Category Archives: Napoleon Hill

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The Law of Retaliation

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Again from Napoleon Hill who is a master and one from whom we should learn something every day:

The Law of Retaliation
by Dr. Napoleon Hill

Every person with whom you come in contact is a mental mirror in which you may see a perfect reflection of your own mental attitude.  I recently had an experience with my two small boys, Blair and James, which illustrated this point.

 We were on our way to the park to feed the birds and squirrels.  Blair had bought a bag of peanuts and James had popcorn.  James took a notion to sample the peanuts.  Without asking permission, he reached over and made a grab for the bag.  He missed and Blair retaliated with a left jab.

I said to James:  “Now, see here, son, you didn’t go about getting those peanuts in the right manner.  Let me show you how to get them.”  When I spoke, I hadn’t the slightest idea what I was going to do, I only hoped that stalling would allow me time to analyze the occurrence and work out a better way than his.

Then I recalled the law of retaliation that says people will always respond in kind, even in greater measure that which is deliver to them, so I said to James:  “Open you box of popcorn and offer your little brother some and see what happens.”

After considerable coaxing, I persuaded him to do this.  Then a remarkable thing happened, out of which I learned my greatest lesson in salesmanship.  Before Blair would touch the popcorn, he insisted on pouring some of his peanuts in James’s overcoat pocket.  He retaliated in kind!

Out of this simple experiment with two small boys, I learned more about the art of managing than I could have learned in any other manner.   None of us have advanced far beyond Blair and James as far as the operation and influence of the Law of Retaliation is concerned.  We are all just grown-up children and easily influenced by this principle. 

The habit of “retaliating in kind” is so universally practiced that we can properly call this habit the Law of Retaliation.  If a person presents us with a gift, we never feel satisfied until we have “retaliated” with something as good or better than that which we received.  If a person  speaks well of us, we increase our admiration for that person, and we “retaliate” in return!

Through the principle of retaliation, we can actually convert our enemies into loyal friends.  If you have an enemy whom you wish to convert into a friend, you can prove the truth of this statement if you will forget that dangerous millstone handing around your neck which we call pride.

Make a habit of speaking to this enemy with unusual cordiality.  Go out of your way to favor him in every manner possible.  He may seem immovable at first, but gradually he will give way to your influence and “retaliate in kind!”

The hottest coals of fire ever heaped upon the head of one who has wronged you are the coals of human kindness.

 Source: Source:  The following is adapted from the March 1919 issue of Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rule magazine.  Printed in the above version March, 1994, Volume 6, Number 3, Page 4 in the Think and Grow Rich Newsletter.

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Applied Psychology

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This is from Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rule but it is so pertinent to us. Pay attention here….

The human mind is an intricate affair.  One of its characteristics is the fact that all impressions that reach the subconscious portion of the mind are recorded in groups which harmonize and which are apparently closely related. 

When one of these impressions is called into the conscious mind, there is a tendency to recall all of the others with it.

One single act or word that causes a feeling of doubt to arise in a person’s mind is sufficient to call into his conscious mind all of the experiences which caused him or her to be doubtful.  Through the law of association, all similar emotions, experiences or sense impressions which reach the mind are recorded together so that the recalling of one has a tendency to bring out the others.

Just as a small pebble will, when thrown in to the water, start a chain of ripples that will multiply rapidly, the subconscious mind has a tendency to bring into consciousness all of the associated or closely related emotions or sense impressions which it has stored when one of them is aroused.  To arouse a feeling of doubt in a person’s mind has a tendency to bring to the surface every doubt-building experience that person ever had.

That is why successful salespeople endeavor to keep away from subjects that may arouse the buyer’s “chain of doubt impressions.”  The able salesperson has long since learned that to “knock” a competitor may result in bringing to the buyer’s conscious mind certain negative emotions which may make it impossible for the salesperson to neutralize.

The principle applies to and controls every emotion and every sense impression that is lodged in the human mind.  Take the feeling of fear, for example.  The moment we permit one single emotion that is related to fear to reach the conscious mind, it brings with it all of its unsavory relations.  A feeling of courage cannot claim the attention of our conscious mind while a feeling of fear is there.  One must supplant the other.  They cannot become roommates because they do not harmonize.

Since every thought held in the conscious mind has a tendency to draw to it every other harmonious or related thought, the feelings, thoughts and emotions which claim the attention of the conscious mind are backed by a regular army of supporting soldiers who stand ready to aid them in their work.

If you place in your mind, through the principle of suggestion, the ambition to succeed in any undertaking, you will see that your latent ability is aroused and your powers automatically increased.  Positive thoughts attract other positive thoughts and give you the confidence to overcome failure and achieve success.  If you neutralize your negative thoughts, replace them with their positive equivalent and reinforce them through the power of suggestion, you can reach any goal you set for yourself.

No one ever becomes a “doer” without first becoming a “dreamer.” The architect first draws the picture of a building in his mind and then places it on paper. And so we must all see the object of our labors in our minds before we can see them in reality.

Source: Excerpt from the February 1919 issue of Napoleon Hill’s Golden Rule.

How does this apply to your everyday life. I know it hit home for me.

What do you think? I bet most of you can apply it in a negative way but can you call forth a way this has affected you positively?

Take positive action: Write them down. Then start dreaming yourself!

Terrie

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Enthusiasm Is Never A Matter Of Chance

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 From Napoleon Hill: Enthusiasm is never a matter of chance. There are certain stimuli that produce Enthusiasm, the most important being as follows:

1. Occupation in the work that one loves best.

2. Environment where one comes in contact with others who are enthusiastic and optimistic.

3. Financial Success.

4. Complete mastery and application, in one’s daily work, of the seventeen laws of success.

5. Good health.

6. Knowledge that one has served others in some helpful manner.

7. Good clothes, appropriate to the needs of one’s occupation. (Clothes are the most important part of the embellishment that every person must have in order to feel self-reliant, hopeful and enthusiastic.)

“Put vim, force, vitality into every movement of your body. Let your very atmosphere be that of (one) who is ….determined to stand for something, and to be somebody…Dare to step out of the crowd and blaze your own path.” ~ Orison Swett Marden

Check your Enthusiasm level. I know that I can identify with all of these although #7 isn’t as important to me as it is to others. But after the St Jude Radiothon the other day, my Enthusiasm level was higher than it’s been in years. It filled me with vim and vigor to be involved once more in something that has meant so much to me for the past decade.

I hope that you can find something to inspire you as St Jude and Suzanne (The Wind Beneath My Wings) has inspired me.

Do you love your work? Do you love what you do? What type of environment are you working and living in? Ask yourself these questions?

Do you have good health? If not, I know it’s hard to be Enthusiastic about things but I also think that if you find something to inspire you, to be Enthusiastic about, then your health will improve was well. This past week I’d been having alot of trouble breathing but by Thursday evening and even on Friday it had improved. I had “gotten outside myself” and realized that nothing I was experiencing was anywhere near as bad as having (or being) a child with a catastrophic illness. No child should ever have to endure that. As a result, my gratitude level increased markedly and was able to shout my gratitude to the sky (however, I used my <a title=”Gratitude Journal” href=”http://www.gratitudetracker.com” target=”_blank”>Gratitude Journal</a> instead so the folks around me didn’t think I was nuts).

What’s going on in your life? Can you identify with anything I’ve been talking about here? Leave a comment….

Terrie