forrest fenn lost treasure I was so excited to see ‘Random Words’ from Forrest Fenn in my inbox to share with you all.  Like you all, I miss Weekly Words, and they just brought smiles! (Thanks Forrest).    However, I love the surprises of these so much better, so these are more awesome!  Here they are:

No one ever got rich by overestimating the human imagination. f

 

As some of you might have noticed, I’ve changed the site’s theme recently, so I thought I would take a moment and share some tips on navigating the various links I have here on this site for The Thrill of the Chase treasure hunt.  Plus, I know there continually to be new people coming to the hunt (WELCOME!), and I thought I would provide a bit of background on them as well.

Along the navigational menu at top, you will see Forrest Fenn’s Treasure Hunt— When Hovered over this will provide a more specific Drop-down menu.  Most anything related to The Thrill of the Chase and Forrest Fenn will be found within these links.  What exactly you find in them is explained below in order they appear in the Dropdown.

The Thrill of the Chase: This link takes you to a page which includes much of what is below, PLUS a few extra categorical page links and topics.  For instance, on the linked to page of The Thrill of the Chase is listed Friday’s Fenn Favorite which were favorite quotes of Forrest, that he shared with us.  There is also links to Forrest Fenn Treasure Facts, my personal musings on the hunt (some are old and outdated (please know thoughts change..lol), and additional Question Pages- 1   and Question Page 2 (not six questions or featured questions).  There is some other stuff there too.

Forrest’s Random and Surprise Words: Any Random Words I might receive in the future will be added to this category.  The link takes you to a categorical page where the previous Surprise Words and any new ones (now called Random Words) are listed.  I never know, if or when, I might receive them, but I am always so honored to share them with you all here.  Thanks for being such a fun crowd!

Weekly Words from Forrest:  The link takes you to a categorical page where all the past (over a year’s worth) of Weekly Words are listed.  For the complete list click here:  Weekly Words from Forrest Fenn (and a PDF to download- without comments beneath or links to questions (will be updating soon though).

Featured Questions with Forrest: The link takes you to a categorical page where Questions were asked, and Forrest provided answers for all to share in.

Six Questions with Forrest: Each February 4th, for 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016, I have had the wonderful and so special opportunity to do Six Questions with Forrest; a unique segment on Mysterious Writings.  Like on that page is listed a Six Questions I did with Douglas Preston, author of the Lost City of the Monkey God, but whois also a personal friend of Forrest, and who saw the treasure before he hid it, and wrote the Codex based roughly on the Story of Forrest’s Treasure.

Chatting with Forrest:  This link takes you to a categorical page to posts I have written about ‘chatting with Forrest’.  I hope to add more to them soon.

 

Best of luck with all that you seek!  Treasure the Adventure!  Always!

 

74 Comments

  8. No one ever got rich by overestimating the human imagination. f

    I guess that Forrest is saying that imagination alone will not enable you to find the treasure, It has to be balanced with knowledge, and logic…or at least that is the way that I read it. JDA

    JDA

  23. “No one ever got rich by overestimating the human imagination. f”

    Sorry, but I think that statement is untrue.

    It is not possible to overestimate imagination, since a person must have imagined what is an overestimated thought.

    Innovators over-imagine everything and settle on the easiest to accomplish… and then really do get rich on that compromise.

    Or maybe I’m totally wrong…

    Muset

  24. The stories I have read about those getting rich usually are from someone chasing their own dream or by someone seeing, believing and then jumping onto, investing in or buying into someone else’s dream or idea. Those ideas come from imagination.

    If you’ve over estimated someone’s imagination it is like investing in someone who you think will come up with something yet he never does. You definitely don’t get rich that way.

    I have dreams. And I’m chasing them. One is on hold till the snow melts. The others are very active… Life is a precious gift and our time is limited. We should all dare to dream more and learn to chase our dreams.

    Point Foot

  26. .
    This is a very curious statement. How would one overestimate imagination? Some may remember the movie “The Never Ending Story” which had as a central theme, that imagination has no limit. However, maybe what Forrest is saying, is that one’s imagination must be applied (and even tested) in the physical world, to gain the riches.

