The Power of a Burning Desire

A Lesson I learned from Chapter 2 of Think and Grow Rich:

Napoleon Hill calls it, “The starting point of all achievement.”  Michael Dlouhy in his book, SUCCESS IN 10 STEPS, calls it your “why.”  Whatever you call it, no one is going anywhere of significance without it.

In his book, THINK AND GROW RICH, Dr. Hill describes Edwin C. Barnes as a person with a BURNING desire.  Mr. Barnes had a burning desire to be a business partner of Thomas A. Edison.  Though Barnes resembled a tramp what was inside his head was the thoughts of a king!  Nothing was going to stop him from achieving his dream and NOTHING did.  I believe that everything that could rise up against Mr. Barnes, keeping him from realizing his dream, did.  But because of his burning desire (why), anything that got in his way was BURNED to ashes.

Edison was the same, as well as countless others who have achieved outstanding success.  Their “why” was so BIG that nothing was going to hold them back.  It’s so sad that this is not the case with most of those who desire uncommon success.  Network marketers are falling like flies in a rainstorm because they have not faced the big question: WHY?  What is the burning-desire that is going to get them through the critical relatives, the un-cooperative spouse, the “well-meaning” coworkers that are trying to give you sound advice to quit now and stop wasting your money; those who through “experience” will tell you that network marketing is just a pyramid scheme and just doesn’t work, and so forth? 

Well, in times past, that was me!  It didn’t take much for me to give up.  I fell like a Silver Maple tree hit by a tornado at the slightest criticism.  When things got “hard” I would just tell myself that everyone was right; network marketing is not for me.  Heck, can so many people be wrong? 

Straight is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to success or anything of value for that matter.  The road to success is littered with the bodies of people who just lacked one thing; the most important thing:  A burning desire—a big fat “why.”

I am so encouraged by reading chapter two of THINK AND GROW RICH.  It shows that the road to success in NOT easy, but it is CERTAIN for ANYONE with and strong, unfailing, powerful, desire backed by an unwillingness, under ANY circumstances, to give up! 

Well, I can say I will NEVER give up!  I have burned the bridge that leads from mediocrity to the land of achievement.  Though I am 53, and just getting started; that’s okay.  So far, all hell has risen up to try to get me to quit.  I have been discouraged and every thought has come up in my mind telling me I will fail, you can’t do this, you’re too old, it’s too late and so-forth; but guess what, I will NOT fail and cannot fail because I have what it takes to win:  A BIG FAT, LUSHIOUS, BURNING DESIRE!  

Discouragement - The Test of Success

It is not uncommon for network marketers to experience discouragement.  Discouragement often comes when you are trying to break out of the box.  When you are reaching for your dreams you are doing something that 97% of the population never does.  Dreaming is one thing; taking action to make those dreams come true is quite another.

Thomas Edison, no doubt, got discouraged when trying to discover the way to make the incandescent work.  He tried over 10,000 times!  Even though would get discouraged he kept on trying until the answer came...and it did!  

Napoleon Hill, author of THINK AND GROW RICH, got discouraged while trying to come up with the success formula to riches.  He spend over 20 years studying over 500 of the wealthiest people on the planet to come up with his now famous formula for success.  Though he was ridiculed for his attempt to do such a work, he kept on going until he succeeded.  Dr. Hill has probably produced more millionaires through his work than we will ever know.  Did he let discouragement keep him down?  If it did, the world would be a different place today.

My point is that discouragement must and will come.  It's what you do with it that makes all the difference.  God rewards those who persevere when others would just quit, and most will.

Are you a quitter, or are you one of the 3% that will fight on against all odds?  I can assure you that is you conquer discouragement you WILL eventually find the success you seek; you will reach the dreams you long for.