How to Outwit the Six Ghosts of Fear

Guest Contributor: Michelle Rumney
Michelle's Posts - Michelle's Blog


So, in one of my Mastermind groups, we've reached the fantastic Epilogue of Napoleon Hill's 'Think And Grow Rich', which we've been reading for the last 10 weeks to focus our sessions and also to generate ideas and discussions. And of all the chapters, this one 'How To Outwit The 6 Ghosts of Fear - Take Inventory of Yourself...' is in my experience usually the most interesting one for a group to take on and it's great for this time of year too - a time when many people like to reflect on the past year and start thinking of what they'd like to achieve in the fresh new year ahead.

It's my favorite chapter of the whole book, where Hill manages to condense his 25 year's work researching the lives and habits of successful people, into a lively, self-help, rollercoaster ride to the end. The six basic human fears, according to Hill, are: Fear of Poverty, of Criticism, of Ill Health, of Loss of Love of Someone, of Old Age and of Death. Hill details these Fears at length, including their symptoms, so that you can 'determine which, if any, of the six common fears have attached themselves to you', and while he doesn't mention Fear of Falling Share Prices or Fear of Redundancy specifically, these are definitely covered in one or more of the other Fears. It's reassuring too, that a book written in the 1930s after the Great Depression is so relevant today - it's nothing new.

If the Six Ghosts of Fear aren't enough to provoke a discussion, next up Hill introduces us to Old Man Worry and The Devil's Workshop (how to protect yourself from the negative influence of other people) - all food for thought, especially in these Credit Crunch doom and gloom media times. If any of your members are just about to loose their nerve in starting a new venture, going for a promotion, or taking any sort of 'risk', this is all good advice for pepping up their spirits and keeping their Big Picture a great one.

But the best part of all is the section entitled '57 Famous Alibis by Old Man If'. Someone should turn this into a Mastermind Group Party game - it could be fun!... The first player thinks of a great idea - a desire or goal they've wanted to achieve for a while, then the other group members take it in turns to guess which of the 57 Famous Alibis 'IF only I had time, 'IF times were better', 'IF I were only younger'... etc.' are the reason they haven't achieved it yet - it's bound to be in Hill's list - even our excuses aren't original.

Seriously though, if reading or discussing the concepts in this chapter doesn't boot every member of your group enthusiastically, No-Excuses or feeling sorry for themselves, into a zero limits positive frame of mind for next year, I don't know what will. What a great Christmas present...