Project Management Lessons From the Other Napoleon (Hill)

I've written plenty about project management lessons from Napoleon Bonaparte. But there's another Napoleon with equally valuable lessons---Napoleon Hill, author of Think and Grow Rich.

For those not familiar with Napoleon Hill (who, ironically, also found inspiration from Napoleon Bonaparte), he wrote Think and Grow Rich in 1937 after spending years of research on the habits of rich and successful men at the request of Andrew Carnegie. For his book, Hill interviewed some of the most famous achievers in history, such as Thomas Edison, John Wanamaker, Charles Schwab, Henry Ford, Woodrow Wilson, FDR, and others.

From the book, here's how Napoleon Hill describes the way to go from desire to riches (by substituting the word "money" with "objectives," we can apply the same lessons to successful project management). My comments are in brackets.

1. Fix in your mind the exact amount of money [exact objectives] you desire. It is not sufficient merely to say, "I want plenty of money." Be definite as to the amount [Same with objectives. Be specific].
2. Determine exactly what you intend to give [committments] in return for the money [objectives] you desire.
3. Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money [objectives] you desire.
4. Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put the plan into action.
5. Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money [scope and objectives] you intend to acquire. Name the time limit for its acquisition. State what you intend to give in return for the money, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.
6. Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after rising in the morning. As you read, see and feel and believe yourself already in possession of the money [objectives].

Hill once said, "A goal is a dream with a deadline." He knew the importance of setting target dates and looking at a concise statement of your goals and committments daily. This can be likened to a scope statement and milestones list, which should be read regularly and not stuffed in a folder.

He also discovered the power of positive thinking, what one might refer to as "thinking the future into existence" (hence the title THINK and Grow Rich). He found that, just by thinking of your goal regularly, you attract that which you need to achieve it.

In all, the book offers 13 steps to achieving your desire, be it money or anything else. It should be noted that the book is not just about acheiving money and gets into metaphysics, etc. as well. There's a reason why it has sold 15 million copies to date (the best selling self-help book of all time).

I highly recommend the book to anyone who is trying to achieve a goal, which should be everyone, and CERTAINLY should be every project manager.