Think and Grow Rich - Chapter 6

Principle 1: Imagination

The principle was also discussed in Chapter 2 and it is the main principle of this Chapter. Remember that all the principles laid out by Napoleon Hill are inter-connected with each other and when all of them are used by an individual, it is the ultimate recipe for success. Therefore, let us neither neglect, nor undermine the emphasis given to each principle. In fact, the book does a great job of reiterating and repeating the principles in order for them to be embedded into the subconscious of the reader. 

The book starts off by expressing the fact that nothing is impossible if it can be imagined. 

A fascinating quote points out, "Whatever the mind can conceive, the body can achieve."

Napoleon Hill makes the distinction between Synthetic Imagination, which is the imagination that has resulted from an old concept or an old combination, and Creative Imagination, which is the imagination that is derived from originality in order to develop/produce something entirely new. Napoleon expressly states that the great leaders and the most successful people have Creative Imagination. 

Correspondingly, the story of 'What I would do if I had a million dollars' outlined in page 99 provides an excellent summary of the principles provided thus far in the book. The story illustrates that your thoughts are energy, since as Napoleon Hill identified, the whole Universe was created from an intangible form of energy and therefore, you and your thoughts are energy. As a result, Nature will respond to your calling if you produce the adequate amount of energy. When reading the story, observe that Napoleon (and throughout the book) is emphasising the fact that the man had a continuous obsession. The common misconception that being obsessed is a bad thing is false. This may be due to the fact that a lot of people do not want to see others succeed and hence, try to impose limitation upon the obsessed individuals by claiming that obsession is a bad thing to make those individuals either quit or slow down their efforts and success.