Think and Grow Rich

One of the best-selling books of all time, Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill, an American author who was one of the earliest authors of the modern genre of “personal-success” literature. Hill's works examined the power of personal beliefs, and the role they play in personal success. "What the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve" is one of Hill's hallmark expressions. The turning point in the writing career of Napoleon Hill is considered to have occurred in 1908 with his assignment, as part of a series of articles about famous men, to interview billionaire industrialist Andrew Carnegie, who at the time was one of the most powerful men in the world. Hill discovered that Carnegie believed that the process of success could be elaborated in a simple formula that could be duplicated by the average person. Impressed with Hill, Carnegie commissioned him (without pay and only offering to provide him with letters of reference) to interview over 500 successful men and women, many of them millionaires, in order to discover and publish this formula for success. As a result of Napoleon's studies via Carnegie's introductions, the Philosophy of Achievement was offered as a formula for rags-to-riches success by Hill and Carnegie, published initially in 1928 as a study course called, The Law of Success. The Achievement formula was detailed further and published in home-study courses, including the seventeen-volume "Mental Dynamite" series in 1941.

For the disabled, of interest is the fact that Hill had a disabled son; Hill's second son, Blair, was born without any visible sign of ears. Hill was determined that his son would not view himself as handicapped. Early on, Hill and his wife worked with Blair to encourage him to "adapt" himself to the "benefit" that he acquired at birth. Mr. and Mrs. Hill never spoke of Blair's condition as a handicapping one. To the Hills' credit, Blair went on to graduate from college and became a successful merchant and civic leader. He began using a hearing aid only during his last year in college and this device was said to enable him to have near normal hearing. As a blind person, one of the most thrilling aspects of his book was the fact that early in his son's life, Hill determined he could communicate with his son by vibrations. I determined, that if a deaf person could learn through vibrations, a blind person could learn by hearing. This book had such an influence on my life, that I offered to pay many young men $10 to read it. Other than buying the books, I never paid one $10 because not one of these lazy people ever came back and told me they had read the book. Such is the lackadaisical don't care attitude of most young people in modern America.


Henrietta "Hetty" Howland Robinson Green (November 21, 1834 – July 3, 1916) worked as a cleaning woman on Wall Street. She heard stock brokers talk about various stocks and she became a specialist in listening and buying stocks with her meager income. By living frugally, and investing wisely, at a time in history when it was very difficult to amass a fortune, she became one of the country's wealthiest women. There are many tales about her stinginess, but it all comes to this, as can be testified to by your writer, you can not invest what you have spent. At the time of her death, her estimated net worth was around $100 – $200 million (or $1.9 – $3.8 billion in 2006 dollars).

Financial security is a mindset. I do not know anyone of wealth with whom it is not a matter of thinking. There are wealthy people who do not have the mindset, they got it the easy way, they inherited it. Those who inherit great wealth usually do not hold on to it. Most people who become wealthy, do it the hard way, they work for it and it is hard work! But, most of all, it is a mindset.

I want to disclose to you a matter which I have written and lectured about many times. The way a person can become wealthy; first of all, you are an American, at least until recently, a land of opportunity, where you can do anything you wish to do and there is no limit to how much you can make, if you are willing to work for it. If you do not have the mindset for work and saving, you are wasting your time. You can make a good living with your hands, and many people do, but if you are going to make money it is a constant mindset of self-control, conservativeness, and hard work; peppered with much aggravation from a large part of the population that 'don't care' and pick pocket service people predominately, who just want to rip you off at least one time. Most of all, it takes a Christian faith in an all-mighty God, who is in partnership with you, because God knows you are proving (Malachi 3) that you are working for Him as well as yourself.

