Editor’s note: This article was first published in May 2014. Its opening line, “a new book has just come out”, refers to “The Science of Success” (2014).
Andrew Carnegie was a Scot who arrived in the United States in 1848 (at the age of 13) with 1 dollar in his pocket. By the 1890s his Carnegie Steel Company was already the most profitable company in the world, and by 1901 Carnegie was the richest man on the planet. He was a great self-made businessman and a renowned philanthropist of his day, even though he paid his employees the minimum wage.
During his lifetime he gave away a large part of his money to build libraries, because the great businessman he became grew out of the habit of reading, and he therefore firmly believed that reading was necessary to achieve success.
It was then that a young journalist named Napoleon Hill became Carnegie’s shadow for a time in order to gather the keys to his success, as well as the stories of many other businesspeople and millionaires of the era. That book, Think and Grow Rich, would go on to become the best-selling self-help book of all time.
See also: How Napoleon Hill thought: his 10 key ideas
Now a new book called The Science of Success has come out, which at first glance looks like a reissue of the original Think and Grow Rich. Journalist Richard Feloni has collected in Business Insider 10 of Carnegie’s keys to success that appear in the book. It’s more of the same, but it never hurts to be reminded.
Andrew Carnegie’s keys to success
1. Define your purpose
Create an action plan to reach a set goal and start working on it immediately.
2. Form an alliance with people who have what we lack
Starting from the premise that success is not achieved by working alone, we will need people who, ideally, broaden our knowledge and whose skills fill the gaps we have in business. In other words, create synergies to achieve success.
3. Go the extra mile
Doing more than you have to is the only thing that justifies greater rewards, and it gives you an edge over people who limit their efforts.
4. Practise “applied faith”
Believe in yourself and your purpose so completely that you act with total, unwavering confidence.
5. Show personal initiative
Whatever you have to do, don’t talk about it. Just do it.
6. Let your imagination run
Dare to think beyond what has already been done.
7. Be enthusiastic
A positive attitude sets you up for success. It’s contagious and earns the respect of others.
8. Think accurately
In Napoleon Hill’s words, accurate thinking is the ability to separate fact from fiction and to use the facts that are relevant to your own concerns and problems.
9. Concentrate your effort
Don’t get distracted from the most important task in front of you right now.
10. Learn from adversity
Remember that every setback always carries a benefit.
Further reading
- 16 things you should know about life, happiness and success
- Hard things we will have to do to achieve success
- 15 habits and choices for success
- The 8 beliefs of successful people
Featured image: Unknown author, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
