Think and Grow Rich

Every few years, there seems to be a new self-help book craze with a new book out to lead the trend. Books like 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and Chicken Soup for the Soul helped to cement the self help book as a constant in our day. Reasons for this are not surprising, as life can be messy and complicated, and we may need a little reexamination of our lives from time to time to see how we can do anything better. One of these books that is designed to offer the reader hope for future success is The Secret by Royanda Bryne. In the book, she tells how people for generations have known that the ‘secret' to success is positive thinking, and how thoughts become positive or negative things in reality. Understanding that this concept is nothing new, I began reading that book's predecessor, and what many consider the granddaddy of all the self-help books: Think and Grow Rich by Richard Hill. First published in 1937, I was curious if this book still held up all these years later. I am glad to say that it does, but that doesn't mean it is perfect.

In terms of if you will like this book, or not, I think the biggest hurdle for you will be buying the main concept: that if you think positively, against all odds, you will succeed. This is not a new idea. Many books have been sold about this same philosophy, but for it's time, during the Great Depression, this was revolutionary. With that said, if you cannot buy into this, then you most likely will not like this book. I have read reviews of people who do not believe in this for one reason or another, and I can agree with them. The world is a complex place, and it is easy to think you will do well, when you do not have the means to do so. Or worse, actively take a harmfully positive stance on a negative situation. People also have varied experiences that challenge their outlook on life. It is easy to spout platitudes one sees on motivational posters when things are okay, but when the chips are down and you are facing serious negative situations, then it is unsurprising one can adopt a negative view on the world. Overall, I'd agree with this theory, only to modify it and say that negative thoughts can lead to negative actions, which can lead to negative outcomes, and so on, if that makes sense. Though, I will admit that later books take this too far and say that if things happen to you like you get seriously ill, then you had too many negative thoughts, which I do not agree with. In short, when it comes to this philosophy, your mileage may vary.

As for the book itself, it still holds up well, all things considered. There are some dated references that a modern reader may not get, like the names of major business moguls at the time, or examples of different technologies used, but these are relatively minor complaints. The author does a good job at offering reflective pieces, such as helping to identify your weaknesses with a questionnaire, and a list of things that you should look for in a good employer, or what you should be as a good employee.

One major complaint I have, however, is the length. It is too long, as it is filled with what seem like stories and examples that drag on and on for pages at a time, when, in the end, they offer little benefit overall. Especially when I listened to this on audiobook, there were many times where I had to stop and pay attention as my mind began to wonder.

Still, this book overall holds up surprisingly well for something written over 50 years ago. If you haven't read it, then I recommend you do, if for no other reason than historical significance, to understand how these books on positive thinking have changed over the years. I give it a three out of five.