Success is the development of power… but not the kind you might think. It’s not about dominating others; it’s about building your own capability to achieve your goals ethically. This is Napoleon Hill’s core philosophy, and it completely reframes what true success looks like.
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Meaning
True success is building your personal capacity to achieve your desires, but always within the ethical boundary of not harming or infringing upon others.
Explanation
Let me break this down because it’s deceptively simple. Most people hear “power” and think of coercion or stepping on people. Hill flips that. The real work, the development, is an internal game. It’s about building your skills, your character, your persistence, your network—your personal power. But here’s the non-negotiable part: the “without violating the rights of others.” That’s the guardrail. That’s what separates lasting, respected success from a hollow, temporary win that leaves a trail of wreckage behind you. It’s a complete system: grow yourself massively, but do it with integrity.
Quote Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Category | Success (341) |
| Topics | achievement (34), ethics (20), power (15) |
| Literary Style | philosophical (434) |
| Overall Quote Score | 81 (258) |
Origin & Factcheck
This comes straight from Napoleon Hill’s 1928 foundational work, The Law of Success, published in the United States. It’s often misattributed to later books or other motivational figures, but this is the original source. Hill spent decades researching successful people before crystallizing this idea.
Attribution Summary
| Context | Attributes |
|---|---|
| Author | Napoleon Hill (84) |
| Source Type | Book (4032) |
| Source/Book Name | The Law of Success (47) |
| Origin Timeperiod | Modern (527) |
| Original Language | English (3668) |
| Authenticity | Verified (4032) |
Author Bio
Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) wrote influential books on achievement and personal philosophy. After interviewing industrialist Andrew Carnegie, he spent years studying the habits of top performers, which led to The Law of Success and the classic Think and Grow Rich. Hill taught and lectured widely, promoting ideas like the Master Mind, definite purpose, and persistence. He collaborated with W. Clement Stone and helped launch the Napoleon Hill Foundation to preserve and extend his teachings. His work continues to shape self-help, entrepreneurship, and success literature.
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Where is this quotation located?
| Quotation | Success is the development of the power with which to get whatever one wants in life without violating the rights of others |
| Book Details | Publication Year: 1928; ISBN: 978-1-956134-21-1; Latest Edition: 2021, 1104 pages. |
| Where is it? | Lesson 1: The Master Mind, Approximate page from 2021 edition: 48 |