Seventeen Elements of the Master-Key
by Napoleon Hill
Let us turn now to a brief review of these principles, so that we may understand their relationship to Cosmic Habitforce. Let us observe how these principles are so related that they blend together and form the Master-Key which unlocks the doors to the solution of all problems.
The analysis begins with the first principle of the philosophy:
(a) THE HABIT OF GOING THE EXTRA MILE This principle is given first position because it aids in conditioning the mind for the rendering of useful service. And this conditioning prepares the way for the second principle—
(b) DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE With the aid of this principle one may give organized direction to the principle of Going The Extra Mile, and make sure that it leads in the direction of his major purpose and becomes cumulative in its effects. These two principles alone will take anyone very far up the ladder of achievement, but those who are aiming for the higher goals of life will need much help on the way, and this help is available through the application of the third principle—
(c) THE MASTER MIND Through the application of this principle one begins to experience a new and a greater sense of power which is not available to the individual mind, as it bridges one’s personal deficiencies and provides him, when necessary, with any portion of the combined knowledge of mankind which has been accumulated down through the ages. But this sense of power will not be complete until one acquires the art of receiving guidance through the fourth principle—
(d) APPLIED FAITH Here the individual begins to tune in on the powers of Infinite Intelligence, which is a benefit that is available only to the person who has conditioned his mind to receive it. Here the individual begins to take full possession of his own mind by mastering all fears, worries and doubts, by recognizing his oneness with the source of all power. These four principles have been rightly called the “Big Four” because they are capable of providing more power than the average man needs to carry him to great heights of personal achievement. But they are adequate only for the very few who have other needed qualities of success, such as those which are provided by the fifth principle-
(e) PLEASING PERSONALITY A pleasing personality enables a man to sell himself and his ideas to other men. Hence it is an essential for all who desire to become the guiding influence in a Master Mind alliance. But observe carefully how definitely the four preceding principles tend to give one a pleasing personality. These five principles are capable of providing one with stupendous personal power, but not enough power to insure him against defeat, for defeat is a circumstance that every man meets many times throughout his lifetime; hence the necessity of understanding and applying the sixth principle—
(f) HABIT OF LEARNING FROM DEFEAT Notice that this principle begins with the word “habit,” which means that it must be accepted and applied as a manner of habit, under all the circumstances of defeat. In this principle may be found hope sufficient to inspire a man to make a fresh start when his plans go astray, and go astray they must at one time or another. Observe how greatly the source of personal power has increased through the application of these six principles. The individual has found out where he is going in life; he has acquired the friendly cooperation of all whose services are needed to help him reach his goal; he has made himself pleasing, thereby insuring for himself the continued cooperation of others; he has acquired the art of drawing upon the source of Infinite Intelligence and of expressing that power through applied faith; and he has learned to make stepping stones of the stumbling blocks of personal defeat. Despite all of these advantages, however, the man whose Definite Major Purpose leads in the direction of the higher brackets of personal achievement will come many times to the point in his career when he will need the benefits of the seventh principle—
(g) CREATIVE VISION This principle enables one to look into the future and to judge it by a comparison with the past, and to build new and better plans for attaining his hopes and aims through the workshop of his imagination. And here, for the first time perhaps, a man may discover his sixth sense and begin to draw upon it for the knowledge which is not available through the organized sources of human experience and accumulated knowledge. But, in order to make sure that he puts this benefit to practical use he must embrace and apply the eighth principle—
(h) PERSONAL INITIATIVE This is the principle that starts action and keeps it moving toward definite ends. It insures one against the destructive habits of procrastination, indifference and laziness. An approximation of the importance of this principle may be had by recognizing that it is the “habitproducer” in connection with the seven preceding principles, for it is obvious that the application of no principle may become a habit except by the application of personal initiative. The importance of this principle may be further evaluated by recognition of the fact that it is the sole means by which a man may exercise full and complete control over the only thing that the Creator has given him to control, the power of his own thoughts. Thoughts do not organize and direct themselves. They need guidance, inspiration and aid which can be given only by one’s personal initiative. But personal initiative is sometimes misdirected. Therefore it needs the supplemental guidance that is available through the ninth principle—
(i) ACCURATE THINKING Accurate thinking not only insures one against the misdirection of personal initiative, but it also insures one against errors of judgment, guess-work and premature decisions. It also protects one against the influence of his own undependable emotions by modifying them through the power of reason commonly known as the “head.” Here the individual who has mastered these nine principles will find himself in possession of tremendous power, but personal power may be, and often it is, a dangerous power if it is not controlled and directed through the application of the tenth principle—
(j) SELF-DISCIPLE Self-discipline cannot be had for the mere asking, nor can it be acquired quickly. It is the product of carefully established and carefully maintained habits which in many instances can be acquired only by many years of painstaking effort. So we have come to the point at which the power of the will must be brought into action, for self-discipline is solely a product of the will. Numberless men have risen to great power by the application of the preceding nine principles, only to meet with disaster, or they carry others to defeat by their lack of self-discipline in the use of their power. This principle, when mastered and applied, gives one complete control over his greatest enemy, himself! Self-discipline must begin with the application of the eleventh principle—
