Napoleon Hill - Your Right to Be Rich

This isn’t a JBP recommended book, but is useful nonetheless.


The lecture series is more or less how to be successful in life, but also seems each piece of advice can be equally valid as how to run a successful company.


Chapters 11 and 12 cover a Pleasing Personality self-assesment

For each item, rate yourself either:

  • A+ perfect
  • A above average
  • B fair / average
  • C poor / below average
  • D unsatisfactory

The items are:

  1. Positive mental attitude.
    Without you will not create opportunities.
  2. Flexibility.
    Adjustment. Adjust to circumstances without going under. Without you will fall short on opportunities.
  3. Pleasing tone of voice.
    Pitch, tone, interest, enticing, pleasing. Without you will not be offered opportunities.
  4. Tolerance. (8:00)
    An open-mind. Be willing to listen and entice new ideas/approaches. Without you will not learn from opportunities.
  5. Keen sense of humour. (10:00)
    Coping. Change punishment to adventure. Don’t take yourself too damn seriously, otherwise, if you do, you are damming yourself. Without you will not endeavour opportunity.
  6. Frankness of manner and speech. (11:40)
    (Sincere, Ingenuous, Persuasive) NOT (Insincere, Disingenuous, Evasive).
    However only speak what will benefit others, otherwise what you speak will harm you.
  7. Pleasing facial expression. (13:00)
    (Smile, Light) NOT (Frown, Serious).
    Be sincere still, even monkeys can grin. Learn to smile by feeling it from your heart.
  8. Keen sense of justice to all people. (14:35)
    Still be just to another even to your disadvantage.
  9. Sincerity of purpose. (15:20)
    Your external world reflects your internal world.
  10. Versatility. (15:40)
    Wide range of knowledge and people outside your immediate interests.
    Otherwise your toolset will be small, you will be less useful, uninteresting, and boring.
    You need to be able to talk to people about what interests them! Not just what interests you!
  11. Tactfulness in speech and manner. (16:50)
    Otherwise you will be an open-book to be abused.
    Ask if people mind to help, even if you can order them.
    Build relationships when convenient and suitable. Do not tyrannise.
  12. Promptness of decision. (18:30)
    Act when you have all the facts and the time has arrived.
    Get in the habit of making decisions.
    People trust those who make right decisions and reverse wrong ones.
  13. Faith in infinite intelligence. (19:00)
  14. Appropriateness of words. (00:20)
  15. Controlled enthusiasm.
    Turn on and off as required.
  16. Personal magmatism. (3:25)
  17. Clean sportsmanship.
    Loose graciously and knowledgeably.
    Lost money? Earn more! Learn more!
  18. Common courtesy. (5:30)
  19. Appropriateness of personal adornment. (8:15)
  20. Good showmanship. (8:50)
    Dramatise the facts.
    Go the extra mile.
  21. Temperance. (9:30)
    Don’t let anything take control of you. Be in possession of yourself all the time.
  22. Patience. (10:30)
    Act when conditions are most favourable.
    Time your relations with people.
  23. Gracefulness in posture and care for the body. (11:45)
  24. Humility of the heart based on a keen sense of modesty. (12:20)
    Whatever success I have is due marvellously to the friendly cooperation of other people.
  25. Transmute sex emotion. (13:40)