    I have seen quite a few discussions in forums related to this treasure hunt, that are quite imagi native. To the point of thinking, “Wow, that’s really a tremendous use of imagination. But, the ideas are not tested and can they be applied in a logical, sensible, etc. way to solve the treasure hunt?”

    Thanks, Forrest and Jenny. It is a tease …

    astree

  29. Mr. Fenn has rules, he proudly talks about the list of rules to his success. Read it like rule #1:

    [Rule #1] No. one: Ever got rich by overestimating human imagination.

    Ever being short for Everard [Jean Hinrichs] or Eric Sloane

    Thus Rule #1, Eric Sloane got rich by over estimating human imagination.

    Thanks to Pam, you can figure out the rest…

    The Wolf

  30. Awesome! Thanks Jenny and thank you forrest, I hope you are feeling well! It’s always a thrill to have “words”!

    Point Foot, if I may,
    “If you’ve over estimated someone’s imagination it is like investing in someone who you think will come up with something yet he never does. You definitely don’t get rich that way.”

    This seems logical for me.

    🙂

    Jdiggins

  31. Seems to be nodding at H. L. Mencken for some reason.

    As other searchers have noted in the past, Mencken wrote his own epitaph which read: “If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.”

    Readers will catch the similarity to Mencken’s epitaph and what Forrest found on the French soldier’s grave.

    Here we have what looks like a rewording of “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public,” a quote attributed to Mencken as well. Mencken was commenting that tabloid journalism was successful because it was made for stupid people, and in his opinion there were a lot of stupid people.

    So what did Forrest mean here? Beats me, I read tabloids.

    Jeremy P.

    2. “Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public,” from H. L. Mencken. Fenn has used this technique before and for those who read my book I provided a few examples including the “Two can keep a secret…”

      So why Menchen? This is a famous quote of his …

      “If, after I depart this vale, you ever remember me and have thought to please my ghost, forgive some sinner and wink your eye at some homely girl.”

      Which should sound really familiar, because FF used it as his life changing moment in TTOTC:
      “IF YOU SHOULD EVER THINK OF ME WHEN I HAVE PASSED THIS VALE, AND WISH TO PLEASE MY GHOST, FORGIVE A SINNER AND SMILE AT A HOMELY GIRL ”

      As I pointed out before, FF changes a few words, which is he replaced “wink your eye” for “smile”.

      So what?
      This could mean the author is important and his works or the words smile or wink your eye. So if you were wonder what the “saline door is” and his repeated “open the lid” references – I am am willing to bet it is the eye we need to focus on. Saline door is the eye lid. The oxygen regulator that blinked at him when he had his life changing moment. The lid we need to open is not the treasure lid but rather the eye lid.

      I like the All seeing Eye from the Great Seal or the follow the money theme (from my book) but there is more to it but this should be a good start to get you thinking.

      The Wolf

  32. .
    For Chris Yates and several others working this way:

    “Over-ES-TI-mating”

    The first direct instance of these letters (mated) is in

    fromtherEITSnoplaceforthe meek

    by and OVER these letters are BELOW (the home of Brown)

    Directly BELOW the EITS are the words “NO ONE (eno) EVER”, which start this weeks words.

    RICH is found over, but not by, the EITS ( oFRIChesnewand old)

    THE HUMAN IMAGINATION is more challenging.

    astree

  33. For those hoping to get “rich” and even those with other motivations, overestimating the human imagination would take you -past- the treasure. Seems like that could be true for a “few” searchers and perceived as a personal message by many, many, many more.

    PS. Would be honored to go trout fishing s0on!

    LMN

  34. The implication of these RW could have devastating results. For every action there is and equal and opposite reaction, logical and scientific. So out of focus would indicate somewhere there is a focus, question is which part of this RW’s should we focus on, do two rights make a wrong or a left? Did Mr. Fenn make a gamble that was unlikely to have a payment due date or did he pay the penalty in hopes that one could find the price, only more questions never left with answers.

    jl

    1. JL, I think you are on to the point here.
      If we are to use our imagination in this great puzzle, then we also should find a logical support to use that imaginative piece of the puzzle. Otherwise, we veer off course with too much imagination.

