Truly, “thoughts are things,” and powerful things at that, when they are mixed with definiteness of purpose, persistence, and a BURNING DESIRE for their translation into riches, or other material objects. - Napoleon Hill
One afternoon, I just got up and jumped on a city bus and took it all the way to the suburbs of Detroit heading to the Chevrolet Jeep Dealership with the purpose of getting me a car. I was determined to drive home in a new car, and not jump on a bus. My desire to have my own car was burning deeply in my soul. My thoughts were: I had a good job, I needed a car, and I felt that they should not have any problems letting me drive away in a new car, since they had plenty of them. I was persistence and that was my mindset, and my thought was: I deserve one, since cars were just sitting on a lot anyway.
I felt like the young child in the book, regarding the fifty-cent lesson in persistence. I was not taking no for an answer, and I was going to sit there in that dealership because my mind was telling me, “LOUISE GOTTA HAVE THAT CAR.” Just like the man yelled at the young child, “I told you to go home! Now go, or I’ll take a switch to you.” But she didn’t budge an inch. I felt the same way, they was going to have to call the policemen on me, because I had made up my mind they was going to have to pull me away from that dealership, because there was no way I was leaving empty handed.
Well, I got there at 2:30 pm, and around 3:30 pm the salesman came up to me and said “Ms. Bannerman we are still checking on the finance part.” I told him, “No worries, I took the bus here, but I am driving home.” The guy came back every hour on the hour. Well, at 5:30pm, the man came back and said,“Ms. Bannerman we are still working on it.” I said, “No problem it’s getting dark outside, so do what you have to do, because I do not plan on being on a bus this late at night.” Well, finally at 8:30pm the man came with my keys in his hand. We went outside and there it was a clean white Stratus with 18 miles on it. That night, I drove my new car home with that fresh smell of newness scent flowing up my nostrils. I can only imagine the smile on that little child’s face, and the satisfaction of knowing that she got what she wanted… whether it’s fifty-cent, a car, or some other thing in life that you want it starts with a thought. So just like Barnes, the little girl, and myself…we all have initiative, faith, and the will to win.
Finally, you too will have to think like Edwin C. Barnes. According to the book, “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 HE REALIZED IT.” So here is my question to you, “What are YOUR thoughts?
