A short Heroic+1 episode in which Brian Johnson introduces W. Clement Stone and explains Stone’s mindset of being an “inverse paranoid” — believing the world intends good and that every adversity contains the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. Johnson summarizes Stone’s biography (20th-century businessman, built a large insurance company, philanthropist who gave away over $275 million, collaborator with Napoleon Hill, helped Og Mandino) and highlights Stone’s 1962 book The Success System That Never Fails. The episode ends with a personal prompt to reframe current challenges and take 100% responsibility.
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Hi, this is Brian. Welcome back to another heroic one. In our last one, we wrapped up our tour through Jack Canfield's success principles with some wisdom from his earliest mentor, W. Clement Stone. As you may recall, Stone was a committed inverse paranoid. An inverse paranoid? Yeah. As Canfield put it, instead of believing the world was plotting to do him harm, he chose to believe the world was plotting to do him good. Instead of seeing every difficult or challenging event as a negative, he saw it for what it could be. Something that was meant to enrich him, empower him or advance his causes. Now was that a naive perspective? Not at all. Today we're going to talk about how W. Clement Stone operationalized that wisdom. But first let's step back and properly introduce you to W. Clement Stone Stone. Stone was an old school 20th century businessman, philanthropist and self help author. He built a huge insurance company and gave away over $275 million to charities over the course of his lifetime. He was inspired by and then wrote a book with Napoleon Hill. He's also the guy who helped Og Mandino overcome his alcoholism and become one of the best selling authors of his generation. Check out our notes on Hill's Think and Grow Rich and Mandino's the Greatest Salesman in the World and A Better Way to Live Now. Stone lived through the Great Depression and published his classic the Success System that Never Fails in 1962. His style is reminiscent of others of his era like Hill and Mandino, Earl Nightingale and some other earlier old school guys like Orison Sweatt, Martin and and Samuel Smiles. I love the classic super fired up, let's go energy. And by the way, check out our notes, all of which are linked on Nightingale's the Essence of Success, Lead the Field and the Strangest Secret Great stuff. Plus Martin's iron will miracle of right thought. Making life a masterpiece. And he can. Who thinks he can? I got turned on to Martin by Ryan Holiday. And while you're at it, don't forget Samuel Smiles classic Self Help. I got that one based on Tall Ben Shahar's strong recommendation. So W. Clement Stone was a eudaimon and a true success in every sense of the word. How did he practice his philosophy as an incredibly high performing inverse paranoid? Well, this passage from his great book gives us a clue. Stone tells us, and I quote, every great man, every successful man, no matter what the field of endeavor, has known the magic that lies in these words. Every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit and that's today's plus one. What's your number one current challenge? Seriously, take a moment. Reflect on your number one current challenge. We've all got one the adversity you may be interpreting as a sign the world is out to get you. Flip that around. See that every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. How is your challenge helping you become who you are destined to be? See that? Refuse to complain. Remember that successful heroes take 100% responsibility and choose the best responses that lead to the best outcomes. Eat those obstacles like the energy bars they are. Give us all you've got today.
