1장
The Supreme Secret to Peace of Mind and Prosperity
Napoleon Hill's journey to wealth and wisdom was anything but straightforward. At the height of his early success, he drove a Rolls-Royce and maintained a lavish New York estate with servants-only to lose everything in the Great Depression. By age eighty-four, when writing "Grow Rich! with Peace of Mind," Hill had gained profound wisdom about what truly constitutes success beyond material possessions. This final masterpiece represents the culmination of his lifetime of research, including interviews with hundreds of America's most successful individuals and advising three U.S. Presidents. What makes this book particularly special is that it's not just another success manual-it's Hill's most mature work, revealing the deeper dimensions of prosperity that can only be understood after experiencing both tremendous success and devastating failure. As Oprah Winfrey once noted, "Napoleon Hill's principles have been a source of inspiration for countless entrepreneurs," while Tony Robbins credits Hill's work as fundamental to his own success philosophy.
2장
Know Your Own Mind, Live Your Own Life
The Creator gave you absolute power over your mind-a profound prerogative that allows you to direct your thoughts toward abundance and peace. Despite outside influences constantly attempting to control your thinking, you possess the ultimate authority over your mental domain.
Never believe you lack what it takes to succeed. Thomas Edison, thrown out of school for having an "addled" mind, discovered he could direct his thoughts toward any desired outcome. Though lacking formal scientific education, Edison learned to leverage others' technical knowledge while successfully directing research that produced the incandescent lamp and countless other innovations.
I experienced a similar transformation at age nine. Labeled a "problem child" destined for crime, I even carried a six-shooter. When my father introduced me to my new stepmother as "the meanest boy in Wise County," she changed my life forever. Placing her hand under my chin, she declared I was actually "alert and intelligent" with just a need for "worthy objectives." This first-ever positive recognition transformed me, leading me from newspaper writing to interviewing successful men like Andrew Carnegie, which sparked my lifelong mission to discover and share the Science of Personal Achievement.
Great artists also understand this principle. Madame Schumann-Heink, later one of opera's greatest stars, was told by a music teacher to "go back to your sewing machine" after hearing her sing. Despite this authoritative rejection, she maintained possession of her own mind and became even more determined, ultimately enriching the world with her magnificent voice.
Remember that every adversity carries the seed of equal or greater benefit. Manuel Quezon demonstrated this when I counseled him in 1910, helping him set a definite goal to free the Philippines and become its first president. By affirming daily that he would allow no contrary opinions to enter his mind, Quezon achieved both goals exactly 24 years and 6 months later.
W. Clement Stone provides another powerful example. After discovering my principles in high school, he began earning more than his teachers. When facing disaster in 1939 after a major casualty company terminated his contract, Stone spent 45 minutes reconnecting with his inner self before successfully persuading them to reverse their decision. Starting with just $100 and a copy of my book, he built a $160 million fortune by setting clear goals with specific deadlines. During our ten-year partnership, his company grew from $24 million to $84 million in annual premiums.
To protect your mental sovereignty, create spiritual defenses like a medieval castle. The outer wall allows entry only to those with legitimate reasons to influence your thinking. The second wall permits only those with something beneficial to share. The innermost castle-the keep-is your sacred retreat where only the Creator may enter. Here you find your true thoughts undisturbed, search for solutions to problems, and discover what can be accomplished. When you emerge from this mental sanctuary, you know with certainty what will be accomplished and that you will accomplish it.
3장
Close the Doors on Your Past
The mind that achieves peace automatically rejects negative thoughts harmful to your welfare. When you meet misfortune, put it behind you immediately. Keep your mind focused on future achievement, and past mistakes often transform into future good fortune.
Those who fail continue living with their failure, speaking of it constantly and reliving the pain in the past tense. Successful people, however, speak in the future tense with eyes on their objectives rather than mistakes. They consistently talk "the way up" and speak complimentarily of other successful people, showing willingness to learn rather than harboring malice or envy.
While poor people can have peace of mind, it's rarer than folklore suggests. Without sufficient money, constant worries about basic needs prevent true tranquility. Many wealthy people enjoy peace of mind, but those whose main purpose becomes worrying about keeping their fortune find it elusive. I experienced this firsthand with my ostentatious Catskill estate with Rolls-Royces and lavish parties-it became a burden until the crash of '29 relieved me of it. While three friends with fewer assets committed suicide after losing everything, I made money again through the principles of the Science of Achievement.
