I read this book after it was mentioned in “Rich Dad, Poor Dad”. The following excerpts identify some major inspirations for beginning the project “My Pursuit of Thought”. Originally, I thought that this book overall was dated in its advice. That feeling was after I read the book in 2010. Now, capturing my notes, I can see much deeper into the value of these words. The revelation that I feel after reading many of these words proves to me that our brains capture and make connections that we are not consciously trying to formulate on our own. It took me nearly five years to re-discover and appreciate the magnitude of the following words.

1. One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat.
2. Riches begin with a state of mind, with definiteness of purpose, with little or no hard work.
3. No one is ever defeated until defeat is accepted as a reality.
4. No more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty.
5. All achievement, no matter what may be its nature, or its purpose, must begin with an intense, burning desire for something definite.
6. I know that I have the ability to achieve the object of my Definite Purpose in Life, therefore, I demand of myself persistent, continuous actions toward its attainment.
7. I will succeed by attracting to myself the forces I wish to use, and to cooperation of other people. I will induce others to serve me because of my willingness to serve others. I will eliminate hatred, envy, jealousy, selfishness, and cynicism, by developing love for all of humanity, because I know that a negative attitude toward others can never bring me success. I will cause others to believe in me because I will believe in them, and myself.
8. Day by day, in every way, I am getting better and better. Without mixing emotion and faith with your words, you will experience no desirable results.
9. Knowledge will not attract money, unless it is organized, and intelligently directed, through practical plans of action to the definite end of the accumulation of money.
10. The accumulation of great fortunes call for power, and power is acquired through highly organized and intelligently directed specialized knowledge, but that knowledge does not, necessarily, have to be in the possession of the man who accumulates the fortune.
11. Knowledge has no value except that which can be gained from its application toward some worthy end.
12. The way of success is the way of continuous pursuit of knowledge.
13. Important factors in leadership:
    1. Self-Control: The man who cannot control himself, can never control others. Self-control sets a mighty example for one’s followers, which the more intelligent will emulate.
    2. A keen sense of justice.
    3. Unwavering courage.
    4. Definiteness of decision.
    5. The habit of doing more than paid for.
    6. A pleasing personality.
    7. Definiteness of plans: The successful leader must plan his work and work his plan. A leader who moves by guesswork, without practical, definite plans, is comparable to a ship without a rudder. Sooner or later, he will land on the rocks.
    8. Sympathy and Understanding: The successful leader must be in sympathy with his followers. Moreover, he must understand them and their problems.
    9. Mastery of detail.
    10. Willingness to assume full responsibility.
    11. Cooperation
14. Major Faults of Leader Who Fail: It is essential to know what to do as it is to know what not to do:
    1. Inability to organize details.
    2. Unwillingness to render humble service.
    3. Expectation of pay for what they “know” instead of what they do with that which they know.
    4. Fear of competition from followers.
    5. Failure to get others to perform.
    6. Lack of imagination.
    7. Selfishness.
    8. Intemperance.
    9. Disloyalty.
    10. Emphasis on the “authority” of leadership.
    11. Emphasis on title.
15. There is art and psychology behind advertising the merits of oneself: One should point out their education, experience, references, a specific position, qualifications, and their knowledge of the employer.
16. Most of us go through life as failures because we are waiting for the “time to be right” to start doing something worthwhile. Do not wait. The time will never be “just right.”
17. Your value is established entirely by your ability to render useful service or your capacity to induce others to render such service.
18. The fear of criticism robs a man of his initiative, destroys his power of imagination, limits his individuality, takes away his self-reliance, and does damage in a hundred other ways.
19. To be successful, you must find peace of mind, acquire the material needs of life, and above all, attain happiness. You may control your own mind, you have the power to feed it whatever thought impulses you choose.
20. Has today added anything of value to your stock of knowledge or state of mind?
21. The most practical of all methods for controlling the mind is the habit of keeping it busy with a definite purpose, backed by a definite plan.
22. What can I truly give to others?

Think and Grow Rich: The Landmark Bestseller – Now Revised and Updated for the 21st Century