Think And Grow Rich: The 21st Century Edition Chapter 3 - Desire

August 1, 2008 | By rogerloh In Think And Grow Rich |

Edwin C. Barnes’ desire was definite!

Barnes had a desire to become the business associate of Thomas A. Edison, the great inventor.

His desire was not a hope, not a wish but… a pulsating desire which transcended everything else.

With his burning desire, a few years later after he made his way to Edison’s office, he was in business with Edison. And…

*** The dominating dream of his life had become a reality ***

This chapter talks about the power of a definite desire to achieve one’s goal.

Barnes’ desire was to become Edison’s business partner and created a plan by which to attain his purpose. What is yours? What is it that you want so badly that you will achieve at all costs?

DO or DIE Attitude

Not long ago, I met a friend and asked him about his internet business. Guess what was his reply?

He said to me he is applying for another qualification as a backup plan. His unspoken words were: “in case his internet business fails” Immediately, I would bet with anyone that he will not succeed. His desire was not definite.

Barnes did not say, “I will keep my eyes open for another opportunity, in case I fail to get what I want in the Edison organization.” But Barnes said, “There is one thing in this world that I am determined to have, and this is a business association with Thomas A. Edison. I will burn all my bridges behind me and stake my entire future on my ability to get what I want.”

Barnes left himself no possible way of retreat. He had to win or perish! In other words, he had a “DO or DIE attitude!” And failure is NOT an option to him. That’s the reason why I absolutely love this story…

Burn your Boats!

A long while ago, a warrior sailed to an enemy’s land, unloaded all the soldiers and equipment and burn the boats!

Now, as his soldiers watched the boats go up in flames, it’s literally DO or DIE! No other option.

Guess what’s the final result? They won.

Classic Examples of Men with GREAT DREAMS

Thomas Edison dreamed of a lamp operated by electricity. He began to put his dream into actions and failed more than ten thousand times. Despite his failures, he succeed at last. Otherwise, you won’t be reading this on your computer
Henry Ford was poor and uneducated. He turned his dream of a horseless carriage into reality by putting more wheels into operation than any other men ever lived!

21st Century Examples of GREAT DREAMS

Steven Jobs and Steve Wozniak were two university dropouts who dreamed of making and selling computers for the average person to use. They built the first Apple computer in 1976 in the family garage in Jobs’ family garage! As they said, the rest is history and Jobs became a three-time billionaire credited with the creation of iMac, Pixar, iPod, iTunes and most recently, iPhone!!
Dean Kamen saw a man in a wheelchair having difficulty getting up a curb and set his mind to create a device that would liberate people confined to wheelchairs, resulting in the iBot - a revolutionary wheeled device that uses computers and a sy;stem of stabilizing gyroscopes that imitate the human body. It goes over curbs, go up and down stairs, travel over rough ground and even raise oneself to see eye to eye with a standing person!

BELIEF is a state of mind necessary for Success

There is a difference between wishing for a thing and being ready to receive it. The state of mind must be BELIE, not mere hope or wish to succeed.

And… no more effort is required to aim high in life, to demand abundance and prosperity, than is required to accept misery and poverty! And this is a poetry in this chapter that I like a lot:

I bargained with Life for a penny,

And Life would pay no more,

However I begged at evening

When I counted my scanty store.

For Life is a just employer,

He gives you what you ask,

But once you have set the wages,

Why, you must bear the task.

I worked for a menial’s hire,

Only to learn, dismayed.

That any wage I had asked of Life,

Life would have willingly paid.