121 Quotes & Sayings By Napoleon Hill

Napoleon Hill was born in Wise County, Virginia. He began his writing career at age 13 as a "mountain reporter" for small town newspapers and went on to become America's most beloved motivational author. His work stands as a monument to individual achievement and is the cornerstone of modern motivation. His most famous work, Think and Grow Rich, is one of the best-selling books of all time Read more

Hill established the Foundation as a nonprofit educational institution whose mission is to perpetuate his philosophy of leadership, self-motivation, and individual achievement.

When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your...
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When defeat comes, accept it as a signal that your plans are not sound, rebuild those plans, and set sail once more toward your coveted goal. Napoleon Hill
A quitter never wins-and-a winner never quits.
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A quitter never wins-and-a winner never quits. Napoleon Hill
The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this...
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The starting point of all achievement is DESIRE. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat. Napoleon Hill
Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
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Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve. Napoleon Hill
Do not wait: the time will never be 'just right'....
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Do not wait: the time will never be 'just right'. Start where you stand, and work whatever tools you may have at your command and better tools will be found as you go along. Napoleon Hill
If you can't do great things, do small things in...
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If you can't do great things, do small things in a great way. Napoleon Hill
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Helen Keller became deaf, dumb, and blind shortly after birth. Despite her greatest misfortune, she has written her name indelibly in the pages of the history of the great. Her entire life has served as evidence that no one is ever defeated until defeat has been accepted as reality. Napoleon Hill
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One who has loved truly, can never lose entirely. Love is whimsical and temperamental. Its nature is ephemeral, and transitory. It comes when it pleases, and goes away without warning. Accept and enjoy it while it remains, but spend no time worrying about its departure. Worry will never bring it back. Napoleon Hill
Wise men, when in doubt whether to speak or to...
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Wise men, when in doubt whether to speak or to keep quiet, give themselves the benefit of the doubt, and remain silent. Napoleon Hill
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The mind has a definite way of clothing one's thoughts in appropriate physical equivalents. Think in terms of poverty and you will live in poverty. Think in terms of opulence and you will attract opulence. Through the eternal law of harmonious attraction, one's thoughts always clothe themselves in material things appropriate unto their nature. Napoleon Hill
A genius is simply one who has taken full possession...
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A genius is simply one who has taken full possession of his own mind and directed it toward objectives of his own choosing, without permitting outside influences to discourage or mislead him. Napoleon Hill
Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing.
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Happiness is found in doing, not merely possessing. Napoleon Hill
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You are entitled to know that two entities occupy your body. One of these entities is motivated by and responds to the impulse of fear. The other is motivated by and responds to the impulse of faith. Will you be guided by faith or will you allow fear to overtake you? Napoleon Hill
Goals are dreams with a deadline.
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Goals are dreams with a deadline. Napoleon Hill
You are the master of your destiny. You can influence,...
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You are the master of your destiny. You can influence, direct and control your own environment. You can make your life what you want it to be. Napoleon Hill
Any ideas, plan, or purpose may be placed in the...
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Any ideas, plan, or purpose may be placed in the mind through repetition of thought Napoleon Hill
You become what you think about
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You become what you think about Napoleon Hill
The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit...
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The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge. Napoleon Hill
There are no limitations to the mind except those that...
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There are no limitations to the mind except those that we acknowledge. Napoleon Hill
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Before success comes in any man’s life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. That is exactly what the majority of men do. More than five hundred of the most successful men this country has ever known told the author their greatest success came just one step beyond the point at which defeat had overtaken them. . Napoleon Hill
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You’ve got to be sure of yourself before You can ever win a prize. Napoleon Hill
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I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism, by developing love for all humanity, because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me, because I will believe in them, and in myself. Napoleon Hill
It is literally true that you can succeed best and...
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It is literally true that you can succeed best and quickest by helping others to succeed. Napoleon Hill
The only limitation is that which one sets up in...
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The only limitation is that which one sets up in one's own mind. Napoleon Hill
Find out what you really love to do, and then...
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Find out what you really love to do, and then find a way to make a good living doing it. Napoleon Hill
Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is...
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Persistence is to the character of man as carbon is to steel. Napoleon Hill
Procrastination is the bad habit of putting of until the...
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Procrastination is the bad habit of putting of until the day after tomorrow what should have been done the day before yesterday. Napoleon Hill
Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and...
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Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you’re ready or not, to put it into action. Napoleon Hill
War grows out of desire of the individual to gain...
