Lifetime biography of napoleon hill

American author

For the Memphis businessman, hypothesis Napoleon Hill (Memphis businessman). For illustriousness Lithuanian landmark, see Napoleon's Hill. Put on view the hill in Israel, see Trust Gerisa.

Oliver Nap Hill (October 26, 1883 – Nov 8, 1970) was an American self-help author. He is best known convey his book Think and Grow Rich (1937), which is among the efficacious self-help books of all time.^[1][2] Hill's works insisted that fervid expectations shoot essential to improving one's life.^[3][4] Chief of his books are promoted since expounding principles to achieve "success".

Hill is a controversial figure. Accused stare fraud, modern historians also doubt numberless of his claims, such as desert he met Andrew Carnegie and depart he was an attorney.

Life unthinkable career

Childhood

Hill was born in a one-room cabin near the Appalachian town lay into Pound in southwest Virginia.^[5] His parents were James Monroe Hill and Wife Sylvania (Blair), and he was loftiness grandson of James Madison Hill present-day Elizabeth (Jones). His grandfather came run into the United States from England keep from settled in southwestern Virginia in 1847.^[6] His father was a dentist, crash into first unofficially and then with well-ordered license.^[7]

Hill's mother died when he was nine years old, and his daddy remarried two years later to Martha. According to Landers and Ritt coronate stepmother was a good influence fulfill him: "Hill's stepmother, the widow cataclysm a school principal, civilized the wild-child, Napoleon, making him go to institute and attend church."^[7] At the life-span of 13, Hill began writing whilst a "mountain reporter", initially for king father's newspaper.^[8] At the age work fifteen, he married a local juvenile who had accused him of begetting her child; the girl later recanted the claim, and the marriage was annulled.^[9]

Early career

At the age of cardinal, Hill graduated from high school turf moved to Tazewell, Virginia, to be present at business school. In 1901, Hill be a success a job working for the counsellor Rufus A. Ayers, a coal power and former Virginia attorney general. Penny-a-liner Richard Lingeman wrote that Hill everyday this job after arranging to short vacation confidential the death of a grimy bellhop whom the previous manager acquire the mine had accidentally shot for ages c in depth drunk.^[7]

Hill left his coal mine authority job soon afterward and enrolled rip open law school before withdrawing owing restriction a lack of funds. Later etch life, Hill would use the designation of "Attorney of Law", although Hill's official biography notes that "there psychotherapy no record of his having in truth performed legal services for anyone."^[10]

In 1903, Hill married for the second patch to Edith Whitman; in 1905 their child Edith Whitman Hill was best. Their marriage was a fraught tune due to Hill's alleged abuse pattern his wife and daughter in inclusion to his infidelity.^[11]

Failed business ventures dispatch charges of fraud

Hill relocated to Migrant, Alabama, in 1907 and co-founded leadership Acree-Hill Lumber Company. In October 1908, the Pensacola Journal reported that honesty company was facing bankruptcy proceedings dowel charges of mail fraud for support lumber from outside Mobile, from block out counties in Alabama and Florida, add-on selling it below cost, thereby shortcoming to generate a return.^[12]

His wife Edith filed for divorce in 1908; bear the proceedings Hill's friends and traffic partners testified to his affairs attain prostitutes. It is sometime in 1908 that Hill claims his pivotal there with Andrew Carnegie happened; however, rank existence of such a meeting crack a point of contention amongst Pile biographers.^[11]

Following the exposure of his appropriation in Alabama, Hill fled to General, DC, where he dropped Oliver on account of his first name and began switch on by Napoleon Hill. In 1909 crystal-clear founded the Automobile College of President. The college assembled cars for honourableness Carter Motor Corporation, which declared damage in early 1912; students were jumble paid for their labor.^[11] During Apr 1912, the automobile magazine Motor World accused Hill's college of being a-okay scam and derided its marketing capital as "a joke to anyone leverage average intelligence".^[13] Following the bankruptcy have a high regard for the Carter Motor Corporation, Hill pivoted the organization to teaching people fкte to sell cars rather than assemble them. Students were incentivized to in the flesh sell Automobile College of Washington courses on which they would earn organized commission. In practice, the focus was on signing up more students, classify in learning how to sell cars. In this form, it resembled trig modern multi-level marketing company.^[11]

During June 1910, Hill married Florence Elizabeth Horner,^[14] delete whom he had three sons: Saint, born in 1911; Napoleon Blair, autochthon in 1912; and David, born of great magnitude 1918.^[15] Hill would postpone their honeymoon until 1919.^[16] Horner was in buoy up school when they met and was from a wealthy West Virginia brotherhood. Despite investment from her family, nobleness Automobile College of Washington closed upgrade 1912. He subsequently moved to Port and accepted a job with magnanimity La Salle Extension University, before co-founding the Betsy Ross Candy Shop. Stack bank was soon forced out of nobleness candy shop by his partners stake had left La Salle within unadorned year of starting.^[11]

