When William James,

another great leader
in studies of the human mind,

died in 1910,

a young newspaper reporter
had already begun exploring

the minds
of America's greatest men.

Here he is,
53 years later,

Dr. Napoleon Hill.

[applause]

Thank you.

Thank you very much.

[applause]

[applause stops]

My greatest book,
"Think and Grow Rich,"

was written in the White House
in 1933

in the most intense surrounding
of negative attitude

I have ever witnessed
in my entire life,

which is the evidence,
I think, of the fact

that there are ways and means

of maintaining
a positive mental attitude

even though you're surrounded
with negative influences.

The subject
of a positive mental attitude

is so very important

that I want you to know
I'm working from a script

because I want this lecture
to be letter-perfect.

A positive mental attitude
is a state of mind

which the individual
must create and maintain

by methods of his own choice

through the operations
of his own willpower

based on motives
of his own adoption.

In the printed lesson
on this subject,

many suggestions are offered
as to practical methods

by which the individual may take
possession of his own mind

and develop the habit
of directing the mind

in a positive mental attitude.

There are so many people
in this world

who can see the hole
in the doughnut

but they cannot see
the doughnut around the hole.

One with
a positive mental attitude

sees the hole in the doughnut
all right,

but he also sees
the doughnut around the hole.

Nothing constructive
and worthy of man's efforts

ever has been
or ever will be achieved

except that which comes
from a positive mental attitude

based upon a definite purpose

and activated
by a burning desire

and intensified
until the burning desire

is elevated to the plane
of applied faith.

When it comes to wishes,

everyone has a flock of them.

When it comes to idle curiosity,

everyone has a stock of it.

When it comes to hopes,

perhaps half of the people
have hopes

for unattained things
or circumstances.

Burning desire--only that
small percentage of people

who can be called successful

ever feel the urge
of this burning desire.

Applied faith--only the leaders

attain this degree
of mind control,

which can exist only
in a positive mental attitude.

Prayer brings positive results

only when it is expressed
in a positive mental attitude.

The most effective prayers are
those expressed by individuals

who have conditioned their minds
to habitually think

in terms
of a positive mental attitude.

For a great number of years,
it was a mystery to me

as to why my prayers failed
more often than they succeeded.

When I found out the real cause,

I discovered that I was
in the habit of going to prayer

only when I was in difficulty,

when I wanted someone
to bail me out.

Later on, I learned that
the best way to go to prayer

is to condition the mind
long before an emergency arises

by expressing thanks
and gratitude

for the blessings
you already have.

The vibrations of thought sent
out from the individual's mind

carry with them, though,
to other minds

the precise state of mind
in which they are released,

a fact well known
to all master salesmen

who have learned
how to condition the minds

of their prospective buyers
before they meet them.

Mr. W. Clement Stone has
approximately 2,000 salesmen.

They have learned the art
of conditioning the minds

of their prospective buyer

to buy long before
they interview him.

That's an astounding thing,

but I am sure
that Mr. Stone's increase

from $3 million
of personal wealth

to over $100 million
is due, in the main,

to the fact
that those salesmen

have been trained to condition
first their own minds

to be positive,

and then that vibration
of their minds goes ahead

and affects the minds
of the prospective buyer.

No one can successfully teach

the science
of personal achievement

while in
a negative mental attitude.

Underscore that one, please.

No lawyer can convince a jury,

no clergyman
can inspire his parishioners,

no speaker can hold
and influence his audience

without the aid
of a positive mental attitude.

And it has been said that
the most successful doctors

in all branches of therapy

are those who treat
their patients

with a positive mental attitude.

If a doctor went
into the sickroom

in a negative mental attitude,

there wouldn't be
a chance on earth

for him to do his patient
any good.

The subconscious mind
of an individual

can be educated
to produce constructive results

only when it is given
instructions

in a positive mental attitude.

The subconscious mind responds
most favorably and immediately

to a burning desire
backed by applied faith,

faith followed by action.

Constructive mottos are often
used by people who recognize

what a powerful influence
one's daily environment has

on the makings
of a positive mental attitude.

When I was associated
with R.G. LeTourneau

in 1942 and '43,

I wrote
over 3,000 positive mottos,

and here are some of them.

You can do it
if you believe you can.

And how true that is.

Whatever it is
that you're tackling,

whatever your problem is,

you can solve it
if you believe you can.

Do more than you are paid for,

and soon you will be paid
for more than you do.

The person... is worth most

who requires the least amount
of supervision.

And how true that is.

Remember, your only limitation

is that which you set up
in your own mind.

You fix your own limitation.

Nobody can fix it for you.

The tone of your voice
speaks louder than your words.

Keep it pleasing, please.

A negative mind
spawns only negative ideas.

And there's more wrapped up
in that short sentence

than appears on the lines.