After losing my estate, I found time to write more books that benefited both myself and mankind. Like Andrew Carnegie with his free libraries, I discovered that using wealth to help others greatly increases peace of mind. This principle ensures that as wealth grows, so will inner tranquility.
I learned early that dishonest gains destroy peace of mind. Among the successful men I interviewed, some were business "pirates" who either went to prison or remained free on technicalities but lost respect. However, those who've been dishonest can close the door on that past mistake and start anew. Unlike Al Capone's superficial charity through soup kitchens, men like O. Henry found themselves after paying for their crimes and went on to create meaningful work.
While natural grief is appropriate, most people wait too long to close the door on mourning. Life and death are natural processes; carry forward positive memories rather than pain. Similarly, when marriages fail, sometimes that door must be closed before either party can find success in life.
The best action to leave resentment behind is giving more service than you're paid for. A young printing estimator who studied typography beyond requirements became an executive. A saleswoman who began searching stock rooms and placing special orders developed a loyal clientele and became a buyer. This willingness to do more than required marks successful earners and leaders.
4장
The Basic Mental Attitude That Brings Wealth and Peace of Mind
A positive mental attitude forms the foundation for both wealth and peace of mind. Like a computer that operates on simple Yes or No principles, your mind processes life circumstances at a Yes-No decision point. Those with positive attitudes find every possible "Yes" in circumstances, while negative thinkers lean toward "No," missing opportunities and inviting pain.
When you know exactly where you're going, you automatically eliminate fears and doubts from your decision-making process. Your mind's limitless forces focus on your specific purpose, preventing distractions and wasted motion. This focused approach builds wealth through efficient, quality work and creates peace of mind by eliminating negative behaviors like fault-finding and corner-cutting.
Many highly successful people don't possess greater intelligence than others, but their achievements suggest genius. Their positive mental attitudes make their brain-power more efficient and available. Men like Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie and Thomas Edison demonstrated minds free of fear or doubt about their capabilities. Carnegie once tested my mental attitude by giving me just one minute to accept a life-changing opportunity. I spent twenty-nine seconds struggling with negative thoughts before saying "Yes!" - beating Carnegie's stopwatch deadline by thirty-one seconds and embracing an opportunity that would improve millions of lives.
Like a radio broadcasting station, your brain sends out thought vibrations. When you maintain positive thoughts that benefit others, you attract similar thought vibrations from like-minded individuals. I experienced this mind-to-mind attunement when interviewing successful men like John Wanamaker, Frank Vanderlip, and Woodrow Wilson, who freely gave their time and wisdom without charge.
Everything we do stems from nine basic motives-seven positive and two negative. The positive motives are: Love, Sex, Material Gain, Self-Preservation, Freedom of Body and Mind, Self-Expression, and Perpetuation of Life After Death. The negative motives are Anger/Revenge and Fear. Peace of mind comes only through the seven positive motives as a life pattern. You cannot maintain peace while fearing anything or harboring revenge.
To guard your mental state, visualize principles of personal guidance as Princes in armor standing at your mind's doors, challenging every thought that seeks entry. These guardians keep your mind positive, effective and discord-free. My personal Princes include: Peace of Mind, Hope and Faith, Love and Romance, Sound Physical Health, Financial Security, Overall Wisdom, and Patience.
Material gain, while a worthy motive, must never override your freedom of mind and body. When we pursue wealth dishonestly, we sacrifice mental freedom by loading our minds with guilt and fear. Working at a bank in my youth, I discovered my employer's son had left the vault open with cash scattered everywhere. Though tempted by nearly $50,000 when I was poor, I chose honesty over material gain. This decision preserved my mental freedom and ultimately led me to Andrew Carnegie and my life's purpose.
5장
When You Are Free of Fear, You Are Free to Live
Fear functions like prayer in reverse-instead of appealing to constructive forces, it summons destructive ones, demanding endless painful sacrifices. When you face threats with confidence rather than fear, great powers come to your aid.
Despite living in a nation of opportunity, many families remain trapped in poverty because fear dulls their wits and courage. Some make feeble attempts to escape but lack follow-through, while others tragically believe poverty is God's intention for them. I advise seeing poverty not as something to fear but as a starting point from which to advance. Let the experience of pinching pennies teach you money's power and how to leverage others' capital.
The fear of criticism can paralyze your mind before you even begin pursuing your dreams. This fear represents nothing but the negative influence of other minds-often merely imagined. History's greatest innovators like Henry Ford and Edwin Land ignored criticism to create revolutionary products. Ford faced widespread skepticism about mass-producing automobiles, but his wife simply encouraged him: "Go ahead no matter who criticizes." Similarly, Land ignored photography experts to create the instant camera his daughter requested.
