Napoleon Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Napoleon Hill
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Hill in 1904
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| Born | October 26, 1883 Pound, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | November 8, 1970 (aged 87) Greenville, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Occupation | Author, journalist, salesman, lecturer |
| Citizenship | American |
| Period | 1928–1970 |
| Genre | Non-fiction, self-help |
| Notable works | Think and Grow Rich (1937) The Law of Success (1928) Outwitting the Devil (1938) |
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| Children | 3 |
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Oliver Napoleon Hill (born October 26, 1883 – November 8, 1970) was an American author who wrote about self-improvement. He is most famous for his book Think and Grow Rich (1937). This book is one of the best-selling self-help books ever.
Hill's books teach that having strong beliefs and clear goals is key to making your life better. He believed that if you truly expect to succeed, you are more likely to achieve it. Today, some of his claims are debated by historians.
Contents
Life Story
Early Years
Napoleon Hill was born in a small cabin near the Appalachian Mountains in Pound, Virginia. His parents were James Monroe Hill and Sarah Sylvania Blair. His mother passed away when he was nine years old.
Two years later, his father married Martha. His stepmother was a very positive influence on him. She encouraged him to go to school and attend church. When he was 13, Hill started writing as a "mountain reporter" for his father's newspaper.
Starting a Career
At 17, Hill finished high school. He then moved to Tazewell, Virginia, to study at a business school. In 1901, he got a job working for Rufus A. Ayers, a lawyer and coal owner.
Hill later tried to study law but had to stop because he didn't have enough money. Even though he didn't finish law school, he sometimes used the title "Attorney of Law" later in life.
Business Ventures
Hill tried many different business ideas throughout his life. In 1907, he helped start a lumber company in Mobile, Alabama. This company later faced financial difficulties.
In 1909, Hill moved to Washington, D.C.. There, he opened the Automobile College of Washington. This school taught students how to build and sell cars. The college closed a few years later.
In 1910, Hill married Florence Elizabeth Horner. They had three sons together: James, Napoleon Blair, and David. After his automobile college closed, Hill moved to Lumberport, West Virginia, with his wife's family.
He later moved to Chicago and worked for a university. He also helped start a candy shop. In 1915, he created the George Washington Institute of Advertising. This school aimed to teach people about success and self-confidence. The school closed a few years later.
Hill later claimed he advised President Woodrow Wilson during World War I. However, there are no official records to support this claim.
After his school closed, Hill started other projects. These included magazines like Hill's Golden Rule. In 1922, he opened a school for prisoners in Ohio.
The Law of Success
In 1928, Hill moved to Philadelphia. He found a publisher for his large eight-volume book called The Law of Success. This book was Hill's first big success. It allowed him to live a very comfortable life.
He bought a fancy car and a large property in the Catskill Mountains. However, the start of the Great Depression affected his money. He lost his property in the Catskills.
His next book, The Magic Ladder To Success (1930), did not sell well. For the next few years, Hill traveled and started several short-lived businesses. In 1935, his wife Florence filed for divorce.
Think and Grow Rich
In 1937, Hill published his most famous book, Think and Grow Rich. This book became a huge bestseller. Hill's new wife, Rosa Lee Beeland, helped a lot with writing and editing this book.
Some people say this book sold 20 million copies over 50 years. However, other sources suggest the number was lower. With the success of the book, Hill became wealthy again. He bought a new home in Mount Dora, Florida.
Around 1940, he and Rosa Lee divorced. Much of the money from the book went to her. This meant Napoleon Hill had to start working towards success again.
New Beginnings
In 1943, Hill married Annie Lou Norman. She was 47 years old. They moved to California, and Hill began giving lectures again.
Ideas on Achievement
Hill's "Philosophy of Achievement" is a set of ideas for how people can go from having little to becoming very successful. He first shared these ideas in his 1928 book, The Law of Success. Hill believed that things like freedom, democracy, and working well with others were important for personal success. He said that without these, it would be hard for people to achieve great things.
In Think and Grow Rich, Hill talked about a "secret" to achievement. He said readers would benefit most if they discovered it themselves. He hinted that a strong desire for money is important. He wrote that you must want money so much that it becomes an obsession.
However, in his earlier book, The Law of Success, he suggested the secret was the Golden Rule. This means that by working together and helping others, you can also achieve lasting success for yourself.
Hill also talked about having a "Definite Major Purpose." He challenged his readers to think about what they truly believe in. He felt that most people don't have strong beliefs, which makes it harder for them to succeed.
Hill often spoke about his son, Blair, as an inspiration. He claimed that Blair, who was born without ears, learned to hear and speak almost normally. Hill said his son discovered the "secret" from Think and Grow Rich and inspired many others.
From 1952 to 1962, Hill taught his ideas with W. Clement Stone. In 1960, they wrote a book together called Success Through A Positive Mental Attitude.
Hill believed that everyone has a responsibility to overcome challenges like poverty or difficulties. He thought his "Philosophy of Achievement" could help people do this.
Andrew Carnegie's Influence
Later in his life, Hill said that a meeting with the rich businessman Andrew Carnegie in 1908 changed his life. Carnegie was one of the most powerful men in the world at that time. Hill wrote that Carnegie challenged him to interview many wealthy people. The goal was to find a simple formula for success.
Hill claimed he then interviewed many successful people of his time. In his 1928 book, The Law of Success, he listed 45 people he had studied. He said he met most of them in person. These included famous names like Henry Ford and Thomas Edison. Hill also said Carnegie gave him a letter to introduce him to Ford.
Death
Napoleon Hill passed away on November 8, 1970, at the age of 87.
Legacy
Napoleon Hill's ideas were influenced by the New Thought movement. This movement focuses on the power of positive thinking. His writings are often listed as important New Thought readings.
Hill's work has inspired many later self-help books. One example is Rhonda Byrne's book, The Secret.
Works
- The Law of Success (1928)
- The Magic Ladder to Success (1930)
- Think and Grow Rich (1937)
- Outwitting the Devil (1938, published 2011)
- How to Sell Your Way Through Life (1939)
- The Master-Key to Riches (1945)
- How to Raise Your Own Salary (1953)
- Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude (with W. Clement Stone) (1959)
- Grow Rich!: With Peace of Mind (1967)
- Succeed and Grow Rich Through Persuasion (1970)
- You Can Work Your Own Miracles (1971)
See also
In Spanish: Napoleon Hill para niños
