Sean Rasmussen

We’ll pick up the story of Darby’s Uncle and the young tenant-farmer’s girl where we left off…

“Darby held his breath. He was certain he was about to witness a murder. He knew his uncle had a fierce temper. He knew that colored children were not supposed to defy white people in that part of the country.

When the uncle reached the spot where the child was standing, she quickly stepped forward one step, looked up into his eyes, and screamed at the top of her lungs, “my Mammy’s gotta have that fifty cents!”

The uncle stopped, looked at her for a minute, then slowly laid the wood on the floor. He put his hand in his pocket, took out half a dollar, and gave it to her.

The child took the money and slowly backed toward the door, never taking her eyes off the man whom she had just conquered. After she had gone, the uncle sat down on a box and stared out the window into space for more than ten minutes. He was contemplating, with awe, the whipping he had just taken.

Mr. Darby, too, was doing some thinking. That was the first time in his life he had seen a colored child deliberately master an adult white person. How did she do it? What happened to his uncle that caused him to lose his fierceness and become as docile as a lamb? What strange power did this child use that made her master over her superior? These and other similar questions flashed through Darby’s mind; but he did not find the answer until years later, when he told me the story.”

No doesn’t always mean no

You might be finding it difficult, just as Darby did, to put a name to the power Napoleon Hill refers to here. Regardless, at least take away this fact that Hill is working hard to bring to light—that ‘No’ doesn’t always mean ‘No’ if you have the courage and persistence to see a thing through, and refuse to be bullied by powers who seem bigger than you. Add this to your list of small lessons that will complete the whole of the Secret.

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

While researching this book, Napoleon Hill interviewed over 500 highly successful men; men that have now gone on to become icons of capitalistic history and success. As part of his research, he talked with them about facing temporary defeat head-on, and about what delineates success and failure.

“More than five hundred of the most successful men in United States history, icons of American Capitalism and success, told the author their greatest success came just one step beyond the point when defeat had overtaken them. Failure is a swindler with a keen sense of irony and cunning. It takes great pleasure in tripping a person when success is just within reach.”

Failure is a master manipulator—but only if your let it win by giving in to temporary defeat.

More Then One Road

The men Hill interviewed may have found success in that step beyond defeat, but their success was not only rooted in the better business turn around the corner. These men also found success because working through adversity and possible defeat teaches you something; it teaches you that there are more roads to success, and that if you have that definiteness of purpose, if your persist in your goals, you will find a road that leads you on to success…to wealth! And you will also learn that you can do whatever you put your mind to when you back your thought with determination. From that point on, every roadblock is easier to overcome because you’ve learned two essential lessons:

1. Temporary defeat is not failure—it’s TEMPORARY! You can succeed, you just have to find another way, and

2. You personally possess the skills and brain power to seek alternate routes to success and wealth creation

Now that’s some powerful knowledge indeed.

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

I suppose there are lots of words you could use to describe what Napoleon Hill calls definite purpose. A very applicable term would be persistence. Persistence is a key to financial success.

“How many people out there today have stopped just inches away from their goal because of some roadblock, some hurdle? How many people give up on fantastic business ideas because the first bank they approached turned down their loan application? How different would the lives of those people be if, rather than accept defeat first-off, they steeled themselves to rejection, thanked the Bank President for his effort, and instead sought an alternative investment route—Investment Capitalists, private investors, local Community Development programs—the list of possibilities goes on and on.

How often have we heard stories from the entertainment industry about the singer or actor living in near-poverty, packing their bags for home who stayed just one more day, and on that day got the fateful call from the record executive or casting call that catapulted them to stardom, fame, and fortune?

“Before success is found in any person’s life, that person is sure to be faced with more than his or her share of temporary defeat, and quite possibly some failure. When defeat overtakes somebody the easiest and most logical thing to do is to quit. And that is exactly what the majority of people do.”

Temporary Defeat

It’s true. Most people just quit in the face of what seems like hopeless temporary defeat; in fact, most of us are probably guilty of doing just that. The lucky among us learn early and limit the effect failure has on us. Those are the ones who build wealth early in life, but regardless of age, it is never too late to turn your financial life around. Any man or woman can be rich in their lifetime.

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

Picking up where we left off with Darby and his Uncle, let’s see what happens next.

“The first car of ore was mined and shipped to a smelter. The returns proved they had one of the richest mines in Colorado! A few more cars of that ore would clear all debts. Then they would make a killing in big profits.

“The drills went down as the hopes of Darby and his Uncle excitedly went up! Then something happened. The vein of gold ore disappeared! They had come to the end of the rainbow, and the pot of gold was gone! They drilled on, desperately trying to pick up the vein again–to no avail.”

Journey To Wealth Creation

These are the times that every one of us is destined to face on our journey to wealth creation. These times are the true test of our ‘metal’ so to speak. And what you choose to do in times like these is what separates you—makes you the one who succeeds to go on to build great wealth, or makes you fail and continue to struggle in financial stress.

Let’s remember what Napoleon Hill said was one of the biggest reasons people fail to get rich…”…they quit when faced with temporary defeat.”

So did Darby and Uncle let temporary defeat put an end to their success? We’ll find out soon enough…

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

This next passage needs little commentary from me; Napoleon Hill concludes Barnes’ story with a summation of the power of Barnes’ definite thought and purpose.

“The business alliance lasted more than thirty years. From that alliance, Barnes made himself a very rich man, in terms of money; but he did something infinitely greater than simply make himself rich—he proved definitely that it is possible for a person, even with limited financial resources, to “Think and Grow Rich.”

“How much actual cash that original desire of Barnes’ was worth to him, we have no way of knowing. It might have earned him two or three million dollars, but the amount, whatever it is, becomes insignificant when compared with the greater asset he acquired in the form of definite knowledge that an intangible impulse of thought can be transmuted into physical reality by applying known principles.

“Barnes literally thought himself into a partnership with the great Thomas Edison! He thought himself into a fortune. He had nothing to start with, except the capacity to know what he wanted, and the determination to stand by that desire until it was realized.

“He had no money to begin with. He had little education. He had no influence. But he did have initiative, faith, and the will to win. With these intangible forces he made himself the number one man of the greatest inventor who ever lived.”

Succeed, Build Wealth and Live Better

And there we have it—the man started with nothing but an idea and the determination to succeed. If you, too, possess these two simple things, you have all you need to succeed, build wealth, and live better.

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