Hypochondriacs obsess over symptoms, chase health fads, and literally manifest illness through negative thinking. The mind's power to create physical symptoms is evident in the extensive list of psychosomatic ailments-from headaches and ulcers to skin conditions and muscular cramps. The solution is simple yet profound: refuse to dwell on illness. The mind transforms beliefs into physical reality, so visualize perfect health instead.
True love walks hand in hand with peace of mind, but fear of losing love creates chains of jealousy. Love cannot be demanded-it must be freely given. While losing someone's love is painful, love itself is never lost; the capacity for love continues beating with your heart. When Charles Dickens faced unrequited love, he channeled that emotion into his writing, producing his most popular work, David Copperfield.
Liberty is a fundamental blessing, as evidenced by those who risk everything to attain it. Yet many surrender their mental and physical freedom voluntarily, while others become so fearful of losing liberty that the fear itself becomes their prison. True freedom includes accepting necessary social constraints while maintaining inner liberty.
I reject the fear of death instilled by religious teachings about hellfire. Nobody truly knows what happens after death-all are merely beliefs. A belief system that helps you live a good, useful, happy life now is what matters. I categorize circumstances into two types: those we can control (worthy of attention) and those we cannot (like death itself). By accepting death as inevitable without fearing it, one's mind turns from death to life-from guessing to realities.
6장
Will You Master Money-Or Will It Master You?
Money's relationship to peace of mind is complex-while lack of money makes living difficult, the pursuit and accumulation of wealth brings its own challenges. As a successful person accumulates surplus wealth, they cross an invisible border into being "rich." At this point, they will have peace of mind only if they've mastered money rather than letting money master them.
Andrew Carnegie, despite his immense wealth, recognized that pursuing millions isn't the right goal for most people and can destroy peace of mind. He advocated spreading wealth throughout society while understanding that millionaires will always be exceptions. The amount of money a person truly needs is simply enough to maintain solid comfort for themselves and loved ones, plus sufficient luxury to enjoy life's pleasures.
A student from India once traveled across the world to meet me, declaring his life's purpose was to accumulate one hundred billion dollars-one hundred thousand times a millionaire. When asked what he would do with such an enormous sum, the student hesitated before honestly admitting: "I don't know." I pointed out that such wealth in one person's hands could threaten the world, and helped him realize he was simply trying to outdo Henry Ford. Through self-examination, the businessman recognized that a quarter million dollars would satisfy his actual needs.
Inherited wealth often robs recipients of the ability to develop their own capabilities. When money comes through one's own work, it arrives alongside growth in insight, ability, and worldly knowledge. Children of wealthy parents frequently lose their willingness to work hard, knowing they'll inherit fortunes regardless of effort. I recall envying my employer's sons who received generous monthly allowances while I struggled to afford even six apples for a dime. Yet those same privileged sons eventually destroyed their father's fortune and health through their lack of real-world experience.
I present three practical approaches for building wealth without capital: First, help others boost their businesses while building yours, like the insurance salesman who created restaurant life insurance programs for regular customers. Second, show people how to get more value for their money by identifying improvements to their current products or services. Third, bring producers and consumers together-whether through supermarkets, mail-order businesses, or brokering.
Going deeply into personal debt undermines peace of mind, creating the feeling that "somebody else owns a piece of you." Saving money isn't just about having funds for future spending-it cultivates the habit of evaluating your money against your actual needs, helping you recognize that money's true value lies in what it can purchase in goods and services.
7장
The Blessed Art of Sharing Your Riches
The Law of Compensation states that shared wealth multiplies - whether it's money, time, service, kindness, or love. This principle was powerfully demonstrated by Edward Choate, who devoted 90% of his time to selling War Bonds and training competitors without compensation during World War II. Rather than harming his business, this generosity led to extraordinary success, generating over $1,500,000 in insurance sales in just three months.
Sharing knowledge can be more valuable than sharing money. Andrew Carnegie exemplified this through his free libraries and spreading the Science of Personal Achievement. One man in Oakland invested $100 in copies of "Think and Grow Rich" to lend to neighbors, which led to connections that grew his machine shop into a million-dollar business without advertising.
True wealth lies in its use, not accumulation. Henry Ford illustrated this when he initially gave Martha Berry's school a sack of peanuts instead of money. When the students turned that into $600 through initiative, Ford rewarded their resourcefulness with $2 million. Similarly, both Ford and Edison emphasized service in their business philosophies, with Ford noting, "A little bit of myself goes into every automobile."
