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Thousands of personal finance books on shelves today promise to teach you to spend less, save more, invest better, retire earlier, get out of debt faster, and solve just about every financial conundrum in between.

But perhaps none said it better than a book published in 1937.

Napoleon Hill, a Great Depression-era author and former advisor to President Franklin D. Roosevelt, interviewed "more than five hundred of the most successful men this country has ever known" to figure out the key to their good fortune. He wrapped all of his insights in a 200-page package and published "Think and Grow Rich," which went on to become one of the best-selling books of all time.

Don't expect to find any stock-picking or gambling advice in it. Despite Hill interviewing some of the most iconic businessmen of his day, none of his findings involved any particularly hard-to-attain skills. His entire premise is helping people overcome the psychological barriers that keep them from wealth. 

"Wishing will not bring riches," Hill writes. "But desiring riches with a state of mind that becomes an obsession, then planning definite ways and means to acquire riches, and backing those plans with persistence which does not recognize failure, will bring riches."

In one passage, he sums up six steps to turning a desire for wealth into "its financial equivalent":

First. Fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire. It is not sufficient merely to say “I want plenty of money." Be definite as to the amount. (There is a psychological reason for definite- ness which will be described in a subsequent chapter).

Second. Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire. (There is no such reality as “something for nothing.")

Third. Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire. 

Fourth. Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.

Fifth. Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money you intend to acquire, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return for the money, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.

Sixth. Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night, and once after arising in the morning. AS YOU READ, SEE AND FEEL AND BELIEVE YOURSELF ALREADY IN POSSESSION OF THE MONEY. 

It seems basic, but if you actually compare this to just about any personal finance guide out there, you'll find exactly the same simple steps. They just come with a lot more bells and whistles. 

If anything, Hill's book is a reminder that one of the only ways to achieve true wealth is to understand that more often than not our emotions and our mindset are what keep us from succeeding, and that it's our job to come up with a plan to overcome them.

"When riches take the place of poverty, the change is usually brought about through well conceived and carefully executed plans," he wrote. "Poverty needs no plan. It needs no one to aid it, because it is bold and ruthless. Riches are shy and timid. They have to be 'attracted.'"

This post was originally written by Mandi Woodruff.

How to Eliminate Recurring Nightmares

All of us have nightmares. Maybe in your nightmare you’re being chased by some terrifying but unknown entity. Maybe you’re surrounded by bloodthirsty vampires or hordes of zombies. Maybe you’re trapped in a room with snakes or spiders or any other animal you fear. Maybe you or a loved one is involved in a car wreck or a violent assault.

Maybe you keep having this nightmare over and over. And it’s so real, so vivid, so frightening that the last thing you want to do is fall back asleep.

According to Amy Mistler, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist with specialty training in trauma and health psychology, nightmares may trigger a whole host of negative emotions: Fear. Terror. Sadness. Shame. Anger. Loss.

There are several reasons why we have nightmares. Some theories surmise that dreams reflect emotions we’ve experienced during the day, Mistler said. “[A] nightmare may reflect daytime distress.”

It also might reflect trauma. If you’ve experienced a traumatic event, it’s common to have nightmares right after, Mistler said. This may be our mind’s way of trying to process and make sense of what happened, she said.

And in some cases, our minds produce nightmares simply out of habit. That’s because our brains get better at anything they do over and over, Mistler said. For instance, whether you’re practicing a sport or playing a musical instrument, parts of your brain become stronger or more active so you can engage in these new movements, she said.

The same can happen with nightmares. “When the brain produces the dream over and over, parts of the brain involved in facilitating the nightmare become stronger and more active. [Consequently] the nightmare will become more and more likely to come up when we are asleep.”

So what can you do?

According to Mistler, Imagery Rehearsal Therapy is an effective approach for eliminating ongoing nightmares. It’s “based on the idea that the mind produces the nightmare out of habit, a habit that can be broken.”

If you’re having recurring nightmares, you can try this technique on your own. If you’re also having additional symptoms, such as anxiety, depression or PTSD, consider working with a trauma-focused therapist, Mistler said. This way you’re “addressing everything.” A therapist can help you process the trauma in a safe space.

“When people successfully recover from a trauma, they allow themselves to think about the trauma and to feel their emotions. [As a result] they can make sense of what happened and organize the memories.”

Trauma memories tend to be disorganized, because of the intense emotions associated with it. Trauma can challenge your beliefs about yourself, others and the world, Mistler said. Working with a therapist also helps you develop healthy belief systems about all three.

Below, Mistler shared how to practice Imagery Rehearsal Therapy on your own:

1. If you’re having several recurring nightmares, pick one nightmare to work with.

If you’ve experienced trauma, pick a nightmare that doesn’t involve reliving the event. Start with a nightmare that’s less intense. Also, focus on one nightmare at a time until it’s resolved. Sometimes a nightmare resolves by transforming into something more neutral or positive. Other times, people stop having the nightmare altogether.

2. Rewrite the story of your nightmare with a different ending.

Revise the ending so it’s peaceful or emotionally neutral or positive. Don’t create another violent ending, where you win the fight, for instance. Again, it’s important that the ending is calming and promotes sleep.

Mistler shared these examples: One client, a veteran, had a recurring nightmare about being trapped in a room with exploding grenades. He revised the ending so the grenades explode into flowers, a prank created by his buddies.

Another veteran lost his friend in an IED explosion. He had nightmares about being in a convoy together, his friend’s vehicle hitting an IED and seeing all the graphic details of his death. When he rewrote the ending, he and his friend are still in a convoy, but there’s no explosion. They drive to another post and eat lunch together.

A woman Mistler was working with had nightmares about being chased by someone (which wasn’t connected to any trauma). She rewrote the ending so that the person simply turns around and goes somewhere else. She walks the other way, visiting a coffee shop to look at artwork.

3. Each night before falling asleep, visualize the dream with the new ending.

Then practice a relaxation exercise, such as a guided meditation. Mistler shared these links, where you can find free guided recordings:

• BYU Counseling and Psychological Services
• University of Western Sydney Counseling Service
• Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital
• Dartmouth College Student Health Promotion and Wellness

After practicing this technique every night, some people find that their nightmares go away after a week or several weeks. Mistler suggests her clients practice for a week after their nightmare stops to solidify the results.

Again, if you’re experiencing other symptoms with your nightmares, find atherapist who specializes in trauma so you can safely process the event and get better. Which you will.

Man having a nightmare photo available from Shutterstock