Chapter II - Desire
It's funny how you will read something on a particular subject and that subject comes up right afterward, or vice versa. Yesterday I was talking to a friend of mine, LeCount Holms. He is a professional speaker, and I called him for some advice. During the conversation, I told him I have had the desire to write and to speak since I was a child, but I never followed that desire because it made no sense to me.
The reason it made no sense is because I was a very poor reader, terrible at writing, and even worse at spelling. I hated every minute of Language Arts class and the thought of spending my college years learning how to be a writer or journalist was too much to handle. So instead, I followed my second interest, mathematics.
Now, here I am in a career which I like, but never felt fulfilled in. I have decided to follow my passion, even though it really still doesn't make sense. I enjoy writing and I love speaking to people on subjects I feel strongly about, but I have no real writing education, and I am still a terrible speller and a slow reader.
This is where my wife, Jeannine, comes in. It is because of her alone that I was able to make any advancement in my writing and spelling skills. She's the one, who early on would look at my writings and help me with punctuation and grammar, and she is the one who kept on me about going through and correcting my spelling. As a result, I am a much better writer and speller then I used to be. Without realizing it, she is the one who put me in the position I am now, and I will always be eternally grateful, as well as truly deeply in love with her.
From my own experiences, I learned you have to follow your desires in life, no matter how little sense it makes.
Napoleon Hill told us that desire is the first step toward riches. I have already found how true this is. The simple fact is, if you don't follow your desire, you will not be successful in what you do. Not that I am not a successful Engineering Designer, I do O.K. But, the statement, "Well, I haven't gotten fired yet!" does not denote success.
In Chapter two of "Think and Grow Rich", Napoleon Hill comes to his first of many very important points. He outlines a six step strategy to build the desire required to do the things you want to do. He showed the strategy to the great Thomas Edison, who joyfully gave it his personal stamp of approval.
The strategy is as follows:
"First: fix in your mind the exact amount of money you desire. It is not sufficient to merely say 'I want plenty of Money'. Be definite as to the amount. (There is a psychological reason for definiteness which will be described in a subsequent chapter.)
"Second: Determine exactly what you intend to give in return for the money you desire. (There is no such reality as 'something for nothing'.)
"Third: Establish a definite date when you intend to possess the money you desire.
"Fourth: Create a definite plan for carrying out your desire, and begin at once, whether you are ready or not, to put this plan into action.
"Fifth: Write out a clear, concise statement of the amount of money you intend to acquire, name the time limit for its acquisition, state what you intend to give in return for the money, and describe clearly the plan through which you intend to accumulate it.
"Sixth: Read your written statement aloud, twice daily, once just before retiring at night and once after arising in the morning. As you read - see and feel and believe yourself already in possession of the money."
The fourth step hit a nerve with me. When the desire to become a public speaker became white hot for me, I began working write away toward the goal. I have been working so hard toward the goal and things have been moving so fast, that I have not written out a clear set of plans yet. I do have a very vague plan written out now and maybe that will work for now, however I will need to write out these plans to the minutest detail or I will be facing a crisis later on.
I know this strategy works, because I used exactly this in the beginning of the year with my New Year's resolution. I resolved to get back to running and get in good shape. Because I was so out of shape in the beginning of the year, I still have a ways to go, but I am still running and I feel much more athletic, agile and energetic then I have in years.
People like Edison, Marconi and Helen Keller and even Blair Hill, Napoleon's son, all used this strategy and even though everyone thought they where nuts (Marconi was even committed for believing he could send radio waves from one receiver to another) they all succeeded at their impossible dreams.
Mr. Hill ended this chapter with a very powerful personal story about his son Blair
Blair Hill was born def and mute but his father refused to believe he could not hear and talk. At a very young age, Napoleon Hill whispered into his son's ear that he was normal and he can hear and speak. Later on in life, Blair started Blair Hearing aids, an international company.
As a final note of my own, Mr. Hill added a poem which, I believe says everything you need to know about this chapter in a little nut shell:
"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 wet 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,
Live would have willingly paid"