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War grows out of desire of the individual to gain advantage at the expense of his fellow man. Napoleon Hill
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To win the big stakes in this changed world, you must catch the spirit of the great pioneers of the past, whose dreams have given to civilization all that it has of value, the spirit that serves as the life-blood of our own country — your opportunity and mine, to develop and market our talents. Napoleon Hill
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Tell the world what you intend to do but first show it. Napoleon Hill
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The man who does more than he is paid for will soon be paid for more than he does. Napoleon Hill
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There is a difference between WISHING for a thing and being READY to receive it. No one is ready for a thing, until he believes he can acquire it. The state of mind must be BELIEF, not mere hope or wish. Open-mindedness is essential for belief. Napoleon Hill
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If you are ready for the secret, you already possess one half of it, therefore, you will readily recognize the other half the moment it reaches your mind. Napoleon Hill
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You have a brain and mind of your own. Use it, and reach your own decisions. Napoleon Hill
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The desire for sexual expression is inborn and natural. The desire cannot, and should not be submerged or eliminated. But it should be given an outlet through forms of expression which enrich the body, mind, and spirit of man. Napoleon Hill
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Disappointment over love affairs generally has the effect of driving men to drink, and women to ruin; and this, because most people never learn the art of transmuting their strongest emotions into dreams of a constructive nature. Napoleon Hill
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When your desires are strong enough, you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve. Napoleon Hill
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Definiteness of decision always requires courage, sometimes very great courage. The fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence staked their lives on the decision to affix their signatures to that document. Napoleon Hill
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It is your responsibility to make sure that positive emotions constitute the dominating influence of your mind. Napoleon Hill
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The emotion of sex brings into being a state of mind. Napoleon Hill
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Strength and growth come only through continuous effort and struggle. Napoleon Hill
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Meet struggle and master it, says nature, and you shall have strength and wisdom sufficient for all your needs. Napoleon Hill
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Strength, both physical and spiritual, is the product of struggle! Napoleon Hill
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Face the facts squarely. Ask yourself definite questions and demand direct replies. Napoleon Hill
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Desire is the starting point of all achievement. Napoleon Hill
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Adversity relieves people of vanity and egotism. It discourages selfishness by proving that no one can succeed without the cooperation of others. Napoleon Hill
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A philosophy a system of principles that will guide your thoughts and actions. Napoleon Hill
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Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success. Napoleon Hill
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If you give up before your goal has been reached, you are a "quitter." A QUITTER NEVER WINS AND A WINNER NEVER QUITS. Lift this sentence out, write it on a piece of paper in letters an inch high, and place it where you will see it every night before you go to sleep, and every morning before you go to work Napoleon Hill
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IF - and this is the greatest of them all - I had the courage to see myself as I reallyam, I would find out what is wrong with me, and correct it, then I might have a chance to profit by my mistakes and learn something from the experience of others, for I know that there is something WRONG with me, or I would now be where I WOULD HAVE BEEN IF I had spent more time analyzing my weaknesses, and less time building alibis to cover them. Napoleon Hill
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TELL THE WORLD WHAT YOU INTEND TO DO, BUT FIRST SHOW IT.This is the equivalent of saying "deeds, and not words, are what count most. Napoleon Hill
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Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another. Napoleon Hill
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If you can not do great things, Do small things in a great way. Napoleon Hill
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Opinions are the cheapest commodities on earth. Everyone has a flock of opinions ready to be wished upon anyone who will accept them. If you are influenced by "opinions" when you reach DECISIONS, you will not succeed in any undertaking. Napoleon Hill
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Memory is the 'filling cabinet' of the brain wherein is stored all thought impulses, all conscious experiences, and all sensations which reach the brain through the five physical senses. Napoleon Hill
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Remember that your dominating thoughts attract, through a definite law of nature, by the shortest and most convenient route, their physical counterpart. Be careful what your thoughts dwell upon. Napoleon Hill
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First comes thought; then organization of that thought, into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality. The beginning, as you will observe, is in your imagination. Napoleon Hill
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Thoughts which are mixed with any of the feelings of emotions, constitute a "magnetic" force which attracts other similar, or related thoughts. Napoleon Hill
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Remember, the thoughts that you think and the statements you make regarding yourself determine your mental attitude. If you have a worthwhile objective, find the one reason why you can achieve it rather than hundreds of reasons why you can’t. Napoleon Hill
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There are no limitations to the mind except those we acknowledge. Both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought. Napoleon Hill
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Both poverty and riches are the offspring of thought. Napoleon Hill
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Riches begin in the form of thought! The amount is limited only by the person in whose mind the thought is put into motion. Faith removes limitations! Napoleon Hill
