Key takeaways
Napoleon Hill’s “Devil” is simply fear — and in property, fear quietly kills more opportunities than bad markets ever will.
Fear of making a mistake, fear of headlines, fear of criticism… these are the forces that stop investors from acting while the smart money moves.
Hill’s distinction between drifters and non-drifters fits the property world perfectly.
Drifters follow media noise, friends’ opinions, and short-term emotions. Purposeful investors follow a clear strategy, stay disciplined, and tune out the chatter.
Hill’s “tools of the Devil” show up today as procrastination, indecision, negative influences, lack of education, poor habits, and surrounding yourself with non-wealth builders. If you don’t control your mindset, these forces will control it for you.
Clarity of goals, understanding your risk profile, and following a strategic, long-term property plan neutralise fear. When you know why you’re investing and how you’ll get there, short-term volatility can’t shake you.
Setbacks are not signs to stop, they’re catalysts for better decisions and stronger financial foundations.
Pair resilience with faith in long-term fundamentals (population growth, rising demand, restricted supply), and you’ll stay focused on building lasting wealth rather than reacting to temporary noise.
Have you ever felt that little voice inside your head whispering, “Maybe it’s not the right time to buy”, or What if the market crashes?”
That voice of doubt isn’t unique to you — it’s part of human nature.
And interestingly, one of the greatest personal development thinkers of all time, Napoleon Hill (author of Think and Grow Rich), wrote a whole book about it called Outwitting the Devil.
Now it’s not about religion or superstition. It’s really about mastering the mental game of success.
And as a property investor, this book has more to teach you than you might expect.
The Devil is fear - and fear kills wealth
In Hill’s book, he has an imaginary interview with the Devil, who admits that his main way of controlling people isn’t through evil deeds but through fear.
Sound familiar?
Because in property, fear is the silent deal-killer. It’s what stops investors from taking action when opportunities arise.
Fear of making a mistake.
Fear of overpaying.
Fear of interest rates, recessions, regulatory or political changes.
The Devil says fear of poverty and criticism are his sharpest weapons — and I see that play out in the property market all the time.
People hold off buying because they fear making a mistake or what others might say, or because the media tells them the sky is falling.
But history shows that those who conquer fear and who buy when others hesitate, are the ones who end up owning the future.
The drifters vs. the purposeful
Hill divides the world into two kinds of people: drifters and non-drifters.
Drifters go through life reacting to circumstances.
They get swept up in media headlines and emotion. They listen to the wrong people - friends at barbecues, doom-laden economists, or clickbait articles - and end up doing nothing.
Non-drifters, on the other hand, have what Hill calls definiteness of purpose.
They set a clear goal, make a plan, and stick with it - regardless of what the crowd is doing.
Sounds a lot like successful property investors to me.
Every wealthy investor I’ve met had clarity of purpose - they knew why they were investing and stayed focused despite market noise.
They had a plan and followed a time-tested, proven strategy and didn’t drift between strategies or chase the latest hotspot.
They had direction, discipline, and patience.
How the Devil gets inside an investor’s mind
According to Hill, the Devil uses seven tools to control our minds - and even though he wrote this book almost a century ago, they’re frighteningly relevant today.
Here’s how they show up for investors:
- Fear – of debt, downturns, or the next election.
- Indecision – the “I’ll wait and see what happens” mindset.
- Procrastination – endlessly researching but never acting.
- Bad Habits – spending instead of saving or chasing shiny objects instead of solid fundamentals.
- Negative Influences – listening to pessimistic news or unqualified advice.
- Lack of Education – not understanding how property investments and economic cycles really work.
- Environment – surrounding yourself with people who aren’t wealth builders.
In his book Hill’s warning is simple: if you don’t consciously direct your thoughts, someone else, or something else, will.
- Also read:Latest Property Price Forecasts Revealed. Australian Property Market Outlook 2026: Where To For Prices With Further Rate Cuts Unlikely.
- Also read:This week’s Australian Property Market Update – Latest Data, State by State December 16th 2025
- Also read:Melbourne property market forecast for 2026 | Is it a good time to invest in Melbourne?
- Also read:Sydney property market forecast for 2026. Is it a good time to invest in Sydney?
- Also read:Brisbane Property Market Forecast [2026] – What’s Ahead & Where to Invest
That’s why at Metropole, we always start by helping our clients get clarity on their goals and values before choosing a property. Strategy first, property second.
Otherwise, you risk drifting.
Definiteness of purpose - the antidote to drifting
To outwit the Devil, Hill says you must develop definiteness of purpose - knowing exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you’ll achieve it.
For property investors, that might mean:
- Defining your long-term financial freedom number
- Understanding your risk profile and investment timeline
- Mapping out a strategic property plan to achieve your financial goals
- Building the right team to help guide your decisions
You see…when you have a plan, you’re less vulnerable to fear.
You won’t panic when interest rates rise or headlines scream “property downturn.”
Because you’ll know you’re playing the long game - and you’ll act based on logic, facts and fundamentals, not emotion.
Learning from adversity
In his book Hill also argues that every setback carries “the seed of an equal or greater benefit.”
While that’s a hard lesson to swallow when the market slows, or when a deal falls through, but it’s absolutely true.
Some of the most successful investors I know made their biggest leaps after what felt like a failure - a tough period that forced them to learn better finance management like having a buffer in place, or a bad purchase that taught them to buy using fundamentals not emotion.
Resilient investors don’t curse adversity - they learn from it.
Faith over fear
Finally, in his book Hill reminds us that faith - belief in yourself and in the process - is the ultimate weapon against fear.
In the property world, that means trusting the proven fundamentals.
If like me you believe Australia’s population will keep growing and we will remain a wealthy nation, then you’ll be confident that the long term trend for well located capital city properties can only be to keep rising.
While the media focuses on short-term uncertainty, “faith” will allow you to focus on the long-term certainty of wealth creation.
Winning the inner game of investing
As I said Napoleon Hill’s book, “Outwitting the Devil” isn’t really about religion - it’s about psychology.
It’s a reminder that the real battle in investing isn’t in the property market, it’s in your own mind.
Fear, doubt, and indecision are the real devils holding most people back from building wealth.
So, if you want to be among the minority who truly succeed, remember Napoleon Hill’s timeless advice:
“Control your own mind, and you may control your destiny.”
That’s exactly what the best investors do - they think independently, act with purpose, and outwit the devil of fear.
If you’re ready to take control of your financial future…
Don’t drift. Get clarity.
At Metropole, we’ll help you develop a Strategic Property Plan so you can invest with confidence and direction - not emotion.
Click here now and have a chat with one of our Wealth Strategists to discuss your options because once you outwit the devil in your own mind, financial freedom is inevitable.
