What does it mean to have a burning desire? More importantly, what’s it to me or to you? Motivational speakers talk about it. They say that a burning desire is a major component needed to reach one’s goal. According to Napoleon Hill, “To achieve anything you need a burning desire. Heather Buchman says, “Success starts with a burning desire inside yourself and the determination to never quit on it.” And the late great Muhammad Ali stated, “Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them…a desire, a dream, a vision.” A burning desire is the very foundation needed to achieve a goal. I see it as the glue that holds everything together when the going gets tough. It is what keeps you focused on your goal. So, in order to succeed, you must have a burning desire…a reason to keep going. Just as a foundation of a house must be strong, your burning desire must be also. You can’t just have a wish or a hope; it must be strong and burning. If having a burning desire is the foundation to reaching a goal, then it is important to get the burning desire right. But how does one do that? I have been a student of personal development for years. I have read books; gone to seminars, listened to podcast…you name it, if I thought it was going to help be in my personal development, I was all ears. But, believe it or not, just recently I have come to realize that I was missing something very important…the foundation, the glue…the right burning desire. You see, I thought I had a burning desire as I set my goals and proceeded to achieve them. Unfortunately, I continued to fall short of what I really wanted. I now see that I had a desire, but it was more like a wish or hope. You see, my desire was not based on my core values. I did not really have a burning desire. Let me explain. I truly believe that as we set big goals for ourselves, the burning desire must reflect our values. For instance, let’s say that your goal is to obtain a large amount of money. Your burning desire to obtain this goal is so that you can buy a luxury car. You already have a car that you are satisfied with, but another one sounds nice to have. Now let’s look at what you value. Let’s say that you are not one to get excited over cars; in fact, you see them only as a way to get you to and from places. However, when you look at your family members, mother, father, older sisters and brothers you realize how you feel when you think about being able to help them as they get older. This gives you a feeling of joy just thinking about helping them, why? Because you value family, security and stability. Your service to others, especially your family, has always been part of who you are…a part of your value system. With this in mind, can you see how the burning desire changes? With this change, you have the foundation or the glue that will carry you when you feel like quitting. This burning desire will see you through the challenges when the going gets tough. It will keep you focused on your goal. Decide what you value and build your burning desire around your core values. If you do this, you will have the major component, the foundation, the glue… the right burning desire…you need to keep moving towards your goal. Intense, burning desire is the motivational force
that enables you to overcome any obstacle and achieve almost any goal. ~ Brian Tracy
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Would you agree that there are blogs for almost everything? Blogs on how to cook, how to lose weight, how to bake cookies, how to write blogs and the list goes on. So why another blog? Well, this blog is a chronicle of my journey to success…financial success that is. It will show you what I have learned, what I need to learn, and how I implement what I learn. You will see my ups and downs. Most of the how-to blogs that I have read on financial success are written by people who are already financially independent. This one is not your average blog…it’s different because I am not there yet…but I will be and you can too. I’m sure you are now asking, “So, what does this do for me?” Am I right? Well, I hope to encourage you to take a journey of your own or encourage you to continue on the one you have started. Perhaps my successes as well as my struggles will be just what you need to get started or to continue. Weight loss blogs have done this so why can’t a financial success blog do the same? My journey started years ago and this blog will cover some of the things I have been doing all these years as well as what I am doing now. I have been chasing after financial independence for as long as I can remember. But now I feel like I am moving in the right direction. I am 68 years old. I have had several successful careers… working for someone else. My goal, even while I was working a JOB, was to be financially independent. And I really believe that working for someone else was not and is not the way for me to become financially independent. I tried more than once to seek financial independence but somehow fell short each time (more on that later). I didn’t give up though; I just changed the vehicle so to speak. And, I never stopped learning. What I learned has led me to this point. This blog then will serve to keep me accountable and perhaps you can learn from my mistakes. I want this blog to reinforce the fact that success is indeed a journey and one worth taking. Join me! I can remember sitting beside my grandmother, day in and day out, talking to her about things that I wanted. As a 9 year old girl, I certainly didn't know anything about visualizing and affirming. I just knew that I wanted something more and when I talked to my grandmother, she would allow me to make-believe and daydream out loud. She never discouraged me. In fact, she encouraged me to dream even bigger. She told me (and I can still hear her voice in my mind), "Gal, you are going to have everything you are talking about and more."
And sure enough, some of those things came true...a loving husband, 4 wonderful children and a very comfortable life. But then things hit a status quo. What happened? I stopped dreaming! I no longer visualized or affirmed what I wanted. My beloved grandmother was no longer around for me to talk to about my dreams and goals. So, I stopped dreaming. I hit a wall and didn't realize that I had become comfortable with my life and had ceased dreaming. Don't get me wrong, there were things that I wanted and places that I wanted to go. But, I had stopped following certain "laws"...laws that had enabled 9 year old Harriett's dreams to become a reality. Even after a successful career and having raised 4 successful children, I realized that I had more to give and more dreams in me. I just hadn't verbalized them, not to myself or anyone for that matter. It seems that my visualizing and affirming stopped when I lost my grandmother. My challenge now is what to do. I'm 68 years old and I realize that I have been searching for a long time...there's a churning inside me. I have halfheartedly tried to quench it, but nothing happens when only half of your heart is in it. Despite this, something tells me that God has something for me to do. I believe He has put this churning in my soul and will guide me. I am on a new journey...a journey to rekindle my ability to dream again. A journey where I will follow the "laws" that will turn my dreams into reality. I no longer have my grandmother to listen to my dreams, but I have a burning desire to do something more. So, I guess you are wondering or asking, "So what? How does this apply to me? Well, I would bet (If I were a betting person), that you have wondered at one time or another, how you can begin to dream again and turn your dreams into reality. Well, hang in there. I have learned a lot and continue to learn. I am going to share this with you. YES! Your dreams can come true...if you are willing to follow the "laws" of success. Some people follow others on their weight loss journey. I hope you will follow me on my journey to success and apply the "laws" of success to your life. Let's step out on faith, let's dream big dreams and turn them into reality. Where there is no vision, the people perish...Proverbs 29:18 |