Napoleon Hill doesn’t tell us much about the fate of the Uncle, but he does continue the story of R.U. Darby and his ultimate success. How did this failure turn his life around and build wealth? By learning from his mistake, and learning the principles of the secret.
“Long afterward, Mr. Darby recouped his loss many times over, when he made the discovery that desire can be transmuted into gold. That discovery came after he went into the business of selling life insurance.
“Remembering that he lost a huge fortune all because he stopped three feet from gold, Darby turned that experience to his advantage in his newly chosen profession; his method was simple—Darby repeatedly told himself, “I stopped three feet from gold, but I will never stop because men say ‘no’ when I ask them to buy insurance.”
“Darby was one of a small group in the first part of the 1900’s, a group of less than fifty men, to sell more than a million dollars in life insurance annually. He owed his determination and success to the lesson he learned from his hastiness to quit in the gold mining business.”
Definite Thought
Finally, Darby learned the power of definite thought—the same power Edwin C Barnes knew and used to build his future, and his fortune, with Thomas Edison. Had Darby known that power of definite thought and definite purpose when he went mining, his wealth may have come years sooner. You have at least this elemental knowledge now and that small bit of information is power; power that you, too, can solidify and translate into tangible wealth.
I will see you back here Monday and Thursday every week for the continuation of the Mindset Mastery series.
Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
SeanRasmussen.com © 2004 – 2008
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Sean,
It’s great to know that Darby did learn from his mistakes and go on to enjoy enormous success in his lifetime. It gives me hope that I, too, can recover from some of my failures and have the success that I dream of.
I guess it all comes down to how well I learn and apply the powerful information that Napoleon Hill and many others like him share. I look forward to mastering these lessons for success.
Throughout this series of posts I’ve been wondering is this the same Derby that married Joan?
Derby learned from his mistake, and learned the principles of the secret. Feedback feedback feedback. That is what we always have to be aware of. We should develop the habit of reflecting on where we are, where we have come from and where we are going. Perhaps even more importantly why we are going there. In every system aimed at perfection and continuous improvement the feedback and review process is critical.
Did Derby really make a mistake? At the time it was the right decision for him. I never want to be like Derby and find out that I stopped just a momnet too soon. It’s like checking the lottery number after you’ve forgotten to buy a ticket.
Hi Sean,
As long as a mistake is not continually repeated, it’s okay to make mistakes. Everyone makes them in one way or another. It’s part of life.
Possibly calling it a mistake could be a mistake. Maybe it’s best to say, he, “made the wrong decision” Another way to look at it is that: the right decision was made at the time, based on the amount of information available. Only when more information became available did it become a wrong decision.
That’s possibly getting away from the lesson, though ?
Anyway Sean, it’s an informative post, thanks.
Jill.
I had a coach who told me there’s a gift in every setback. Just gotta discover what it is.
Lina Nguyen´s last blog ..Richard Branson Business School: A day visit
Hi Lina,
I really think that when one door closes another of equal or greater value opens. It can take some time to find the gift but it is in there, we just have to find it.:)
Very clever coach. I guess that makes you look at setbacks from all kinds of angles to find the gift that’s hidden in it
Renee´s last blog ..The Best Way To Get Motivated
I heard someone say not too long ago, that winners are the ones who are running full speed through the finish-line, by looking through the finish line at the path they are taking.
Not that I want to run a second lap, but I get his point of full-steam ahead and just don’t stop!
Jo Carey-Bradshaw´s last blog ..Empowering Mindset – Mindfulness
I hadn’t heard that one before, Jo, but it sure sounds like a good saying to me. Next time I run a race I will do it and see what happens.
Wal Heinrich´s last blog ..Think And Grow Rich Mindset Mastery
Hi Jo,
I may have mis-interpreted your post, but I have heard of the saying you are referring to, and from what you have said, I don’t think that they mean the winners are like Forrest Gump and need to be told when to stop. I think it means that the winners aren’t focused ON the finish line, they are focused just that little bit further ahead.
Just a thought!
Cheers,
Pete
Pete´s last blog ..peteboyr: @bullhunter Thanks, Sean. Just reviewing the webinar, and will get to your blogs after that. Big night ahead, pizza on the way!
This just goes to show that all experience is worthwhile. Darby probably made a lot more money because he learned from his failure than he would have made from the gold he might have found. And he probably achieve a lot of other things as well that he would not have achieved had he not learned the lesson.
Wal Heinrich´s last blog ..Think And Grow Rich Mindset Mastery
Hey Wal,
You could go so far as to say that even though Darby didn’t walk out of that mine loaded up with mineral wealth, he still walked out with gold. He just didn’t know it at the time.
Just a thought!
Cheers,
Pete
Pete´s last blog ..peteboyr: @bullhunter Thanks, Sean. Just reviewing the webinar, and will get to your blogs after that. Big night ahead, pizza on the way!
I like people that learn from their mistakes and don’t get bitter about the fact that they stopped just short before a big achievement. Darby is a great successful person – he has the determination that is necessary.
Renee´s last blog ..The Best Way To Get Motivated
Hi Sean,
Darby did learn from his mistake and became successful because of it – so he was a clever man after all.
His experience goes to prove another thing. That is that there is not just one opportunity available for each person (sometimes we may be inclined to believe this) and if we foul up the first opportunity that presents itself or if we miss the boat, it’s not the end of the world. Not as long as a lesson is learned to making a better decision the next time round.
Great article Sean, I look forward to the next one.
Jill Brown´s last blog ..Common Law Marriage – What is Common Law Marriage?
It’s good that we can turn a mistake into a lesson and benefit from it. This is one of the most important things about making mistakes.
Derby learned the principles of the secret because of his mistake, and learned never to give up again and in doing so became successful in other ways, so he did achieve his desire to be rich.
The only time there there is no chance of achieving your desire, is when that final door closes for you.
Rita pepper´s last blog ..Learn Affiliate Marketing- For A Few Dollars more
Hi Sean
I like the fact that Derby did not give up his determination to succeed and kept on. He learned from past failure and the next project he took on he decided he was not going to give up. He learned a fantastic lesson, and it is a great example to me to never give up either. A very powerful message.
Thankyou
Hi Elly,
I think sometimes we need that past failure to spur us on to greater success. I always remember the story of Michael Jordan. Would he have gone on to be one of the greatest basketball players to ever play the game if he hadn’t been dropped from his high school team?
I don’t know but I do know that failing at something can make you really determined to never give up the next time around.
Jazz Salinger´s last blog ..Sean Rasmussen – Aussie Internet Marketer Making a Difference