Controversy Needn't Negate Positivity
The internet being what it is for quotes, most of us today are familiar with extrinsic motivator Napoleon Hill. Born October, 1883, Hill became a leading giver of sage advice over a long career as a writer and speaker.
Hill's enduring, perhaps most ironic quotable message was that "fervid" expectations are essential to improving one's experience; a message to be found referenced in several publications not penned by Hill—an idea based in impressions derived from Hill's written works.
Despite being a controversial figure with personal failings, Hill nevertheless followed in the footsteps of his most admired motivational figures and painstakingly created success for himself (as well as any conflicts in his wake).
Through his own life experience, Hill realized that people need external motivation at certain times in their lives. Thus, he offered it. Best known for the personal development work entitled Think and Grow Rich (1937), Napoleon Hill is usually well regarded for his writing and inspirational lifestyle, and responsible for many of the multitude of motivational quotes that grace the streams of social media.
Through his own life experience, Hill realized that people need external motivation at certain times in their lives. Thus, he offered it. Best known for the personal development work entitled Think and Grow Rich (1937), Napoleon Hill is usually well regarded for his writing and inspirational lifestyle, and responsible for many of the multitude of motivational quotes that grace the streams of social media.
Napoleon Hill Quotes
Motivational quotations taken from the Hill library include such sage points as:
- Neglecting to broaden their view has kept some people doing one
thing all their lives.
Napoleon Hill - When your desires are strong enough, you will appear to possess superhuman powers to achieve.
- If you do not conquer self, you will be conquered by self.
- The starting point of all achievement is desire. Weak desire brings weak results.
- Where thought prevails power may be found!
These relatively few samples are a good indication of the type of instigating content motivation-seekers desire, in order to enrich themselves.
No doubt, much of Hill's subject matter is invaluable to those who seek or stumble upon it, and many consider themselves to have benefitted from it in some way.
No doubt, much of Hill's subject matter is invaluable to those who seek or stumble upon it, and many consider themselves to have benefitted from it in some way.
Extrinsic Motivational Prompts Can't Replace Our Actions
While some are luckier in life, others don't have quantifiable positive external motivators in their lives. They may rely on outside sources of positivity to generate the force within themselves.
Sure, everyday facts of life can be motivating or offer positive as well as negative experiences, but such inevitable events aren't necessarily motivating in that positively targeted way that instills the excitement of cheering directly for our benefit! Rather, such motivation is available primarily in the service product of motivational speaking.
Plus, with motivational speaking comes the studied, often experienced, tips for success. It's not just about the cheer-leadership, but about gaining insights gathered along the road to proven success.
In the end, however, we must realize—about ourselves—that the power to succeed is within each and every one of us, and sometimes only needs to be encouraged, or revived. This is what makes such positive external motivators as Hill worthy resources in our work on ourselves.
Whether we are more or less intrinsically motivated to positive or negative actions is largely based in our environmental experiences. While circumstance may stall or upend us, we make our own base decisions. We pick up our own books, choose our best-anticipated Ted Talks, and we choose what our free time (time not spent earning a living) will look like.
Ultimately, we must pick our own most-effective leadership.
Sure, everyday facts of life can be motivating or offer positive as well as negative experiences, but such inevitable events aren't necessarily motivating in that positively targeted way that instills the excitement of cheering directly for our benefit! Rather, such motivation is available primarily in the service product of motivational speaking.
Plus, with motivational speaking comes the studied, often experienced, tips for success. It's not just about the cheer-leadership, but about gaining insights gathered along the road to proven success.
In the end, however, we must realize—about ourselves—that the power to succeed is within each and every one of us, and sometimes only needs to be encouraged, or revived. This is what makes such positive external motivators as Hill worthy resources in our work on ourselves.
Whether we are more or less intrinsically motivated to positive or negative actions is largely based in our environmental experiences. While circumstance may stall or upend us, we make our own base decisions. We pick up our own books, choose our best-anticipated Ted Talks, and we choose what our free time (time not spent earning a living) will look like.
Ultimately, we must pick our own most-effective leadership.
REFERENCES
The Edge Bulgaria: Open Innovation for Tomorrow – Bridging the Gap Between Research and Business Development, theedge.solutions/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Think-and-Grow-Rich-by-Napoleon-Hill.pdf.
Goodreads, www.goodreads.com/.
"Napoleon Hill." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia, Wikimedia Foundation, Inc, 17 Feb. 2004, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon_Hill. Accessed 23 Aug. 2019.
Novak, Matt. "The Untold Story of Napoleon Hill, the Greatest Self-Help Scammer of All Time." Paleofuture, 6 Dec. 2016, paleofuture.gizmodo.com/the-untold-story-of-napoleon-hill-the-greatest-self-he-1789385645.
"Wisdom for the Soul." Google Books, books.google.com/books?id=-T3QhPjIxhIC&printsec=frontcover&dq=isbn:9780977339105&hl=en#v=onepage&q&f=false.