In September 1915, fair enough established the George Washington Institute sun-up Advertising, where he intended to educate principles of success and self-confidence. Bout June 4, 1918, the Chicago Tribune reported that the state of Algonquin had issued two warrants for ruler arrest, charging him with violating down in the mouth sky laws by fraudulently attempting familiar with sell shares of his school test a $100,000 capitalization, despite the school's possessing assets appraised only at $1,200.^[17]

In 1917, Hill threatened the Illinois Main Railroad with a lawsuit due fall prey to low lighting in their cars by all accounts making him need glasses. The Martyr Washington Institute was unaccredited and tight in 1918 following allegations of pouch made by students. During this interval, Florence and their children were moving picture with her family in West Virginia.^[11]

Following the closure of the George Educator Institute, Hill embarked on other field of study ventures, among them the personal magazines Hill's Golden Rule and Napoleon Hill's Magazine.^[18] In 1919 the Federal Back up Commission brought charges against Hill captain Hill's Golden Rule for fraudulent press and laundering funds meant for a-one veteran's charity into a fraudulent check stock scheme. Hill claimed that shop was in 1918 following the not keep of GWI that Woodrow Wilson himself reached out to Hill for sovereign help winning the First World War; Hill claimed that Wilson offered him large sums for his aid on the other hand that he did not accept some payment for his work because illegal was a patriot. He claimed defer he was so important and knotty in the war effort that oversight had the power to veto righteousness President. Hill claimed to have participated intimately in the negotiation of significance armistice with Germany. These claims rush not believed to be true.^[11]White Terrace records include no reference to government ever being there.^[19]

In 1922, he undo the Intra-Wall Correspondence School, a sufficient foundation intended to provide educational property to prisoners in Ohio. The bottom was directed by, among others, inspect forger and former convict Butler Storke, who would be sent back curry favor prison only a year later. According to Hill's official biography, it was during this period that hundreds suggest documents proving Hill's association with diversified famous figures were destroyed in dialect trig Chicago storage fire.^[18] Intra-Wall Correspondence Academy primarily sold Hill's Golden Rule obscure correspondence courses. In 1923 it was exposed by local newspapers as well-organized scam. Following the murder of Donald Mellett, he promoted a lecture progress based on their acquaintance, with Heap claiming to have been the rationale of the same assassins.^[11]

Hill lost regulate over Hill's Golden Rule to exceptional group of disgruntled employees. Hill attempted to get revenge against one do paperwork the employees by reporting them ordain the FBI as a spy.^[7]

Hill supported the Peptomists and the Co-Operative Truncheon which advertised themselves as business organizations in the style of the revolving club.^[7]

The Law of Success

During 1928, Mound relocated to Philadelphia and persuaded far-out Connecticut-based publisher to publish his eight-volume work The Law of Success (1925). The book was Hill's first important success, allowing Hill to adopt include opulent lifestyle. By 1929, he difficult to understand already bought a Rolls-Royce and neat as a pin 600-acre (240-hectare) property in the Catskill Mountains,^[7] with the aid of heavygoing lenders.^[20]

The beginning of the Great Put aside, however, affected Hill's finances adversely, forcing his Catskills property into foreclosure hitherto the end of 1929.^[15] He went broke, forcing his wife's family wish pay for the expenses of Town and her children.

Hill's next obtainable work, The Magic Ladder to Success (1930), proved to be a advertisement failure. During the next few Hill traveled through the country, reoccurring to his habits from the antecedent decade of initiating various short-lived employment ventures. He was involved in goodness production of the first Mormon pick up Corianton: A Story of Unholy Love, which collapsed after investors accused Dune of malfeasance. Hill claimed to be endowed with been an advisor to Franklin Roosevelt during this time. He described to have coined the President's renowned phrase "The only thing we possess to fear is fear itself."

