The Two Sides of Imagination That Drive Success

Have you ever stopped to consider some of the modern-day comforts you might take for granted?

For example, thousands of people fly overhead daily, shortening a week-long trek to just a few hours.

Every day, millions jump in their vehicles to make their commutes to and from work.

You turn a knob and get hot, running water directly to your faucet.

You heat your food in mere seconds in microwaves. Speaking of food, it’s available on almost every corner in most cities.

None of these modern marvels were the case two or three generations ago. And we all have Imagination to thank.

All great inventions and ideas started with a spark of it. Every goal and achievement ever began with this creative faculty.

Imagination and creativity aren’t something you leave behind in your childhood. (Actually, many often do but shouldn’t.)

Your imagination is your key to unlocking incredible possibilities and achievements. It can catapult your life from humdrum and predictable to absolutely amazing.

Renowned self-development author Napoleon Hill had a lot to say on the subject of imagination.

​Continue reading to learn more about this secret of success through Napoleon Hill’s discerning viewpoint, as seen in “Think and Grow Rich.”

Your imagination—it’s more important than you might give it credit for. Imagination helps you:

According to Hill, two forms of imagination exist: synthetic and creative. What he writes about these two types can help you unlock potential you’d otherwise only dream of. Here’s what you need to know:

Synthetic imagination involves taking what you’ve learned and rearranging those concepts, experiences, or strategies to create something new. You base something new on what’s worked in the past.

Absolutely anyone can turn their knowledge into solutions—not just the highly educated or wealthy. Your creative ideas and inventions can lead to a more fulfilling and lucrative personal and professional life.

Put your knowledge to work and satisfy that creative part of yourself by developing your synthetic imagination. How do you exercise this invisible muscle group?

First, strengthen your synthetic imagination by giving it experience, education, and curiosity. The more knowledge and experience you gain, the bigger the stockpile you have to draw from.

​Read, travel, and try new things to gain different perspectives and ideas. Continue exercising your synthetic imagination with brainstorming and reasoning activities.

Your creative imagination provides hunches and inspirations, guiding you toward inventive opportunities and possibilities, unlike anything that currently exists.

Hill says that while the mind is finite, it can access Infinite Intelligence in its connection with the Universal Mind. This access opens up to new ideas and inspirations. It helps you pick up on others’ thoughts and intentions.

How can you tap into your creative imagination? Openness and receptivity are two vital components. Grow these personality traits by reading from broad genres. Expose yourself to various experiences. Participate in creative activities such as making music, art, or literature.

Another way to grow your creative imagination is by getting out of your rut or comfort zone. If you’ve been stuck in your routine for too long or too focused on everyday matters, commit to changing things up.

​Cultivating your creative imagination also requires practicing mindfulness and meditation. These drills help quiet the mind, allowing creativity to take center stage. They also help you develop your intuition and insightfulness—that inner voice that helps guide your path to beneficial decisions.

Creative thoughts resulting in no action are all too common. Your synthetic and creative imaginings amount to very little if you don’t take action to turn your idea into something tangible.

Don’t allow your creativity and ideas to die out. Learn to act on an idea within the first few minutes you have it. Doing this gets you in the habit of bringing your creativity to life.

Even if your first (or second or third) attempts fall short of what you envision, you’ve laid the foundation for building onto it and opened yourself up to more creative ideas (the more you put out there, the more you get back).

So, set goals. Create a strategy. Start even though you haven’t thought it all the way through—even when you have no idea what the finished product should look like.

​Napoleon Hill said it best when he wrote, “The Creative Imagination becomes more alert, more receptive to influences from the sources mentioned, in proportion to its development through USE.”

“Think and Grow Rich,” one of the best-known Napoleon Hill books, has priceless wisdom for leading a purposeful life. Here are a few quotes of his that speak to cultivating both parts of your imagination—synthetic and creative:

"The imagination is literally the workshop wherein are fashioned all plans created by man."

"Man’s only limitation, within reason, lies in his development and use of his imagination."

"If you do not see great riches in your imagination, you will never see them in your bank balance."

​So, use it (your imagination) before you lose it. Exercise, explore, practice—and then take action.