Is the concept "think and grow rich" a load of rubbish or is there validity to this statement.
It's ironic that on the eve of Ted Ciuba's recent launch of his "The New
Think And Grow Rich" that I heard another internet marketer, Matt Bacak
say in a teleseminar that the original "Think And Grow Rich" should be
tossed out and not in favour of an updated version. However, Bacak was
not totally denouncing this legendary book which many have said has
deeply influenced their lives and helped them to strike it rich. For
instance, W Clement Stone, a multi-millionaire and mentor to America's
Success Coach, Jack Canfield said,
"One of the most important days of my life was the day I began to read Think and Grow Rich."
International best-selling author of "You Were Born Rich", Bob Proctor,
also credits this book to contributing to his phenomenal success. And
here I was listening to Bacak suggesting that the title of this classic
should at least be re-worked to "Act and Grow Rich".
Somehow it doesn't have the same ring to it but I do understand where he
is coming from. There is a lot of talk about developing a wealth
mindset in order to successfully accumulate wealth and I believe this to
be absolutely fundamental. However, Bacak's point was that many people
stop short here. They don't follow through. They don't take ACTION. I
agree with this as well.
However, I also think that if this is the case then there's a piece
missing in their personal success puzzle, that somehow the mental
conditioning or, I should say, mental re-conditioning has not been
thorough enough. If it had been, they would take action. They would do
the steps needed to create the results they desire in their life.
It's kinda like the chicken and egg theory. If you believe that
everything begins as a thought or an idea, then it follows that thought
must precede any action whether it leads to poverty or wealth.
Therefore, Napoleon Hill's book, though outdated in some areas, and Ted
Ciuba updated, "super-charged" version are apt in their titles.
So why is success so elusive for so many people? Let's take a look at
what constitutes success. There are many definitions for success but
one of my favourites is that of Earl Nightingale:
"Success is the progressive realisation of a worthy ideal."
Bob Proctor, describes an "ideal" can be described as an idea that you
fall in love with. Herein lies the first clue as to why so many people
do not succeed. They simply are not "in love" with or committed to the
idea of the thing they say they want. It would be nice to achieve it
but if not, no big deal.
Commitment is important for other reasons. Without it you will not have
the mental stamina to withstand the potential opposition, ridicule and
rejection that your idea might receive and you will most likely abandon
your idea at the first hurdle.
Another reason why success can be elusive is because we do not fully
understand the creative process. We over-rely on our physical senses.
We believe in that which we can see, hear, smell, taste and touch.
"Faith is to believe what you do not yet see; the reward for this faith is to see what you believe."
St Augustine
It is a difficult concept for many to accept that we are creative
thinking centres. We forget that everything around us, everything,
existed first as thought - an idea. Note I the phrase "existed first as
thought" because when you can hold an idea or thought in your mind you
have created your thing on the first plane of existence.
This brings me to my next point as to why sometimes we do not succeed.
It is our ability to hold consistent thoughts. Many people's minds are a
battleground of conflicting thoughts and ideas. Such a state creates
turmoil; not only in that person's mind but also in their body
eventually resulting is disease for a diseased body is simply a body
which is not at ease. Such inner turmoil also leads to an inability to
take effective action.
Anyone who has ever meditated will appreciate that holding a single
thought in one's mind is a challenging task. However, meditation is one
way in which to develop your mental fortitude.
"Because you counter the majority of your thoughts with opposing
thoughts, you believe that you are not powerful. When you no longer
split your flow of energy with contradictory thoughts, you will know
your power."
Abraham-Hicks
Dr Robert Anthony, author of The Secret of "Doing Without Doing" says
that we just don't comprehend the power of our thoughts and so we focus
on our actions with the result that,
"If you analyse it, 90% of most people's actions are spent trying to compensate for inappropriate thought."
It's like we are trying to get our own way through force and the
Universe mocks us when we do so. However, when we work with Universal
Laws then our progress becomes virtually effortless. The things, people
and resources that we need are drawn to us.
Dr Robert Anthony reminds us that action is the last step in the process of creation.
"Actions are necessary, but they are the last component of the creation
processes. Actions cannot be used effectively to initiate results,
because initiation of the function of BEING, then thought, then action."
Matt Bacak was right we do need to take action but when we do so without
investing in thinking about what we desire and developing the right
mindset for what we desire then we end up doing a lot of work with
little to show for it.
When you can fully align yourself with the vibrational energy of being
rich which is achieved through thought, then the actions you need to
take will be shown to you. The hard work lies in the thinking.
So it would appear that to think and grow rich is in no sense nonsense!
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