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Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill was born in poverty October 26, 1883 in a one room log cabin on Pound River in the mountains of Wise County in southwest Virginia. The year after his mother died, his father remarried and Napoleon's stepmother became his guiding light and inspiration. Napoleon was nine years old.

Through the influence of his stepmother Hill became a newspaper reporter while still in his teens, supporting "local" news items in some dozen or more papers throughout the state. The originality of his style brought him to the attention of Robert L. Taylor, former Governor of Tennessee and owner of Bob Taylor's Magazine, who employed Hill to write "success stories" about famous men.

By this means Hill had planned to pay his way through Georgetown University Law School. He had matriculated as a student in 1908 when he received his first assignment from Governor Taylor to interview Andrew Carnegie.

Arrangements were made for a three hour interview, but Carnegie strung it out to three days and nights during which Hill was entertained at the Carnegie home. During this time Carnegie sold Hill on the idea of organizing the world's first philosophy of individual achievement, based on the principles of success which he had used in accumulating his vast fortune.

As a final test of Hill's staying qualities Carnegie put the question squarely, asking him is he were given an opportunity to organize the philosophy with Carnegie's help, whether or not he would complete the task which probably would require twenty years. Unknown to Hill, Carnegie gave him sixty seconds in which to make up his mind. In twenty-nine seconds Hill said that he would begin the job and complete it.

Later he learned that Carnegie was sitting with a stopwatch in his hand, timing the answer. If it had gone beyond the sixty seconds, Hill would have lost his chance, as Carnegie had learned from his observation of men that those who are slow to make up their minds are also slow in carrying out their decisions.

W. Clement Stone, Chairman of Combined International Corporation and world renowned philanthropist says:...from 1952 to 1962 I employed Napoleon Hill and acted as his general manager. We were dedicated to spreading Hill's philosophy. He had previously authored Law of Success, Think and Grow Rich, and many other works.

A few of the numerous achievements of our Mastermind Alliance were: co-founding "Success Unlimited" magazine, co-authoring Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude, developing the "PMA Science of Success Course" and, most importantly, laying the foundation that guaranteed the achievement of Hill's Definite Major Purpose in Life.

Hill's Definite Major Purpose was to spread the Philosophy of Achievement (the 17 Principles of Success) worldwide to this and future generations.

Born: October 26, 1883
Died: November 8, 1970

Napoleon Hill Quotes ...

"Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit." -- Napoleon Hill