{"id":44135,"date":"2021-08-04T00:31:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-04T04:31:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/?p=44135"},"modified":"2021-08-06T09:40:32","modified_gmt":"2021-08-06T13:40:32","slug":"obsession-with-success","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.shortform.com\/blog\/obsession-with-success\/","title":{"rendered":"Obsession With Success: The Key to Becoming Rich?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

What does it mean to have an obsession with success? Is obsession necessary for becoming wealthy<\/a>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An obsession with success is an overriding desire to stake everything towards achieving a specific goal. Obsession is key to success because mere hopes and desires cannot give you the hunger you need to succeed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read on to discover the importance of having an obsession with success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Have an All-Consuming Obsession With Success<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first step to riches is having an all-consuming desire <\/strong>to achieve your specific goal or definite purpose<\/a><\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hopes or wishes for something aren\u2019t enough \u2014 in fact, if your desire is no more than a wish, you\u2019re likely to quit striving for it when you hit roadblocks. You have to want something badly <\/em>in order to achieve it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Your hunger to reach your goal must be so strong that you stake <\/strong>everything <\/em><\/strong>on achieving it, and you burn your bridges, leaving yourself with no way to retreat.<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is only when you have an overriding obsession with success <\/strong>\u2014 that you can devote your full energy to a single goal at the same time. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Examples of strong desires laying the foundation for success:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example 1: Edwin C. Barnes\u2019 burning desire<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Barnes\u2019 story is told in Chapter 1, but here is a closer look at how his intense desire to partner with Edison played out. To start with, his goal was specific: He wanted to partner<\/em> with Edison, not work for<\/em> him. It became the consuming obsession of his life, and when he was ready to act on it, he left behind his past life and devoted everything to reaching his goal. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Barnes worked for Edison as a mere salesman for five years, he didn\u2019t give up on his desire for a partnership or decide to do something else instead \u2014 his obsession with success only grew stronger<\/strong>, and he focused on becoming Edison\u2019s partner until it became a reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example 2: Department store founder Marshall Field<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, many merchants who lost their businesses chose to leave the city in defeat rather than to rebuild. However, one merchant, Marshall Field, refused to give up. He had an overwhelming desire to build the world\u2019s greatest store on the ruins of his original store, no matter how many times it burned down. He built the Marshall Field\u2019s department store in downtown Chicago, which eventually grew into a national chain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Example 3: Director Steven Spielberg<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Steven Spielberg had an all-consuming desire to make movies. He had made films as an amateur, but hadn\u2019t broken into the industry. He came up with a unique idea for literally getting in the door. He took a Universal Studios Tour, then sneaked away and hid on the lot until after the tram had left. As he left at the end of the day, he made a point of speaking to the guard. Because the guard then recognized him, he was able to return daily for three months. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then Spielberg\u2019s obsession with success drove him to find other entry points. He always wore a suit and carried a briefcase, giving the impression he was a student with a summer job there. He spoke often to directors, writers, and editors. He found a vacant office and moved in, and he added his name to the directory. Spielberg eventually got to know the head of production for the television department, who became his mentor and gave him opportunities to produce films.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spielberg\u2019s obsession with success forced him through obstacles that would have held back many others in his position. His desire seemed all-consuming, and he was willing to do anything to achieve it.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

What does it mean to have an obsession with success? Is obsession necessary for becoming wealthy? An obsession with success is an overriding desire to stake everything towards achieving a specific goal. Obsession is key to success because mere hopes and desires cannot give you the hunger you need to succeed. 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