Let me be honest—I wasn't always a believer in success 'principles.' (The word alone used to make me yawn.) But after a string of half-baked career moves and a personal rut that left me googling 'how to get unstuck,' I stumbled into something called the Think & Grow Rich Challenge. Ninety minutes a day, three days, all via Zoom? I figured, why not. If there was ever a time to borrow some fuel from history's greats, it was now. Here's what happened when I dove headfirst into a crash course inspired by Napoleon Hill himself, led by modern success icons—and what actually stuck with me when the screens went dark.
Day 1: Redefining Purpose (Spoiler: It’s Not a Vision Board)
How an Awkward Journaling Exercise Forced Me to Admit What I Really Want
I’ll be honest: when I signed up for the “Think & Grow Rich Challenge,” I expected the usual—maybe some motivational quotes, a few worksheets, and a nudge to make a vision board. Instead, Day 1 hit me with something much more uncomfortable: a journaling exercise that demanded brutal honesty. The prompt was simple but piercing: What do you truly want? Not what you think you should want, not what sounds impressive, but what lights a fire in your gut.
I stared at the blank page for a good ten minutes, realizing how much of my life had been spent chasing goals that weren’t really mine. I’d written down “grow my business,” “get fit,” “travel more”—but none of it felt electric. The exercise, guided by Napoleon Hill’s principle of definite purpose, forced me to dig deeper. Hill’s words echoed in my mind:
“The starting point of all achievement is desire. Keep this constantly in mind. Weak desire brings weak results, just as a small fire makes a small amount of heat.” – Napoleon Hill
With every guided question, I felt my vague ambitions sharpen. The guest speakers didn’t sugar-coat it, either. They called out the fluff—no more “I want to be happy” or “I want success.” They challenged us to get specific, to craft a purpose statement so personal it almost felt risky to write it down. That’s when I realized: this wasn’t about manifesting dreams on a vision board. It was about admitting what I really want, even if it scares me.
The Truth Behind ‘Definiteness of Purpose’—Why Most of Us Drift
Hill’s definiteness of purpose isn’t just a catchy phrase—it’s the root of all meaningful success. The session made it clear: without clarity, you drift. Most of us, myself included, spend years floating from one goal to the next, never really committing to anything because we’re afraid of choosing the “wrong” thing. But as Hill and the guest experts pointed out, not choosing is the only real mistake.
Here’s what I learned:
- Clarity is Power: When you define your purpose, you set a direction. Suddenly, decisions become easier because you know what serves your goal—and what doesn’t.
- Desire Fuels Action: Weak goals lead to weak action. The more specific and personal your purpose, the more motivation you’ll have to pursue it.
- Drifting is Default: Without a definite purpose, you’re at the mercy of circumstances, trends, and other people’s expectations.
The guest speakers shared their own stories of drifting—how even wildly successful people like Tony Robbins and Jim Carrey had to get painfully clear about what they wanted before anything changed. It was a wake-up call: if you don’t define your purpose, someone else will do it for you.
The ‘Mastermind Alliance’—Or, How Desperately I Realized I Need People Who Challenge My Comfort Zone
The second half of Day 1 introduced the mastermind principle, and I’ll admit, I thought I understood it. “Surround yourself with positive people,” right? Not quite. Hill’s version is much deeper: a mastermind alliance isn’t just support—it’s strategic collaboration. It’s about uniting minds to amplify your strength, challenge your assumptions, and push you beyond your comfort zone.
During the session, we broke into small groups to share our purpose statements. I was nervous—what if mine sounded silly? But the feedback was honest and direct. My group didn’t just nod and smile; they asked tough questions, poked holes in my logic, and forced me to clarify. It was uncomfortable, but incredibly valuable.
- Accountability: The mastermind group held me to my own standards. No more hiding behind vague goals.
- Perspective: Others saw blind spots I’d missed. Their insights helped me refine my purpose even further.
- Momentum: There’s energy in a group that’s all striving for growth. It’s contagious.
By the end of the 90-minute session, my “definite purpose” wasn’t just a phrase on paper—it was a living, breathing commitment. And thanks to the mastermind principle, I wasn’t alone in it. I had a team, a sounding board, and a source of honest feedback.
Day 1 wasn’t about making a pretty board of dreams. It was about getting real, getting clear, and realizing that the path to personal achievement starts with a definite purpose—and grows stronger with a mastermind alliance.
Day 2: Embodying the Growth Mindset (Or, Confronting the Inner Cynic)
If Day 1 of Napoleon Hill’s Think & Grow Rich Success Challenge was about pinpointing my “definite purpose,” Day 2 was a full-on wrestling match with my inner cynic. The theme was clear: positive mental attitude and the golden rule of business. But let’s be honest—keeping up a sunny outlook is easy when things go right. It’s when your coffee spills mid-Zoom and your to-do list explodes that the real test begins.
Positive Mental Attitude: A Daily Decision, Not a Personality Trait
Napoleon Hill’s voice—yes, the man himself, thanks to rare footage—echoed his famous words:
“Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
It sounds simple, but the challenge pushed me to see that a positive mental attitude isn’t just wishful thinking. It’s a conscious, daily decision. The guest speakers didn’t sugarcoat it, either. Sharon Lechter and Tom Bilyeu both shared stories of mornings when optimism felt impossible—when launches failed, deals fell through, or self-doubt crept in. But they kept showing up, choosing to reboot their mindset instead of throwing in the towel.
What struck me most was the idea that a growth mindset is cultivated, not inherited. The speakers described how, after every setback, they made a deliberate choice to see obstacles as stepping stones. This wasn’t toxic positivity. It was about reframing failure as feedback. In fact, research backs this up: people who adopt a growth mindset are more likely to bounce back after setbacks, seeing them as opportunities to learn rather than proof of inadequacy.
