This article
explains the 17 principles of success
and achievement, developed by Napoleon Hill in a practical way. After
reading you will understand the basics of this powerful personal effectiveness philosophy.
What are the 17 principles of success
Everybody want
to be successful and achieve his or her goals but what is the big secret to
realize these? In 1908 Napoleon Hill conducted an interview with Andrew Carnegie, who challenged him to do research on this topic. Andrew
Carnegie was at that time one of the most powerful men in the world business
wise.
Napoleon Hill did
on this topic his whole life research by interviewing numerous of successful
people and focus on the elements of personal achievement and success.
17 principles of success
Based on his
study and best-seller books Law of success (1928)
and Think and grow Rich (1937), he defined 17
principles that can lead to great success and personal achievement. They are
the 17 principles of success and achievement.
1. Definiteness of Purpose
For everything
you do in life, you need a purpose. No matter if it is personal or business
related, this is the first step in your quest for achievement and success. What
do you wish to accomplish? What is your ambiguous goal? Which steps do you need
to take to achieve it (plan)?
2. Mastermind Alliance
Scientific
studies and practice have proven that people that work together in perfect
harmony on the common goal, achieve more than one person on its own. Which
partners do you need and choose to be successful and achieve your goal(s)?
Cooperation and a powerful set of combined skills are a key factor for
achieving success.
3. Applied Faith
The principle
applied faith is the desire and plans that need to be succeeded into something
tangible. Therefore you need a set of realistic goals to meet those tangible
results. This is an essential principle, driven by a state of mind, attitude
and confidence.
4. Going the extra mile
This principle
is obvious. The more effort a partner puts in achieving a goal, the faster and
better it will be accomplished. Also the law of compensation (rewards come in
return for the deeds, thoughts and words) is great to incorporate in your
achieving mindset.
5. Pleasing Personality
This principle
can be a major asset in your everyday life. Goals and achievements can be much
easier realised when you work with people (i.e. partners) who are easy to
connect to and pleasant to work with. According to Napoleon Hill there
are 25 characteristics of the personality that you can work on.
6. Personal Initiative
Each person /
partner that works in an team and experiences group dynamics, is made
aware that his or her responsibility is key, in order to achieve the desired
goals. The individual is the starter of the initiative and it’s the challenge
to complete that what he / she started. Also principle 4 is a key success
factor to achieve the desired goals.
7. Positive Mental Attitude
No challenge
can start without the right mindset. Positive (metal) attitude keeps your chin
up and keep you powered in all circumstances. No challenge to large, objectives
are clear and realistic and the right attitude to keep focus, inspire and
motivate others, are key elements that are connected with this principle. The
more positive everyone thinks, that are involved in the desired goals, the more
likely it is to achieve success (the law of influence).
8. Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm is
key to achieve success in business. Enthusiasm can work infectious; the more
people are enthusiastic are about the desired goals, the more people will
become that as well. It comes from within a person and is also connected to
principle 3: applied faith. Success, applied faith and determination will
attract more success.
9. Self-Discipline
You need to
control your thoughts in order to control your needs and desired goals. This
principle is all about the mastery of your own thoughts. You take possession of
your own attitude, thoughts, emotions, acts, communication and so on. This is a
vital principle to make the best business decisions and set the right
priorities in order to achieve the desired goals.
10. Accurate Thinking
This principle is
closely related to principle 9: self-discipline. This is all about mind
control. Set your needed thoughts to achieve the desired goals prior and
eliminate all other unnecessary thoughts. It’s also called the power of
thought: “What you think, so you will become” ~ Napoleon
Hill (1937).
11. Controlled Attention
This principle
is all about prioritising time, energy and mindset to achieve the desired
goals. This is the highest form of self-discipline (principle 9). What is the
most important for you and what prioritized actions do you need, in order to
sustain that focus?
12. Teamwork
TEAM is an
acronym that stands for Together Everyone Accomplishes More! It is a fact,
based on scientific and empirical studies, that people that work together with
the focus on the same objectives, can accomplish more than one person alone.
Teamwork therefore is a key asset, together with the other principles, for
cooperative success and common desired goals.
13. Adversity and Defeat
This principle
coffers the learning lessons from human errors and failures. You only can grow
by learning by making small failures and master the experience. This is also
called “temporary defeat” and
it carries a seed of a (greater) benefit.
14. Creative Vision
In order to
come to great and wise business ideas, imagination is the key word to stimulate
creative visions. It starts with a simple idea that you can develop in small
steps over time, possibly together with others. Therefore your imagination
needs to be free and fearless. It comes from the sub consciousness and with
mind exercises you stimulate and develop it.
15. Health
Whenever you
are in business or something personal, health is key to enjoy life and achieve
personal fulfilment. This principle coordinates and stimulates all principles.
It also support conscious choices and giving you endurance. By eating healthy
food and challenging your brain in exercising, you can benefit yourself and
others of achieving the common desired goals.
16. Budgeting Time and Money
Time and money
are important aspects for success. It’s important to take the time daily to
understand your income and expenses in relation to your desired goals. Both
precious resources need to fit in your current plan as well as your future plan
(10 years from now). Prediction and decision making are key in relation to this
principle.
17. Habits
Everybody wants
peace in their mind, good health and financial security. Therefore, you need to
have developing and positive habits to achieve it. By thoughts and deeds,
you’ve established certain habits (cause – effect). Are these habits bring you
peace in their mind, good health and financial security or do you need to
change them in order to achieve this? What are these habits and what is your
plan to change?
How to apply these principles of success?
All these
principles are applicable in your live. It’s up to you what you want to do with
them. If you learn how to master unpleasant situations and change them in
useful and positive situations, you are on the right track of creating success
for your situation.
Questions for yourself to reflect on:
- What
is your blueprint for success?
- What
are your principles of success and how could you in cooperate these?
- How
is your success in relation to other people and achieving your goals?
- What
habits do you have that you want to change, in order to live the life that
you want to live?
It’s Your Turn
What do you think? Are the principles
of success and achievement still applicable? And if so, how do you use it and
what are your general results and learning lessons? Are the basics the same or
are there new principles of success?
Share your
experience and knowledge in the comments box below.
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More information
- Hill,
N. (2008, 1928). The law of success.
Penguin.
- Hill,
N. (2011, 1937). Think and Grow Rich: The Original
Classic. John Wiley and Sons.
- Hill,
N. & Stone, W. C. (1991). Success through
a positive mental attitude. Simon and Schuster.
Van Vliet, V. (2016). 17 Principles
of success. Retrieved 29 September 2019 from ToolsHero:https://www.toolshero.com/personal-happiness/principles-of-success/
