How to Own Your Own Mind (The Mental Dynamite Series)

by Napoleon Hill

IN 1941, NAPOLEON HILL created and published seventeen booklets, each one setting forth an explanation of the principles of personal achievement Mr. Hill had developed from studying great American success stories for twenty years. He was inspired to do so when, as a fledgling reporter, he interviewed the great steel magnate Andrew Carnegie, who outlined the principles of success and commissioned young Napoleon to commence an intense study of how these principles contributed to the success of the great men of the time, and of earlier times. He called the series of booklets Mental Dynamite, a phrase Mr. Carnegie had used to describe the seventeen principles.

how to think before acting, and thereby how to recognize opportunities, define one’s Definite Major Purpose, and refine it until it is time to take action. When these chapters have been mastered, you will know how to own your own mind.

the principle of Creative Vision. Andrew Carnegie explains to young Napoleon in Mr. Carnegie’s study in 1908 that imagination is a primary component of it, and Mr. Carnegie provides examples of how imagination enables people to be successful in such apparently diverse activities as inventing and sales. But imagination has to be applied. “Fleeting thoughts” and “mere wishes” are not enough to create inventions and make sales, according to Mr. Carnegie; one must recognize opportunities, and act upon them. This is the essence of Creative Vision. Mr. Carnegie also details the ten principles of success that are used by all people who successfully apply Creative Vision.

the importance of the principle of Organized Thought. Through the use of three charts, Dr. Hill explains how one can attain and then use Organized Thought to succeed in controlling one’s destiny. I believe you will realize, as I have, that these three charts deserve repeated study, and that each reading of them reveals something new. They disclose how Organized Thought, willpower, and self-discipline interact with the faculties of the mind, the five senses, the basic human motives, and other success principles to produce results when—and this is essential—action is taken. Thoughts without action are ineffective.

inductive and deductive reasoning and social heredity contribute to the development of Organized Thought. He explains the importance of habits, both good and bad, in influencing one’s ability to achieve Organized Thought. The chapter concludes with excerpts from young Napoleon’s 1908 interview with Andrew Carnegie, in which Mr. Carnegie details the positive things which can be accomplished by Organized Thought, and how its use by evil men is doomed to fail.

the success principle of Controlled Attention. Controlled Attention is concentration, and more. It is the means by which one’s plans are impressed on the subconscious mind. It is the process of controlling all the activities of the mind and directing them to a given end. It is...

the use of other success principles, such as Going the Extra Mile, the Master Mind, and faith, can intensify the ability to develop Controlled Attention and bolster one’s confidence. He provides examples of people who have combined many of the success principles with Controlled Attention to develop previously unknown solutions to problems. Dr. Hill also sets forth testimonials from many famous and successful people about how important Controlled Attention was to their lives. A common theme is that one should control attention by focusing it on one major purpose rather than many.