THE AUTHOR
THE MAN WHO “THOUGHT” HIS
WAY INTO PARTNERSHIP WITH
THOMAS A. EDISON
TRULY， “thoughts are things，” and powerfulthings at that， when they are mixed with definitenessof purpose， persistence， and a BURNING DESIRE fortheir translation into riches， or other material objects.
A little more than thirty years ago， Edwin C.
Barnes discovered how true it is that men reallydo THINK AND GROW RICH. His discovery did notcome about at one sitting. It came little by little，beginning with a BURNING DESIRE to become abusiness associate of the great Edison.
One of the chief characteristics of Barnes’ Desirewas that it was definite. He wanted to work withEdison， not for him. Observe， carefully， the deionof how he went about translating his DESIRE intoreality， and you will have a better understanding ofthe thirteen principles which lead to riches.
When this DESIRE， or impulse of thought， firstflashed into his mind he was in no position to actupon it. Two difficulties stood in his way. He did notknow Mr. Edison， and he did not have enough moneyto pay his railroad fare to Orange， New Jersey.
These difficulties were sufficient to have discouragedthe majority of men from making any attempt to carryout the desire. But his was no ordinary desire！ He wasso determined to find a way to carry out his desirethat he finally decided to travel by “blind baggage，”
rather than be defeated. （To the uninitiated， thismeans that he went to East Orange on a freighttrain）.
He presented himself at Mr. Edison’s laboratory，and announced he had come to go into business withthe inventor. In speaking of the first meeting betweenBarnes and Edison， years later， Mr. Edison said，“He stood there before me， looking like an ordinarytramp， but there was something in the expressionof his face which conveyed the impression that hewas determined to get what he had come after. Ihad learned， from years of experience with men， thatwhen a man really DESIRES a thing so deeply thathe is willing to stake his entire future on a singleturn of the wheel in order to get it， he is sure to win.
I gave him the opportunity he asked for， because Isaw he had made up his mind to stand by untilhe succeeded. Subsequent events proved that nomistake was made.”
Just what young Barnes said to Mr. Edison on thatoccasion was far less important than that which hethought. Edison， himself， said so！ It could not havebeen the young man’s appearance which got himhis start in the Edison office， for that was definitelyagainst him. It was what he THOUGHT that counted.
If the significance of this statement could beconveyed to every person who reads it， there wouldbe no need for the remainder of this book.
Barnes did not get his partnership with Edison onhis first interview. He did get a chance to work in theEdison offices， at a very nominal wage， doing workthat was unimportant to Edison， but most importantto Barnes， because it gave him an opportunityto display his “merchandise” where his intended“partner” could see it.
Months went by. Apparently nothing happened to bring the coveted goal which Barnes had set upin his mind as his DEFINITE MAJOR PURPOSE. Butsomething important was happening in Barnes’
mind. He was constantly intensifying his DESIRE tobecome the business associate of Edison.
Psychologists have correctly said that “when oneis truly ready for a thing， it puts in its appearance.”
Barnes was ready for a business association withEdison， moreover， he was DETERMINED TO REMAINREADY UNTIL HE GOT THAT WHICH HE WASSEEKING.
He did not say to himself， “Ah well， what’s theuse？ I guess I’ll change my mind and try for asalesman’s job.” But， he did say， “I came here to gointo business with Edison， and I’ll accomplish thisend if it takes the remainder of my life.” He meantit！ What a different story men would have to tell ifonly they would adopt a DEFINITE PURPOSE， andstand by that purpose until it had time to become anall-consuming obsession！
Maybe young Barnes did not know it at the time，but his bulldog determination， his persistence instanding back of a single DESIRE， was destinedto mow down all opposition， and bring him theopportunity he was seeking.
When the opportunity came， it appeared in a different form， and from a different direction thanBarnes had expected. That is one of the tricks ofopportunity. It has a sly habit of slipping in by theback door， and often it comes disguised in the formof misfortune， or temporary defeat. Perhaps this iswhy so many fail to recognize opportunity.
Mr. Edison had just perfected a new office device，known at that time， as the Edison Dictating Machine（now the Ediphone）. His salesmen were notenthusiastic over the machine. They did not believeit could be sold without great effort. Barnes saw hisopportunity. It had crawled in quietly， hidden in aqueer looking machine which interested no one butBarnes and the inventor.
Barnes knew he could sell the Edison DictatingMachine. He suggested this to Edison， and promptlygot his chance. He did sell the machine. In fact，he sold it so successfully that Edison gave hima contract to distribute and market it all over thenation. Out of that business association grew theslogan， “Made by Edison and installed by Barnes.”
The business alliance has been in operation formore than thirty years. Out of it Barnes has madehimself rich in money， but he has done somethinginfinitely greater， he has proved that one really may“Think and Grow Rich.”
How much actual cash that original DESIRE of Barnes’ has been worth to him， I have no way ofknowing. Perhaps it has brought him two or threemillion dollars， but the amount， whatever it is，becomes insignificant when compared with thegreater asset he acquired in the form of definiteknowledge that an intangible impulse of thoughtcan be transmuted into its physical counterpart bythe application of known principles.