‘Think and Grow Rich’ Is a Lie. (But The Advice Still Works)

February 27, 2026

Here's something that might surprise you — 'Think and Grow Rich' is actually a bit of a scam. But don’t get me wrong, the core advice still hits home. According to My First Million, the book’s backstory is full of hype, and some of its teachings can be misleading. ((slower)) Yet, what’s fascinating is that many of the principles — like visualizing success and setting clear goals — still work if you apply them genuinely. So, it’s less about the book itself and more about how you use its ideas. My First Million highlights that the real value is in the mindset shifts, not the cheesy promises. And get this — many indie hackers and entrepreneurs swear by certain habits and mental tricks that align with those principles, even if they don’t follow the book blindly. ((thoughtful)) The takeaway? Don’t fall for the hype, but do leverage the universal truths about persistence, clarity, and focused effort. That’s the real secret to growth — and it’s still very much in your hands.

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Episode 800: Sam Parr ( https://x.com/theSamParr ) and Shaan Puri ( https://x.com/ShaanVP ) talk about the backstory of Think and Grow Rich, lessons from prolific indie hackers, plus Sam’s new career to becoming a dating expert.
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Show Notes:
(0:00) Think and Grow Rich
(12:57) The fraud of Jay Shetty
(15:29) What makes a guru legit?
(22:38) Peter Steinberger
(25:24) Pieter Levels
(34:34) Christina Cacioppo
(40:21) Sam, a dating expert
(43:40) 5-second rule
(45:01) Shaan the matchmaker

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Check Out Sam's Stuff:
• Hampton - https://www.joinhampton.com/
• Ideation Bootcamp - https://www.ideationbootcamp.co/
• Copy That - https://copythat.com
• Hampton Wealth Survey - https://joinhampton.com/wealth
• Sam’s List - http://samslist.co/

My First Million is a HubSpot Original Podcast // Brought to you by HubSpot Media // Production by Arie Desormeaux // Editing by Ezra Bakker Trupiano /

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