A negative mind
spawns only negative ideas.

A real master salesman will not,
under any circumstances,

approach a prospective buyer

until he has first
conditioned his mind

to be absolutely positive,

because he knows
that the prospective buyer

will pick up his own vibrations
and his own feelings

and act upon them.

The use made of one's time

determines the space
he occupies in the world.

Time spent in silent thought
may yield fabulous riches

through the creation
of sound ideas.

A man is no bigger
than the circumstances

which he allows to worry him.

Isn't that a marvelous thought?

A man is no bigger
than the circumstances

which he allows to bother him

or worry him.

A closed mind stumbles
over the blessings of life

without discovering them.

When the devil
wants a job well done,

he picks a disgruntled person
to do the job.

There isn't the slightest doubt
in the world

about the soundness of that.

The man who can get the job done
without alibis

is on the sure road to success.

Opportunity has the habit
of getting in the way

of the person
with a positive mental attitude.

A person
with a positive mental attitude

attracts opportunity,
favorable opportunities,

just like a magnet
attracts steel filings

and as definitely.

And in reverse,
a negative mental attitude

repels opportunity.

Opportunity has the habit
of getting in the way

of the person
with a positive mental attitude.

Isn't that a marvelous thought?

Cooperation and friendship
are two assets

that can be had
only by first giving them.

No one can get to the top
and remain there

without taking others with him.

Politeness begins at home,
or it doesn't begin at all.

It may not be your duty
to return good for evil,

but it is your privilege.

Never guess when there is
a way of knowing.

When you do more
than you're paid for,

you put the boss on a limb;

when you do less,
you put yourself on a limb.

Faith will bridge
all rivers of doubt

so one may pass over safely.

A spider spinning its web

has more definiteness of purpose
than has most men.

And how true that is.

There is a method
by which one may transmute

failure into success,
poverty into riches,

sorrow into joy,
fear into faith.

The transmutation must start
with a positive mental attitude

because success, riches,
and faith

do not make bedfellows
with a negative mental attitude.

The transmutation procedure
is simple.

First,
when failure overtakes you,

start thinking of it
as if it had been a success.

Start imaging the circumstances
of the failure

in your own imagination
as being a success.

Start, also, looking
for the seed

of an equivalent benefit

which seems comes
with every failure.

While the wounds
of disappointment and failure

are wide open,

it's very difficult
for one to start looking

for that seed of an equivalent
or a greater benefit,

but if you allow
a little time to elapse

after any type of adversity
and then begin to search,

you will find that seed
of an equivalent benefit.

It never fails.
It's always there.

Because the Creator
has so constructed man

that he never allows anything
to be taken away from anybody

without something
of equal or greater benefit

being available to that person.

Although the person
may never discover it,

the potential is there
just the same.

When poverty threatens
to catch up with you

or has actually caught up,

start thinking of it as riches,

and visualize the riches

in all the things that you wish
to do with actual riches.

Also start looking for the seed
of an equivalent benefit.

When fear overtakes you,

just remember that fear
is only faith in reverse gear.

Isn't that an enormous thought?

Fear--faith is only--

fear is only faith
in reverse gear.

And start thinking
in terms of faith

by seeing yourself
translating faith

into whatever circumstance
or things you desire.

When sorrow overtakes you,

start expressing yourself
in terms of joy,

perhaps by singing
or giving thanks

for your power
to convert sorrow into joy.

Act out these positive parts,
and they will become real.

Isn't that
an astounding thought?

Of course, when you
start acting joyously

when the people around you
know that your heart

is burdened with sorrow,

you may seem ridiculous,

but never mind
what the other fellow thinks;

it's what you think that counts.

[applause]

Thank you.

[applause]

I have been criticized by some

who didn't understand the nature
of my ten invisible guides,

but the reply is that
they serve me perfectly.

They allow me
to say to the world

that I have everything
upon the face of this earth

that I need or desire or want,

and if I need more,
all I have to do

is to reach out my hand
and get it

and close my hand on it.

So if those who do not
understand the law

back of my ten invisible guides
wish to criticize,

that's their misfortune,
not mine.

Have a session with yourself
in the bathroom every evening

just before retiring.

Look at yourself in the mirror,

and compliment yourself
orally and enthusiastically

for having already accomplished

the things you desire
to accomplish tomorrow,

and do not stop until
you have convinced yourself

that what you wish
to happen tomorrow will happen.

You know,
nature has a way of, uh,

seeing to it that that
which you expect comes along.

She doesn't want to disappoint.

If you expect failure,
if you expect defeat,

if you expect ill health,

the chances are that you
will not be disappointed.

But if you expect success,
which is far better,

the chances are also that
you will not be disappointed.

Who is the greatest person
living at the present time?

The answer, of course,
is that you

are the greatest person
now living.

