Outwitting the Devil: The Secret to Freedom and Success by Napoleon Hill (Prólogo), Michael Bernard Beckwith, Sharon L. Lechter (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Mark Victor Hansen (Foreword)

5 out of 5 stars  *****

What a timely read/listen. Napoleon Hill writes this book during the rise of Hitler and it publishes in 2011. The subject matter is as controversial then as it is now. This book displays the author's worldview without any reference to any established religions. The interview style is an excellent format that allows both protagonist and antagonist to elaborate on deep psychological issues.

Mankind's struggle with temptation causes a drifting away from a moral path and eventually into a natural hypnotic rhythm of permanent negative thoughts, e. g., failure. Napoleon Hill asserts that the moral compass exists in men who are successful giants in their industry. Disciplined learning, even from failure, is essential for success, along with perseverance. Self-control maintains emotional balance to prevent distortion of will and reason. Once one betrays the moral code, that individual starts to drift. Staying focused requires Definiteness of Purpose or Intentional Purpose. Hill claims that success is almost guaranteed if one has Definiteness of Purpose with Definiteness of Plan.

So why adopt Definiteness of Purpose as a daily practice? Hill states that it is a fundamental step toward a spiritual, meaningful life. He suggests one follow seven principles: 1) Definiteness of Purpose  2) Mastery of Self  3) Learning from Adversity  4) Controlling Environmental Influence  5) Time; giving permanency to positive rather than negative thought habits and developing wisdom  6) Harmony  7) Caution: Thinking through plans before acting.