The great Danish philosopher and religious thinker, Soren Kierkegaard, once wrote, "It is the sign of a good book when the book reads you." You hold in your hands such a book-one that has not only become a classic in the self-help field, but also has that rare ability to relate to your problems, sympathize with them, and then advise you on their solutions as a wise old friend would. Still, I must warn you. Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude will do nothing for you. If you truly wish to change your life for the better, and are willing to pay a price in time and thinking and effort to reach your goals-and if you're not kidding yourself-then you hold in your hands a diamond plucked from a beach of pebbles, a road map to a better future, a valuable blueprint that will enable you to completely restructure your future. I speak from experience. Many years ago, through my own stupidities and faults, I lost everything that was precious to me-my family, my home and my job. Nearly penniless, and with no guidance, I began to wander the country, searching for myself and for some answers that would make my life bearable. I spent much time in public libraries because they were free-and warm. I read everything from Plato to Peale, seeking that one message that would explain to me where I had gone wrong-and what I could do to salvage the remainder of my life. I finally found my answer in W. Clement Stone's and Napoleon Hill's Success Through a Positive Mental Attitude. I have employed the simple techniques and methods found in this classic for more than fifteen years, and they have provided me with riches and happiness far beyond anything I deserve. From a penniless vagrant without a single root, I eventually became the president of two corporations and the executive editor of the finest magazine of its kind in the world, Success Unlimited. I also wrote six books, and one of them, The Greatest Salesman in the World, has now become the best-selling book for salespeople of all time; it has been translated into fourteen languages and has sold more than three million copies.
