Chapter 2: Desire – The Starting Point of All Achievement
(A Simple and Practical Guide Based on Napoleon Hill’s Original Work)
Introduction:
Every success story starts with one thing—a strong desire. Not just a wish or a hope, but a burning desire that won’t let you sleep until it’s fulfilled. That’s what Napoleon Hill wants us to understand: desire is the beginning of every achievement.
Let’s break down how to turn your desire into real results.
The Story of Edwin C. Barnes:
Barnes had one clear goal: to work with Thomas Edison, the famous inventor. Not for Edison, but with him—as a partner. He had nothing—no money, no connections, and not even a train ticket—but he had a burning desire.
He got a job at Edison’s company doing low-level work. But he never lost sight of his goal. Over time, an opportunity came—Edison needed someone to sell a new invention. Barnes jumped in, performed well, and eventually became Edison’s business partner.
What does this teach us? That clear, focused desire is more powerful than circumstances.
Important Lessons from Barnes’ Story:
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He knew exactly what he wanted.
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He didn’t quit, even when it looked impossible.
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He was ready to pay the price—hard work and patience.
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When the right opportunity came, he was prepared to grab it.
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He succeeded because he refused to give up.
Desire + Faith + Action = Success
Just wishing for something won’t make it happen. Most people wish to be rich, but they don’t have a burning desire. Hill says you must want it so strongly that it becomes an obsession—then plan, believe, and act on it.
Six Steps to Turn Desire Into Gold
Hill gives us a simple formula to turn desire into reality:
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Decide exactly how much money you want.
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Know what you’ll give in return—nothing is free.
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Set a definite date to achieve your goal.
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Make a clear plan, and start immediately.
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Write a statement with all the above points.
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Read it aloud twice a day, once in the morning and once at night.
As you read, imagine yourself already in possession of the money.
💡 Example:
If you want to earn ₹10 lakhs in 1 year by providing home tuitions, then:
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Fix the amount: ₹10 lakhs
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Give something: your time and teaching skill
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Fix a deadline: 1 year from today
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Make a plan: launch a platform, enroll students, start classes
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Write it down and repeat it daily.
The Story of a Little Boy Who Refused to Accept “No”
Hill shares another story: A poor boy asks a man for 50 cents for his mother. The man yells at him, but the boy stands firm without moving. Finally, the man gives him the money.
Why? Because the boy’s desire was so strong and unshaken that even an angry adult gave in.
This story reminds us: If your desire is strong, you will find a way.
The Story of R.U. Darby and the Gold Mine
Darby and his uncle started mining gold. They found some, but then it disappeared. After digging more and finding nothing, they gave up and sold the equipment to a junk man.
But the junk man was smart—he brought in a mining engineer who found that gold was just 3 feet away from where they had stopped digging. He became rich.
Darby learned a lesson: never quit when you're close to success. He later became a top insurance salesman by using this lesson—he refused to give up.
Another Lesson from a Little Girl and Her Unshaken Desire
A little girl asked her uncle for 50 cents. He told her to go away. But she didn’t move. When he yelled, she still stood silently. Eventually, he gave her the money.
The message? Persistence and refusing to back down are key parts of desire.
The Secret: Know What You Want
Thousands of people fail not because they lack talent, but because they don’t know what they really want. If you can clearly define your goal and back it up with strong desire, you’ll go far.
What You Can Learn from Real Life
Barnes didn’t become rich overnight. But he achieved what he wanted because he:
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Had a clear goal
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Focused all his energy on it
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Didn’t give up
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Took action
So, if you’re dreaming of success—whether it’s money, a job, a business, or education—ask yourself:
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Do you really want it?
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Are you ready to give something in return?
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Will you keep going even when it gets hard?
Final Words:
Desire is like a fire. If you let it burn strong, it can help you achieve anything. But if it's weak, it dies out quickly.
Don’t just wish. Don’t just hope. Desire with action, faith, and a plan is the real formula.
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Chapter 2 Summary – Desire: The Starting Point of All Achievement
Think and Grow Rich in Simple English – Blog Series by Ashwini Siddhartha
“All achievements begin with a strong desire.”
– Napoleon Hill
🔥 Why Desire Matters
Every great success story begins with one thing—a burning desire. It’s not just a wish or a hope. It's something you want so deeply that you’re ready to do anything for it. In this chapter, Napoleon Hill shows how desire is the starting point of all achievement, including wealth, success, and personal growth.
👔 The Story of Edwin C. Barnes
Barnes had a single dream:
To work with Thomas Edison, not just for him.
He had:
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No money
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No connections
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No formal education
But what he had was a strong, clear desire to achieve his goal.
He took a freight train to Edison’s office and asked for a job. He didn’t get a big role immediately. Instead, he started with a small job but stayed patient. After five years, he got a golden opportunity to sell one of Edison’s inventions—and he did it so well that he became Edison’s business partner.
💡 Lesson: Desire + Persistence = Success
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He didn’t quit.
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He didn’t say “let me try for a few months.”
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He didn’t keep a backup plan.
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He said: “I will either succeed or die trying.”
🧠 Six Steps to Turn Your Desire Into Success
Napoleon Hill gives a step-by-step formula to turn desire into money or success:
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Fix a specific amount of money you want.
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Decide what you’ll give in return.
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Set a deadline to get the money.
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Make a clear plan and start working on it—right now.
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Write a statement with all the above details.
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Read it aloud twice daily—morning and night—and believe it as if it's already true.
💬 Example:
“I will earn ₹10 lakhs by August 2026 by offering home tuition and online coaching. I will do this by starting my own platform, serving 100+ students with quality education. I will work daily toward this goal.”
📖 Real-Life Stories from the Chapter
✨ R.U. Darby – “Three Feet From Gold”
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Darby and his uncle found gold but gave up when the vein disappeared.
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They stopped drilling just three feet away from the gold.
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A junkman bought the equipment, hired an expert, and found gold where they left off.
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Darby later became a millionaire insurance agent using this lesson:
“Never quit when you're close to success.”
✨ The Little Girl Who Didn’t Take “No” for an Answer
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A poor girl asked a man for 50 cents.
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He shouted at her, but she stood firm.
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Finally, the man gave her the money.
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Why? Her confidence and desire were stronger than his anger.
Moral:
Even a child can achieve something when she has strong desire and persistence.
🎯 Dreamers Who Changed the World
Hill reminds us of people who were once just dreamers:
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Henry Ford dreamed of a car for every common man.
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Thomas Edison failed 10,000+ times before inventing the light bulb.
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The Wright Brothers dreamed of flying—and they did.
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Helen Keller, Beethoven, Lincoln, and others all faced huge challenges but used their dreams to change the world.
💬 My Favorite Quote from Chapter 2:
“I bargained with Life for a penny,
And Life would pay no more,
However I begged at evening
When I counted my scanty store.”
This poem teaches that life gives you what you ask for—not more, not less.
🧘 What You Should Do Now
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Ask yourself: What do I truly desire in life?
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Write it down. Be specific.
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Decide what you’ll give for it.
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Make a plan.
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Repeat it to yourself every day.
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Believe in it.
🌱 Final Message
The biggest reason people fail is that they don’t know what they truly want. If your desire is strong enough, and you are willing to act and never give up, success will follow you.
Stay tuned for the next blog where we’ll explore Chapter 3: “Faith – The Visualization and Belief in Attainment of Desire.”