Napoleon Hill

THE LAW OF SUCCESS

Teaching, for the First Time in the History of the World, the True Philosophy upon which all Personal Success is Built.

BY NAPOLEON HILL 1928

PUBLISHED BY The RALSTON UNIVERSITY PRESS MERIDEN, CONN.

THE LAW OF SUCCESS

Lesson Five INITIATIVE AND LEADERSHIP

"You Can Do It if You Believe You Can!

BEFORE you proceed to the mastery of this lesson your attention is directed to the fact that there is perfect co-ordination of thought running throughout this course. You will observe that the entire sixteen lessons harmonize and blend with each other so that they constitute a perfect chain that has been built, link by link, out of the factors that enter into the development of power through organized effort.

You will observe, also, that the same fundamental principles of Applied Psychology form the foundation of each of these sixteen lessons, although different application is made of these principles in each of the lessons.

This lesson, on Initiative and Leadership, follows the lesson on Self-confidence for the reason that no one could become an efficient leader or take the initiative in any great undertaking without belief in himself.

Initiative and Leadership are associated terms in this lesson for the reason that Leadership is essential for the attainment of Success, and Initiative is the very foundation upon which this necessary quality of Leadership is built. Initiative is as essential to success as a hub is essential to a wagon wheel. And what is Initiative? It is that exceedingly rare quality that prompts - nay, impels - a person to do that, which ought to be done without being told to do it.

Elbert Hubbard expressed himself on the subject of Initiative in the words: "The world bestows its big prizes, both in money and honors, for one thing, and that is Initiative. What is initiative?

I'll tell you: It is doing the right thing without being told. "But next to doing the right thing without being told is to do it when you are told once. That is say, `Carry the message to Garcia.'

Those who can carry a message get high honors, but their pay is not always in proportion. Next, there are those who do the right thing when necessity kicks them from behind, and these 'get indifference instead of honors, and a pittance for pay. This kind spend most of the time polishing a bench with a hard luck story.