Desire the starting point of all achievement
Barnes’ Desire was not a hope. it was not a wish. It was a keen, pulsating Desire, which transcended everything else. It was definite.
The Desire was not new when he approached Edison. It had been Barnes’ dominating desire for a long time.
In the beginning, when the desire first appeared in his mind, it may have been probably was only a wish, but it was no mere wish when he appeared before Edison with it.
A few year later, Edwin C. barnes again stood before Edison, in the same office where he first met the inventor.
This time his desire had been translated into reality. He was in business with Edison.
Dominating desire for a long time
The dominating dream of his life had became reality.
Today people who know Barnes envy him because of the break life yielded him.
They see him in the day of his triumph, without taking the trouble to investigate the of his success.
Barnes succeeded because he chose a definite goal, and placed all his energy, all his will power and all his effort into achieving that goal.
Partner of Edison
He did not become the partner of Edison the day he arrived. He was content to start in the most menial work, as long as it provided an opportunity to take even one stop towards his cherished goal.
It is a Remarkable illustration of the power of a definite desire. Barnes won his goal because he wanted to be business associate of Mr Edison more than he wanted anything else.
He created a plan which to attend the purpose. But he burned the all bridges behind him.
He stood by his desire until it become the dominating obsession of his life and, finally, a fact.
When he went to orange, he did not say to himself, I will try to induce Edison to give me a job of some sort.
Barnes succeeded because he chose a definite goal
He said, I will see Edison and put him on notice that I have come to go into business with him.
He did not say, I will work there for a few months, and if I get no encouragement, I will quite and get a job somewhere else.
He did say, I will start anywhere. I will do anything Edison tells me to do, but before I am through.
I will be his associate. He did not say, I will keep my eyes open for another opportunity, in case I fail to get what I want in the Edison organisation.
He said, There is but one thing in this world I am determine to have and that is a business association with Thomas A. Edison.
I will burn all bridges behind me, and stake my entire future on my ability to get what I want.
We are told that talent creates opportunity, yet it is desire that creates talent.