12/05/2017
4. SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE
In this chapter of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill goes to great
lengths to make the distinction between generalized knowledge and
specialized knowledge; and between formal education and practical
information. By citing examples of the lives of certain individuals in an offhand manner, Hill alludes to the most important thing about
knowledge.
Here it is plainly spoken: Knowledge, by and of itself, has little, if any,
value. You may find that shocking or, at least contrary to everything you've been taught, but it is true. Knowledge only becomes valuable in its application. You may have heard that knowledge is power. Wrong. It is applied knowledge that begets power, wealth and the advancement of humanity. The secret is in the application, not in the knowledge itself. For years, I considered myself to be highly educated about success. I willfully ignored the evidence of my own lack of success, considering it a temporary aberration. Once, I really got that it is the application, not the possession, of knowledge that produces results, I went from average to highly successful in a matter of months. To quote one of the wisest of teachers, Confucius:
"The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it; not having it, to confess your ignorance." Hill does point out, in the first paragraph of this chapter, that although universities possess perhaps all of the aggregate knowledge of humankind, professors, for the most part, although surrounded by all this knowledge and though very knowledgeable, have themselves little or no money; while many people of little formal education go on to produce great wealth and great material advancements for all humanity. He also alludes to, but does not spell out plainly, that the very best form of specialized knowledge, that a person who desires success and wealth can obtain, is the knowledge of how to become successful. How sad it is
to teach our children to aspire to success but not teach them how to get it. We teach them that an education will bring them success and
happiness, but neglect to tell them what specific education that is and further neglect to say that it is the application of the specific education that will bring success and happiness.
Hill makes great use of the story of Henry Ford proving, in the courtroom, that although he was uneducated, he was not ignorant, because, as he said it, "any time I should wish to know something specific, I can simply push a button on my desk and some person who knows the answer will come to provide it to me."
These days, with the accumulation of information and training being as easy as the 'click of a mouse', there is no excuse for not being successful in any field, except that you are ignorant of the principles of success, or for some personal perversity, refuse to apply them to your life.
5. IMAGINATION
In this chapter, Hill not only points out the role of imagination in human development, but also makes the clear distinction between the two main types of imagination, which he calls 'synthetic imagination' and 'creative imagination'.
This distinction is a critical understanding. I, or others, may haven chosen to label and explain, in our own writings, these distinctions in different ways, but the labels do not matter. Most people, who claim to use their imagination, are using the type Hill called 'synthetic imagination'. It is of little use, save for personal entertainment.
The great humanistic psychologist, William James, had this to say about the same subject: "Many people think they are thinking when they are merely rearranging their prejudices." Synthetic imagination is the manipulation of effects. Creative imagination is causal that creates effects. All things, from the invention of writing to the invention of the Internet came about because of the use of creative imagination. Synthetic imagination merely, at best, can improve upon what already exists. The bringing of new things into existence requires the use of creative imagination. The creation of wealth can be obtained, with diligence, through the informed and practical use of synthetic imagination (e.g. creating a better mouse trap), but most wealth and most advancement in human technology comes about through the use of creative imagination. Succinctly put, your imagination is the workshop in which you, mostly without conscious recognition, create the results that show up in your life. What you hold as an image in your mind is what shows up in your life. If what you are imagining is simply a rehash of what has already occurred
or been created by others, then your results shall be limited to what has been, not what can be. The sad, sad, sad thing that we inflict upon our children and ourselves is the dampening of imagination. 'It is only in your imagination,' is the common refrain. We neglect tell them or reinforce that all great and wonderful things that exist in our world had their genesis 'only in imagination'. What is not recognized, honored and amplified is that it is the dreamers, the imaginers, who go on to produce the new, the wonderful, the unique
advancements that end up creating, not only personal wealth, but greater wealth and well-being for all humankind. Know this: that which you imagine, expect and visualize in your internal world is that which gets produced in your external world. This is now been proven by the science of quantum mechanics. As has been so expertly described by the scientific genius, David Bohm, the explicate (or external physical reality) is, not only best understood by, but is brought into being by, the implicate (or internal reality) of pure consciousness and its imaginings of what is and what can be.
6. ORGANIZED PLANNING
This, in my opinion, is the weakest chapter of Hill's book. He speaks of the need for organized planning, but skirts around the issue; instead offering suggestions about how to get a job and writes some useless paragraphs extolling the American way, which, in any case, no longer exists as he describes it. Every noteworthy or great accomplishment came about because there was a plan.
What Hill should have done (and does do in other chapters) is point out the need to have concrete written goals that are in harmony with one's chosen purpose and/or ideals. Goals are not vague aspirations like, 'I want to be rich.' They are concrete, defined steps in the fulfillment of your personal vision or purpose. They are a specific plan. I am always amazed by how many people continue to refuse (through laziness or a lack of belief in the necessity) to have clear, concise, written goals, despite being presented again and again with the evidence that those who do have written goals succeed and those who do not…do not. There have been many studies about the effectiveness of having written goals. They invariably show the same results. 95% of people who have (and daily refer to) written goals end up accomplishing them.
95% of people who do not have written goals, do not accomplish
much of anything. If you can read this paragraph and not have begun the process of having written goals by the time you go to bed tonight, you should know that you are choosing failure.
Businesses that succeed have a business plan. The business of life also requires a plan.