When helping the R.G. LeTourneau Company address communist influences, I taught workers that wealth comes through service and positive mental attitude, not by taking from others. This principle transformed their understanding of wealth creation and their own potential.
Sharing extends beyond business into personal life. In marriage, openly sharing money, information, and experiences creates happiness regardless of wealth level. A wise spouse ensures their partner has financial independence and maintains open communication about earnings and activities.
Anyone can share in three ways: offering special skills without expecting return, filling needs where they arise, and sharing recognition with others. This approach to sharing - whether through professional expertise, neighborly assistance, or simple appreciation - builds stronger communities and multiplies wealth through service to others.
8장
How to Develop Your Own Healthy Ego
All your ability and personality show themselves in your ego. For many, the ego works at full power; for others, it needs boosting. Your own ego-booster may be connected with how you dress, express yourself, your surroundings, or some object with symbolic value.
While well-dressed appearance boosts ego, Edwin C. Barnes demonstrated a deeper strength when he approached Thomas Edison. Despite traveling by boxcar and appearing disheveled, his determination overcame his appearance. After Edison hired him, Barnes vowed never again to be poorly dressed, eventually owning thirty-one expensive suits and custom-made accessories.
Before selling anything, a salesman must first sell to himself, conditioning his ego to believe in himself and his product. I once helped a veteran insurance salesman who suddenly lost his effectiveness because he feared he was too old, even using a walking stick unnecessarily. I prescribed an unusual solution-having him use an ear trumpet and pretend deafness so he wouldn't hear rejections. This restored his confidence, resulting in remarkable sales success.
Sometimes the right ego-builder requires knowing yourself deeply. When Ray Cunliffe, a former Cadillac dealer, became restless and depleted his savings after selling his business, I prescribed a bold solution: buy a new Cadillac, purchase his wife the mink coat she'd long desired, acquire a new wardrobe, and have these luxuries delivered dramatically. This outward display of opulence restored his confidence. Almost immediately, their former servants returned, and a business opportunity appeared-a Baltimore Cadillac Agency requiring $150,000. With his renewed ego, Ray confidently approached a wealthy man he'd been avoiding and secured the needed financing.
When facing crucial situations involving persuasion, the power of your ego can create the right impression. I experienced this when my career faltered after Don Mellett's murder forced me into hiding. With my spirits low, I decided to break free from fear and find a new publisher. Though I had only fifty dollars, an inner voice directed me to Philadelphia and insisted I stay in the best hotel suite rather than a cheap boardinghouse. This environment boosted my ego immediately. Following my intuition, I recalled Albert Lewis Pelton's name, contacted him, and he promptly agreed to publish my work. My confident demeanor in those luxurious surroundings convinced him I was "the real McCoy," resulting in a contract and $500 advance for what would become "The Law of Success."
Ego-boosters come in remarkable varieties, uniquely suited to each individual. One successful insurance man I trained carries golf clubs visibly in his car, projecting an image of prosperity and leisure. Another wears an eight-carat diamond ring that acts as his "magic wand" during sales presentations-when it was being remounted, he couldn't close a single sale despite working harder than usual. The moment it returned to his finger, he closed six consecutive sales. What would make me self-conscious empowers him tremendously.
9장
How to Transmute Sex Emotion into Achievement Power
Sex emotion can be transformed into a dynamic force for achievement without interfering with its physical expression. This powerful principle helped make my book "Think and Grow Rich" extraordinarily successful. After writing it initially in 1933, I realized it lacked something vital. When I rewrote it, I infused it with transmuted sex emotion, creating an electrifying effect that has persisted across decades and languages.
Sex transmutation is the focusing of sex energy into other channels where it adds immeasurably to one's power of achievement. It's not lessening sexual energy but shifting it, like a powerhouse sending its pulsations into a different transmission line. This also focuses personal magnetism, which is rooted in sex. When you see sex as the great creative force-creative not merely of children but of all that is noble and enduring-then you understand what sex transmutation can do for you.
Those who achieve the greatest success in all walks of life typically have high sex capacities which they transmute at will, often unconsciously. I once met an unkempt salesman selling advertising space who, despite making a poor first impression, possessed tremendous personal magnetism that convinced me to place an $800 order. In watching for this phenomenon, I've observed that people with the greatest achievements invariably possess this transmuted sexual energy.
