Grow Rich—with Peace of Mind.
A few years ago, I wrote about another 3-stage method to fulfillment in the new year. It came from Napoleon Hill, best known for his book Think and Grow Rich. Published in 1937, it’s one of the best-selling motivational books of all time.
But what’s less known is the fact that in 1967, a then 84-year old Hill wrote a sequel to Think and Grow Rich that had a slightly different conclusion as to what success really meant. Its title was Grow Rich—with Peace of Mind.
It seems that after a lifetime of hard work, fame and riches, the elderly Hill had gained a new perspective on the role of work in our lives. He still advised his readers to strive to be successful—but have a life, too. Hill suggested that one of the best ways to achieve real happiness is to “make a time budget”.
Hill believed that each work day should be split into three 8-hour segments, so that the day looked like this:
- 8 hours a day for sleep and rest
- 8 hours a day for work at your profession
- 8 “particularly precious” hours “devoted to things you wish to do, not have to do.”
Now, it is duly noted here that Hill does not account for the time-consuming chores and errands that are a part of our lives. But even with that caveat, it’s easy to agree with his assertion that we need to find time for “play, social life, reading, writing, playing a musical instrument, tending a garden, or just sitting and watching the clouds or the stars”.
My personal list includes meditation, downtime with the family, prayer, writing and running. Your list can include any activity or non-activity that makes you happy.
Hill is very serious about putting our “precious hours” to good use and I feel confident that, had he known about them, scanning your Facebook page, texting ad nauseam or playing video games would not have made the list. Yet, he does believe it is up to you to decide what these activities might be, amplifying his message with this passage:
Do not let a day go by without taking some time for yourself — some time you spend in pure pleasure, as you see it.
Hill also points out, that should you have the ability to do so, you should aim to work less than 8 hours a day as you become successful. Success shouldn’t mean spending more hours at the job, but less. In Hills words, once you meet a modicum of prosperity: “You should increase your hours of pure enjoyment. Do not allow these hours to be eaten away by business or anything else.”
The bottom line is that, yes, we all (or at least most of us) need to work and make money. But in the year ahead, let’s remind ourselves—and those close to us who need reminding—that success is measured by more than our status at the office or the money in our bank accounts. Success is measured by the richness of our lives.
I recently published the spiritual fable Thaddeus Squirrel. You can learn more about it here.
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In