Habits of Success

Author: Napoleon Hill

Dr. Hill and his wife established the Napoleon Hill Foundation in 1962, wishing for the foundation to continue teaching his principles after his passing. Dr. Hill passed away in 1970, and the foundation he and his wife established continues to operate to this day, spreading his principles worldwide in dozens of languages. I have served as a trustee of the Foundation since 1997, and as its executive director since 2000. A few years ago, I came across the dusty tapes and transcripts of many radio and television lectures given by Dr. Hill, which had been stored in the Foundation's archives and remained unpublished. The Foundation's trustees were pleased to have the opportunity to revive and publish them, and thus the book series was born. This book in your hands is one of the books in this series, and it is a transcription of weekly radio lectures delivered in 1952 in Paris, Missouri. But what brought Napoleon Hill to the small town of Paris, Missouri, to deliver a series of radio lectures? The answer to this question illustrates one of the seventeen principles of success he developed during twenty years of research; the principle is that every adversity carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. Dr. Hill had given an unprofitable seminar in St. Louis, Missouri—a large city on the Mississippi River. He had spent more money promoting his lectures than he earned from attendance fees. Nevertheless, among the attendees was Bill Robinson, a businessman from Paris, Missouri, and a long-time follower of Dr. Hill, who was so impressed by the lecture that he decided to invite Dr. Hill to deliver a series of lectures in Paris.