When a group of individual brains are coordinated and function in harmony, the increased energy created through that alliance, becomes available to every individual brain in the group.

Most people would agree that a shared interest, bond, or meeting of the minds on a particular subject or project of common interest can produce success quicker and with more certainty.

If you have a Think and Grow Rich mind set and so do your associates, then you can see how this energy producing combination is the catapult that takes you over the top in professional, financial and personal endeavors.

You can see how the combined brain power of an inventor plus a marketing representative can make a success of an idea perhaps only they thought would work.

There are very few people who do everything themselves when it comes to launching a new product or concept.

You may have heard parts of this story before but did not know that it contains a Think and Grow Rich philosophy.

It is a well known fact that Henry Ford began his business career under the handicap of poverty, illiteracy, and ignorance. It is equally well known that within the inconceivably short period of ten years, Mr. Ford mastered these three handicaps and that within twenty five years he made himself one of the richest men in America.

Now, added to these facts the additional knowledge that Mr. Fords personal rapid strides became noticeable from the time he became a friend of Thomas. A. Edison and you will begin to understand what the influence of one mind upon another can accomplish.

Going a step farther, consider the fact that Mr. Fords most outstanding achievements began from the time that he formed the aquaintances of Harvey Firestone, John Burroughs and Luther Burbank who each were men of great brain capacity and you will have further evidence that power may be produced through a friendly alliance of minds.

There is little doubt that Henry Ford was one of the best informed men when it came to the business and industrial world. The question of his wealth needs no discussion.That is like debating Bill Gates wealth.

Analyze Mr.Fords intimate personal friends, some of whom have already been mentioned and you will be prepared to understand the following statement.

Humans take on the nature and the habits and the power of thought of those with whom they associate in a spirit of sympathy and harmony.

Perhaps you recognize it said this way. You become like those you hang around with.

Through the Think and Grow Rich mind set, Henry Ford whipped poverty, illiteracy and ignorance by allying himself with great minds whose vibrations of thought he came to know and use.

Through his association with Edison, Burbank, Burroughs and Firestone, Ford added his own brain power to the sum of all his contacts . This was making use of what we now call the MasterMind principle.

The experience, intelligence, resources, contacts, knowledge and spiritual forces of these four men was the combined sum of all their brain power at work for a common goal. Each one of these men, took something positive from their association with each other.

It is amazing what can happen with your own ideas when you open yourself up to asking and receiving the help you can gain from a group of people who are in your corner to brainstorm all the knowledge that each one brings to the table.

The table is the best place to get together when working on ideas, projects and concepts as it is a place of unity, comfort and promotes a closeness and intimacy for the powerful forces to come together.

Napoleon Hill, author of ?Think and Grow Rich?, declares, ?Persistence is the essential factor in the procedure of transmuting desire into its monetary equivalent?. We all have desires. Some may even have great will power. But, do you have the ruthlessness that is required to achieve your riches?

Many will optimistically begin by translating their ?wish? into a desire. A few will define their desire as a definite goal. Fewer yet will construct a plan for pursuing their goal as outlined by Mr. Hill. And lastly, rare is the man or woman that will persist, the required length of time necessary to be successful.

This is the critical question that will really determine your commitment. How long do you intend to persist in the process to achieve your goals?

• Days
• Weeks
• Months
• Years

Here is where the ?wheat is separated from the chaff?, the weak from the strong, the poverty conscious from the money conscious. Our intentions and commitment at this point will very likely determine our end results.

Napoleon Hill states it this way, ?Lack of persistence is one of the major causes of failure?.

An honest evaluation of ourselves will determine whether or not we are persistent by nature. It?s fairly easy to determine, you can do your own self analysis.

Do you tend to give up or give in before you succeed? If the answer is yes, let?s continue with Mr. Hill?s outline.

How to develop persistence:

• Define your purpose.
• Define your plan and put it into action.
• Close your mind to all negative influences from all sources.
• Ally with those who will provide positive influence and encouragement

According to Mr. Hill, those who will continue to persist will be those who follow these steps. Those who choose to ignore them will have very little chance of success.

It?s not easy to persist when there is little at stake. If you are finding it difficult to be persistent in your plans and actions, your dream may be too small or your desire too weak.

Originating in the mind, the ability to persist is directly related to our intensity of desire. This ability may then be developed to the point of becoming a habit or even a characteristic.

For any of us that lack this habit, it can be developed, and should be developed!

According to Mr. Hill, the habit of being persistent is possibly one of the best protections against failure.

Those who have cultivated the habit of persistence seem to enjoy insurance against failure?, Napoleon Hill, ?Think and Grow Rich?.

When the opportunity came, it appeared in a different form, and from a different direction than Barnes had expected. That is one of the tricks of opportunity.

It has a sly habit of slipping in by the back door, and often it comes disguised in the form of misfortune, temporary defeat, or work. Perhaps this is why so many fail to recognize opportunity. The Secret really is to be aware of the pending opportunity.

Mr. Edison had just perfected a new office device known at that time as the Edison Dictating Machine, later the Ediphone. His sales force were not enthusiastic over the machine. They did not believe it could be sold without great effort.

Barnes saw his opportunity. It had crawled in quietly, hidden in a queer looking machine that interested no one, but Barnes and the inventor.

Barnes knew he could sell the Edison Dictating Machine. He suggested this to Edison, and promptly got his chance. He did sell the machine. In fact, he sold it so successfully, that Edison gave him a contract to distribute and market it all over the nation. Out of that business association grew the slogan, Made by Edison and installed by Barnes.

Do you think Edison and Barnes knew The Secret would someday help so many people in their everyday lives? They had a partnership and worked together using each of their own personal skills to get the job done.

When we learn to co-operate with others and pool our strengths, a few can do what many sometimes can not.

That business alliance operated for more than thirty years. Out of it Barnes made himself rich in money, but he also did something infinitely greater. He has proven one really may Think and Grow Rich.

Start Exactly Where You Are Right Now

He had nothing to start with, except the capacity to know what he wanted and the determination to stand by that desire until he realized it.

He had no money to begin with. He had little education. He had no influence. But he did have initiative, faith, and the will to win. With these intangible forces he made himself number one man with the greatest inventor who ever lived.

It is really not surprising or a secret. Anyone who pursues a single objective with the same focused passion is sure to get it.

And what critical event elevated Barnes from a clerk to a partner of this preiminent businessman? What changed his destiny from a get by paycheck to massive wealth, opulence, and privilege?

Listen to these next words with all the fiber of your soul as they hold the key to your advancement with any person in the world you wish to partner with.

The Secret? Well, it should be common sense. What he did that got him in to see Edison,is the same strategy you can use with anybody today. He solved a problem. He solved the current greatest problem Edison had.

Edison knew the potential of his invention, but he needed a sales force to carry it out. Up steps Barnes. That is all there is to it.

This is a perfect illustration of why you hear me say so often, entrepreneurs embrace problems! Entrepreneurs search out problems. Because problems provide opportunities.

Entrepreneurs and achievers know this. Ordinary people like the ordinary competitors Barnes had who had first dibs just see the problem.

The information in this story is inspiring because it tells us that there are no special types of people , geniuses or luck as some might think when the opportunity comes along to seize the moment and take what looks like a disaster to some and turn the situation into a positive experience.

Some people have even thought of these opportunities as being in the right place at the right time or perhaps they have an inside track or know The Secret that only they are privy to. Another way these thinkers have been thought of was to call them visionaries. All of these descriptions of people who take a chance are true. Look ahead at what can happen instead of what can not.

After reading The New Think and Grow Rich, you will be included in the group of people who see possibilities, not defeat.

I must admit the first time I read ?Think and Grow Rich? by Napoleon Hill I wasn?t exactly sure of what I was getting into. Was this ?secret? of his a real concept or some kind of ?voodoo??

As a matter of fact, it wasn?t until I had read more books by different authors on the same theme that I finally was able to get a perspective on his ?secret?.

To me, and this is merely my opinion, Mr. Hill is basically saying a person can accomplish anything if they first put their mind to it. Notice it?s first put their mind to it. Completion of the task requires the application of the ?thirteen steps?.

For those who have trouble believing in his concepts and conclusions I offer this example as a way of clarifying what he is saying. Again this is only my opinion and only concerns the first chapter, or introduction concerning thought.

Far from being some kind of far out, mind over matter concept, Mr. Hill?s insights into thoughts, I believe, are valid. One point of difficulty is that it?s sometimes harder to explain a concept than it is to give an example.

For instance, all of us probably know of someone who always believes the worst, looks for the worst and usually gets the worst. Then they will tell you that they think and believe and act in a certain way because that?s the way that they ?are?.

In reality according to Napoleon Hill, the exact opposite is true. Our thoughts set everything in motion. As we think, we come to believe, then act accordingly and reap certain results. That may be why we sometimes tell people, ?You brought that on yourself?.

According to ?Think and Grow Rich?, that is basically what happens for better or for worse. Negative thoughts work in exactly the same way as positive thoughts. It?s strange to me how much easier it is to understand the negative power of thought rather than the positive.

The power of positive thought is the way I can most easily understand the idea. Positive thought creates a positive energy and will yield a positive result.

There are according to Mr. Hill thirteen steps involved in the whole process. One thing he consistently denies is the idea of merely thinking and not taking action.

Personally, I believe my preconceptions of where I ?thought? he was going with his ?secret? caused some initial doubts and misgivings.? I?ve found that if I take the ?voodoo? out of it everything becomes a lot easier to grasp, and it works.

Think and Grow Rich? is a fascinating study, worthy of many readings. The concepts Napoleon Hill presents are almost a prerequisite for marketing and other forms of business and would definitely be recommended for anyone desiring a positive, successful life.

In the world famous book, Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill studied the attitudes and traits of the most successful people of his time. The principles of success which Hill pointed out in his work are still as important today as they were when they were first written.

Anyone can apply the principles outlined in Think and Grow Rich to his or her own benefit. The simple truth is that while everyone would love to achieve great successes in life, most people are reluctant to make the changes in attitude needed to accomplish them. Following are a few of the steps outlined in Think and Grow Rich which help alter unconstructive attitudes and aid in focusing our efforts on obtaining important goals.

Have a specific objective in mind and state this clearly. If your objective is to obtain financial independence, determine an exact figure that is needed to reach that goal. Be definite, be clear and be specific. Many people are vague about their personal goals. Having a goal to be “happy” or to be “wealthy” simply isn’t specific enough. Take the time to work out what these notions actually consist of, make lists and build a clear picture of what these goals actually look like in real life.

Decide now what you plan to give or sacrifice in return for reaching your goal. Is it time? Is it effort? How much does the goal mean to you? How long are you willing to work at achieving it? Most people fail because they don’t act, or they aren’t willing to act. Being determined to act on achieving a goal is what separates the successful from the mediocre.

Have a clear date established that you intend to reach your goal. Again, being vague about reaching your goals serves no purpose, “sometime in the future” is not an acceptable answer. Have faith that you will reach your goal at a set time and make every effort required to do so.

Formulate a plan for reaching your goal. Act on your plan immediately, even if you don’t feel that you are perfectly ready. Remember, acting on your objective is what sets you apart from 95% of the people in the world, they dream while you act. What actions do you need to carry out in order to reach your goals? What steps do you need to take? Again, be clear and specific.

Write it all down, your goal, the time that you plan to reach it, the actions needed to achieve it and what sacrifices you are willing to make in order to obtain it. Refer to what you have written on a regular basis, remind yourself of the goal, read it out loud to yourself at least three times a week until your goal is reached. This simple step helps to reinforce your faith in what you are doing, don’t overlook or undervalue this action.

These simple steps are some of the most important processes required to successfully achieve your goals. With time, following these steps helps to adjust your mindset; you will become more confident, more focused, and much more likely to reach further success.

Two men look out through the same bars, one sees the mud, and one sees the stars.

If you have placed second in a writing contest, will you jump for joy and push for better results the next time or will you be discouraged and find an excuse not to join again?

You can change your point of view when you Think and Grow Rich.

In life, you always have choices. You may opt to have a pessimists view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimists route and take a challenging and fulfilling life.

So why nurture an optimists point of view? And why now?

Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale, to academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success, to popularity, to good health and even to long life and freedom from trauma.

On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people. The mean age of onset has gone from 30 to 15. It is no longer a middle-aged housewifes disorder but also a teenagers disorder as well.

Here is an explanation of how optimists take action and research that backs up why optimists expect the best. The attitude, Think and Grow Rich will set you in the direction needed to create goals and teach you how to follow through on the actions needed to be a success.

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events will last a long time and undermine everything they do, and that bad events are their own fault.

The truth is, optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world. What differs, is the way they explain their misfortune. It is the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback and that its causes are confined to this one case.

Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the problem at hand. They use positive reinterpretation. In other words, they most likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by a bad situation, they perceive it is a challenge and try harder.

They will not say, things will never get better, if I failed once it will happen again and if I experience misfortune in one part of my life then it will happen in my whole life.

Positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events. If they fall, they will stand up. They see opportunities instead of obstacles.

People respond positively to optimists because they are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with. The Think and Grow Rich point of view is why so many people can bring harmony into their lives.

Optimism seems a socially desirable trait in all communities. Those who share optimism are generally accepted while those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.

In life, these optimistic people often win elections, get voted most congenial and are sought out for advice.

When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher. Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do people who are less optimistic.

In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoiding dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit trying when difficulties arise.

Optimists persevere. They just do not give up easily, they are also known for their patience. Inching their way a step closer to that goal or elusive dream.Optimists are healthier and live longer.

Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the bodys ability to fight disease.

Optimists health is unusually good. They age well, much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.

So why not be an optimist today and think positively towards a more fulfilled life.

Why not look forward to success in all your endeavors? Why not be resilient?

Like everybody else, you are bound to hit lows sometimes but do not just stay there. Carry yourself out of the mud and improve your chances of getting back on the right track. Why not inspire others to remove their dark colored glasses and see life on the bright side?

Learn how you too can be an optimist and improve your personal and financial situation.

This may be a bit tongue in cheek but it is a true story. I know this for a fact as I am the one who had the heart attack.

No, I did not use the book to break my fall when I was in the throws of the attack,or to rest my head on in the ambulance. I used it two months later as medication. Medication works on your brain to change your mood,thought patterns or act on the pain control centers.

I wanted to find a way to help myself. I thought that if I changed my attitude and mindset I could release the hold my heart attack was having on my well being. I felt stuck in one emotional and financial place.

After a heart attack there is a period of adjustment that takes place. Depending on your individual case you may need to stop working at your old job and find a new way to receive an income. I had to do this and found out how to write a book, start a blog and post articles at different sites to get my message out there.

I was always interested in psychology and I recognized that now I could turn that desire about the human mind into the study of anxiety, panic, depression and other disorders.

Until I had a reason to focus on my burning desire and the opportunity came along , I was not fulfilling my lifes interest. When there was a problem and I found a solution to it, this was the way I began to get my life back in order again.

On a personal level, I was thrust into a physical situation that I was having difficulty with. I was not able to be as active as I had been, therefore putting me at risk of gaining weight . This bothered me until I realized that I felt happy and grateful to be alive.

I learned from studying The New Think and Grow Rich philosophy that I had choices and began associating with people who had a like minded attitude. I used the time I had ,because I was now working from home, to read and gain knowledge about what options I now had and how I was going to use these options for a better, more productive life.

Before the heart attack I now realize that I was only using part of my personal potential. I felt more confident and positive once I allowed myself to open up my mind to the concept of a new way of thinking.

It is natural to slip back into the old patterns of thinking and acting but I work and live the teachings and philosophy of The New Think and Grow Rich each day.

At first I felt awkward about the changes going on inside of me, but with each passing day I saw the benefits that putting out good, brings back more good. I have many daily examples of this . I saw these benefits because I was looking for them and I believe that I will get what I want when I have done the work or sown the seeds that need to be sown.

Some desires will take longer than others to manifest themselves. It is not like pulling a rabbit out of a hat, events happen in their own time when you have followed the necessary steps required.

I have been saved by the opportunities I now recognize and the effort I am willing to put forth. This is why I can honestly say that The New Think and Grow Rich saved me after a heart attack. I got inspired and took action on my desire to do and be more.

Two men look out through the same bars, one sees the mud, and one sees the stars.

If you have placed second in a writing contest, will you jump for joy and push for better results the next time or will you be discouraged and find an excuse not to join again?

You can change your point of view when you Think and Grow Rich.

In life, you always have choices. You may opt to have a pessimists view and live a self-defeated life or you may decide to take the optimists route and take a challenging and fulfilling life.

So why nurture an optimists point of view? And why now?

Well, optimism has been linked to positive mood and good morale, to academic, athletic, military, occupational and political success, to popularity, to good health and even to long life and freedom from trauma.

On the other hand, the rates of depression and pessimism have never been higher. It affects middle-aged adults the same way it hits younger people. The mean age of onset has gone from 30 to 15. It is no longer a middle-aged housewifes disorder but also a teenagers disorder as well.

Here is an explanation of how optimists take action and research that backs up why optimists expect the best. The attitude, Think and Grow Rich will set you in the direction needed to create goals and teach you how to follow through on the actions needed to be a success.

The defining characteristic of pessimists is that they tend to believe bad events will last a long time and undermine everything they do, and that bad events are their own fault.

The truth is, optimists are confronted with the same hard knocks of this world. What differs, is the way they explain their misfortune. It is the opposite way. They tend to believe defeat is just a temporary setback and that its causes are confined to this one case.

Optimists tend to focus on and plan for the problem at hand. They use positive reinterpretation. In other words, they most likely reinterpret a negative experience in a way that helps them learn and grow. Such people are unfazed by a bad situation, they perceive it is a challenge and try harder.

They will not say, things will never get better, if I failed once it will happen again and if I experience misfortune in one part of my life then it will happen in my whole life.

Positive expectancies of optimists also predict better reactions during transitions to new environments, sudden tragedies and unlikely turn of events. If they fall, they will stand up. They see opportunities instead of obstacles.

People respond positively to optimists because they are proactive and less dependent on others for their happiness. They find no need to control or manipulate people. They usually draw people towards them. Their optimistic view of the world can be contagious and influence those they are with. The Think and Grow Rich point of view is why so many people can bring harmony into their lives.

Optimism seems a socially desirable trait in all communities. Those who share optimism are generally accepted while those who spread gloom, panic and hysteria are treated unfavorably.

In life, these optimistic people often win elections, get voted most congenial and are sought out for advice.

When the going gets tough, optimists get tougher. Optimists typically maintain higher levels of subjective well-being during times of stress than do people who are less optimistic.

In contrast, pessimists are likely to react to stressful events by denying that they exist or by avoiding dealing with problems. Pessimists are more likely to quit trying when difficulties arise.

Optimists persevere. They just do not give up easily, they are also known for their patience. Inching their way a step closer to that goal or elusive dream.Optimists are healthier and live longer.

Medical research has justified that simple pleasures and a positive outlook can cause a measurable increase in the bodys ability to fight disease.

Optimists health is unusually good. They age well, much freer than most people from the usual physical ills of middle age. And they get to outlive those prone to negative thoughts.

So why not be an optimist today and think positively towards a more fulfilled life.

Why not look forward to success in all your endeavors? Why not be resilient?

Like everybody else, you are bound to hit lows sometimes but do not just stay there. Carry yourself out of the mud and improve your chances of getting back on the right track. Why not inspire others to remove their dark colored glasses and see life on the bright side?

Learn how you too can be an optimist and improve your personal and financial situation.

When Edwin C. Barnes hopped off the freight train in Orange, New Jersey, USA, more than 100 years ago, he may have resembled a tramp, but his thoughts were those of a king!

Think and Grow Rich would be the thoughts of a king filled with determination and an idea so ingrained inside of him that it could be called a burning desire.

As he made his way from the railroad tracks to the Thomas A. Edison office, his mind was racing. He saw himself standing in the presence of Edison. He heard himself asking Mr. Edison for an opportunity to carry out the one consuming obsession of his life, a burning desire to become the business associate of the great inventor. He felt the feelings flooding over him when the great inventor gave him the chance to prove himself.

Barnes desire was not a hope! It was not a wish! It was a keen, pulsating, passionate desire which transcended everything else. It was definite.

This man had The Think and Grow Rich philosophy,even if he did not know that it would later be thought of as such.

The desire was not new when he approached Edison. It had been Barnes dominating desire for a long time. In the beginning, when the desire first appeared in his mind, it may have been, probably was, only a wish, but it was no mere wish when he appeared before Edison with it.

Fast Forward

A few years later, Edwin C. Barnes again stood before Edison, in the same office where he first met the inventor. This time his desire had been translated into reality. He was in business with Edison. The dominating dream of his life had become a reality. The Think and Grow Rich philosophy was being put into practice.

Many people who knew Barnes envied him because of the break life yielded him. They saw him in the days of his triumph, without taking the trouble to investigate the cause of his success.

Barnes succeeded because he chose a definite goal. He placed all his energy, all his willpower, and all his effort, everything back of that goal. He did not become the partner of Edison the day he arrived. He was content to start in the most menial work, as long as it provided an opportunity to take even one step toward his cherished goal.

Five years passed before the chance he had been seeking made its appearance. During all those years, not one ray of hope, not one promise of attainment of his desire had been held out to him. To everyone, except himself, he appeared only another cog in the Edison business wheel, but in his own mind, he was the partner of Edison every minute of the time, from the very day that he first went to work there.

As you can imagine from what you have just read, the determination and desire remained a constant flame in the heart and mind of Edison.The Think and Grow Rich philosophy was just as much a part of Edison as his own arms or legs.

Standing alone in a crowd can seem difficult to do if you have not made a personal commitment to yourself regarding what and where you want to go in life.

The reward will come if you keep the faith and belief alive within yourself.

Remember the words ,burning desire.