This is interesting in that I understand what you are saying and yes there seems to be a contradiction, first I'll quote Robert Collier Secret Of The Ages.

Get firmly in your mind the definite conviction that YOU CAN DO ANYTHING RIGHT THAT YOU MAY WISH TO DO. Then set your goal and let everything you do, all your work, all your study, and all your associations, be a step towards that goal. Barton Braley

"If you want something bad enough to go out and fight for it, work day and night for it, give up your time and peace and your sleep for it, if only desire of it makes you quite mad enough to never tire of it, makes you hold all other things tawdry and cheap for it, if life seems all empty and useless without it and all that you scheme and you dream about is it, if gladly you'll sweat for it, fret for it, plan for it, lose all your terror of God or man for it, if you'll simply go after the thing you want, with all your capacity, strength and sagacity, faith, hope and confidence, stern pertinacity, if neither cold poverty, famished and gaunt, nor sickness nor pain of body or brain can turn you away from the thing that you want, if dogged and grim you besiege and beset it, you'll get it!"

This reminds me of a Zen koan A student says to his master, how can I have anything I want? I have heard you know the secret to getting anything you want in the world you can have. This is true says the master. The boy presses on about this the master says we'll talk about this tomorrow over fishing. The next day comes the boy is excited he is going to learn the secret to having anything he wants! The master says nothing they go out in the boat the boy has many questions, but the master says nothing as they go deep into the water finely the master grabs the boy and throws him into the water! The boy struggles to get back into the boat but the master holds him under water so he can't get out! Finely when the master sees the boy had enough he pulls him back into the boat, the boy is coughing and choking, the boys asks why did the master do that? The master says you wanted to learn the secret to getting whatever your heart desires! What was the thing that was on your mind when you were being held under water, what did you desire at that point in time more than anything else on earth? The boy said AIR! The master said when you can desire anything you want as much as you desired and fought for that air you will have it.

Napoleon Hill speaks of this burning desire that drives you to achieve your goals no matter what you will not accept failure.

I believe all of these are on the physical side of the scale, the do part the plan part the active part, this is all good but there is as well the spiritual part that needs only believe to receive, I believe we are looking at rules for two different planes of existence really.