Think and Grow Rich was written by Napoleon Hill and promoted as a personal development and self-improvement book. While the book's title and much of the text concerns increasing income, the author insists that the philosophy taught in the book can help people succeed in any line of work, to do and be anything they can imagine. Hill studied their habits and evolved 16 "laws" to be applied to achieve success. Think and Grow Rich condenses them, providing the reader with 13 principles in the form of a "Philosophy of Achievement". Mark Hansen has said time has shown that two of the laws/principles are most important: 1. The Mastermind principle/process 2. "Know very clearly where you want to go."

The 13 "steps" listed in the book are:

1. Desire

2. Faith

3. Autosuggestion

4. Specialized Knowledge

5. Imagination

6. Organized Planning

7. Decision 

9. Power of the Mastermind

13. The Sixth Sense

The book asserts that desire, faith, and persistence can propel one to great heights if one can suppress negative thoughts and focus on long-term goals.