TIISG:The Secret of Napoleon Hill, P.T. Barnum, and Me

I'm riveted by the biography of Napoleon Hill, the author of the classic book "Think and Grow Rich."

Not only did this man struggle for 20 years to write the definitive guide to success, but he experienced poverty, his life was threatened, his backers were murdered, he suffered from bouts of hopelessness, and his family suffered beyond all understanding.

His was not an overnight success.

One thing that stood out in Hill's life story was his ability to turn the negative into the positive. He always looked for what some people call that silver lining in the dark cloud. As I thought about Hill's life, I realized I've been noticing this ability to see the good in the bad practiced by others, too.

I was at a meeting with my friend Mark Joyner, Internet pioneer and bestselling author. I overheard Mark talking to a man who had just gone through hell due to the FTC. Mark listened to the man's sad story and then said, "Turn it into something good."

This was remarkable advice. It's the kind of thing Napoleon Hill would have said. It goes against what most people ever even attempt to try. The whole idea of taking whatever happens to you and turning it into something good seems, at first glance, preposterous.

But this also seems to be a key to success. I remember P.T. Barnum offering a to buy a rival's elephant. He sent a telegram stating his offer. His competitors took Barnum's telegram and ran it as an ad, saying, "Here's what Barnum thinks of our elephant."

Instead of being upset, Barnum decided to join with those competitors. That gave birth to the famous Barnum & Bailey Circus. Barnum took the experience and turned it into something good.

The other day Nerissa, my love, released her first e-book at www.freevideoediting.com. She had a small mistake on her site. When I went to promote her site, I used the mistake as a way to get attention for her e-book. I could have said, "Correct your site."

Instead I sent out an email that said, "There is a mistake on her site. If you can spot it, I'll give you a gift." This caused people to be curious, a powerful motivator. It drove traffic to her site. Sales jumped.

What I, Barnum, Joyner, and Hill are doing is one thing: Taking the so-called negative experiences in life and turning them into something good. I call this TIISG. It stands for Turn It Into Something Good.

You have the ability to do this. It's a choice. No matter what happens, take a breath and ask, "How can I turn this into something good?"

The question redirects your mind. Instead of looking at the problem, you are now looking for solutions. This is a brilliant way to learn how to operate your own brain. You become the master, not the slave, of your life.

Andrew Carnegie -- that tycoon who challenged Napoleon Hill to undertake his 20 year quest to uncover the secrets of success -- confessed that the principle key to his own staggering success was the ability to operate his own mind.

He told Hill, "I am no longer cursed by poverty because I took possession of my own mind, and that mind has yielded me every material thing I want, and much more than I need. But this power of mind is a universal one, available to the humblest person as it is to the greatest."

It all begins with the basic TIISG question: "How can I turn this into something good?"

The answer will bring you new choices, happiness, and may lead to wealth you never dreamed of before.

Just remember TIISG.

Try it and see.