In every generation, only a handful of musicians, artists or professionals stand out as truly great. Beyond technical skill, they possess that "something extra"-the successful transmutation of sex emotion. Arthur Rubinstein, even in his eighties, delivers performances that seem fresh and new because he's a great lover of life with a deeply sexual nature transmuted into his art. Looking through history, men like Washington, Franklin, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Jefferson were not victims of their sexual drive but its beneficiaries, transmuting that energy into their accomplishments.
Though it's never too late to harness sexual energy properly, this lesson is better learned early. Most successful men don't achieve great success until past forty, but those who succeed earlier have typically mastered sex transmutation. A young man bursting with physical energy often gives himself entirely to physical expression of sex, never realizing how much that energy could build his career, sharpen his mind, and enhance his personality.
Sex has three great functions beyond pleasure: perpetuating mankind, maintaining health, and-when transmuted-working with ego to stimulate achievement with added energy and resourcefulness. Some never combine these functions, fearing they might "overemphasize sex"-a prudish attitude that does harm. Far from wrecking homes, properly channeled sexual energy can strengthen marriages. One successful electronics entrepreneur never makes important decisions until after having relations with his wife, finding himself both rested and invigorated, with remarkable success in his decision-making.
Man's greatest drive comes from his desire to please and protect women. The prehistoric hunter brought home extra game not just for sustenance but to impress his woman. Today's "hunter" proudly earns beyond basic needs for his woman's sake. Even Abraham Lincoln's greatness was partly molded by his love for Ann Rutledge, who died before they could marry. When successful men express homage to their wives-often quiet partners whose influence has been profound-you witness a complete life where success and the symbols of sex have merged into true partnership.
10장
To Succeed in Life, Succeed in Being Yourself
Only those who find their true selves can know their best talents and achieve their highest success. Living your own life-a principle that should be instilled in childhood-brings self-control and strength in handling both circumstances and people. Beware sacrificing yourself merely to accumulate wealth, for true riches include owning your own mind as well as your fortune.
Even after achieving success, many lose themselves by yielding to "big opportunities" that disconnect them from their own creation. I once turned down $25,000 a year (a fortune then) to ghostwrite for the Rockefeller interests rather than abandon my Golden Rule Magazine. Though people called it a mistake, I retained the right to travel under my own name in any direction, taking responsibility for failures and credit for successes. Only by being myself have I succeeded in being successful.
Truly effective aid comes not from controlling others but from helping them find and use their own success qualities. A child beaten into compliance learns nothing-as I experienced when my father thrashed me for avoiding church. My stepmother's intervention-"Can't you let him live his own life?"-settled in my mind like a glorious light. Never interfere with another's self-possession. Don't preach unless you're a professional preacher. Don't expect perfection in others, and remember that imperfections give variety to the world.
Self-control provides strength denied to many-particularly the ability to see situations clearly and turn them toward good. Consider revenge, that sweet poison incompatible with peace of mind. Abraham Lincoln demonstrated true self-mastery when he appointed Edward Stanton as Secretary of War despite Stanton having publicly humiliated him years earlier. My own awakening came after losing my temper with a janitor who kept turning off lights when I worked late. After cursing him furiously, I was humbled when he calmly replied, "Why, you're a little excited today, ain't you?" I apologized, we reconciled, and I resolved never again to lose self-control.
While you had no control over entering this world and may have little over leaving it, you control almost everything between through mastering your own mind without meddling in others' lives. Unlike other creatures bound by instinct, you're limited only by your mind's self-imposed patterns. A major cause of unhappiness is trying to master others while neglecting self-improvement.
Peace of mind isn't achieved in one easy lesson but through a process like farming-plowing fields, sowing seeds, tending crops, and waiting for harvest. When adversity appears, I now welcome it: "Hello, little fellow! I don't know what lesson you've come to teach me, but I'll learn it well so you won't return." Since learning to live my own life, adversities have become fewer and weaker until they've ceased to appear.
Discard acquaintances who waste your time or try to manage you. Create a time budget: eight hours for sleep, eight for work, and eight precious hours for what you wish to do-play, social life, reading, music, hobbies, or "just sitting" watching clouds or stars. These free hours let you live precisely as you wish, though this takes courage against social pressure. As success grows, increase your hours of pure enjoyment.
11장
The Magic Power of Belief
The Supreme Secret is revealed: "Anything the human mind can believe, the human mind can achieve." Belief is the key that turns concepts into realities. When you truly and deeply believe you will have wealth, health, or peace of mind, you will achieve it. Unlike wishes that exist on the mind's surface, beliefs become part of your very being, capable of changing your physical body and radiating power that influences others.
