p.7 There is one quality that one must possess to win, and that is definiteness of purpose, the knowledge
of what one wants and a burning desire to achieve it. - Napoleon Hill
p.25 The mark of the superior thinker is his or her ability to accurately predict the consequences
of doing or not doing something.
p.26 Successful people have a clear future orientation. They think five, ten, and twenty
years out into the future. They analyze their choices and behaviors in the present to make sure that they are consistent with
the long-term future that they desire.
p.35 When every physical and mental resource is focused, one's power to solve a problem multiplies
tremendously. - Norman Vincent Peale
p.41 The Law of Forced Efficiency says that "There is never enough time to do everything, but there
is always enough time to do the most important thing."
p.43 You can use three questions on a regular basis to keep yourself focused on getting your most
important tasks completed on schedule. The first question is, "What are my highest value activities?"...
The second question you can ask continually is, "What can I and only I do that, if done well, will make a real difference?"...
The third question you can ask is, "What is the most valuable use of my time right now?"
p.61-62, 63 Identify Your Key Constraints
What is holding you back? What sets the speed at which you achieve your goals? ...Whatever
you have to do, there is always a limiting factor that determines how quickly and well you get it done. Your job
is to study the task and identify the limiting factor or constraint within it. You must then focus all of your energies on
alleviating that single choke point.
In virtually every task, large or small, one factor sets the speed at which you achieve the
goal or complete the job. What is it? Concentrate your mental energies on that one area. This can be the most valuable
use of your time and talents... The accurate identification of the limiting factor in any process and the focus on that factor
can usually bring about more progress in a shorter period of time than any other single activity.
p.64, 65 Keep asking, "What sets the speed at which I get the results I want?" The
definition of the constraint determines the strategy that you use to alleviate it. The failure to identify the correct
constraint, or the identification of the wrong constraint, can lead you in the wrong direction. You can end up solving the
wrong problem... there are always limiting factors and bottlenecks that set the speed of your progress. Your job is
to find them and to focus your energies on alleviating them as quickly as possible.
p.86 One of the most powerful of all words in time management is the word "No!" Say "No" to anything
that is not a high-value use of your time and your life. Say it early and say it often. The
fact is that you have no spare time. As we say, "Your dance card is full."