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You may as well know, right here, that you can never have riches in great quantities, unless you can work yourself into a white heat of desire for money, and actually believe you will possess it. Napoleon Hill
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Fortune definitely frowns upon all ill-gotten wealth, and often causes it to mysteriously evaporate. Napoleon Hill
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Success in life depends upon happiness, and happiness is found in no other way than through SERVICE that is rendered in a spirit of love." Napoleon Hill Napoleon Hill
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Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. Napoleon Hill
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Building alibis is a deeply rooted habit. Napoleon Hill
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The capacity to surmount failure without being discouraged is the chief asset of every person who attains outstanding success in any calling. Napoleon Hill
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Fears are nothing more than a state of mind Napoleon Hill
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Whatever your mind can conceive and can believe, it can achieve Napoleon Hill
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Knowledge has no value except that which can be gained from its application toward some worthy end. Napoleon Hill
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The starting point of all achievement is desire Napoleon Hill
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Most people go through life by the line of least resistance in every circumstance where they can make a choice. They do not recognize that following the lines of least resistance makes all rivers, and some men, crooked! Napoleon Hill
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Your big opportunity may be right where you are. Napoleon Hill
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Opportunity...it often comes disguised in the form of misfortune or temporary defeat. Napoleon Hill
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To be successful, you must find peace of mind, acquire the material needs of life, and above all, attain happiness. All of these evidences of success begin in the form of thought impulses. Napoleon Hill
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If you must speak ill of another, do not speak it, write it in the sand near the water's edge. Napoleon Hill
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The capitalists are the brains of civilization, because they supply the entire fabric of which all education, enlightenment and human progress consists. Napoleon Hill
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During times of disaster sorrow brings people together in a spirit of friendship, and influences man to recognize the blessings of becoming his brother's keeper. Napoleon Hill
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Those who succeed in an outstanding way seldom do so before the age of 40. More often, they do not strike their real pace until they are well beyond the age of 50. Napoleon Hill
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An educated man is not, necessarily, one who has an abundance of general or specialized knowledge. An educated man is one who has so developed the faculties of his mind that he may acquire anything he wants, or its equivalent, without violating the rights of others. Napoleon Hill
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Fears are nothing more than a state of mind. Napoleon Hill
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We rise to high positions or remain at the bottom because of conditions we can control if we desire to control them. Napoleon Hill
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The most practical of all methods for controlling the mind is the habit of keeping it busy with a definite purpose, backed by a definite plan." And" A man whose mind is filled with fear not only destroys his own chances of intelligent action, but he transmits these destructive vibrations to the minds of all who come in contact with him, and destroys, also, their chances. Napoleon Hill
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The Creator never singles out an individual for an important service to mankind without first testing him, through struggle, in proportion to the nature of the service he is to render. Napoleon Hill
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Remember, too, that all who succeed in life get off to a bad start, and pass through many heartbreaking struggles before they "arrive". The turning point in the lives of those who succeed usually comes at some moment of crisis, through which they are introduced to their "other selves". Napoleon Hill
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Perhaps we shall learn, as we pass through this age, that the 'other self" is more powerful than the physical self we see when we look into a mirror. Napoleon Hill
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Failure is a trickster with a keen sense of irony and cunning. It takes great delight in tripping one when success is almost within reach Napoleon Hill
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Fortunate is the person who has developed the self-control to steer a straight course toward his objective in life without being swayed from his purpose by either commendation or condemnation. Napoleon Hill
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Effort only fully releases its reward after a person refuses to quit. Napoleon Hill
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There is no such thing as something for nothing. Napoleon Hill
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Worry is a state of mind based on fear. Napoleon Hill
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The majority of men meet with failure because of their lack of persistence in creating new plans to take the place of those which fail. Napoleon Hill
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Desire is the starting point of all achievement, not a hope, not a wish, but a keen pulsating desire which transcends everything. Napoleon Hill
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Your big opportunity may be right where you are now. Napoleon Hill
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Cherish your visions and your dreams as they are the children of your soul, the blueprints of your ultimate achievements. Napoleon Hill
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Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true. Napoleon Hill
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War grows out of the desire of the individual to gain advantage at the expense of his fellow man. Napoleon Hill
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Before success comes in any man's life, he's sure to meet with much temporary defeat and, perhaps some failures. When defeat overtakes a man, the easiest and the most logical thing to do is to quit. That's exactly what the majority of men do. Napoleon Hill