1.Mindset- you must accept the fact that no matter how poor your background, you are not stuck where you start. Perhaps, because my parents, grandparents were conservative, frugal in their lifestyle, hard-working, patriots giving a large percentage of their income to God's work, I was frugal as a child. In college, I had the nickname of “Iron Pockets” because I went through 8 years of university education, which I paid, myself, living on $1 a day. I still, to this day, a multi-millionaire, do not spend much more than that on myself. I am a firm believer that one should deny self. (Mark 8:34-35 ) There is nothing that makes me sicker than a fat preacher, nothing more disgusting than a supposed “servant of God” (TV preachers, etc) with their expensive haircuts, expensive suits, flashing jewelry, and lifestyles of the 'rich and famous'. My only child, my son, a foreign missionary, told me about having lunch with an employee of the Bennie Hinn ministries, at which time he was told of the extravagance of that group. If a church or ministry, expects to get one dime from me, I don't expect them to live any better than I do. I give away a large part of my income, but I will assure you, that if I learn of waste and exorbitance or extravagance or lack of discipline, which I exercise in my own life and living, they need not expect anything else from me. I do not have this ability for restriction with the government, but it should sicken any tax-paying citizen to hear of corruption and extravagance in government. The problem is, only about 50% kf citizens pay taxes. So, the 50% who do not pay taxes elect to office those politicians who have no discipline in their lives and they enjoy spending YOUR money. In fact, I have learned, that most conservative politicians know nothing of TRUE conservation. George W. Bush, who claimed to be a compassionate conservative, born into one of the wealthiest families in the country, in my opinion, was neither conservative or Christian.
2.Day-Sheet- If you go to my bedroom right now, as in every day of my life, you will find a loose leaf notebook where, on every day of the year, I list my expenditures for that day. At the end of the year, I can use these expenditures for tax purposes by keeping them in this manner. But, the important thing, is to list your expenses each day. There is no other way, on Earth, whereby you can discipline yourself about spending. The only money you have to invest, is what you have not spent. Some people have nothing to invest because they have spent it all! It takes money to make money, and only what you have invested makes money; whether real estate, securities, antiques, collectibles, etc. You only make money on things you can sell for a profit. Be careful with expendables. Name brands sell for more because of their advertising. Credit cards are a poison, stay away from them.
3.Tithing- The last book in the Old Testament is the Book of Malachi. Malachi means 'messenger' and the message is that we should give; that we 'rob God if we do not give' (Malachi 3:8-12) Many believe in giving the tenth, as did the children of Israel, but the Jewish people also gave other worship offerings such as 'first fruits'. The tithe is not specific in the New Covenant. It can be used as a starting point for giving because, if the Jewish people, gave a tithe under law, how much more we should give under grace! It is important to give as we have been prospered (1 Corinthians 16:2) and remember, God loves a cheerful giver (2 Corinthians 9:7) YOU CAN NOT OUT GIVE GOD! Give and it shall be given to you (Luke 6:38)
4.Lifestyle- I become deathly ill when I hear of the extravagance involved in the living of some people. Opulence and extravagance are like mediocrity; mental abuse against yourself. I have traveled the world, passport stamped in 157 countries, because I believe God wanted me to see how people live all over the world. Most of the poverty of the world is below the 30th parallel, countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia etc. Once you have seen the poverty of these places, the decadence of spending and spreeing people, particularly Americans, the most blessed country on earth, makes me very ill. I never go to a restaurant where a meal costs over $10. I do not own a shirt that cost over 25 cents. I do not have one article of clothing not bought second hand in a thrift store. There is not one piece of furniture in my house not bought second hand. I do not blame anyone for not living as frugally as I do. But one can not have the Holy Spirit of God in his heart, have seen the needs and poverty of most of the citizens of this earth and spoil himself with extravagance. Honesty in dealing with God, and with your neighbors, is expected. More importantly, is honesty in dealing with yourself. Your conscience will not allow you to see needs in the world and still be extravagant with yourself. Only YOU can make that decision. I firmly believe in making every dollar possible, honestly, morally, lawfully. I firmly believe in paying your taxes, because in spite of the deception and corruption of government, we must have government; with the streets, law enforcement, and other things government is responsible for. I firmly believe in paying people to do things for me that I can not do for myself. I believe God holds us responsible for our citizenship as well as for our Christian discipleship.
5.Investing- Your best investment is in yourself. Have the mental ability to do the best you can with what you have. There is nothing as wasted as a wasted mind. Every child is due an education at the expense of the public. When I graduated from high school, there were no grants, no programs, no counselors, very few scholarships; only those elitist families with political pull got a chance at a military academy, only those elitist families with political pull, or alumni connections, got a chance at a scholarship. Children from the poor classes, if fortunate enough to enter college, had a working experience. In my case, for 8 years, and more so through the summer months, I worked at night and went to school during the day. When I graduated at 2 universities, I had paid my way and owed nothing. Today, most students, even those with grants and scholarships, have large student loans; particularly professionals such as doctors and dentists. Denial and self-discipline are good learning tools for future success. Character determines destination. The best character builder is hunger. It still sickens me to see college students spending and spreeing; I can well remember the convertibles, the cashmere sweaters, the fraternity pins, the partying that went on night and day at UNC-Chapel Hill. It was these popular, elitist, students who were in student government (because they could pay for the advertising and did not have to work) who were members of the elitist clubs and fraternities, who were the “pets” of the faculty and the administration. One of my friends was the son of a judge, both parents were alumni of the university, and he got special attention. Another friend, was the son of a state legislator, the university had a special administration official to make sure he had no problems. I could recite other such inequities, but just think of the inequity, at that time, of a bright young student not being able to attend his state university simply because his skin color was black. Investing with friendship, particularly in high school and college years, is very important. Mark Twain said, “Friendships should be kept in repair.” Continue to stay in contact with your friends. The bond of friendship made with people in youth, like the bond between parents and children, is a great investment and many of us discover that too late. Another investment, which will pay marvelous dividends, is the investment in good health. Many spend their health obtaining wealth and then it becomes necessary to spend their wealth trying to regain their health. From college until this very day, I have saved 50 cents out of every dollar I have made for investment. I could save more for investing, if I did not pay so much in tax and if I did not give away as much as I do for God's work. Of this 50 cents, I invest 25 cents in real estate and 25 cents in securities. At present, I have about the same amount in securities as in real estate, but with the present economic climate, everything is worth less.

The Christian, I'm not talking about a pretender, the born again believer in Jesus Christ, baptized, serving, knows that Christ came that we might have life and have it more abundantly (John 10:10) We will have troubles and tribulations, like everyone else. Satan will work us over. We will have automobile problems, A/C problems, health problems, even family problems, like everyone else. Don't cheat yourself. God has given us one instruction, to trust him. “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. (Proverbs 3:5-6) For 40 years I have thought, as a totally disabled person, that God would 'cut me some slack' but I seem to have more problems than anyone else and for a blind person, everything is a problem.

“Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to trust in Jesus,
I've learned to trust in God.

Through it all,
through it all,
I've learned to depend upon His Word.”

-Chorus of Through it All, Andre Crouch