What if all that is keeping you from being rich is the way you think? Could you change your thinking and realize your dreams?

According to Napoleon Hill, author of Think & Grow Rich, the answer is yes. This interesting and somewhat classic book (the copyright date is 1937, and it was first reprinted 60 years ago) starts by telling the tale of Edwin Barnes, a man who despite lacking any skills or knowledge, desperately wanted to work alongside the great inventor, Thomas Edison.

The penniless Barnes managed to get a meeting with Edison, who noted that “there was something in the expression of his face which conveyed that he was determined to get what he had come after.” He hired Barnes, the book says, and later, it was Barnes who spotted the potential in a dictaphone device Edison had invented, was given the job of selling it, and made a fortune with the product. “He proved that one may Think and Grow Rich,” Hill writes.

Hill outlines six steps to take to turn “desires into gold.”

You should “fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire.” Next, determine “what you intend to give in return for the money you desire.” Set a date for when you plan to possess the money, create “a definite plan for carrying out your desire,” develop a written statement of your plan and “read your written statement aloud, twice daily,” ideally when you get up and again when going to sleep.

While this sounds simple enough, the book looks at all the obstacles that get in the way of such positive, structured thinking.

To build your self-confidence (towards attaining your goal), Hill recommends that you “demand of (yourself) persistent, continuous action towards its attainment.” You need to set aside at least 30 minutes daily to take action on your plans. In this way, which Hill calls “auto-suggestion,” you basically coach your thinking into focusing on achieving your goal.

You need to fend off the “31 major causes of failure,” all of which can be overcome, Hill notes.

Among these are “lack of a well-defined purpose in life,” a lack of ambition, a lack of self-discipline, poor health, procrastination, the lack of persistence, and many more.

He lists the six “basic fears” that prevent people from trying to reach their goals – fears of poverty, criticism, ill health, failure in love, old age and death. “Fears are nothing more that states of mind,” he writes. “One’s state of mind is subject to control and direction. Man can create nothing that he does not first conceive in the impulse of thought.”

Another tactic is to make sure, Hill writes, that you are “money conscious” and not “poverty conscious.” The former, he argues, can be created – or you can be born with it, it is having a mindset that is focused on attracting wealth. The latter will fill the void if you don’t have a developed money consciousness, he notes.

This is a fascinating book, and while it’s a vintage example of self-help writing, it stands up quite well. The central message here is that if you set a goal – any goal – you can achieve it by committing yourself to focusing on it, banishing negative fears and obstacles, and following your own thorough plan.

You could apply these principles not only to amassing wealth, but maybe for things like losing weight or breaking 90 at golf. Controlling your mind will conquer fears, distractions, and inaction.

Thinking in the way that Hill does, then, you could plan for a specific total in your retirement savings account – let’s say $100,000, as an example – and then write out the steps you would take to get to that target. It’s adding structure and purpose to the activity of saving.

Should you be looking for a destination for your retirement savings, the Saskatchewan Pension Plan  may be a good place to check out. They’ll professionally manage your savings, and when the blessed day comes that you punch the time clock for the last time, they’ll turn your savings into lifetime income. Check them out today!

Written by Martin Biefer
	Martin Biefer is Senior Pension Writer at Avery & Kerr Communications in Nepean, Ontario. A veteran reporter, editor and pension communicator, he’s now a freelancer. Interests include golf, line dancing and classic rock. He and his wife live with their Shelties, Duncan and Phoebe, and cat, Toobins. You can follow him on Twitter – his handle is @AveryKerr22