of Love and the fear of Death. Learn the difference between egotism and real self-confidence which is based upon definite, usable knowledge.
3. Get in the Habit of Saving.
THE HABIT OF SAVING will teach you how to distribute your income systematically so that a definite percentage of it will steadily accumulate, thus forming one of the greatest known sources of personal power. No one may succeed in life without saving money. There is no exception to this rule, and no one may escape it. Learn how to save your money.
4. Become a Leader
INITIATIVE AND LEADERSHIP will show you how to become a leader instead of a follower in your chosen field of endeavor. It will develop in you the instinct for leadership which will cause you gradually to gravitate to the top in all undertakings in which you participate.
5. Be Creative
IMAGINATION will stimulate your mind so that you will conceive new ideas and develop new plans which will help you in attaining the object of your Definite Chief Aim. This lesson will teach you how to “build new houses out of old stones,” so to speak. It will show you how to create new ideas out of old, well known concepts, and how to put old ideas to new uses. This one lesson, alone, is the equivalent of a very practical course in salesmanship, and it is sure to prove a veritable gold mine of knowledge to the person who is in earnest.
6. Be Enthusiastic
ENTHUSIASM will enable you to “saturate” all with whom you come in contact with interest in you and in your ideas. Enthusiasm is the foundation of a Pleasing Personality, and you must have such a personality in order to influence others to co-operate with you.
7. Develop Self Control
SELF-CONTROL is the “balance wheel” with which you control your enthusiasm and direct it where you wish it to carry you. This lesson will teach you, in a most practical manner, to become “the master of your fate, the Captain of your Soul.”
8. Do More Than You’re Paid For
THE HABIT OF DOING MORE THAN PAID FOR is one of the most important lessons of the Law of Success course. It will teach you how to take advantage of the Law of Increasing Returns, which will eventually insure you a return in money far out of proportion to the service you render. No one may become a real leader in any walk of life without practicing the habit of doing more work and better work than that for which he is paid.
9. Develop a Pleasing Personality.
A PLEASING PERSONALITY is the most important tool for attaining success. When combined with intelligence, it will enable you to remove mountains of obstacles. This one lesson alone has made scores of Master Salesmen and developed leaders over night. It will teach you how to transform your personality so that you may adapt yourself to any environment, or to any other personality, in such a manner that you may easily dominate.
10. Think Clearly
ACCURATE THINKING is one of the important foundation stones of all enduring success. This lesson teaches you how to separate “facts” from mere “information.” It teaches you how to organize known facts into two classes: the “important” and the “unimportant.” It teaches you how to determine what is an “important” fact. It teaches you how to build definite working plans, in the pursuit of any calling, out of FACTS.
11. Focus
CONCENTRATION teaches you how to focus your attention upon one subject at a time until you have worked out practical plans for mastering that subject. It will teach you how to ally yourself with others in such a manner that you may have the use of their entire knowledge to back you up in your own plans and purposes. It will give you a practical working knowledge of the forces around you, and show you how to harness and use these forces in furthering your own interests.
12. Work Well With Others
CO-OPERATION will teach you the value of team-work in all you do. In this lesson you will be taught how to apply the law of the “Master Mind” described in this Introduction and in Lesson Two of this course. This lesson will show you how to co-ordinate your own efforts with those of others, in such a manner that friction, jealousy, strife, envy and cupidity will be eliminated. You will learn how to make use of all that other people have learned about the work in which you are engaged.
13. Learn From Your Mistakes
PROFITING BY FAILURE will teach you how to make stepping stones out of all of your past and future mistakes and failures. It will teach you the difference between “failure” and “temporary defeat,” a difference which is very great and very important. It will teach you how to profit by your own failures and by the failures of other people.
14. Practice Tolerance
TOLERANCE will teach you how to avoid the disastrous effects of racial and religious prejudices which mean defeat for millions of people who permit themselves to become entangled in foolish argument over these subjects, thereby poisoning their own minds and closing the door to reason and investigation.
This lesson is the twin sister of the one on ACCURATE THOUGHT, for the reason that no one may become an Accurate Thinker without practicing tolerance. Intolerance closes the book of Knowledge and writes on the cover, “Finis! I have learned it all!” Intolerance makes enemies of those who should be friends. It destroys opportunity and fills the mind with doubt, mistrust and prejudice.
