The Strangest Secret in the World by Earl Nightingale discusses the concept that only 5% of people achieve success, which is defined as the progressive realization of a worthy ideal. He attributes this to the fact that most people conform to societal norms and do not have clear goals. Nightingale emphasizes the importance of having a clear idea of what one wants to achieve and working towards it. He also highlights the power of the human mind, which he believes is capable of achieving great things, but is often underutilized.
The main points of the lecture are:
* Only 5% of people achieve success, which is defined as the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.
* Most people conform to societal norms and do not have clear goals.
* Having a clear idea of what one wants to achieve is crucial for success.
* The human mind is capable of achieving great things, but is often underutilized.
* We become what we think about, and our thoughts determine our success or failure.
* The law of attraction states that like attracts like, and if we think positively, we will attract positive results.
* The human mind is like a fertile land, and what we plant in it will grow and flourish.
* We have the power to choose what we think about and what we want to achieve.
Overall, the lecture emphasizes the importance of having a clear idea of what one wants to achieve, working towards it, and utilizing the power of the human mind to achieve success.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Dr. Albert Schweitzer was a Nobel Prize-winning doctor who attributed men's problems to their lack of thinking.
2. A survey found that 19 out of 20 men had no idea why they worked, with most saying it was because everyone else did.
3. According to the text, only about 5% of people achieve success, with success defined as the progressive realization of a worthy ideal.
4. There are over 18 million people in the US aged 65 and older, with most being broke and dependent on others.
5. People tend to conform to societal norms, with about 95% of people not achieving success.
6. The text cites various philosophers and thinkers, including Marcus Aurelius, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and William James, who all agreed that a person's thoughts determine their life.
7. The Bible states "as ye sow, so shall ye reap," which is used to illustrate the idea that a person's thoughts and actions have consequences.
8. The human mind is compared to a fertile piece of land that can produce either positive or negative results, depending on what is "planted" in it.
9. Universities have found that most people operate on about 10% or less of their abilities.
10. The text suggests that people do not use their minds to their full potential because they take them for granted and are not aware of their own thoughts and desires.
11. The author suggests that people can achieve their goals by planting a "seed" of desire in their minds and working towards it.
12. The text cites the laws of Sir Isaac Newton and the concept of gravity to illustrate the idea that the universe operates according to laws that cannot be broken.
13. The author suggests that people can achieve success and happiness by controlling their thoughts and directing their energy towards a specific goal.