30 MAJOR REASONS FOR FAILURE

Napoleon Hill spent years studying the art of success. In Think & Grow Rich, Hill outlines what he believes are 30 reasons for failure. He also adds 13 major principles through which people accumulate fortunes. I’ll cover those next week.

Reminder, Think & Grow Rich was first published in 1937. Although published 89 years ago, the following list is timeless.

30 Reasons For Failure:

Unfavorable hereditary background
Lack of a well-defined purpose in life
Lack of ambition to aim above mediocrity
Insufficient education
Lack of self-discipline
Ill health
Unfavorable environmental influences during childhood
Procrastination
Lack of persistence
Negative personality
Lack of controlled sexual urge
uncontrolled desire for “something for nothing”
lack of a well defined power of decision
One or more of the six basic fears (listed in Think & Grow Rich)
Wrong selection of a mate in marriage
Over-caution
Wrong selection of associates in business
Superstition and prejudice
Wrong selection of a vocation
Lack of concentration of effort

❝

“All of us failed to reach our dreams of perfection.”

—William Faulkner

The habit of indiscriminate spending
Lack of enthusiasm
Intolerance
Intemperane
Inability to cooperate with others
Possession of power that was not aquired through self effort
Intentional dishonesty
Egotism and vanity
guessing instead of thinking
Lack of capital

Hill suggests going over this list with someone who knows you well to help analyze the thirty causes of failure and how you can best avoid them.

You should self analyze and know yourself well. This includes strengths and weaknesses.

Note: Actionable Steps

I have finished Think & Grow Rich and now going back through it because there are actionable steps suggested including:

Know what one wants - Definite Chief Aim or Definite Purpose
Complete the Six Steps for Turning Desire into Riches
1. Fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire
2. Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire
3. Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire
4. Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at one, whether you are ready or not…
5. Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money you intend to acquire…
6. Read your written statement aloud, twice daily…
Build Faith - Read the “Self-Confidence Formula” aloud each day
Concentrate daily for thirty minutes upon the person you intend to become.
Read Chapter 4 “Auto Suggestion” aloud nightly until you believe and become thoroughly convinced that the principle of auto-suggestion is sound.
Develop “Specialized Knowledge”
Use your imagination to develop a definite plan or plans of action
Form a master mind.
Answer the questions posed in the chapter “Six Ghosts of Fear”

This is a LOT of inside info from the book, however, it’s just the outline and not detailed instructions. I suggest buying the book and reading it for yourself to understand the context to all the above steps.

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