The book is based on an interview in 1908. It also inspired the book Think and Grow Rich. Carnegie's stated goal was to make men more useful to themselves and others.
Develop definiteness of PURPOSE
Definite major goal -> burning desire.
Disciplined mind.
Position mental attitude.
Mastermind
Knowledge is only potential power.
Becomes power when organized and expressed in definite action.
Be a lifelong learner.
Develop an attractive personality
Positive mental attitude
Be flexible and adaptable
Sincerity
Decisiveness
Open-mindedness
Emotional control
Employ applied faith
Self-confident state of mind.
Law of attraction
Go the extra mile
Habit of doing more than one is paid to do.
Use organized individual endeavor
Personal initiative: opposite of procrastination.
Planned action; there are no geniuses.
Cultivate creative vision (imagination) - triggered by writing and organizing thoughts.
Synthetic -> combine existing ideas.
Creative -> new ideas.
Exercise self-discipline
Foundation of all disciplines.
Eliminate non-essential things.
Organize your thinking
Only thing one has control over.
Learn from defeat
Treat defeat as temporary.
Happiness comes from serving others.
Seek inspiration
Harness your purpose.
Avoid uncontrolled enthusiasm.
Control your attention
Do so by mastering previous 11 principles.
Don’t split your attention.
Have multi-track mind for accumulation of knowledge but, single-track mind for expression of that knowledge.
Apply the golden rule
No exceptions!
Cooperate
Nature discourages monopolies.
Executives and regulations help set ground rules.
Budget your time and money
3 periods: sleep, work, recreation -> 8 hours each
Recreation = free time: most important for growth. Pursue major purpose.
Make health a habit
Mental attitude, eating, relaxation outside.
Benefit from cosmic habit force (the secret)
Converts thought into physical.
Leverage mastermind.
Disclaimer: These are notes I created from reading the book. This is not completely comprehensive and may include errors and typos. No guarantee is provided as to the accuracy of the information. It is provided for educational purposes only.