Napoleon Hill's Self-Confidence Formula, Translated for Today

I hate losing, and I always have. The only thing I hate more than losing is losing to my older brother, Ben. It could be Mario Kart, chess, a foot race for the front seat, or a game of rock-paper-scissors. Nothing, and no one, could, and still can, get under my skin like my older brother in a competitive environment.

Sharing a room meant we found as many moments as possible to infuse competition into our day. We raced to the kitchen for breakfast, saw who could eat the most bacon before our younger siblings had a chance to grab any, and finished with a sprint to the bus stop.

One crisp fall morning during my fourth-grade year, we arrived at our bus stop out of breath from our race, which Ben won because he shoved me at the start. As our friends who rode the same bus crested the hill down the street, Ben pulled his Nerf football out of his backpack.

“Betcha they can’t beat me in a game of Jackpot,” he said with a smirk.

I rolled my eyes and thought, “Great, another game he knows he can win.”

I think that’s what really bothered me about Ben. It wasn’t just that he would beat you, it was that he knew he was going to win, and he would tell you. He possessed a level of confidence that felt indomitable. For years, he told anyone who would listen that he was going to be a professional baseball player. In anything Ben did, he approached it with complete confidence that he would come out on top.

It wasn’t until this past week, when I discovered Napoleon Hill’s Self-Confidence Formula, that I realized Ben didn’t just find his confidence, he built it. His belief in himself wasn’t a feeling, it was a formula he followed.

If you have something you want to accomplish, places you want to go, a person you want to become, or simply want to exude more confidence, here is Hill’s Self-Confidence Formula, translated into modern terms.

Napoleon Hill’s Self-Confidence Formula

First: Ownership + Action

I believe I have the skills, capacity, and ability to achieve what I’m working toward. Because of that, I expect consistent effort from myself, and I commit to taking action every day, even when motivation is low.

Second: Identity Shapes Behavior

What I repeatedly think about influences how I act. Over time, those actions shape my results. So I intentionally choose thoughts that support the person I’m becoming. Each day, I concentrate for 30 minutes on thinking about the person I intend to become.

Third: Repetition Builds Belief

When I consistently reinforce a goal or belief, my mind starts looking for practical ways to make it real. What I repeatedly tell myself becomes the filter through which I see opportunities and make decisions.

Fourth: Clarity Creates Confidence

I have written down exactly what I’m working toward. I will keep showing up and adjusting until my confidence catches up with my commitment.

Fifth: Character Compounds Success

Long-term success only lasts when it’s built on integrity and fairness. I choose work and relationships that create value for everyone involved. I earn trust by serving others well, believing in people, and acting with respect. I let go of resentment, comparison, and cynicism because they weaken me. People believe in me because I believe in them and in myself.

Finally: Daily Reinforcement

I revisit this commitment daily, not as a wish, but as a reminder of how I intend to think, act, and show up. Over time, this repetition shapes my confidence, discipline, and results.

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For many of us, the biggest thing standing between where we are and where we want to be is a lack of confidence that we can actually achieve it. If we don’t believe we’re capable of the things we desire, we stand little chance of attaining them.

Start with step one. Add a step each day. Slowly but surely, build belief in yourself.

Ben won that game of Jackpot, by the way.

He’s also a professional baseball player.

Fact

Confidence grows faster from repeated action than from positive thinking alone.

Action

Repeat one belief you want to live into every morning for the next seven days.

Question

What would change if you treated confidence as something you build, not something you find?

Quote

“Confidence is learned, practiced, and mastered.” - Brené Brown

P.S.

Here is a downloadable .pdf of the original Self-Confidence Formula.