A wish is superficial, while a belief resides in the depths of the mind and becomes part of you. True belief can change physical aspects of your body, influence others through unseen wavelengths, and transcend even self-preservation instincts. Belief stands behind all great achievements, religions, and nations. Unlike wishes that may contradict natural forces, beliefs work with them and operate continuously as part of your being.
The conscious mind gives us "thoughts we know," while the subconscious acts as our hidden boss, directing our actions based on deeper beliefs and fears. The subconscious can override conscious intentions through various means-creating "accidents," generating excuses, or making us forget. However, this hidden boss can be reprogrammed. When you firmly implant a belief in your subconscious, it will instruct your conscious mind to live up to that belief, focusing all your senses and resources toward your desired achievement.
No limit to belief's power has yet been discovered. I recount how my father's deep belief and prayer saved me from fatal typhoid fever as a child. After praying with complete belief, my father returned to find me sitting up and recovering, when doctors had declared me beyond help. This demonstrates how belief can access powers beyond our ordinary senses.
I applied belief to help my son Blair, who was born without ears or normal hearing equipment. Despite opposition from others who wanted the boy to learn sign language, I spoke to Blair's subconscious while he slept, implanting the belief that he would hear. Combined with chiropractic treatments, this induced nature to build extra auditory nerves from Blair's brain to his skull walls, giving him about 65% of normal hearing through bone conduction.
Auto-suggestion is a self-contained process that begins with identifying what you truly want. The six-step auto-suggestion method includes: finding a quiet place to verbalize your specific monetary goal; writing and memorizing this goal with a statement of absolute belief; placing written copies where you'll see them morning and night while visualizing success with emotional feeling; applying the Master Mind principle by conferring with helpful people; acting promptly when your plan appears; and documenting your mature plan in writing.
Dr. Pierre Lecomte du Nouy's "Human Destiny" illustrates how our bodies comprise specialized cells working in harmony to create human personality. Through our intelligent brains, humans have accomplished in three generations what took animals hundreds of thousands of years-conquering the air, extending our senses, mastering distance and time. We've harnessed universal forces before fully understanding them, becoming responsible for evolution's progress.
Your achievements depend on what you first conceive, which stems from your deep subconscious belief. A mind at peace is a free mind with limitless power. Form your great beliefs on the basis of inward peace and they become truly great-and achievable.
12장
It Is up to You to Live the Life the Creator Gave You
The Creator gave you control over your thoughts that no one can take unless you permit it. Throughout history, mankind has worshiped thirty thousand different gods-from worms to the sun-each considered authentic by its worshipers, each inspiring fear and misery. Man advanced when he conceived of a single Creator removed from earthly objects, yet religious organizations often perpetuate fear rather than faith.
My stepmother's wisdom-"the only real devil is the man whose business is making devils"-freed me from religious fear. Though my father's prayers once seemed to heal me beyond medicine's power, I deny that anyone can tell me anything definite about the universal spirit. The Creator I know isn't separated by distance-I see evidence in every blade of grass, flower, tree, creature, in the order of stars and planets, in electrons and protons, and especially in the marvelous workings of the human mind and body.
Peace of mind comes through several essential factors: realizing you have a conscience that will guide you; taking possession of your own mind; living your own life without interfering in others'; freeing yourself of unnecessary encumbrances; establishing harmony at home and work; sharing blessings wholeheartedly; looking at life's realities as they are; and helping others develop their powers.
The Creator I made peace with doesn't require fear or religious intermediaries. His greatest blessing was making me human-giving me the power to choose between good and bad, rewarding good deeds and penalizing bad ones in kind. He gave me a mind beyond any other creature's and the freedom to use it. Through constructive prayer that isn't merely begging for favors, I can find faith that enlarges my powers. Yet I remain master of my fate, captain of my soul, often answering my own prayers through realization of my human abilities.
The Creator made you capable of thinking for yourself, being yourself, believing in what you wish to accomplish, and mightily achieving! Your mind contains powers meant to be used and shared, not neglected. Neglecting these powers brings penalties just as failing to build a house despite having materials would leave you exposed to the elements. Many blame others for their poverty, misery and worry instead of using their power to gather wealth and peace of mind.
Remember: Anything the human mind can believe, it can achieve. Believe in poverty and you'll be poor; believe in wealth and you'll be rich; believe in love and health and you'll have them. There is no good thing unavailable to you if you sufficiently desire it, and while others may see your possessions and influence, only you can hold your greatest treasure: peace of mind.
