OOH …Here’s One Thing
by Jim Johnsen,
Managing Director, Johnsen, Fretty & Company
You ever just pull a book off the shelf, crack it open to a random page to see what curiosity pops out? After a particularly animated zoom call on Friday, I decided I would reach down to the bottom shelf and pull the most dogged eared book I could find for a quick stress reliever.
Turns out it was Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich Ever heard of it? Quite a little ditty. Granted there is some woo woo “manifest this shit” in there, there is also lots and lots of wisdom and inspiration in there. In the preface it says “There has never been another book like it, nor ever can be. It was inspired by Andrew Carnegie who disclosed the formula of personal achievement to the author, Napoleon Hill, many years ago…Another 500 wealthy men revealed the source of their riches to Napoleon Hill, who has spent a lifetime of research in bringing their message to people of all walks of life who are willing to give their thoughts, ideas, and organized plans in return for riches.” As Alec Baldwin says, “Have I got your attention yet?”
Okay, so I close my eyes and crack the book. It opens to page 115. Here’s what it delivers:
“America provides all the freedom and all the opportunity to accumulate riches that any honest person may require. When one goes hunting for game, one selects hunting grounds where the game is plentiful. When seeking riches, the same rule would naturally obtain.
If it is riches you are seeking, do not overlook the possibilities of a country whose citizens are so rich that women, alone, spend more than half a million dollars annually for lipstick, rouge and cosmetics.
If it is money you are seeking, consider carefully a country that spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually for cigarettes.
Do not be in too big a hurry to get away from a country whose people, willingly, even eagerly, hand over millions of dollars annually for football, baseball, and prize fights.
Remember, also, that this is but the beginning of the available resources for the accumulation of wealth. Only a few of the luxuries and non-essentials have been mentioned. But, remember the business of producing, transporting, and marketing these few items of merchandise gives regular employment to many millions of men and women, who receive for their services many millions of dollars monthly, and spend it freely for both the luxuries and the necessities.
Especially remember that back of all this exchange of merchandise and personal services may be found an abundance of opportunity to accumulate riches. Here our American freedom comes to one’s aid. There is nothing to stop you or anyone from engaging in any portion of the effort necessary to carry on these businesses. If one has superior talent, training, experience, one may accumulate riches in large amounts. Those not so fortunate may accumulate smaller amounts. Anyone may earn a living in return for a very nominal amount of labor.”
So-there you are!
Opportunity has spread its wares before you. Step up to the front, select what you want, create your plan, put the plan into action, and follow through with persistence. “Capitalistic” America will do the rest. You can depend upon this much–capitalistic America insures every person the opportunity to render useful service, and to collect riches in proportion to the value of the service.
The “system” denies no one this right, but it does not, and cannot promise something for nothing, because the system, itself, is irrevocably controlled by the law of economics which neither recognizes nor tolerates for long, getting without giving.
—— Nepoleon Hill, Think and Grow Rich (pg 115, 116)
Now granted the book was first published in 1937. So some of its references are a little dated, but Holy Merde Batman, lets stop complaining about how gunked up the country is and lets start smelling the Starbucks. Is there a better place on the planet to conduct commerce? Happy Monday. Let’s make some money.
And how’s this to get you fired up?
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