Men take on the nature and the habits and the power of thought of those with whom they associate in a spirit of sympathy and harmony.
Those who succeed in an outstanding way seldom do so before the age of 40. More often, they do not strike their real pace until they are well beyond the age of 50.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Success often comes later in life, particularly after age 40 or even 50.
Napoleon Hill's quote emphasizes that exceptional success is frequently achieved later in life, suggesting that many individuals may not fully realize their potential or reach significant accomplishments until they have accumulated more experience and wisdom. This reflection on the timelines of success encourages patience and perseverance, recognizing that the journey towards achieving greatness can take time and may be influenced by personal growth and maturity.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a motivational speech encouraging young entrepreneurs, one could say, 'Remember, those who succeed often do so later in life, as Napoleon Hill once pointed out.'
More from Napoleon Hill
All quotes →Nature yields her most profound secrets to the person who is determined to uncover them.
Man, alone, has the power to transform his thoughts into physical reality; man, alone, can dream and make his dreams come true.
One of the most common causes of failure is the habit of quitting when one is overtaken by temporary defeat.
Let nobody bribe you away from being yourself.
Every person who wins in any undertaking must be willing to cut all sources of retreat. Only by doing so can one be sure of maintaining that state of mind known as a burning desire to win - essential to success.
Similar quotes
My definition of success is doing what you love. I feel many people do things because they feel they have to, and are hesitant to risk following their passion.
As long as we place millions of Indians at the canter of our thought process, as long as we think of their welfare, their future, their opportunities for self realization we are on the right track. For India can grow, prosper, flourish only if they grow, prosper, flourish. We cannot grow by any esoteric strategies. Our purchasing power, our economic strength, our marketplace all depends on the prosperity of our people.
A gypsy told me I was going to do great things. I was going to make all kinds of money.
All of my fights are planned. I study my opponents from A to Z. How he walks, how he looks, how he speaks, gestures of the human body, which is a certain language that provides you lots of information if you have the ability to read it. You just need to pay attention to it and gain experience over the years.
There is a difference between broke and being poor. Being broke is a temporary economic condition, but being poor is a disabling frame of mind and a depressed condition of your spirit, and you must vow to never, ever be poor again.
When someone asks, 'Does success make you into a monster?' I always say, 'No, it enables you to be a monster.'