Sex Transmutation

This chapter is an interesting one. The first time reader of this book, may find the name of the chapter a little intriguing, but soon finds that rather than providing any steamy content, Napoleon Hill tells the reader that the key to success is channeling the sex drive into your burning desire to achieve your major definite purpose.

The section that talks about Dr Elmer Gates is fascinating for the fact that someone could earn a lucrative salary "sitting for ideas". This feeds into the idea of practising solitude. This means, sitting still for a set amount of time each day, with no distractions like TV, radio or other people, and allowing your thoughts to flow. Most people find this extremely unsettling and unpleasant to begin with, but once you get over the initial discomfort, you will find that your mind settles. Depending on where your thoughts take you, and depending on how much you wish to direct it, you may find yourself experiencing new insights into problems that had been troubling you previously.

There are different recommendations on how much time is needed to practice solitude. Some people suggest an hour a day. I think this is almost uniformly too much for the average person to handle, and will end up putting people off the whole idea of it. Instead, start slow. Try half an hour during the weekend. You may find having a pen and a notebook to jot down some thoughts may help you focus, and be useful to capture ideas that you have.