In 1908, an unknown writer was chosen by Andrew Carnegie, the richest man in the world, to undertake a very special project - interview the most influential and wealthy leaders to determine the common denominator among them for attaining success. That young man was Napoleon Hill, and the book that grew from those interviews was Think and Grow Rich, the bible of personal development and the 20th best-selling book in the history of the world.Exactly 100 years later the Napoleon Hill Foundation selected two gifted individuals to follow in Hill's historic footsteps and modernize his classic work by interviewing the most celebrated and gifted minds of our modern era. Sharon Lechter and Greg Reid focused their query on a core component of the Think and Grow Rich philosophy by asking one simple question: What inspired you despite overwhelming challenges, dismal odds and discouraging setback to persevere on your quest?
Now, more than ever, we need a reminder that in order to achieve greatness our determination must be more powerful that any obstacles confronted. Great pains are prerequisites to great gains. There are no shortcuts. First there is a dream, and then there is struggle followed by victory. The admonition is to not be a footnote in history like R. U. Darby. Who was he? He was a miner during the California Gold Rush who threw in the towel and sold his claim for a hundred dollars. The man who bought the claim dug only 'three feet' before striking one of the richest gold veins in history.