Book Summary: The Strangest Secret by Earl Nightingale

Buy on Amazon: Print | Audiobook | Get My Searchable Collection of 100+ Book Notes

The Book in One Sentence

A 44-page essay adapted from one of Earl Nightingale’s weekly motivational talks for his agency’s employees, The Strangest Secret summarizes that, “You are now, and you do become, what you think about.”

“The Strangest Secret” was the first spoken-word album to win a Gold Record by selling over a million copies.

This is the story of Earl Nightingale and how one of the most powerful and influential messages ever recorded came to be 👇 pic.twitter.com/xjc6k7qhW7
— Sam Thomas Davies (@SamThomasDavies) December 9, 2021

Chapter 1: What Is Success?

If you take one hundred individuals who start even at the age of twenty-five, do you have any idea what will happen to those men and women by the time they’re sixty-five?

According to Nightingale, by the time they’re sixty-five, one will be rich, four will be financially independent, five will still be working, and fifty-four will be broke.

He adds, “The only person who succeeds is the person who is progressively realizing a worthy ideal. He’s the person who says ‘I’m going to become this,’ and then begins to work toward that goal.”

“Success is the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.”

Chapter 2: The Secret Is…

“People with goals succeed because they know where they’re going. It’s that simple.”

“We become what we think about.”

Chapter 3: Believe and Succeed

“The human mind is the last great, unexplored continent on earth.”

“Everything that’s really worthwhile in life came to us free—our minds, our souls, our bodies, our hopes, our dreams, our ambitions, our intelligence, our love of family and children, and friends and country.”

“Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt.”

Chapter 4: You’re in the Driver’s Seat

“The architect of the universe didn’t build a stairway leading nowhere.”

Chapter 5: The Price of Success

Avoid thinking about what it is you fear. Each time a fearful or negative thought comes into your consciousness, replace it with a mental picture of your positive and worthwhile goal.

“For thirty days, you must take control of your mind. It will think only about what you permit it to think about. All you have to do is know where you’re going. In addition to maintaining a cheerful, positive outlook, give of yourself more than you have ever done before. Do this knowing that your returns in life must be in direct proportion to what you give.”

Chapter 6: Start Today

Success is not the result of making money; making money is the result of success—and success is in direct proportion to our service. [Note: This reminds me of Zig Ziglar’s quote: “You can have everything in life you want if you will just help other people get what they want”]

Avoid thinking about what it is you fear. Each time a fearful or negative thought comes to your mind, replace it with a mental picture of your positive and worthwhile goal.

Your success will always be measured by the quality and quantity of service you render. You’ve got to be of service before we can expect a return.

“No man can get rich himself unless he enriches others.”

Favorite Quotes

“If the average person realized the power he wields over his life and destiny, he would live in a perpetual state of wonder and thanksgiving.”
“Don’t let the fear of the time it will take to accomplish something stand in the way of your doing it.”
“The biggest mistake that you can make is to believe that you are working for somebody else. Job security is gone. The driving force of a career must come from the individual. Remember, jobs are owned by the company; you own your career!”
“All you have to do is know where you’re going. The answers will come to you of their own accord.”
“The more intensely we feel about an idea or a goal, the more assuredly the idea, buried deep in our subconscious, will direct us along the path to its fulfillment.”
“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”