We’ve already talked about Edwin Barnes having a burning desire to be Thomas Edison’s partner. Now let’s put that desire into a clearer perspective.
“One of the chief characteristics of Barnes’ Desire was that it was definite. He wanted to work with Edison, not for him. Pay close attention to the description of how he went about translating his desire into reality, and you will have a better understanding of the thirteen principles which lead to riches.
“When this desire, or thought-impulse, first flashed into his mind he was in no position to act on it. Two hurdles stood in his way. He did not know Thomas Edison, and he did not have enough money to pay his railroad fare to Orange, New Jersey.
“These obstacles would have been enough to discourage most men from making any attempt to carry out the desire. But Barnes’ was no ordinary desire! He was so determined to find a way to carry out his desire that he finally decided to travel by “blind baggage,” rather than face defeat. (To the uninitiated, this means he took a freight train to East Orange).”
Prime Characteristic Of Success
Barnes’ ‘burning’ desire shows that he truly wanted the success he envisioned, but there was another factor at work within that desire—definiteness. Barnes was very definite, very clear and determined in what he wanted, exactly. He did whatever he needed to do to turn his desire into reality, but he did not do so haphazardly; he set off as a stow-away determined to get the exact thing he wanted more than anything else. That is a prime characteristic of successful and wealthy people.
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
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
Hi Sean,
That is definitely something I need to work on. Do you believe that writing down what you want will make it more likely to happen or do you believe that you just need the mindset and can achieve what you want by visualisation and other similar methods?
Hope you are having a great morning.
Regards, Eileen.
Hi Eileen
Writing it down means you have started to take action. A though could just be an ‘intention’ and we all know that they don’t always happen, don’t we!
Write it down and read it at least once per day, else you will forget. You will get side tracked with life’s distractions and before you know it another year has gone by with very little done to achieve that goal.
I use “post it” notes with different goals etc and put them around the house/car/office in places that I cant help but see them to keep me focussed. It works for me. I used this also as a study tool when I was learning to speak French. I would write the french equivalent on say the toothpaste tube so that I used the french word for it every time I brushed my teeth.
Great concept, Donna. I might ‘borrow’ that one myself
Eileen, personally i think that writing things down is very important, as well as other methods to bringing you to your desires, because it takes your intangible thought and moves it into the tangible world. It is taking the first step of Action which is very important. Also i believe it keeps you more focused on what you want if you read your goals/wants daily as well as visualizing them.
warm regards,
Uli
Thank you Sean its another secret you just revealed to me now from the success story of Barnes. I learned that it is better to work with somebody than to work for somebody.
Thanks again Sean and stay blessed till Monday.
Indeed I will, Kingsley!
Thanks Donna and Uli,
I had started a vision board and I look at it every night before I go to sleep but the board is not big enough so I’ve run out of room to add things and we are short on space in our current house. (something to do with having 3 kids).
I guess you could still succeed without writing things down but I agree that it would help.
Note to self: must add to “To Do” list.
Have a great weekend.
Eileen.
Hi Eileen
Get a bigger board or outgrow some of your old dreams. Just start covering up old dreams. We outgrow old ideas and sometimes goals are never achieved, simply because they are no longer what we want. We outgrow them.
My first vision board had a Mercedes 4WD on it. I don’t want one of them now! I’ve got a Mitsubishi 4WD that I personally like better and a Holden Caprice. My vehicle goals changed. The price tag dropped but I got what I wanted. ( both Australian made with 100% of the profits un-Australian
)
Hi Sean,
I think we need to have a definiteness of purpose. The more we can clearly define our goals, the greater our chances are of attaining them.
I think we need a target to aim for, something concrete to go after. It helps to focus your mind and your energy to a direct purpose. Besides, how will you know you’ve reached your goal if you don’t know exactly what you want?