Locked within the human mind lie powers beyond comprehension.
The imagination is the key which can release them to work for the individual and for humanity.
Only a few of the millions upon millions of men through the ages have recognized this fact and used it to direct their own destinies.
The imagination is our gateway of approach to the Infinite Intelligence of the Creator. It is opened by the state of mind known as Faith.
It is in this state of mind that hope and purpose are translated into physical reality. For it is a fact that all thought tends to transform itself into its physical equivalent.
Faith provides the imagination with the stimulative capacity of desire and enthusiasm with which one’s plans and purposes may be given action.
Through faith in himself, any person can achieve any goal he desires.
Henry Ford once was asked what type of men he needed most for his company.
“I could use a hundred men who don’t know there is such a word as ‘impossible’,” he replied.
And it has been said that Ford’s stupendous business success resulted from two personal traits: (1) He set himself a definite major goal in life and then (2) recognized no limitations in pursuit of his aim.
The imagination is the workshop of the soul wherein every man can shape his own earthly destiny.
Truly, whatever the mind can conceive and believe, the mind can achieve.
Clarence Saunders, working as a grocery clerk, conceived the idea for a self-service type of grocery merchandising plan.
He was convinced the idea would pay off and offered to share it with his boss. The boss, lacking Saunders’ imagination, promptly fired him for “wasting time with foolish ideas.”
Four years later, Saunders launched his famed Piggly-Wiggly Stores which yielded him more than $4,000,000.
But it takes will power, too. Sometimes amounting to sheer bullheadedness.
Clarence Saunders might have been tempted to give up the idea for a “cafeteria-style” grocery store if his will power had not impelled him to keep going—even though it had cost him his job.
Your imagination will help you achieve success if you give it a chance.
But once it has done its work, you alone can apply the faith and will power to make your dreams come true.
Don’t make the mistake of eating the husk of fear and throwing away the rich kernels of abundance and plenty.
Ask yourself now: “What am I afraid of?”
The answer probably will be: “Nothing.”
Source: Success Unlimited. October, 1959. page 31-32.
About Napoleon Hill:
Napoleon Hill was born in 1883 in a one-room cabin on the Pound River in Wise County, Virginia. He began his writing career at age 13 as a “mountain reporter” for small town newspapers and went on to become America’s most beloved motivational author. Hill passed away in November 1970 after a long and successful career writing, teaching, and lecturing about the principles of success. His work stands as a monument to individual achievement and is the cornerstone of modern motivation. His book, Think and Grow Rich, is the all time bestseller in the field. Hill established the Foundation as a nonprofit educational institution whose mission is to perpetuate his philosophy of leadership, self-motivation, and individual achievement. His books, audio cassettes, videotapes, and other motivational products are made available to you as a service of the Foundation so that you may build your own library of personal achievement materials… and help you acquire financial wealth and the true riches of life.