Sean Rasmussen

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

Kurek Ashley, founder of The Life Success Club, launches his book worldwide: How Would Love Respond tomorrow, 11th June 2008. Reading this book, takes me back to the lessons I learned from the Life Success Club. You have been reading many inspired thoughts in this blog that Kurek has influenced.

While we are waiting for the book, get stuck into part 2 of the 1 hour interview I filmed with Kurek Ashley a few weeks ago.

Kurek Ashley - Part 2 of the 1 Hour Interview

Identity is the most powerful thought you can have. Listen and see Kurek talk about identity in this video. The full 1 hour interview will be donated to Kurek’s book launch 11th June 2008.

Successful Empowering Habits

Kurek talks about the most powerful thought of “Identity”. He also mentions having successful and empowering habits. Be - Do - Have. To Have the results that you want, you need to Be the person, that Do the things that create those results. Watch the video as many times as you like to clarify this.

Kurek has been generous enough to write an introduction to my Mindset Mastery eBook. He is a great fan of Napoleon Hill and “Think And Grow Rich”. As a client of The Life Success Club, I thought I’d ask the question. The outcome was good and Kurek’s intro will be available for you to read soon.

Until Kurek Ashley’s book: How Would Love Respond launches worldwide tomorrow…

Have a most outstanding day

Sean Rasmussen
Success Communicator
SeanRasmussen.com © 2004 - 2008

OK. I’m being the Devils advocate there. You will read in the last paragraph what I mean by the statement: “Goal Setting Doesn’t Work“. Remember these few words before reading on:

“Take real action with true passion and have a burning desire to succeed!”

This is a message that many motivational educators, including Dr John Demartini, teach. Maybe not verbatim but certainly very close to the message that Napoleon Hill wrote in his book: Think And Grow Rich.

At the end of his introduction, Napoleon Hill offers a hint that serves as a lead-in to the first chapter and the story of Edwin Barnes, the man chosen as the first example of the secret of success. What he says is this: that all success starts with a single idea. This lends itself to the following discussion: “Truly, “thoughts are things,” and powerful things at that when they are mixed with definite purpose, persistence, and a burning desire for their translation into wealth or other material objects.

In the early 1900’s, Barnes discovered how true it is that men really do think and grow rich. His discovery did not come to him all at once. It came little by little, and it began with a burning desire to become a business associate of the great Thomas Edison.”

So from just these two introductory paragraphs we learn three important things about Barnes and the secret

• A thought, or idea is the first step on the path to creating wealth.

• The idea alone is not enough; success and wealth creation also requires a passion, a ‘burning desire’ for reaching that end.

• Nothing happens all at once—realizing success is a process that takes time.

You’ll also see, as Hill mentions here, that like Edwin Barnes, you may not always be aware that you are on the path to wealth until you recognize that you have made the decision to make a change in your financial status, and resolve to do something about it; but you have already made progress towards your end. You’re here, aren’t you?

Also, take note that Napoleon Hill speaks of a Burning Desire. That could also be referred to as Passion. This ingredient is the main reason why people say “Goal Setting Doesn’t Work“. Because they simply don’t take real action with true passion and a burning desire to succeed! It’s not Goal Setting that doesn’t work. It’s them… the 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

The revelation of the secret happens at different points for different people. You may even have an indication of what this secret will entail. Napoleon Hill provides this dialogue in regards to the when and the how of the secret revealing itself to you.

“Somewhere, as you read, the secret to which I refer will jump from the page and stand boldly before you, if you are ready for it! When it appears, you will recognize it. Whether you receive the sign in the first or the last chapter, stop for a moment when it presents itself, and turn down a glass, for that occasion will mark the most important turning-point of your life.”

What it takes to succeed

What Napoleon Hill is telling you in Think and Grow Rich is that the secret is everywhere to be found in this book, even though it is never directly named. The key to success is there for the taking, you just have to be receptive to it. That’s really very much in line with all of successful wealth creation. When you are ready to learn and commit to creating wealth for yourself, you will find the resolve and the information you need to succeed.

The First Time I Thought To Grow Rich

I recall reading Think And Grow Rich for the first time in year 2000. I read through the entire book and never actually “got” what The Secret was! Although, at the time I wasn’t quite ready for the message, the book had a massive impact on me. This was also before Rhonda Byrne had super commercialized “The Secret”, based on Wallace Wattles book: The Science Of Getting Rich.

Actually, I have a version of Wallace Wattles book: The Science Of Getting Rich. Let me know if you’d like to download a free version. If I get enough comment in this blog (like LOTS!), then I’ll seriously consider finishing it off and making it available.

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 is the question Hill poses, and goes on to explain that education is not the determining factor in successful wealth creation.

What is education, anyway? …

“As far as schooling is concerned, many of these men had very little. John Wanamaker once told me that what little schooling he had, he acquired in very much the same manner as a modern locomotive takes on water, by “scooping it up as it runs.” Henry Ford never reached high school, let alone college. I am not attempting to minimize the value of schooling, but I am trying to express my earnest belief that those who master and apply the secret will reach high stations, accumulate riches, and bargain with life on their own terms, even if their schooling has been meager.”

I told you before this theme would be recurring, and it will again after this.

Education Plays A Minor Role

As Napoleon Hill says, no one is arguing that education is useless, but education alone is not enough to build wealth. You must also know the important elements to successful wealth creation, those that are not taught in school. Like Napoleon Hill, we reiterate this point at Universal Wealth Creation and throughout our materials because we know that anyone has the ability to get rich and live better, and we know that you were not given the most effective education for wealth creation at school or college. And that is exactly why books like Think And Grow Rich or Mindset Mastery can be such a help to people. They have the ability to make you realize and discover the information you do need in order to find wealth and success.

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