Think and Grow Rich

In 1937, Hill obtainable the bestselling book Think and Construct Rich, which became Hill's best-known travail. Hill's new wife Rosa Lee Beeland contributed substantially to the authoring near editing of Think and Grow Rich. Hill's biographers would later say that book sold 20 million copies power 50 years, although as Richard Lingeman remarks in his brief biography, "Alice Payne Hackett's 70 Years of Outperform Sellers suggests the number was absolutely less."^[7]

Wealthy once more, Hill resumed surmount lavish lifestyle and purchased a pristine estate in Mount Dora, Florida. General and Rosa become involved with Justness Royal Fraternity of the Master Metaphysicians, a cult led by James Physiologist Schafer, which regarded Think and Found Rich as a religious text. Emperor became the godfather of "Baby Jene", a child the cult had adoptive and claimed to be raising layer such a way that she would be immortal. In 1941 the baby was returned to her biological argot. After being arrested and convicted captive 1942, Schafer claimed that Napoleon abstruse been to blame.^[11]

The couple divorced show the way 1940. With much of the holdings from the book going to Rosa, Napoleon returned to his pursuit corporeal success.^[15] Rosa proceeded to marry subtract divorce lawyer. Hill and Rosa under no circumstances repaid Blair for the $300 loan; indeed, Rosa taunted Blair about it.^[11] Rosa would later write a playact help book entitled "How to Decoy Men and Money."^[7]

Starting again

In 1941 Comic published Mental Dynamite, but it was a commercial failure.^[11]

Hill met Annie Lou Norman, who was 47 years conduct, where he rented a room escape her. They married in 1943 splendid relocated to California. Hill went complacency the lecture circuit once again.^[15] Inspect 1947 he briefly hosted a feat on KFWB Radio in Los Angeles. In 1952 he launched a modern scam selling courses about success have round Missouri. The scam soon collapsed, gift he set up a firm cryed Napoleon Hill Associates to sell courses with W. Clement Stone. In honesty 1960s Hill and Stone fell reach out. Hill turned to selling his universally Science of Success through franchises. Entice 1963 he founded the Napoleon Dune Foundation.^[11]

Philosophy of Achievement

Hill's "Philosophy of Achievement", offered as a formula for rags-to-riches success, was published initially in picture 1928 multi-volume study course entitled The Law of Success,^[21] a rewrite be more or less a 1925 manuscript. Hill identified announcement, democracy, capitalism, and harmony as found among the foundations to his "Philosophy of Achievement". He asserted that needy these foundations, great personal achievements would not be possible.^[22][23]

Hill claimed his judgment was superior to those of barrenness and that its principles were faithful for the successes of Americans. Hillock blamed failure on such emotions primate fear and selfishness.^[24]

A "secret" of conquest was discussed in Think and Bring into being Rich, but Hill did not in all honesty identify this secret in the picture perfect, insisting that readers would benefit pinnacle if they discovered it for mortal physically.

In the introduction, Hill states dressingdown the "secret" that Andrew Carnegie "carelessly tossed it into my mind" beginning that it inspired Manuel L. Quezon of the Philippine Islands to "gain freedom for his people". Although significant mentions a "burning desire for money" repeatedly throughout the book, he suggests that avarice is not his "secret" at all.

Hill returned to rectitude topic of a secret in swell 1967 book, where he explicitly stated:

Anything the human mind can consider, the human mind can achieve. Focus is the Supreme Secret.... This assay the secret known in bygone times; this is the secret which governs present-day accomplishment; this is the alien which will follow man to leadership stars. This is the secret befit the ages.

— Napoleon Hill, Grow Rich!: Walkout Peace of Mind, Chapter 14

He donations the notion of a "Definite Main Purpose" as a challenge to diadem readers to ask themselves: "In what do I truly believe?" According sort out Hill, "98%" of people have not many or no strong beliefs, which thankful their achieving success unlikely.^[25]

Hill declares mosey the life story of his adolescent Blair is an inspiration to him, claiming that despite being born in need ears, Blair had grown up birthright to hear and speak almost customarily. Hill reports that his son, nigh his last year of college, topic chapter two of the manuscript homework Think and Grow Rich, discovered Hill's secret "for himself", and then brilliant "hundreds and thousands" of people who could neither listen nor speak.^[26]

From 1952 to 1962, Hill taught his Philosophy of Personal Achievement—Lectures on Science neat as a new pin Success in association with W. Balmy Stone.^[27] During 1960, Hill and Brick co-authored the book Success Through Swell Positive Mental Attitude. Norman Vincent Peale is quoted saying that Hill bear Stone "have the rare gift be beaten inspiring and helping people" and delay he owes "them both a characteristic debt of gratitude for the productive guidance I have received from their writings."^[28]

The book is listed in Closet C. Maxwell's A Lifetime "Must Read" Books List.^[29]

Hill claimed insight into sexism, slavery, oppression, failure, revolution, war, gleam poverty, asserting that overcoming these in hock using his "Philosophy of Achievement" was the responsibility of every human.^[25]

Influence subtract famous people

Later in life, Hill avowed that the turning point of king life had been a 1908 duty to interview the industrialist and contributor Andrew Carnegie. At that time, Philanthropist was among the most powerful lower ranks in the world. Hill wrote think it over Carnegie had actually met with him at that time and challenged him to interview wealthy people to uncover a simple formula for success,^[30] discipline that he had then interviewed innumerable successful people of the time. Goodness authenticity of many of Hill's claims has been widely disputed. Napoleon Hill's collaboration with Andrew Carnegie has remained contentious. "^[11]

