Eight Pillars of Prosperity by James Allen (the author of As a Man Thinketh)

This book should be recommended reading for every high school student and required for every MBA student. Over the past twenty years, we have begun to focus on getting wealthy on stock market bubbles, only to lose most of what we earned a few years later when the bubble finally bursts. We saw this in the late nineties with the dot com bubble, later with the real estate bubble, and most recently with a near collapse of the world economy. If you were to take only one message from this book, it should be that long lasting prosperity doesn't happen in a few months based on a lucky gamble. Lasting prosperity, that doesn't fall apart when the stock market wavers, is built on a solid foundation of principled decision making, sustained effort, wise investments of your time and energy, and integrity in your quest for success. As Allen puts it best, the principles in this book teach you to, "rise above the foolish who rise and fall on the uncertain flux of selfish desires, crown your career with completeness, and place yourself among the wise who, without uncertainty, build on a fixed and secure foundation." We are at a crossroads economically, and this book delivers the message that we all need to hear again, for many have forgotten how lasting success is built.

I don't know why this book is so overlooked and underrated; As A Man Thinketh is probably the main cause. Napoleon Hill, Nightingdale, Clement Stone, Haanel, etc. have nothing on Allen although they do offer practical suggestions on applying Allen's principles. This is the last book Allen wrote before he died so it contains his highest thought on success; it is a work of genius, probably because he was able to concentrate his mind perfectly. The book is more about success/achievement than money, so if you're looking to find a 'prosperity' or 'money' book, look elsewhere. He says that all real successes are based on energetic activity, the intelligent management of one's time and money, integrity, and systemized living, and that four other elements are needed for higher successes. Here are some quotes for you to get a feel of some of the content: "The whole world is always on the lookout to reward the best." "The man who gets up early in order to think and plan, so that he may weigh and consider and forecast, will always manifest greater skill and success in his particular pursuit, than the man who stays in bed till the last moment, and only gets up just in time to start breakfast." "It is impossible for one to fail who is full of energy, who carefully manages his time and money, and virtuously preserves his vitality, who practices unswerving integrity, and who systematizes his work by first systematizing his mind." This work should inspire us all to develop the power of mental concentration. The other success books are more practical in application but Allen teaches the actual principles to work with and understand. Keep in mind that this book is somewhat advanced but if you don't struggle to understand the greater, you are likely to remain the lesser, because our actions come from our understanding. Unfortunately, As A Man Thinketh has overshadowed this work. Keep in mind that the Beacon Hill edition is adulterated throughout. Compare for yourself: Beacon Hill (July 21, 2009): "It is better to act with decision and make a mistake than to fail to act and make a mistake, for in the former you are moving yourself forward, in the latter is only stagnation." Original from the Allen Library: "...and it is better to act with decision and make a mistake than to act with indecision and make a mistake, for in the former case there is but error, but in the latter, weakness is added to error."

I really appreciated this book. If you have enjoyed and benefited from other personal development books like the Secret or Think and Grow Rich, you will like this book because it severed as the foundation for almost every other success focused book on the market. Even with all the technology we now embrace, the fundamental principles of success and prosperity haven't changed and they never will. I like that this book really focuses on the basics: attitude, hard work, honesty, and belief in what you're doing. It reminds us that we create our own reality, not just through our thoughts, but through our actions, our integrity, and our treatment of other people. It's a great message for people of all ages and all positions in life.

In this refreshing book, Allen sets the table of success with "pillars" or principles based on moral integrity and earnest work. There are no promises of getting rich quick here or wishing your way to wealth, but rather a close look at the real tools you need to build a permanent and lasting level of success. I am a reader of Napoleon Hill, and I can see how one inspired the other, in this book. By following the advice in 8 Pillars, it's hard to imagine how someone could be anything other than incredibly successful.

...you'll love "Eight Pillars of Prosperity." It can be used as a book of meditations to guide your thoughts towards the highest principles. In other words, it's perfect for applying the method Allen spells out in "As a Man."