Law of Success (21st Century Edition)

174 THE PRINCIPLES OF SELF-MASTERY

spotlight of your mind until it is transformed into reality, unless you
permit it to be pushed aside by conflicting desires.
To emphasize the principle I am trying to make clear, I believe it
not unreasonable to suggest that to be sure of successful achievement,
one's Definite Chief Aim in life should be backed with a burning desire
for its achievement. I have noticed that boys and girls who enter college
and pay their way through by working seem to get more out of their
schooling than do those whose expenses are paid for them. The secret
of this may be found in the fact that those who are willing to work
their way through are blessed with a burning desire for education. And
such a desire, if the object of the desire is within reason, is practically
sure of realization.
Science has established, beyond the slightest room for doubt, that
through the principle of autosuggestion any deeply rooted desire satu-
rates the entire body and mind with the nature of the desire and literally
transforms the mind into a powerful magnet that will attract the object
of the desire, if it is within reason. For those who might not properly
interpret the meaning of this statement, I will explain this principle in
another way. For example, merely desiring an automobile will not cause
that automobile to come rolling in. But if there is a burning desire for an
automobile, that desire will lead to the appropriate action through which
an automobile may be paid for.
Similarly, merely desiring freedom would never release a prisoner if
that desire were not sufficiently strong to cause him to do something to
entitle himself to freedom.

Beyond Your Burning Desire

These are the steps leading from desire to fulfillment: first the burning

desire, then the crystallization of that desire into a difinite purpose, then

sufficient appropriate action to achieve that purpose. Remember that these

three steps are always necessary to ensure success.