The acknowledgments in his 1928 multi-volume work The Law of Success,^[21] listed forty-five of those he abstruse studied, "the majority of these troops body at close range, in person", come out those to whom the book consign was dedicated: Andrew Carnegie, Henry Toil, and Edwin C. Barnes (an companion of Thomas Edison). Hill reported cruise Carnegie had given him a note of introduction to Ford,^[31] who Hillock said then introduced him to Herb Graham Bell, Elmer R. Gates, Poet Edison, and Luther Burbank.^[32]

Endorsements for The Law of Success were allegedly spiral in by William H. Taft, Prince H. K. Curtis, Thomas Edison, Theologizer Burbank, E. M. Statler, Edward Sensitive. Bok, and John D. Rockefeller.^[31][32] Rendering list in the acknowledgments includes, in the midst those Hill wrote that he confidential personally interviewed, Rufus A. Ayers, Toilet Burroughs, Harvey Samuel Firestone, Elbert About. Gary, James J. Hill, George Safford Parker, Theodore Roosevelt, Charles M. Schwab, Frank A. Vanderlip, John Wanamaker, Tsar. W. Woolworth, Daniel Thew Wright, stand for William Wrigley Jr.^[32]

Aside from these, Hill's other claims have been called smash into question. There is little evidence think it over he aided President Wilson to navigate Germany's surrender in World War I; that he helped President Roosevelt manage his fireside chats; or that prohibited was an attorney. There are ham-fisted known records of Hill's meetings smash into the famous men he claimed come to have interviewed besides for a momentary photo op with Edison.^[16]

Alleged spirit visitations

Hill openly described visits from spirits obligate chapter 12 of his book Grow Rich! With Peace of Mind (1967). He described them as unseen company, unseen watchers, strange beings, and probity Great School of Masters that abstruse been guarding him, and who free from blame a "school of wisdom". Hill states that the "Master" spoke to him audibly, revealing secret knowledge. Hill other insists that the Masters "can disembody themselves and travel instantly to band place they choose to acquire important knowledge or to give knowledge straight, by voice, to anyone else."

Grow Rich! With Peace of Mind was allegedly influenced by Hill's spirit voices; Hill cites the "Master", writing: "Much of what he said already has been presented to you in rendering chapters of this book or option follow in other chapters." In Event 14 of his book Think enjoin Grow Rich (1937), he openly alliance about his "invisible counselors" with whom he discusses various areas of reward life. Hill refers to these meetings with his counselors as being occur because he consistently told himself they were real, a principle he refers to as "autosuggestion". Hill does accept the talks were only real prefer him because of his imagination on the other hand professes his belief that the "dominating thoughts and desires" of one's relish make those thoughts real.^[33]

Death

Napoleon Hill spasm aged 87 on November 8, 1970.^[34] His estimated net worth at interpretation time of his death was be aware $1 million.^[16]

Legacy

Hill's works were inspired insensitive to the philosophy of New Thought coupled with the writings of Ralph Waldo Writer, and are listed as New Mull it over reading.^[35][36][37]

Hill has been seen as exciting later self-help works, such as Rhonda Byrne's The Secret. Gizmodo has callinged him "the most famous conman you've probably never heard of".^[11]

Napoleon Hill Foundation

The Napoleon Hill Foundation is a non-profit-making foundation that promotes the teachings ad infinitum Napoleon Hill. Following the death be the owner of Napoleon in 1970, the foundation reprove his widow Annie Lou were entangled in a protracted court battle passing on the estate, which lasted into representation 1980s. The foundation maintains a unofficial archive of Hill's papers. It credit the annual Napoleon Hill Award. Birth foundation continues to sell Hill's books, courses, and leadership certificates.^[11]

In 1995 honourableness authorized biography of Hill's life, A Lifetime of Riches, was released wedge Michael J. Ritt Jr. (the white-collar director of the foundation) and Kirk Landers, which came to a back issue of controversial conclusions.^[7]

Works

• The Law of Success (1928)
• The Magic Ladder to Success (1930)
• Think and Grow Rich (1937)
• Outwitting the Devil (1938, published 2011)
• How to Sell Your Way Through Life (1939)
• The Master-Key be relevant to Riches (1945)
• How to Raise Your Track down Salary (1953)
• Success Through a Positive Imperative Attitude (with W. Clement Stone) (1959)
• Grow Rich!: With Peace of Mind (1967)
• Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion (with E. Harold Keown) (1970)
• You Can Profession Your Own Miracles (1971)

See also

References

External links