      In effect, we gave the imagination too much credit. Overestimated it.

      Buckeye Bob

    2. Interesting thought, jl.

      It makes me think of the Goldilocks principle…and the story of The Three Bears.

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goldilocks_principle

      Perhaps Forrest is telling us all to be careful not to overestimate…or even underestimate the solution. Obviously, there is a solution which will eventually prove to be “just right”.

      Until then…any solution is just wrong… 🙂

      https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6a/Goldilocks_and_the_3_bears.jpg/300px-Goldilocks_and_the_3_bears.jpg

      Thanks again, Forrest and Jenny. I’m happy to see The Chase continuing.

      JC1117

  38. What if someone has recently sent Forrest a solve that was “Way out there”?

    In this solve, the searcher relied on WAY too much Imagination. Forrest responds with today’s post,”No one ever got rich by overestimating the human imagination.” f Forrest is politely telling this person to “Back off” a bit on the imagination area – focus more on fact and logic. Just my crazy thoughts. JDA

    JDA

  41. Thanks Jenny and Mr. Fenn. I’ve been searching for Mr. Fenn’s treasure for 5 years now. I only chime in on your blog because of the obvious enthusiasm you have for . . . well everything, and the fact that you are “out there” while being grounded at the same time. I know that we are all creatures of habit, which is a good thing, but I feel that I am at my best when I’m in transition and shaking things up, which is a good thing too. This new format is great! Fine, fine, fine work by you. I love it.

    Bailey

      1. Bad I guess. This is an odd statement to rectify. Something like, you can be successful using your imagination and acting on it, but you can’t be successful if you believe your imagination is running wild and you don’t act.

        C.M.R.

  43. If you’ve fallowed the chase a while… a greater urgency has emerged lately.? I hope Forrest is doing well and not bothered by any brackish sorts.

    Certain knowledge to know for sure is that Forrest has left us an indelible legacy. As he is often apt to do for us, I recently wrote a little poem. I can only hope he sees it and enjoys:

    ‘Adrift Amidst a Sanguine Poppy Patch’

    I saw a meadowlark the other morning in my lawn,
    At first mistook it for a pygmy raven,
    Partly shrouded by the unrelenting dawn.
    But as the sun’s torch passed through the sky,
    Her small stripes illuminated slowly,
    And row on row flew a cross mine eye.

    There is a meadow somewhere to which belongs the raven.
    Dark soil so chalky and moist, it casts its faint
    Reflection and the meadowlark enbraven.
    The smaller bird may not call out in friendly song,
    Its shrill voice reverberated lately,
    But crowing fades and the lark brightens along.

    In her hopeful imaginations quaint,
    She befriends an uncertain serpent sentry unseen,
    Can the plan now human machinations taint?
    Content to continue singing silently along her quest,
    If time not rejuvenated quickly,
    May call out now to let it be no more at the raven’s behest.

    Indy

  48. “No one ever got rich by overestimating the human imagination. f”

    It is my belief that FF it telling us not to overestimate HIS imagination. He has told us before that a child might actually have a better chance of figuring it out. Adults make things to complicated. In other words the solve is actually very easy and straight forward don’t overestimate Forrest Fenn’s imagination.

    We will know in May if my thoughts on this are correct because my solve is extremely easy and all of the clues fit in perfect order just as Forrest said they would. It took me almost 5 years to figure it out but once it clicked I was like, oh my GOD I can’t believe it was actually so easy. I have actually been within 50 ft twice. Once in April of 2016 and again in September 2016. It wasn’t until one his weekly words at the end of 2016 that I actually understood how he did it. Now that I know how he did it everything fits perfectly. If I hadn’t been there twice I still wouldn’t understand. I have to thank the Elk that made me stop and take pictures!

    John Boy

  49. I would like to ask Forrest a question though.
    Forrest,
    I am going to be going fly fishing for the first time in my life in May. I have no experience with waiters. Would you care to recommend a certain type or brand that works well in the river? John Boy

    John Boy

    2. John Boy. Whatever you do make sure you have a chest belt and cinch it tight. If you fall over and the waders fill with water, have a handy knife a cut your way out so you don’t drown ..

      Brad

      BradHartliep

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