One Man’s Reaction to Adversity
March 27, 2023
by Napoleon Hill
One man who lost his entire fortune during the depression that began in 1929 was courageous enough to enumerate the benefits he gained from his loss.
“Through the loss of material fortune I discovered an intangible fortune of such huge proportion that it cannot be estimated in terms of material things.”
“The depression which started during the year 1929 was the cause of my greatest defeat; yet it brought about my noblest victory, for it introduced me to a philosophy of life that will take the sting out of all future defeats.”
“It deprived me of my money and other property, but it taught me that absolute independence is a theory only; that every one is dependent upon others in one way or another, through life, regardless of his material riches.”
“It taught me the futility of worrying over circumstances beyond one’s control.”
“That fear can be spread, like an epidemic, by mass thought and talk.”
“That any circumstances which forces one, or inspires one to use his own Personal Initiative with Definiteness of Purpose is beneficial.”
“That money and real estate and other material things can become worthless through fear and a negative mental attitude toward the world at large.”
“That the dominating thoughts of one’s mind have a definite way of clothing themselves in their appropriate physical equivalent, whether the thoughts are positive or negative.”
“There is no such reality as something for nothing, either in the affairs of men or the realm of natural laws.”
“That a business conducted under the Golden Rule will survive a depression where those conducted without this principle cannot survive.”
“That it is more blessed to render useful service, and more profitable than to demand something for nothing through government subsidies or public charity.”
“That both success and failure originate in the mind, as a result of one’s dominating thoughts.”
“That a man’s greatest blessing may consist in his greatest sorrow.”
“That there is one human being on whom one can depend, without disappointment, in time of adversity, and this is one’s self.”
This is fantastic, timeless advice. Adversity is temporary, and can lead to something extraordinary.