15. The Golden Rule
PRACTICING THE GOLDEN RULE will teach you how to make use of this great universal law of human conduct in such a manner that you may easily get harmonious co-operation from any individual or group of individuals. Lack of understanding of the law upon which the Golden Rule philosophy is based is one of the major causes of failure of millions of people who remain in misery, poverty and want all their lives. This lesson has nothing whatsoever to do with religion in any form, nor with sectarianism, nor have any of the other lessons of this course on the Law of Success.
When you have mastered these Fifteen Laws and made them your own, as you may do within a period of from fifteen to thirty weeks, you will be ready to develop sufficient personal power to insure the attainment of your Definite Chief Aim. The purpose of these Fifteen Laws is to develop or help you organize all the knowledge you have, and all you acquire in the future, so you may turn this knowledge into POWER.
Actionable advice:
Don’t let social heredity define who you are.
Social heredity is responsible for the kind of values we grow up with and are likely to pick up at an early age. The three most influential voices in the world are schools, churches, and media. Any of these three sources can instill intolerance, close-mindedness, malicious lies, and negativity that can lead you away from success and the Golden Rule. Stay attuned to accurate thinking and tolerance, and don’t let social pressure stand in the way of your success.
15 Laws
1. Decide on a Goal
A DEFINITE CHIEF AIM will teach you how to save the wasted effort which the majority of people expend in trying to find their lifework. Do away with aimlessness and fix your heart and hand upon some definite, well conceived purpose as a life-work.
2. Believe in Yourself
SELF-CONFIDENCE will help you master the six basic fears with which every person is cursed; the fear of Poverty, Ill Health, Old Age, Criticism, Loss of Love and the fear of Death. Learn the difference between egotism and real self-confidence which is based upon definite, usable knowledge.
3. Get in the Habit of Saving.
THE HABIT OF SAVING will teach you how to distribute your income systematically so that a definite percentage of it will steadily accumulate, thus forming one of the greatest known sources of personal power. No one may succeed in life without saving money. There is no exception to this rule, and no one may escape it. Learn how to save your money.
4. Become a Leader
INITIATIVE AND LEADERSHIP will show you how to become a leader instead of a follower in your chosen field of endeavor. It will develop in you the instinct for leadership which will cause you gradually to gravitate to the top in all undertakings in which you participate.
5. Be Creative
IMAGINATION will stimulate your mind so that you will conceive new ideas and develop new plans which will help you in attaining the object of your Definite Chief Aim. This lesson will teach you how to “build new houses out of old stones,” so to speak. It will show you how to create new ideas out of old, well known concepts, and how to put old ideas to new uses. This one lesson, alone, is the equivalent of a very practical course in salesmanship, and it is sure to prove a veritable gold mine of knowledge to the person who is in earnest.
6. Be Enthusiastic
ENTHUSIASM will enable you to “saturate” all with whom you come in contact with interest in you and in your ideas. Enthusiasm is the foundation of a Pleasing Personality, and you must have such a personality in order to influence others to co-operate with you.
7. Develop Self Control
SELF-CONTROL is the “balance wheel” with which you control your enthusiasm and direct it where you wish it to carry you. This lesson will teach you, in a most practical manner, to become “the master of your fate, the Captain of your Soul.”
8. Do More Than You’re Paid For
THE HABIT OF DOING MORE THAN PAID FOR is one of the most important lessons of the Law of Success course. It will teach you how to take advantage of the Law of Increasing Returns, which will eventually insure you a return in money far out of proportion to the service you render. No one may become a real leader in any walk of life without practicing the habit of doing more work and better work than that for which he is paid.
9. Develop a Pleasing Personality.
A PLEASING PERSONALITY is the most important tool for attaining success. When combined with intelligence, it will enable you to remove mountains of obstacles. This one lesson alone has made scores of Master Salesmen and developed leaders over night. It will teach you how to transform your personality so that you may adapt yourself to any environment, or to any other personality, in such a manner that you may easily dominate.
10. Think Clearly
ACCURATE THINKING is one of the important foundation stones of all enduring success. This lesson teaches you how to separate “facts” from mere “information.” It teaches you how to organize known facts into two classes: the “important” and the “unimportant.” It teaches you how to determine what is an “important” fact. It teaches you how to build definite working plans, in the pursuit of any calling, out of FACTS.
