Wealth Creation Blog

“Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.”

This is another jewel of a quote taken from Napoleon Hill’s classic empowerment and wealth creation text, Think and Grow Rich. You can download the free, updated, modernized version at my site—its updated title is Mindset Mastery. Before we get into the meat of this quote, let’s take a quick look at it again:

“Success requires no explanations. Failure permits no alibis.”

I find this quote quite striking and meaningful. What is that meaning?

Success Requires No Explanations

Let’s talk about this first half first. What does it mean that success requires no explanations?

To me it means that success speaks for itself. To me it does not mean that you are not accountable to integrity, ethics, and just being in general a good person, but it does mean that you can disregard all the nay-sayers and negative, cynical people. You can stop worrying about them and what they think and pursue your own dreams and goals. As you begin to enjoy success and achieve those goals, and that success grows to even greater wealth, you will have all the “explanation” you need—in accomplishment and deeds, without wasting any of your precious resources of time and energy.

Failure Permits No Alibis

So then, what does this mean? That failure permits no alibis?

Alibi is just another word for excuse. To me it means that there are no excuses for failure. Failure is a harsh and unforgiving character, and will not care why you think you failed. It will just continue to be. However, you can find the reasons and turn that failure into success by learning and changing and not letting temporary defeat be the end of you. That choice is yours, too.

This is another example of the wisdom Napoleon Hill left to us. Consider it, weigh it, learn from it, and decide what these words mean to you—and what meaning they will have in your life and success.

Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
Aussie Internet Marketer © 2004 – 2009

In his book, Napoleon Hill did not leave us dangling and not explaining his previous quote (of yesterday’s post). The man was always careful to offer a full explanation.

When Wealth Arrives

“Wealth, when it comes in huge quantities, is never the result of hard work! Wealth comes, if at all, in response to definite demands, based on the application of definite principles, and not by chance or luck.”

If I could teach you one thing about building wealth (in addition to the vital importance of the wealth mindset), it would probably be what is encompassed in that sentence. While I am all for people being self made, and while action is required of each and every one of us in order to build wealth, it is important to understand that it takes so much more than just working hard to get anywhere. You have to focus that hard work and effort in ways that can create wealth, and also mold your efforts with the principles that create wealth—the principles that are common to all wealthy people, the guidebook by which wealthy people operate and build wealth (the principles that you’ll find in Hill’s Mindset Mastery book).

To build wealth and achieve financial freedom you cannot leave your life to chance or some stroke of luck. So do what I did; stop buying up lottery tickets and hoping to strike it big, and instead put your energy into believing in yourself. Demand that life give you wealth. Learn and apply the principles for building wealth. Work hard if you like to, but accompany that work with effective planning and actions, and positive mindset. We waste a lot of our mental and physical energy in ineffective methods of obtaining money—many that were always next to hopeless. Free your energy and direct it toward wealth, and it will certainly follow.

Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
Aussie Internet Marketer © 2004 – 2009

Hard work and honesty—we’re raised to believe they are the two keys to anything that you want in life. But is this really the magic combination that equates to wealth? Or is there something missing in this formula?

Napoleon Hill On Hard Work + Honesty

“If you are one of those who believe that hard work and honesty alone will bring riches, banish the thought!”

Chalk this up as another post inspired by the great Napoleon Hill. It was this one single quote from his updated version of Think and Grow Rich, re-titled Mindset Mastery, that inspired me today.

These are strong, but meaningful words that he writes. Banish the idea that you can simply work hard, be honest, and magically be wealthy. But why? Isn’t it moral to work hard and be honest? Is there something wrong with these noble traits?

Certainly not. If you read carefully, Hill says nothing of the sort. What he does say is that these two characteristics ALONE will not bring riches. There is most definitely something missing from this equation. Unfortunately, the traditional education and upbringing does not enter anything else into your life’s equation. We are taught to work hard and be honest, and that success will follow. But I think it’s easy to see where just these two things alone will get you. There are plenty of examples all around, every day.

Where Does Hard Work And Honesty Get You?

Let me say unequivocally now that working hard and being honest are important life traits. These two characteristics are not to be banished, simply built upon and added to. Along with them you would need also traits such as positivity, a wealthy mindset, motivation, action, and dedication.

If working hard and being honest by themselves were enough to build wealth, we would have very few poor people in the world. In my experience, most people are hard working and honest, but that alone has not allowed them to get ahead and create wealth. To do that, more needs to be added to the mix. Hard work and integrity are excellent foundations, but more needs to be added to the mix to solidify that footing.

Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
Aussie Internet Marketer © 2004 – 2009

Today, another post inspired by another quote from Napoleon Hill and Mindset Mastery.

“Man’s only limitation, within reason, lies in his development and use of his imagination.”
–Napoleon Hill

Personal Limits

This is exciting stuff, because it means that all those excuses that we’ve been hosting can be tossed to the wind. When you build the confidence and determination to be successful and create wealth, you will succeed. It takes only the first step and the first idea—and that is an idea that you have unlimited control over.

Once again, this quote is showing us that we are the masters of our own destiny. We do not need to wait for permission or assistance from anyone else—we just need to trust in our own minds and imaginations and put those minds to good use. Some shaping and guidance doesn’t hurt (within reason), but ultimately you have to understand that you do have what it takes right inside your head.

Within Limits

There really is very little that we can’t do within these limits. The problems come when we don’t believe in ourselves, and we place limitations upon our brains, ideas, and attitudes. The only limits that really exist are those that we choose to subscribe to.

The entire matter comes down to one thing—freedom. The freedom to let our minds think big and work towards big things. The freedom to trust in ourselves and not let the cynics hold us back. The freedom to prioritise ourselves above all other “obligations”. The freedom to understand that unless we do just that, we will never achieve the full, true life that we desire—that we need!

You do not need to submit yourself to limitation. You can dictate the terms and limits of your life. You need to dictate the terms and limits of your life to make it truly yours…and I know you have the imagination to do just that!

Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
Aussie Internet Marketer © 2004 – 2009

This is yet another post inspired by my Mindset Mastery series at my SeanRasmussen.com blog. The series is a journey through Napoleon Hill’s updated success and empowerment eBook, originally titled “Think and Grow Rich”. Not much of a surprise then, that it is so inspiring for wealth creation topics!

What inspired me today was the story of a woman who went to great lengths to land her son his first job after college. She created a complete portfolio of her son’s life and education, including anything applicable to the job. This was much more than a resume, and a great undertaking. The question Napoleon Hill posed after telling her story was this: why go to so much trouble?

Getting Ahead

The answer was simple—that one added effort, even though sizable, not only landed the young man the job, but also allowed him to get ahead and start at least ten years forward. In other words, where he ended up starting would have taken him ten years if he’d gone the way of starting at the bottom and working up to that position—if in fact he ever managed to maintain enough ambition to get that far. By putting in some added effort in the beginning, the man moved ahead to earlier success and at the same time set himself up for a habit of accomplishment, motivation, and success.

All Stories Have Morals

The moral of this story is this—you do not need to start at the bottom and make your life more difficult. By putting in some additional effort now, you can be a success sooner, enjoy wealth and financial freedom sooner, and develop successful habits rather than risk getting into an uninspired rut. This is not only true in terms of jobs and general life activities, but of wealth creation as well. You can get ahead in wealth creation and cut years of struggle from your journey to wealth if you are willing to put in some additional effort now; even that will not be as difficult as you think it may be.

Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
Aussie Internet Marketer © 2004 – 2009