Growth Mindset: More Than Just Jargon
I’ll admit, I used to roll my eyes at the phrase “growth mindset.” But hearing real entrepreneurs talk about their spectacular flops before success made it click. Russell Brunson told the story of a product launch that bombed—publicly, painfully. Instead of hiding, he analyzed what went wrong, asked for feedback, and tried again. Dean Graziosi echoed this, recalling his early days when every “no” felt like a personal rejection. Over time, he realized that every failure was a necessary part of the process.
- Growth mindset means believing you can improve with effort, not that you’re destined to win every time.
- It’s about asking, “What can I learn from this?” instead of, “Why does this always happen to me?”
- It’s the difference between seeing a closed door as the end, or as a sign to try a new approach.
The challenge made it clear: adopting the Napoleon Hill principles isn’t about never failing. It’s about never letting failure have the last word.
The Golden Rule: Treating Customers as Partners, Not Transactions
The “golden rule of business” came up again and again: treat others as you want to be treated. But in the context of entrepreneurship, it’s more than just being nice. It’s about seeing customers as lifelong partners, not one-time transactions. Jeffrey Gitomer shared how his biggest business comebacks happened when he put relationships first—calling clients just to check in, offering help without expecting anything in return.
This principle, I learned, isn’t just feel-good advice. It’s a proven strategy. Entrepreneurs who apply the golden rule build trust, loyalty, and word-of-mouth buzz that money can’t buy. The guest speakers gave example after example: a refund offered without hassle, a handwritten thank-you note, a follow-up call months after the sale. These small acts, rooted in genuine care, often led to the biggest breakthroughs.
Real Stories, Real Transformation
The honesty from the speakers was oddly inspiring. They didn’t pretend to be unbreakable. Instead, they showed how positive mental attitude and the golden rule helped them reboot after every mistake. The success challenge wasn’t about perfection—it was about persistence, humility, and the willingness to grow.
By the end of Day 2, I realized that embodying a growth mindset means confronting the inner cynic every single day. It means choosing optimism, not because it’s easy, but because it’s the only way to keep moving forward.
Day 3: The Grit Factor—Faith, Extra Miles, and When Stuff Goes Sideways
If you’ve ever wondered what separates those who dream from those who achieve, Day 3 of the Napoleon Hill Think & Grow Rich Challenge is where the rubber truly meets the road. The theme—Going The Extra Mile and Applied Faith—sounds inspiring on paper, but living it out is a different beast entirely. This final day wasn’t about feel-good motivation. Instead, it was a deep dive into the messiness of growth, the reality of setbacks, and the unglamorous grind that actually builds success.
"Faith is the starting point of all accumulation of riches!" – Napoleon Hill
What Applied Faith Really Looks Like (Spoiler: It’s Messy)
Before this challenge, I thought I understood applied faith. I pictured it as unwavering confidence, a kind of mental superpower that would make every step feel certain. But as Napoleon Hill and the guest speakers explained, applied faith isn’t about never doubting yourself. It’s about moving forward even when your belief wavers. It’s the habit of taking action when the finish line disappears, when motivation tanks, and when your goals suddenly feel further away than ever.
During the session, I realized that applied faith is less about “feeling ready” and more about showing up—especially on the days when you’d rather quit. The wisdom here is simple but powerful: growth isn’t always confidence-filled. Sometimes, you act first and let belief catch up later. That’s the real success blueprint behind every high-achiever Napoleon Hill studied.
Going the Extra Mile: Beyond Hard Work
We’ve all heard the phrase “go the extra mile,” but Day 3 broke it down in a way I hadn’t expected. It’s not just about working longer hours or hustling harder. It’s about embracing failure as feedback and using setbacks as fuel. The guest speakers shared stories from their own trenches—times when their best efforts flopped, when doors slammed shut, and when the only option was to try again, a little smarter and a little tougher.
What struck me most was how going the extra mile actually builds momentum. It’s not a one-time heroic act; it’s a habit. You don’t wait for motivation to strike—you create it by taking one more step, making one more call, or learning from one more mistake. Over time, this discipline compounds, and suddenly, you’re achieving goals that once felt impossible.
Persistence: The Gritty Reality
Persistence is easy to romanticize on an inspirational poster, but up close, it’s gritty and often uncomfortable. Day 3 didn’t sugarcoat this. The speakers were honest: sometimes, you’ll feel stuck, overwhelmed, or like you’re getting nowhere. But the Napoleon Hill principles teach that persistence is the bridge between desire and achievement. It’s not about never falling down—it’s about getting back up, again and again, even when progress is invisible.
I learned that persistence often looks like stubbornly showing up, even when you’re tired or discouraged. It’s about trusting the process, leaning on your mastermind group for support, and remembering why you started. The ugly but crucial side of growth is that you have to keep going, especially when stuff goes sideways.
Conclusion: The Real Success Blueprint
As the Think & Grow Rich Challenge wrapped up, I realized that the final stretch is less about exciting new ideas and more about nitty-gritty perseverance. Applied faith and the discipline to go the extra mile aren’t just principles—they’re habits that must be practiced daily. The challenge reminded me that achieving goals isn’t a straight line, and that setbacks aren’t signs to quit, but invitations to grow.
The work doesn’t end when the challenge does. But now, armed with Napoleon Hill’s timeless principles and a community of fellow travelers, I feel ready to keep moving—one messy, determined step at a time. That’s the real grit factor, and it’s where true success begins.