(k) CONCENTRATION OF ENDEAVOR The power of concentration is also a product of the will. It is so closely related to self-discipline that the two have been called the “twin-brothers” of this philosophy. Concentration saves one from the dissipation of his energies, and aids him in keeping his mind focused upon the object of his Definite Major Purpose until it has been taken over by the subconscious section of the mind and there made ready for translation into its physical equivalent, through the law of Cosmic Habitforce. It is the camera’s eye of the imagination through which the detailed outline of one’s aims and purposes are recorded in the sub-conscious section of the mind; hence it is indispensable. Now look again, and see how greatly one’s personal power has grown by the application of these eleven principles. But even these are not sufficient for every circumstance of life, for there are times when one must have the friendly cooperation of many people, such as customers in business, or clients in a profession, or votes in an election to public office, all of which may be had through the application of the twelfth principle—
(l) CO-OPERATION Co-operation differs from the Master Mind principle in that it is a human relationship that is needed, and may be had, without a definite alliance with others, based upon a complete fusion of the minds for the attainment of a definite purpose. Without the co-operation of others one cannot attain success in the higher brackets of personal achievement, for co-operation is the means of major value by which one may extend the space he occupies in the minds of others, which is sometimes known as “good-will.” Friendly co-operation brings the merchant’s customers back as repeat purchasers of his wares, and insures a continuance of patronage from the clients of the professional man. Hence it is a principle that belongs definitely in the philosophy of successful men, regardless of the occupation they may follow. Co-operation is attained more freely and willingly by the application of the thirteenth principle—
(m) ENTHUSIASM Enthusiasm is a contagious state of mind which not only aids one in gaining the co-operation of others, but more important than this, it inspires the individual to draw upon and use the power of his own imagination. It inspires action also in the expression of personal initiative, and leads to the habit of concentration of endeavor. Moreover, it is one of the qualities of major importance of a pleasing personality, and it makes easy the application of the principle of Going the Extra Mile. In addition to all these benefits, enthusiasm gives force and conviction to the spoken word. Enthusiasm is the product of motive, but it is difficult of maintenance without the aid of the fourteenth principle—
(n) THE HABIT OF HEALTH Sound physical health provides a suitable housing place for the operation of the mind; hence it is an essential for enduring success, assuming that the word “success” shall embrace all of the requirements for happiness. Here again the word “habit” comes into prominence, for sound health begins with a “health consciousness” that can be developed only by the right habits of living, sustained through self-discipline. Sound health provides the basis for enthusiasm, and enthusiasm encourages sound health; so the two are like the hen and the egg; no one can determine which came into existence first, but everyone knows that both are essential for the production of either. Health and enthusiasm are like that. Both are essential for human progress and happiness. Now take inventory again and count up the gains in power which the individual has attained by the application of these fourteen principles. It has reached proportions so stupendous that it staggers the imagination. Yet it is not sufficient to insure one against failure; therefore we shall have to add the fifteenth principle—
(o) BUDGETING TIME AND MONEY Oh! What a headache one gets at the mention of saving of time and the conservation of money. Nearly everyone wishes to spend both time and money freely, but budget and conserve them, never! However, independence and freedom of body and mind, the two great desires of all mankind, cannot become enduring realities without the self-discipline of a strict budgeting system. Hence this principle is of necessity an important essential of the philosophy of individual achievement. Now we are reaching the ultimate in the attainment of personal power. We have learned the sources of power and how we may tap them and apply them at will to any desired end; and that power is so great that nothing can resist it save only the fact that the individual may unwisely apply it to his own destruction and the destruction of others
Hence, to guide one in the right use of power it is necessary to add the sixteenth principle—
(p) THE GOLDEN RULE APPLIED Observe the emphasis on the word “applied.” Belief in the soundness of the Golden Rule is not enough. To be of enduring benefit, and in order that it may serve as a safe guide in the use of personal power, it must be applied as a matter of habit, in all human relationships. Quite an order, this! But the benefits which are available through the application of this profound rule of human relationship are worthy of the efforts necessary to develop it into a habit. The penalties for failure to live by this rule are too numerous for description in detail. Now we have attained the ultimate in personal power, and we have provided ourselves with the necessary insurance against its misuse. What we need from here on out is the means by which this power may be made permanent during our entire lifetime. We shall climax this philosophy, therefore, with the only known principle by which we may attain this desired end—the seventeenth and last principle of this philosophy—
(q) COSMIC HABITFORCE Cosmic Habitforce is the principle by which all habits are fixed and made permanent in varying degrees. As stated, it is the controlling principle of this entire philosophy, into which the preceding sixteen principles blend and become a part. And it is the controlling principle of all natural laws of the universe. It is the principle that gives the fixation of habit in the application of the preceding principles of this philosophy. Thus it is the controlling factor in conditioning the individual mind for the development and the expression of the “prosperity consciousness” which is so essential in the attainment of personal success. Mere understanding of the sixteen preceding principles will not lead anyone to that attainment of personal power. The principles must be understood and applied as a matter of strict habit, and habit is the sole work of the law of Cosmic Habitforce.
Source: Master-Key to Riches by Napoleon Hill. Pages: 138-145
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February 9, 2018 
