Today’s my birthday. Something really grabbed me a few days ago as I was reading the chapter on “The Mystery of Sex Transmutation” (it’s not what you’re thinking) by Napoleon Hill in his classic work on the subject of achieving personal success, Think and Grow Rich. (You can follow/add to my hashtag on Twitter – #tagr.)
Here it is:
“I discovered from the analysis of more than 25,000 people that individuals who succeed in an outstanding way seldom do so before the age of 40, and more often they do not strike their own real pace until they are well beyond 50.” And, “The average person reaches the period of greatest capacity to create between 40 and 60.”
That got my attention. Mr. Hill, who wrote TAGR in 1937 gave ample evidence of people who didn’t become truly successful until well past the age of 40. People like Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie and James J. Hill.
I’m 59 and have never been more ramped up about creating and achieving something extremely worthwhile and satisfying. It doesn’t matter how many times you’ve fallen down, started and stopped, tried this and that. The potential for greatness and doing something worthwhile with your life is always before you.
Some say they’re not lucky. They’ve had nothing but bad luck. Listen, we make our own luck in life. As Hill writes, “Favorable breaks can be made to order.” And, “The only break anyone can afford to rely upon is a self-made one. (Breaks) come through the application of persistence. The starting point is definiteness of purpose.”
Reminded me of what Robinson wrote in The Element about being lucky. “It’s not what happens to us that makes the difference, it’s what we do with it that determines the outcomes in our lives.”
Think and Grow Rich by Hill is first and foremost about having a burning desire. And then translating that to it’s physical equivalent through what he refers to as the 13 steps to riches. I’ll talk more about these from time to time. But for now, let’s just come together on the idea that what you think about and allow your mind to be dominated by (whether positive or negative) will become your reality.
You can not create or produce anything that does not begin as a thought in your mind. Control the thoughts of your mind and you will control your outcomes. You will make your own luck. No matter how young or old you are. You can be 59 and just be on your way to striking your pace, to achieving something truly remarkable.
