Secrets of Success Origin Story Part 1

“This is the story I will never forget.”—Russell Brunson

This story starts in 2021.

As a collector of rare books, Russell Brunson was constantly on the lookout for editions of one of Napoleon Hill’s best books, “Think and Grow Rich.” Every day, he would order eight to ten more books—some obscure, some valuable, but all part of a larger tapestry of Napoleon Hill's legacy.

By this time, he amassed over 3,000 rare and original books, with over $10 million invested. It sounds insane, but this was clearly a passion project that turned into something bigger than he ever imagined.

While he would call himself a collector, his ClickFunnels staff would dub him an “eBay addict,” going as far as trying to ban it from wifi at the offices. Lucky for us, they didn’t succeed.

As expected, most of his collection came from eBay. Occasionally, a seller would reach out with one or two more books they hadn’t listed yet.

But one day, he would stumble upon a seller with more than just one rare book; they’d have thousands, each filled with history.

​Jackpot.

One of Russell’s most memorable moments was flying to Little Rock, Arkansas to collect the largest portion of his Napoleon Hill collection at that time. It’s wild to think about all those pieces of history just sitting there.

​After gathering this treasure trove of Napoleon Hill’s books and other works, Russell didn’t quite know what to do with it. He went to the event space, laid the books out, and started to sift through them. What he found inside was remarkable:

Among Russell’s favorites? A first edition of “Laws of Success” and a collection of the extremely rare Napoleon Hill Magazines. These magazines, which Hill launched after his “Golden Rule” publication was taken away from him, are nearly impossible to find. Russell had been hunting for more for over six months and hadn’t seen these magazines anywhere else online.

​With all these materials, Russell found himself diving deep into Hill’s legacy. Every month, he uncovered some lost piece of history. He’d publish it in his newsletters, and the feedback was immediate: "Where did you find this?" and "No one has ever seen this before!"

But as awesome as the collection was, Russell knew there was one bigger—the Napoleon Hill Foundation. Headed by Don Green, the Foundation is a tightly guarded vault of Hill’s work, protecting some of the world’s rarest and unseen artifacts from Hill’s estate. One of their most incredible releases is “Outwitting the Devil,” a book Russell’s read over and over again. After its success, he was eager to work with the Foundation, but it wasn’t easy.

Russell reached out to Don Green and sent over his plans. He thought it was going to be a game-changer. At the same time, Russell’s friend Derral Eves launched a hit TV show called “The Chosen,” and he thought, "What if we create something just as impactful for Napoleon Hill’s legacy?"

But it wasn’t as simple as he’d hoped. After multiple conversations with Don, the excitement wasn’t mutual. Instead, Russell was told to contact someone in Brazil—totally out of left field. Despite Russell’s contagious enthusiasm, the more he pushed, the more he was met with resistance. He felt like he’d missed his shot.

But this is where persistence comes in. Just like Hill himself teaches in “Think and Grow Rich,” Russell knew he couldn’t give up. Even when doors close, new opportunities open, and he’s still on the hunt—both for more rare Napoleon Hill works and for new ways to bring his message to the world.

​Continue our story in Parts 2 and 3. The treasure hunt isn’t over.