“Those who reach a decision promptly and definitely know what they want and generally get it. The leaders in every walk of life decide quickly and firmly. This is the major reason why they are leaders.” Napoleon Hill
As a young man, Napoleon Hill interviewed Andrew Carnegie, who proposed an interesting assignment. This was one of many business decisions he would make on his journey to success.
He said, “I’d like you to interview 500 of the world’s wealthiest men and discover how they achieved their riches.” Hill was probably thinking, “Wow, that’s pretty awesome.” Then Carnegie then added two additional caveats: he felt that this assignment was going to take Napoleon at least twenty years to accomplish this task and he wasn’t going to pay him a dime to do it.
Decisions are about Making Choices
Napoleon had a choice – he could stay comfortable where he was, pursuing his career in journalism and supporting his wife and family in a traditional way, or he could potentially change the world.
What Napoleon didn’t know was that Carnegie had a stopwatch beneath the desk set for sixty seconds, after which time the offer was off the table. Carnegie believed that successful people were able to make decisions quickly and change them slowly.
How fast you make Decisions Makes all the Difference
Without hesitation, Hill said, “Yes,” to his offer and the rest is history. For the next twenty years, Napoleon connected with the world’s most powerful and wealthy men. He also interviewed a lot of failures in the process. In his research, Hill ultimately discovered thirteen keys to success, revealing the foundation of the success principles we espouse today.
Can you imagine if Napoleon called his friends to tell them about the deal? “Hey, Andrew Carnegie made me this great offer. He’s going to introduce me to a bunch of millionaires and I get to interview them for the next twenty years or so. He’s not even going to pay me to do it.”
What do you think his friends would have said? “Are you CRAZY? What do you mean he’s not going to pay you? Do you know how much money that man has? You’d have to be an idiot to take him up on that kind of offer.”
When all else fails, Follow your gut
Fortunately, Napoleon listened to his gut. Think about how you make your decisions. Do you waffle and rely on the opinions of others? Or are you committed to your cause and go with your intuition? It makes a difference.
When we take the time to go into the silence and listen to our inner guidance, we receive the exact information when we need it. The next step is to take action and follow your instincts. I know it’s happened to me more than once that I ignored “a feeling” and lived to regret it. On the other hand, when I pay attention, I get rewarded.
Don’t be afraid to take that next STEP
When my medical sales position was eliminated, the thought never crossed my mind to jump back into the competitive world of sales. I knew that I was given an opportunity to pursue my own dreams and goals that I would not have had if I was still working 60-80 hours per week.
Even though I was afraid, when I was facing financial struggles from not having a consistent income, I endured the incredible highs and lows of entrepreneurship. I never doubted my decision. More than three years later, I am still going strong – loving life and making a difference.
Intuition rules – pay attention to yours today.