11. Focus
CONCENTRATION teaches you how to focus your attention upon one subject at a time until you have worked out practical plans for mastering that subject. It will teach you how to ally yourself with others in such a manner that you may have the use of their entire knowledge to back you up in your own plans and purposes. It will give you a practical working knowledge of the forces around you, and show you how to harness and use these forces in furthering your own interests.
12. Work Well With Others
CO-OPERATION will teach you the value of team-work in all you do. In this lesson you will be taught how to apply the law of the “Master Mind” described in this Introduction and in Lesson Two of this course. This lesson will show you how to co-ordinate your own efforts with those of others, in such a manner that friction, jealousy, strife, envy and cupidity will be eliminated. You will learn how to make use of all that other people have learned about the work in which you are engaged.
13. Learn From Your Mistakes
PROFITING BY FAILURE will teach you how to make stepping stones out of all of your past and future mistakes and failures. It will teach you the difference between “failure” and “temporary defeat,” a difference which is very great and very important. It will teach you how to profit by your own failures and by the failures of other people.
14. Practice Tolerance
TOLERANCE will teach you how to avoid the disastrous effects of racial and religious prejudices which mean defeat for millions of people who permit themselves to become entangled in foolish argument over these subjects, thereby poisoning their own minds and closing the door to reason and investigation.
This lesson is the twin sister of the one on ACCURATE THOUGHT, for the reason that no one may become an Accurate Thinker without practicing tolerance. Intolerance closes the book of Knowledge and writes on the cover, “Finis! I have learned it all!” Intolerance makes enemies of those who should be friends. It destroys opportunity and fills the mind with doubt, mistrust and prejudice.
15. The Golden Rule
PRACTICING THE GOLDEN RULE will teach you how to make use of this great universal law of human conduct in such a manner that you may easily get harmonious co-operation from any individual or group of individuals. Lack of understanding of the law upon which the Golden Rule philosophy is based is one of the major causes of failure of millions of people who remain in misery, poverty and want all their lives. This lesson has nothing whatsoever to do with religion in any form, nor with sectarianism, nor have any of the other lessons of this course on the Law of Success.
When you have mastered these Fifteen Laws and made them your own, as you may do within a period of from fifteen to thirty weeks, you will be ready to develop sufficient personal power to insure the attainment of your Definite Chief Aim. The purpose of these Fifteen Laws is to develop or help you organize all the knowledge you have, and all you acquire in the future, so you may turn this knowledge into POWER.
April 24, 2015
A must read for anyone who embraces Dr. Hill's philosophy.
If you've ever wondered why some succeed while others fail, this book will answer that question. It'll also give you a step by step guide on how to become successful and A LOT more. Nearly every page is packed with vital wisdom and principles on how you can improve your life and become more successful.
If you've ever wondered why some succeed while others fail, this book will answer that question. It'll also give you a step by step guide on how to become successful and A LOT more. Nearly every page is packed with vital wisdom and principles on how you can improve your life and become more successful.
September 13, 2013
Awesome! I can see Hill's influence in so many books that I've read. This could be well-described as the 'bible' of success principals. Aside of one comment he makes about evolution (which I reject) and some out-dated scientific information about electrons, this is full of wisdom- if applied, will give anyone more success in life.
July 26, 2021
I read this book thanks to Blinkist and I am thankful for the opportunity.
The key message in these blinks:
There are 15 lessons in The Law of Success, and they’re all intertwined to serve as a sturdy backbone to a successful career. They can be used to make you a better salesperson or to set you on your way to founding a major international enterprise. Lessons on self-confidence, concentration, and enthusiasm are designed to have you overcome your fears and finally move from the idea stage to the taking action stage. These lessons are also meant to keep you thinking positive, in order to attract other positive minds and become even more effective as a cooperative unit moving toward a clear and definite goal.
Actionable advice:
Don’t let social heredity define who you are.
Social heredity is responsible for the kind of values we grow up with and are likely to pick up at an early age. The three most influential voices in the world are schools, churches, and media. Any of these three sources can instill intolerance, close-mindedness, malicious lies, and negativity that can lead you away from success and the Golden Rule. Stay attuned to accurate thinking and tolerance, and don’t let social pressure stand in the way of your success.