7
When you have a plan, you know what you are about; you know when
you are on (or off) track; you can measure your progress; you can tell
4. SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGEIn this chapter of Think and Grow Rich, Napoleon Hill goes to greatlengths to make the distinction between generalized knowledge andspecialized knowledge; and between formal education and practicalinformation. By citing examples of the lives of certain individuals in anoffhand manner, Hill alludes to the most important thing aboutknowledge.Here it is plainly spoken: Knowledge, by and of itself, has little, if any,value.You may find that shocking or, at least contrary to everything you'vebeen taught, but it is true. Knowledge only becomes valuable in itsapplication. You may have heard that knowledge is power. Wrong. It isapplied knowledge that begets power, wealth and the advancement ofhumanity. The secret is in the application, not in the knowledge itself.For years, I considered myself to be highly educated about success. Iwillfully ignored the evidence of my own lack of success, considering it atemporary aberration. Once, I really got that it is the application, not thepossession, of knowledge that produces results, I went from average tohighly successful in a matter of months.To quote one of the wisest of teachers, Confucius:"The essence of knowledge is, having it, to apply it;not having it, to confess your ignorance."Hill does point out, in the first paragraph of this chapter, that althoughuniversities possess perhaps all of the aggregate knowledge ofhumankind, professors, for the most part, although surrounded by all thisknowledge and though very knowledgeable, have themselves little or nomoney; while many people of little formal education go on to producegreat wealth and great material advancements for all humanity.He also alludes to, but does not spell out plainly, that the very best formof specialized knowledge, that a person who desires success and wealthcan obtain, is the knowledge of how to become successful. How sad it isto teach our children to aspire to success but not teach them how to getit. We teach them that an education will bring them success andhappiness, but neglect to tell them what specific education that is and5further neglect to say that it is the application of the specific educationthat will bring success and happiness.Hill makes great use of the story of Henry Ford proving, in the courtroom,that although he was uneducated, he was not ignorant, because, as hesaid it, "any time I should wish to know something specific, I can simplypush a button on my desk and some person who knows the answer willcome to provide it to me."These days, with the accumulation of information and training being aseasy as the 'click of a mouse', there is no excuse for not being successfulin any field, except that you are ignorant of the principles of success, orfor some personal perversity, refuse to apply them to your life.5. IMAGINATIONIn this chapter, Hill not only points out the role of imagination in humandevelopment, but also makes the clear distinction between the two maintypes of imagination, which he calls 'synthetic imagination' and 'creativeimagination'.This distinction is a critical understanding. I, or others, may haven chosento label and explain, in our own writings, these distinctions in differentways, but the labels do not matter. Most people, who claim to use theirimagination, are using the type Hill called 'synthetic imagination'. It is oflittle use, save for personal entertainment.The great humanistic psychologist, William James, had this to say aboutthe same subject:"Many people think they are thinking when they are merelyrearranging their prejudices."Synthetic imagination is the manipulation of effects. Creative imaginationis causal that creates effects.All things, from the invention of writing to the invention of the Internetcame about because of the use of creative imagination. Syntheticimagination merely, at best, can improve upon what already exists. Thebringing of new things into existence requires the use of creativeimagination.The creation of wealth can be obtained, with diligence, through theinformed and practical use of synthetic imagination (e.g. creating a bettermouse trap), but most wealth and most advancement in humantechnology comes about through the use of creative imagination.Succinctly put, your imagination is the workshop in which you, mostlywithout conscious recognition, create the results that show up in your life.What you hold as an image in your mind is what shows up in your life.If what you are imagining is simply a rehash of what has already occurredor been created by others, then your results shall be limited to what hasbeen, not what can be. The sad, sad, sad thing that we inflict upon ourchildren and ourselves is the dampening of imagination. 'It is only in your6imagination,' is the common refrain. We neglect tell them or reinforcethat all great and wonderful things that exist in our world had theirgenesis 'only in imagination'.What is not recognized, honored and amplified is that it is the dreamers,the imaginers, who go on to produce the new, the wonderful, the uniqueadvancements that end up creating, not only personal wealth, but greaterwealth and well-being for all humankind.Know this: that which you imagine, expect and visualize in your internalworld is that which gets produced in your external world.This is now been proven by the science of quantum mechanics. As hasbeen so expertly described by the scientific genius, David Bohm, theexplicate (or external physical reality) is, not only best understood by,but is brought into being by, the implicate (or internal reality) of pureconsciousness and its imaginings of what is and what can be.6. ORGANIZED PLANNINGThis, in my opinion, is the weakest chapter of Hill's book. He speaks of theneed for organized planning, but skirts around the issue; instead offeringsuggestions about how to get a job and writes some useless paragraphsextolling the American way, which, in any case, no longer exists as hedescribes it.Every noteworthy or great accomplishment came about because therewas a plan.What Hill should have done (and does do in other chapters) is point outthe need to have concrete written goals that are in harmony with one'schosen purpose and/or ideals.Goals are not vague aspirations like, 'I want to be rich.' They areconcrete, defined steps in the fulfillment of your personal vision orpurpose. They are a specific plan.I am always amazed by how many people continue to refuse (throughlaziness or a lack of belief in the necessity) to have clear, concise, writtengoals, despite being presented again and again with the evidence thatthose who do have written goals succeed and those who do not…do not.There have been many studies about the effectiveness of having writtengoals. They invariably show the same results.95% of people who have (and daily refer to) written goals end upaccomplishing them.95% of people who do not have written goals, do not accomplishmuch of anything.If you can read this paragraph and not have begun the process of havingwritten goals by the time you go to bed tonight, you should know that youare choosing failure.Businesses that succeed have a business plan. The business of life alsorequires a plan.in your vision what it is that needs doing; you c
