The New Think & Grow Rich for Hard-nosed Realists
Being the adventurous type, I will occasionally pick up a book that I normally wouldn't read as a matter of course. It all hinges on whether or not I trust the party making the recommendation. This happened recently when an associate suggested a book that I hadn't heard of as a quality read for a business flight. To be honest, I was resistant and not expecting all that much despite being familiar with one of the co-authors. Long story short, the book turned out to be an amazing discovery. It's the Think & Grow Rich for hard-nosed realists.
I read Napoleon Hill's Think & Grow Rich long ago in my twenties. My reaction to it was basically, "Well, that was nice, think positive, ho-hum, but what next?" That's the original's failing. It doesn't give you any direction after telling you to just "think positive." Since then I have met many people who swear by Napoleon Hill's advice to think positive, but have little to show for it. Over the same period I have also met many who didn't have a positive or negative attitude. Basically, they had a neutral attitude on average. Some days it was positive; some days it was negative. Over the long run it was simply neutral because they were focusing on action instead of on their thoughts. Based on all the tens of thousands of data points I have collected over the decades, if you want to succeed focus on what needs to be done next and then do it immediately, instead of wasting time monitoring and trying to control your thoughts. The great thing about action is that you can make something happen even when you're in a crappy mood.
The new Think & Grow Rich does that. It focuses on the critical importance of taking action. However, it also addresses the reasons behind why most people prefer to try to think positively over taking action. The reason is fear. Yes, the great taboo topic that no one wants to admit to. Everyone has it but few are willing to admit it. The new Think & Grow Rich deals will fear very effectively and shows you how to move past it into the action phase.
So, what is the Think & Grow Rich for the 21st century? It's Robert Greene's collaboration with Gangsta rapper 50 Cent, The 50th Law. You may recognize Robert Greene's name from his other books, The 48 Laws of Power and The 33 Strategies of War.
An Amazon-UK reviewer sums the book up well:
The most interesting thing about the book is the radical new model of power. Traditionally, power is about material assets. However, 50 Cent and Greene present power as a mindset. For an image, think of a martial artist using the weight of the opponent to advantage. This is in contrast to people in positions of authority and riches who are dependent on those assets. Of course, material riches tend to accrue to those who master Greene's fluid power.
Read more on The 50th Law.
It is even better to act quickly and err than to hesitate until the time of action is past.
- Karl Von Clausewitz
One step forward is worth more than 100 years of thinking about it. - Anon
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