Napoleon Hill practiced and taught emotional control, seeing it as one of the keys to a pleasing and attractive personality.
He taught, feelings drive and hurl us...either up or down. It is a matter of self-control, actually - self-control over one's mind. It is as simple as accepting or rejecting emotions as they 'hit you'. It is as difficult as accepting or rejecting emotions as they 'hit you'.
Self-control: simple and difficult.
Difficult because, when it comes to actions and habits, emotions play such a major role.
As a starting point, Napoleon Hill defined 7 positive emotions and 7 negative emotions.
The 7 Positive Emotions
Love
Sex
Hope
Faith
Sympathy
Optimism
Loyalty
The 7 Negative Emotions
Fear*
Hatred
Anger
Greed
Jealousy
Revenge
Superstition
Footnote
Napoleon Hill defined 7 Fears:
- Fear of Poverty
- Fear of Criticism
- Fear of Ill Health
- Fear of Loss of Love
- Fear of Old Age
- Fear of Death
- Fear of Loss of Liberty [he added this fear to the original 6 later in his life]
Reader comments (12)
Comments from the original blog platform, 2008–2021.
Rick ·
NOTE: later, Napoleon Hill listed the 7 Positive Emotions as: Desire, Faith, Love, Sex, Enthusiasm, Romance, and Hope.
Rick ·
"Fear dogs us in one way and another in another, but everyone in some way." Basil King 'The Conquest of Fear', 1921
Rick ·
"Whenever there is fear, you will get wrong figures." W. Edwards Deming
Rick ·
Another perspective on the list of fears: Fear of Rejection Fear of Failure Fear of What Others Will Say Fear of Criticism Fear of Success [and having to make decisions, solve problems, etc] Fear of Being Imperfect Fear of Being "Made a Fool Of" Marcos Witt 'How to Overcome Fear', (2007)
rick baker ·
"Fear is but another name for lack of power to control our minds, or, in other words, to control the kind of thought we think or put out." Prentice Mulford 'Thoughts are Things', (1889)
rick baker ·
"First, don't be embarrassed by being afraid, and don't think you need to pretend that you're not." "Fear is not bad in itself. In fact, a little fear can sometimes help to put things in perspective and make you more alert. It's only bad when you start making irrational decisions based on the panic you are feeling." Dr. Doug Hirschhorn '8 Ways to Great', (2010)
rick baker ·
"Negative emotions - guilt, remorse, fear, anxiety - destroy physical energy, emotional confidence, and even a deeper spiritual sense of significance." Ron Willingham ‘The Inner Game Of Selling’, (2006)
rick baker ·
"People don't fear change at all; in fact, most people even consciously pull for change. Rather, people fear what change will or won't bring. Thus, it is in expectation that the demon of fear really resides." Brendon Burchard ‘The Charge’, (2012)
rick baker ·
"Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." Abraham Lincoln
rick baker ·
"When the intensity of emotional conviction subsides, a man who is in the habit of reasoning will search for logical grounds in favour of the belief which he finds in himself." Bertrand Russell British polymath, 1872-1970
rick baker ·
Kinds of Fears Fear of Self: timidity, lack of confidence, possible on accountable states Fear for Self: weakness, anticipated failure, imagined disgrace Fear of Things: animals, inanimate objects, physical forces Fear of Others: human beings, apparitions, devils, Deity Fear for Others: children, parents, husband, wife, relatives, friends, strangers Fear of Events: present, future, imaginary, possible, probable, contingent Fear of the Future: in life; beyond the present life Frank Channing Haddock 'The Culture of Courage', (1917)
rick baker ·
7 Fears Poverty Criticism Ill health Loss of love Loss of liberty Old age Death Napoleon Hill 'Grow Rich With Peace of Mind', (1967)