Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rules
The Lost Writings
Book Edition Details
Summary
Achieve success by mastering timeless principles with Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rules: The Lost Writings (2009). This collection of Hill's early 20th-century magazine articles, including insights on the Law of Attraction, draws on the experiences of rags-to-riches tycoons, offering actionable wisdom for building self-confidence, positive habits, and achieving your goals.
Introduction
Deep within every human being lies an untapped reservoir of power—the extraordinary capacity of your mind to transform thoughts into reality. Most people live their entire lives never realizing they possess this remarkable ability, accepting circumstances as fixed when they could be actively shaping their destiny. The principles contained in this exploration reveal how successful individuals throughout history have harnessed their mental faculties to overcome obstacles, build wealth, influence others, and create the lives they truly desired. Whether you're struggling with self-doubt, facing professional challenges, or simply seeking to unlock your full potential, these time-tested psychological laws offer a practical roadway from where you are now to where you want to be.
Harness the Power of Auto-Suggestion
Auto-suggestion is the deliberate practice of feeding your subconscious mind with specific thoughts, ideas, and mental pictures that align with your desired outcomes. Your subconscious mind operates like a faithful servant, accepting whatever instructions you give it and working tirelessly to bring those mental blueprints into physical reality. Unlike conscious thought, which operates only when you're awake, your subconscious mind never sleeps—it continuously influences your actions, attracts opportunities, and shapes your character based on the dominant thoughts you've impressed upon it. Consider the remarkable transformation of a man who discovered this principle during his darkest hour. This individual had lost his manufacturing business during wartime, watched his savings evaporate, and became so despondent that he contemplated ending his life. When introduced to the power of auto-suggestion through a small booklet, he began a nightly practice of visualizing himself as successful again. He would sit before a mirror and declare with conviction that he possessed the ability to rebuild his life. Every evening, he painted detailed mental pictures of the prosperous, confident person he intended to become. Within months, this same man had not only regained his footing but had risen to lead a nationally recognized business. His transformation was so complete that those who knew him before could hardly recognize the vibrant, successful individual he had become. The key lay not in changing his external circumstances first, but in reshaping the mental patterns that governed his daily actions and attracted opportunities to him. To harness auto-suggestion effectively, write out a clear statement of your definite aim in life, memorize it completely, and repeat it aloud twice daily while visualizing yourself already in possession of your goal. Focus particularly on these sessions just before sleep, when your conscious mind relaxes its guard and your subconscious becomes most receptive. Combine your spoken words with written reinforcement and vivid mental imagery—this triple approach accelerates the process of mental conditioning. Remember, your subconscious mind cannot distinguish between real and vividly imagined experiences, so the more detailed and emotionally charged your mental pictures, the more powerfully they will influence your behavior and circumstances.
Build Unshakeable Self-Confidence
Self-confidence forms the bedrock upon which all achievement rests. Without belief in your own abilities, you cannot summon the courage to attempt great things, persist through challenges, or inspire others to support your endeavors. True self-confidence emerges not from empty positive thinking, but from a systematic reconstruction of your self-image through concentrated mental effort and deliberate practice. When properly developed, this quality transforms you from a person who reacts to circumstances into one who creates them. The story of a distinguished business leader illustrates this principle perfectly. As a young man working twelve-hour days in a wire mill, he appeared destined for a lifetime of manual labor. However, he refused to accept this limitation and instead dedicated his spare time to intensive study of his industry. While others rested, he absorbed every detail about manufacturing, sales, and international markets. More importantly, he maintained an unwavering mental picture of himself as a knowledgeable expert deserving of advancement. His colleagues initially saw only an unschooled laborer, but he saw himself as a future leader. This systematic building of expertise, combined with absolute faith in his potential, eventually elevated him to the presidency of one of America's largest corporations. During government hearings, he astounded attorneys by recalling precise statistics and complex details without consulting notes, demonstrating the phenomenal memory that comes from genuine mastery. His success stemmed not from superior natural ability, but from his deliberate cultivation of self-confidence through knowledge acquisition and mental conditioning. Begin building unshakeable self-confidence by creating a written self-confidence formula that describes your ideal self in precise detail. Include the qualities you wish to develop, the achievements you intend to accomplish, and the person others will see when they interact with you. Read this formula aloud twice daily while standing before a mirror, speaking with conviction and enthusiasm as if addressing someone who needs inspiration. Visualize yourself already possessing these qualities and acting with the confidence they would naturally produce. Most importantly, back your mental work with consistent action—take on challenges that stretch your abilities, volunteer for responsibilities others avoid, and gradually expand your comfort zone through deliberate practice.
Apply the Golden Rule for Success
The Golden Rule—treating others as you wish to be treated—operates as both a moral principle and a practical law of human psychology. When consistently applied, it becomes the master key that unlocks cooperation, builds lasting relationships, and creates the goodwill necessary for sustained success. This principle works because human beings naturally reciprocate the treatment they receive, creating either positive or negative cycles of interaction based on your initial approach. Those who master this principle discover they can influence virtually any situation by controlling their own conduct rather than attempting to force others to change. A powerful example emerged during wartime when draft officers faced the challenge of convincing a deeply religious young mountaineer to serve in the military. This individual, known as an expert marksman but committed to the biblical commandment against killing, had become hostile to the idea of military service. Rather than using threats or coercion, the officers approached him with respect and understanding. They acknowledged his religious convictions, then carefully explained how military service could align with his deeper values—protecting innocent families, defending religious freedom, and stopping those who would destroy Christian ideals. This respectful approach, combined with showing genuine concern for his moral struggles, completely transformed the young man's attitude. He became one of America's most decorated war heroes, single-handedly capturing over a hundred enemy soldiers. The key was that the officers treated him as they would want to be treated if facing such a moral dilemma—with respect, patience, and genuine care for his wellbeing. This approach turned potential resistance into enthusiastic cooperation. To apply the Golden Rule effectively in your daily interactions, begin by genuinely considering how you would want to be treated in each person's position. Before speaking or acting, pause and ask yourself what approach would be most helpful, respectful, and encouraging if you were in their circumstances. Make it a practice to offer assistance before being asked, to acknowledge others' contributions publicly, and to address conflicts with the assumption that mutual benefit is possible. When dealing with difficult people, remember that their behavior often reflects past treatment they've received—you have the power to break negative cycles by consistently demonstrating the respect and kindness you hope to receive in return.
Summary
Your mind possesses unlimited creative power, capable of transforming any circumstance when properly directed through these fundamental principles. As demonstrated throughout countless examples of human achievement, success comes not to those who wait for favorable conditions, but to those who understand that "the mind resembles mother earth in that it will reproduce, in kind, that which is planted in it through the five physical senses." The combination of auto-suggestion, self-confidence, and the Golden Rule creates an unstoppable force for positive change in your life and the lives of those around you. Start immediately by writing out your definite aim, creating your self-confidence formula, and making a conscious decision to treat every person you encounter with the respect and kindness you desire for yourself—these small daily practices will compound into extraordinary results over time.
By Napoleon Hill
