How to Succeed When Your Plan Fails

“If the first plan which you adopt does not work successfully, replace it with a new plan, if this new plan fails to work, replace it, in turn with still another, and so on, until you find a plan which DOES WORK.” Page 91 “Think and Grow Rich.”

This quote is Napoleon Hill’s way of saying: Your goal is fixed; your plan is flexible. Chapter 2’s six steps help you lock in your definite desire and build daily belief. Chapter 7’s advice reminds you to stay committed to the result but adapt the method as many times as needed. Too many people confuse a failing plan with a failing goal. They lose faith when one strategy fails, forgetting Hill’s golden rule: failure is just feedback. Pivot don’t quit.

What does this really mean and how can it help you get results from Hill’s famous 6-step plan for riches? Let’s break it down through a relatable story.

James was an ambitious web designer who devoured Think and Grow Rich. Fired up by Chapter 2, he wrote his Definite Major Purpose: “I will earn $100,000 this year by offering premium website design services to small businesses.”

Following Hill’s 6-step plan, James: 

Step 1: Defined the exact amount he wanted: $100,000

Step 2: Stated what he would give in return: Web design services.

Step 3: Set a clear date: 12 months.

Step 4: Made a detailed plan: run Facebook ads and cold email local businesses.

Step 5: Wrote this goal down.

Step 6: Repeated it morning and night with passion.

But after 3 months, James had spent $2,000 on ads and got almost no clients. Most people would panic or quit here. But James remembered Hill’s Chapter 7 advice: When a plan fails, don’t abandon the goal, change the plan.

So, James asked himself: “How else can I reach small businesses?” He joined local networking events, partnered with a business coach, and launched a free webinar for business owners. He found clients faster than ever.

By the end of the year, James hit $112,000, not because his first plan worked, but because he replaced it quickly and persistently.

Next time your plan flops, don’t panic. Just rewrite your plan again and again, until it works. That’s the difference between wishful thinking and the unstoppable mindset Hill teaches in Think and Grow Rich. Look at your current goal and ask: “What’s one new way I can reach it if my current plan stalls?” Write it down and be ready to test it. Consistent pivoting turns desire into success every time.

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