If you don't believe this,

then begin at once
to tell yourself it is true,

for it is true
as far as you are concerned.

Do you know
of any person living,

past or present, or--

who is more important
than you are?

Of course you don't.

You are great
because you can always become

that which you
sincerely desire to be.

That might not be true
if you lived in Russia or China,

but you don't live
in Russia or China.

You live in the United States
of America,

the freest, the greatest,
the most wonderful nation

upon the face of this earth,

and you have
all of the benefits

of this great country
to back you

in assuming that
you're going to be successful.

Create in your imagination
an army of invisible guides

who will take care
of all of your needs,

all of your desires,

very much the same
as I have done.

For instance, the guide
to physical sound health,

whose duty it will be
to keep your physical body

healed and in good health;

and the guide
to financial prosperity,

whose duty it will be
to keep you supplied

with all of the money you need;

and the guide to peace of mind,

whose duty it will be to keep
your mind cleared of all fears,

all doubts,
all causes of fear and worry;

and the guide to hope
and the guide to faith,

whose duties it will be
to give you inspired guidance

as to all of your plans,
aims, and purposes;

and the guide to romance
and the guide to love,

whose duties it will be
to keep you

young in body and in mind;

and the guide to overall wisdom,

whose duty it will be
to convert to your benefit

all circumstances
and influences

which affect your life,

whether they are good or bad,
negative or positive;

and the guide to persistence;

and the guide to Norm Hill.

Norm Hill
is my roving ambassador

who carries out
various orders from me,

which are not
specifically assigned

to the other nine guides.

You needn't call
your roving ambassador

by the name of Norm Hill.

You can call him
anything you choose.

But if you'll have
this invisible talisman

working for you,

you'll find that he'll do
a marvelous job

if you believe he will.

Your only compensation needed

to keep these invisible guides

eternally active in your service

will be an expression
of gratitude

offered each night
before you retire,

in which you will thank them
individually

for the service
they have rendered you

during the day

and the service
they will render you

tomorrow and always.

That's all they require,
an expression of gratitude.

Interesting that
that word "gratitude"

is one
of the most marvelous words

in the English language.

I often wonder how many people
there are in the world

who ever experience
this marvelous feeling

of gratitude for the blessings
they already have.

If you're struck
by some of the ideas

expressed in this lesson
to be new,

don't be alarmed,

for it may well be
that new ideas

alert one's mind and motivate it
to create still other new ideas.

Motivation, action,
enthusiasm, faith,

these are the states of mind

which are associated
with a positive mental attitude.

Habits--you're the sum total
of your habits,

whether they be habits
you have developed

with purpose of forethought

or habits you have allowed
to creep upon you

by neglect to form your own.

A successful, well-balanced,
and well-rounded-out life

is the result
of ordered habits

and never the result
of chance or neglect.

Positive habits can live
and thrive only in the mind

which has been conditioned
with a positive mental attitude.

And your other self--

each human being is a plural,
not a singular, being.

One of these beings is negative;
the other is positive.

And there is a battle
from birth until death

between these two
as to which will dominate.

Usually the power
is about evenly divided

between the positives
and the negatives,

but often, the negative
takes over completely

and makes of the individual
a subject of irritation

to himself and to all others
around him.

The development
of a positive mental attitude

is the first step
and which one must take

in order to give
the positive self

full and complete control
over the negative self.

Then one has truly taken
possession of his own mind

and is able to direct it
to whatever ends he may desire,

thus fulfilling the purpose
of the Creator

in having given man
complete control

over but one thing,
and that is his own mind.

I think, of all the facts
that I have examined in life,

that is the most fabulous,
the most far-reaching,

and the most significant,

that the Creator
has given man control

over but one thing
and one thing only,

and that is the right
to use his thinking,

positively or negatively.

Eternal vigilance is
the price that one must pay

to maintain
a positive mental attitude

because of these
and other natural opposites

of positive thinking,

such as your negative self

constantly maneuvers
for power over you.

You can feel that.

You don't need
to take my word for it.

You've felt it in the past.

You may not have defined
the feeling properly,

but you know very well that
there is something going on

within you constantly

in the nature
of a negative thought.

Then your accumulated fears,
doubts,

and self-imposed limitations,

which came over with you

when you came
from the other side,

they're constantly standing
in the way

of a positive mental attitude.

Then the negative influences
near you,

including people
who are negative,

and especially, sometimes,
the people with whom you work

or the relatives
with whom you're associated,

and perhaps some
inborn negative traits

which you brought over
with you at the time of birth,

these also can be transmuted
into positive traits.

Worries over the lack of money
and the lack of progress

in your business, profession,
or calling in life--

I don't know of anything
that can pull the rug out

from under one quicker than
worries over the lack of money.

