translated into reality. He was in business with Edison.
The dominating DREAM OF HIS LIFE had become a reality. Today, people
who know Barnes envy him, because of the "break" life
yielded him. They see him in the days of his triumph, without taking
the trouble to investigate the cause of his success.
Barnes succeeded because he chose a definite goal, placed all his
energy, all his will power, all his effort, everything back of that
goal. 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 step toward his cherished goal.
Five years passed before the chance he had been seeking made its
appearance. During all those years not one ray of hope, not one
promise of attainment of his DESIRE had been held out to him. To
everyone, except himself, he appeared only another cog in the Edison
business wheel, but in his own mind, HE WAS THE PARTNER OF EDISON
EVERY MINUTE OF THE TIME, from the very day that he first went to
work there.
It is a remarkable illustration of the power of a DEFINITE DESIRE.
Barnes won his goal, because he wanted to be a business associate
of Mr. Edison, more than he wanted anything else. He created a plan
by which to attain that purpose. But he BURNED ALL BRIDGES BEHIND
HIM.
He stood by his DESIRE until it became 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 soft." 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 quit 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 organization."
He said, "There is but ONE thing in this world that I am determined
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."
He left himself no possible way of retreat. He had to win or perish!
That is all there is to the Barnes story of success! A long while
ago, a great warrior faced a situation which made it necessary for
him to make a decision which insured his success on the battlefield.
He was about to send his armies against a powerful foe, whose men
outnumbered his own. He loaded his soldiers into boats, sailed to
the enemy's country, unloaded soldiers and equipment, then gave
the order to burn the ships that had carried them. Addressing his
men before the first battle, he said, "You see the boats going
up
