Alberto Riehl Reviews How The Wealthiest People In The World Make Decisions

They end a conversation very quickly and I always keep an eye on that, right? Because Napoleon Hill, first guy to publish it. Successful people make quick decisions very confidently. Never look back, never second guess themselves.

Unsuccessful people, or everyone else, “Should I, shouldn’t I? Should I, shouldn’t I? Okay, I’m gonna do it.” And even after they do it they start, “Maybe I shouldn’t have done it. Maybe I shouldn’t do it.” Right? And so, I always … that impresses me. When I talk to somebody, there might be things I forget but there’s certain things like how quickly you made the decision, I remember that. I know exactly.

I put a lot of weight on that because I know that when Napoleon Hill was being interviewed by Andrew Carnegie, the richest man in the world. Andrew Carnegie … do you guys know the story? Andrew Carnegie asked him, “I have an assignment for you. It’s going to take 20 years.” Napoleon Hill is broke law student. Broke law student. He’s like, “I’m going to make a little money by interviewing some people.” Somehow, he landed the richest man in the world, Andrew Carnegie; and Andrew Carnegie said, “You know what?” After a couple of hours, interview’s just getting started, “Come to my house.” And Napoleon Hill’s like, “Oh, thank God I have money for a hotel.”

So, he’s with the richest man in the world, spends three days. At the end of the three days, Andrew Carnegie’s like, “This is the guy.”

“I’m going to give you an assignment. It’s going to take 20 years and I’m not going to pay you.” And he had a stopwatch under his desk. Napoleon Hill didn’t know that. Napoleon Hill’s like 22 years old. Andrew Carnegie, 55 years old, richest man in the world and if you YouTube Napoleon Hill/Andrew Carnegie story, it’ll come up and you’ll have the real Napoleon Hill talking about it. He’s a little guy, kind of a high voice, high pitched voice. Anybody ever heard him?

I have.

Yeah, right?

Tapes, yeah.

And he’ll talk about it. It’s hilarious. He’s like, “Here I am, 22 years old. I’m broke and I’m being asked to work for the next 20 years for no pay, by the richest man in the world.” How screwed up is that? Think about that. Imagine if you were in that position. You’re broke and the richest man in the world is saying, “Hey, come do this assignment, this project for 20 years. I’m not going to pay you. What I’m going to do is I’m going to give you letters of introduction.” That’s how they did stuff back then.

“I’m going to introduce you.” Here’s one in Henry Ford, Thomas Edison, the Wright brothers, the Wrigleys, Firestone, Eastman who started Kodak. The players. The guys that changed the world; and he timed him. Gave him 60 seconds. Napoleon Hill didn’t know he was being timed and in 30 seconds, Napoleon Hill says, “Not only will I take that assignment, you can count on me to finish it.”

Dude, he committed the next 20 years of his life in 30 seconds. The next 20 years of his life and we have guys that think we’re crazy because we’re asking them to commit a few thousand dollars in an hour. Dude, an hour. Right?

Elon Musk, somebody was talking about Elon Musk. He’s famous, if you read his book, for making billion dollar decisions in 60 seconds. It’s one of the things he’s famous for. Billion dollar decisions in 60 seconds.

So, hopefully that changes perception a little bit. Maybe if you thought that asking somebody to stroke a $12,000 check for their life insurance policy in one phone call was a lot. Realize that we’re still playing very small when we do that. We have guys asking for a billion dollars in 60 seconds.

Napoleon Hill, almost a hundred years ago, his next 20 years of his life in 30 seconds. Guys, we’re like amateurs. That’s nothing. A whole hour for a few grand? If we’re talking to the right person, it happens like that.