The key message in these blinks:
There are 15 lessons in The Law of Success, and they’re all intertwined to serve as a sturdy backbone to a successful career. They can be used to make you a better salesperson or to set you on your way to founding a major international enterprise. Lessons on self-confidence, concentration, and enthusiasm are designed to have you overcome your fears and finally move from the idea stage to the taking action stage. These lessons are also meant to keep you thinking positive, in order to attract other positive minds and become even more effective as a cooperative unit moving toward a clear and definite goal.
Actionable advice:
Don’t let social heredity define who you are.
Social heredity is responsible for the kind of values we grow up with and are likely to pick up at an early age. The three most influential voices in the world are schools, churches, and media. Any of these three sources can instill intolerance, close-mindedness, malicious lies, and negativity that can lead you away from success and the Golden Rule. Stay attuned to accurate thinking and tolerance, and don’t let social pressure stand in the way of your success.
August 8, 2018
Wow! It is amazing that this book was written in the early 1900s. The author had access to some of the most successful people in America from that time period, and he was able to pull together some terrific insights based on that exposure.
This is a classic book on self-improvement and achieving success, and should be read by anyone wanting to achieve success in their life. There is definitely at least one concept in this book that anyone could learn from. I still cannot believe that it is as relevant today as it was when it was written almost 100 years ago.
This is a classic book on self-improvement and achieving success, and should be read by anyone wanting to achieve success in their life. There is definitely at least one concept in this book that anyone could learn from. I still cannot believe that it is as relevant today as it was when it was written almost 100 years ago.
September 14, 2018
I was always a fan of Napoleon Hill, who in my opinion was the predecessor of Earl Nightengale and Tony Robbins (as well as others.) An excellent two volume book with the outlay and ideologies of how to become successful in your life. It is always good to periodically review and reread these self-help dialogues in order to ensure that you are on track or have gone askew from your original plan. Though the information in some aspects is dated, as it was written in the 1920s, the ideologies are very much so a strong basis for success.
June 10, 2023
Other "self-help" books are based on this work. Put it in your library, share it with your friends, create mastermind groups and see your Life change in ways you envision and dream, and discuss it with your friends.
Read
July 11, 2020Nce
March 15, 2022
Molto lungo e ormai un po’ datato, ma interessante
May 16, 2024
Social instinct
December 21, 2024
[ audiobook ]
Przewidywalne i słabe
Przewidywalne i słabe
Read
September 7, 2025I receive this from Audible by Napeleon Hill and Mitch and was half way through and it is no longer available. I am deleating as I read the original many, many moons ago.
June 14, 2017
After reading "think and grow rich" by Napoleon Hill I slowly started to become a fan of his work/philosophies. I read some background information about him, and looked over some books recommended by others to read , which is when I stumbled upon The Law of Success V.1. Everyone said the classic text of law of success, along with think and grow rich, was his "best work". So I ordered the book with excitement.
Review:
The book started off similar to think and grow rich, which consisted of deep words surrounding the overall topic of achieving your ultimate goal in life. He introduced the lessons which would be covered in the book. Continuing on, he began to write in such a great amount of detail, how "electrons shape the world." I read a page or two about the topic, and started to understand his main point, at least I think (little changes equal big results). However, Napoleon just went on and on about electrons, atoms, H20 and these different forms of matter. I was ready to throw the book out after reading another 6 pages of this. I looked forward and the author had went on for another 14 pages about the topic! My lord, get on with the book Napoleon, we can only learn about micro particles for so long. I understand some of the points he makes are through deep meaning, but it started to become annoying when he extends his point into 20 or so pages that could be easily condensed into 2 or 3.
Review:
The book started off similar to think and grow rich, which consisted of deep words surrounding the overall topic of achieving your ultimate goal in life. He introduced the lessons which would be covered in the book. Continuing on, he began to write in such a great amount of detail, how "electrons shape the world." I read a page or two about the topic, and started to understand his main point, at least I think (little changes equal big results). However, Napoleon just went on and on about electrons, atoms, H20 and these different forms of matter. I was ready to throw the book out after reading another 6 pages of this. I looked forward and the author had went on for another 14 pages about the topic! My lord, get on with the book Napoleon, we can only learn about micro particles for so long. I understand some of the points he makes are through deep meaning, but it started to become annoying when he extends his point into 20 or so pages that could be easily condensed into 2 or 3.
October 2, 2007
unfinished
April 7, 2016
the principles are still applicable in the current times
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews