Page 156 - Napoleon Hill Think and Grow Rich Full Book | Success Learned

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NAPOLEON HILL THINK AND GROW RICH

Money is as shy and elusive as the "old time" maiden. It must be wooed and won
by methods not unlike those used by a determined lover, in pursuit of the girl of
his choice. And, coincidental as it is, the POWER used in the "wooing" of money
is not greatly different from that used in wooing a maiden. That power, when
successfully used in the pursuit of money must be mixed with FAITH. It must be
mixed with DESIRE. It must be mixed with PERSISTENCE. It must be applied
through a plan, and that plan must be set into ACTION.

When money comes in quantities known as "the big money," it flows to the one
who accumulates it, as easily as water flows down hill. There exists a great unseen
stream of POWER, which may be compared to a river; except that one side flows
in one direction, carrying all who get into that side of the stream, onward and
upward to WEALTH-and the other side flows in the opposite direction, carrying
all who are unfortunate enough to get into it (and not able to extricate themselves
from it), downward to misery and POVERTY.

Every man who has accumulated a great fortune, has recognized the existence of
this stream of life. It consists of one's THINKING PROCESS. The positive emo-
tions of thought form the side of the stream which carries one to fortune. The
negative emotions form the side which carries one down to poverty. This carries a
thought of stupendous importance to the person who is following this book with
the object of accumulating a fortune.

If you are in the side of the stream of POWER which leads to poverty, this may
serve as an oar, by which you may propel yourself over into the other side of the
stream. It can serve you ONLY through application and use. Merely reading, and
passing judgment on it, either one way or another, will in no way benefit you.

Some people undergo the experience of alternating between the positive and
negative sides of the stream, being at times on the positive side, and at times on
the negative side. The Wall Street crash of " 29 swept millions of people from the
positive to the negative side of the stream. These millions are struggling, some of
them in desperation and fear, to get back to the positive side of the stream. This
book was written especially for those millions.

Poverty and riches often change places. The Crash taught the world this truth, al-
though the world will not long remember the lesson. Poverty may, and generally
does, voluntarily take the place of riches. When riches take the place of poverty,
the change is usually brought about through well conceived and carefully execut-
ed PLANS. Poverty needs no plan. It needs no one to aid it, because it is bold and