“Whatever the human mind can conceive and believe, it can achieve.”
——Napoleon Hill
Steve McQueen’s rejection could have ended Bruce Lee’s career. Instead, it resulted in a handwritten page selling for $55,000 and accurately predicting his rise to global stardom.
What’s the secret?
He didn’t invent his own success formula – he borrowed Napoleon Hill’s formula from 1937, followed it to the letter, and became the most famous martial artist in history.
This is the true story behind Bruce Lee’s “Clear Main Objective” letter.
focus
- In 1969, Bruce Lee wrote his “Clear Primary Purpose” after being rejected by Steve McQueen
- He used Napoleon Hill’s method directly from “Think and Grow Rich”
- The letter accurately predicted that within four years he would become world famous
- The original sold for $29,000 in 1993 and is now available for approximately $55,000 in 2019
- Bruce Lee estate rarely acknowledges Napoleon Hill’s influence
- True Power: A rejected actor used methods from the book to change film history
quick summary
Bruce Lee’s famous “Clear Primary Goal” letter was not original, but his implementation of Napoleon Hill’s method from Think and Grow Rich.
Lee, who wrote the book in January 1969 after Steve McQueen turned him down, followed Hill’s formula exactly: state your goal, set a deadline, announce what you will give in return, and read it every day.
Within four years he had achieved the world fame he had predicted.
The letter sold at auction for up to $55,000 and was displayed in Planet Hollywood restaurants around the world, but the Bruce Lee estate never acknowledged its connection to Napoleon Hill’s work.
A letter that predicts everything
In January 1969, Bruce Lee was a struggling actor who had just been turned down by Steve McQueen for a Hollywood role. Frustrated and frustrated, he turned to self-help books.
What he wrote next sold at auction 50 years later for $55,000.
full story
Rejection is the beginning of everything
Steve McQueen refused to help Bruce Lee get acting roles, leaving Bruce Lee with what biographer Matthew Pawley calls “terror.” Lee lost face in front of Hollywood powerhouse Sterling Silliphant.
Rather than give up, Lee immersed himself in three books:
- “Think and Grow Rich” by Napoleon Hill
- “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale
- How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie
Napoleon Hill’s Think and Grow Rich describes the clear primary goal approach that Lee would use. (Get this book on Amazon)
“I shared Hill’s book and the idea of goal setting with Bruce,” said Mike Stone, who introduced Lee to Hill’s work.
This letter: January 1969
(Heritage Auction Letter, Sold September 25, 2019)
Bruce Lee wrote his clear main goal on a piece of paper and marked “Secret” in red at the top and bottom:
“My clear main goal
I, Bruce Lee, will be America’s first highest-paid Eastern superstar. In return, I will give my best performance and show my best quality as an actor. Starting in 1970 I would be world famous and from that time until the end of 1980 I would have $10,000,000. I will live the way I like and gain inner harmony and happiness.
bruce lee
January 1969
(secret)”
what happened
predict:
- World-renowned since 1970
- The highest-paid Eastern superstar
- Reached $10,000,000 in 1980
- Inner harmony and happiness
Reality:
- 1970: Returned to Hong Kong and shot his first movie
- 1973: “Enter the Dragon” was released and became famous all over the world
- 1973: Died of drug allergic reaction at age 33
- Never reached $10 million goal, but became highest-paid Asian actor
- Property today is worth hundreds of millions
Matthew Pauley noted: “The first part of his prediction was a reaction to McQueen’s rejection, while the last sentence was pure wishful thinking.”
Auction history
First released: August 7, 1993
- Linda Lee (Bruce’s widow) auctions items from the estate
- Premium gallery hosts auction
- “Clear Primary Goal” letter sold for $29,000
- Black Belt Magazine calls it “eye-popping”
- Equivalent to $55,000 in 2024 USD
planet hollywood display
A replica appeared in the Planet Hollywood restaurant after the 1993 auction:
- Las Vegas locations
- New York Times Square
- Myrtle Beach, SC (off Highway 17 Bypass)
As restaurants closed over the years, these display copies were auctioned off individually (examples from 2012 and 2015 can be found online).
Second big sale: September 25, 2019
Items for sale at Heritage Auctions appear to be original:
- Priced at approximately US$55,000
- Listed as “Bruce Lee’s Extraordinary Autographed Personal Statement”
- Confirm description: “8.5 x 11 inches letter paper, printed with ‘Secret’ in red”
- Provenance dates to 1993 Superior Galleries auction
Hidden History: No one believed Napoleon Hill
Despite clear evidence that Bruce Lee used Napoleon Hill’s methods, the Bruce Lee estate rarely mentions this connection:
Bruce Lee Podcast:
- August 16, 2016 “Clear Primary Objective” episode – no mention of Hill
- February 19, 2019 episode recap – still no mention of Hill
Shannon Lee’s book (2020): In Like Water, My Friend, Shannon Lee discusses clear primary goals but never mentions Napoleon Hill or his influence.
She wrote:
“In 1969, my father created a document called ‘My Defined Primary Objectives.’
Note that she calls it “serious goal setting” – not acknowledging that this is Napoleon Hill’s specific approach, even though the exact title and format comes directly from Think and Grow Rich.
It’s Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee. (Get this book on Amazon)
model: The Bruce Lee Legacy Foundation consistently presents Bruce Lee’s philosophical writings without attribution.
real lesson
The power of Bruce Lee’s story is not that he invented a unique philosophy.
Rather, he found a method that worked and followed it wholeheartedly.
It’s inspiring to watch Bruce Lee turn to books for guidance and inspiration
Bruce Lee was not a superman who created success out of thin air.
He is a struggling actor:
- rejected
- Read self-help books
- Found an effective method
- write down his goals
- read them every day
- realized them
The value of this letter does not lie in Bruce Lee’s genius.
It proves that Napoleon Hill’s 1937 method actually works when you’re fully engaged.
final thoughts
Bruce Lee’s “Clear Primary Objective” letter has become legendary—displayed in restaurants, sold at auction, quoted in countless articles.
But an important fact is often glossed over: this was not Bruce Lee’s invention.
This was the approach adopted by Napoleon Hill in 1937 and applied with determination by a frustrated actor in 1969.
This letter proves two things:
- This method works
- You don’t need to be special to use it
Bruce Lee’s superhuman achievements came from using a method available to anyone willing to write and read a page twice a day. This is the real secret of marking with red ink.
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Napoleon Hill’s Clear Primary Objective Approach