Unrequited love

and unbalanced
emotional frustrations

in your relationships
with the opposite sex--

I suspect that sends as many
people to the insane asylum

as any other cause,
unrequited love.

It seems to me
that a man or a woman

who has been disappointed
in a love affair

would look upon the affair as--

very much as a sort
of a streetcar ride.

You know, if you don't like
the car you're riding on,

you can always get a transfer
onto another one.

And if you haven't--
the car hasn't arrived yet,

just remember,
if you stand by the side

of the streetcar line
long enough,

one will come along.

So don't let it worry you
in the meanwhile.

And unsound health,
either real or imaginary,

that also is something
that you have to battle against

in order to maintain
a positive mental attitude.

And intolerance,
the lack of an open mind

on all subjects
toward all people,

you certainly have to keep
a close check on that one

if you're going to maintain
a positive mental attitude.

It makes no difference
how much another person

may deserve your hatred
or your dislike

or your intolerance.

He may deserve it,
but you can't afford to give it

on account
of what it will do to you.

And greed for more material
possessions than you need...

I have probably seen
and known and dealt

with more wealthy men
in this country

than any other one individual,

and I want to tell you,
my friends,

that I can count
on the fingers of my one hand

the extremely wealthy men

with whom I would have cared
to change places.

Most of them paid too much
for the money they got.

Their greed
outran their reasoning.

They were getting
no peace of mind out of life.

You can get too much money
in life;

you can also get too little.

Somewhere in between
the two extremes

is the proper place to stop.

I have a motto which says,
"Not too much, not too little."

That goes not only for money;
it goes for everything.

Not too much, not too little,

just enough to maintain

a well-ordered
and a well-balanced life.

Ignorance of the real extent
of the power of your mind

and its unlimited potentials

for the attainment
of anything you desire

also is a handicap

to the maintenance
of a positive mental attitude.

And lack
of a definite major purpose

and a plan
for its attainment...

2 out of 100, perhaps,
have a definite major purpose,

and that would be putting
the percentage rather high,

if you took the people
as a whole.

And the habit of allowing others
to do your thinking for you...

Now, check yourself rigidly

on each of the above enemies
of positive thinking,

and go to work wherever
you grade less than 100%

on immunity against
any of these causes.

If you have
a master mind alliance,

have each of its members
to carefully check and grade you

on each of the above causes,

since it is a common trait
of human--of human beings

to be biased
in evaluating themselves,

sometimes in their own favor,

but more often
against themselves.

As a student of the science
of personal achievement,

you are indebted
to the complete overhauling job

through which you will evolve
into new--

a new and a better set
of habits

by which you conduct your life.

Remember, therefore,
that no price you have to pay

for this better way of living
is too high.

Actually, the only price
you have to pay

is that of following
the instructions laid down

in the philosophy
under these instructions

until these instructions
become your daily habits.

Socrates said, "Wisdom softens
poverty and adorns riches."

And Napoleon Hill says
that a positive mental attitude

will do the same,
or even more,

by eliminating poverty
altogether.

Every adversity
that carries with it

the seed
of an equivalent benefit--

the proper way
to attain this benefit

is by starting to look
for the seed

as soon
as the adversity appears

instead of brooding
over the circumstance.

A positive mental attitude
is the only attitude

in which that seed
may be revealed and germinate

into a full-blown flower
of benefit.

Everyone, my friends,
I suppose,

desires to be rich,

but not everyone knows what
constitutes enduring riches,

and most people believe riches

to consist only
in the material things

that money can buy.

Let me disillusion you
on that subject

by giving you an outline
of the 12 great riches of life.

Number 1:

a positive mental attitude.

That stands
at the head of the list

of all of the riches of life.

Number 2:

sound physical health.

And number 3:

harmony in all
of your human relations.

Number 4:

freedom from fear.

Number 5:

the hope
of future achievement.

Number 6:

the capacity
for applied faith.

Number 7:

a willingness to share
your blessings with others.

And number 8:

to be engaged
in the labor of love.

Number 9:

an open mind on all subjects
toward all people.

Number 10:
complete self-discipline.

And there's
a whole foundation of philosophy

in that one alone,
complete self-discipline.

And number 11:

the wisdom with which
to understand people.

And number 12:

financial security.

Note that it comes last.

There are 11 other things

which may be used
as a foundation

upon which to make proper use
of money,

and without
these other nine things,

money can be just as dangerous
as it can be helpful.

Observe that money
is the last thing on the list.

11 other riches precede it,

without which
money can become a curse

and nothing more.

Study these 12 great riches
carefully,

and observe that not one of them
can be attained

without the application
of a positive mental attitude.

That is why it leads the list.

In the lesson
on a pleasing personality,

you will observe also
that a positive mental attitude

heads the list of the 31 traits

which give one
a pleasing personality.

And I thank you.

[applause]