What I Would Do If I Had a Million Dollars?
Tags: Business, Startup, Finance, Productivity, Life

What I Would Do If I Had a Million Dollars?

The Only LIMITATION is that which one sets up in one’s Own MIND

Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash

And now you might be really interested in reading my answer too — What I Would Do If I Had a Million Dollars? But I hate it break to you that this is not what it really seems it is. I am not giving you my way of spending a million-dollar amount or to tell you the things I am going to spend the money on if I really had million-dollar money.

What I Would Do If I Had a Million Dollars is not a question to which I am answering. But it’s a story of a person who achieved what he wanted despite obstacles. It’s a story of strong determination, a burning desire, and will power. This story proves the truth of the old saying — “Where there’s a will, there’s a way”.

This story is taken from Think and Grow Rich book by author Napolean Rich.

Frank W. Gunsaulus was an educator and clergyman, who began his preaching career in the stockyards region of South Chicago. While Dr. Gunsaulus was going through college, he observed many defects in our educational system, defects which he believed he could correct if he were the head of a college. His deepest desire was to become the head of an educational institution in which young men and women would be taught to learn by doing.

He made up his mind to organize a new college in which he could carry out his ideas without being handicapped by orthodox methods of education. He needed a million dollars to put the project across! Where was he to lay his hands on so large a sum of money? ambitious young preacher’s thought. But he couldn’t seem to make any progress. Every night he took that thought to bed with him. He got up with it in the morning. He took it with him everywhere he went. He turned it over and over in his mind until it became a consuming obsession with him. A million dollars is a lot of money.

He recognized that fact, but he also recognized the truth that the only limitation is that which one sets up in one’s own mind. Being a philosopher as well as a preacher, Dr. Gunsaulus recognized, as do all who succeed in life, that DEFINITENESS OF PURPOSE is the starting point from which one must begin. He recognized, too, that definiteness of purpose takes on animation, life, and power when backed by a BURNING DESIRE to translate that purpose into its material equivalent. He knew all these great truths, yet he did not know where or how to lay his hands on a million dollars.

The natural procedure would have been to give up and quit by saying, “Ah well, my idea is a good one, but I cannot do anything with it because I never can procure the necessary million dollars.” That is exactly what the majority of people would have said, but it is not what Dr. Gunsaulus said. What he said and what he did are so important that I now introduce him and let him speak for himself. “One Saturday afternoon I sat in my room thinking of ways and means of raising the money to carry out my plans.

For nearly two years I had been thinking, but I had done nothing but think! “The time had come for ACTION! “I made up my mind, then and there, that I would get the necessary million dollars within a week. How? I was not concerned about that. The thing of importance was the decision to get the money within a specified time, and I want to tell you that the moment I reached a decision to get the money within a specified time, a strange feeling of assurance came a long time ago? The money was waiting for you all the time!’ “Things began to happen in a hurry. I called the newspapers and announced I would preach a sermon the following morning entitled, ‘What I Would Do If I Had a Million Dollars.’ “I went to work on the sermon immediately, but I must tell you frankly the task was not difficult because I had been preparing that sermon for almost two years. The spirit back of it was a part of me! “Long before midnight, I had finished writing the sermon. I went to bed and slept with a feeling of confidence, for I could see myself already in possession of the million dollars. “Next morning I arose early, went into the bathroom, read the sermon, then knelt on my knees and asked that my sermon might come to the attention of someone who would supply the needed money. While I was praying, I again had that feeling of assurance that the money would be forthcoming. In my excitement, I walked out without my sermon and did not discover the oversight until I was in my pulpit and about ready to begin delivering it. It was too late to go back for my notes, and what a blessing that I couldn’t go back! Instead, my own subconscious mind yielded the material I needed.

When I arose to begin my sermon, I closed my eyes and spoke with all my heart and soul of my dreams. I not only talked to my audience, but I fancy I talked also to God. I told what I would do with a million dollars if that amount were placed in my hands. I described the plan I had in mind for organizing a great educational institution where young people would learn to do practical things and at the same time develop their minds. When I had finished and sat down, a man slowly arose from his seat, about three rows from the rear, and made his way toward the pulpit. I wondered what he was going to do. He in you and your sermon, if you will come to my office tomorrow morning, I will give you the million dollars. My name is Phillip D. Armour.’”

Young Gunsaulus went to Mr. Armour’s office and the million dollars was presented to him. With the money, he founded the Armour Institute of Technology. That is more money than the majority of preachers ever see in an entire lifetime, yet the thought impulse back of the money was created in the young preacher’s mind in a fraction of a minute. The necessary million dollars came as a result of an idea. Back of the idea was a DESIRE which young Gunsaulus had been nursing in his mind for almost two years.

Observe this important fact — HE GOT THE MONEY WITHIN 36 HOURS AFTER HE REACHED A DEFINITE DECISION IN HIS OWN MIND TO GET IT — AND DECIDED UPON A DEFINITE PLAN FOR GETTING IT!

There was nothing new or unique about young Gunsaulus’ vague thinking about a million dollars and weakly hoping for it. Others before him, and many since his time, have had similar thoughts. But there was something unique and different about the decision he reached on that memorable Saturday when he put vagueness into the background and said definitely, “I WILL get that money within a week!” God seems to throw Himself on the side of people who know exactly what they want if they are determined to get JUST THAT! Moreover, the principle through which Dr. Gunsaulus got his million dollars is still alive! It is available to you! This universal law is as workable today as it was when the young preacher made use of it so successfully. Observe that Dr. Frank Gunsaulus had THROUGH THE POWER OF DEFINITE PURPOSE, PLUS DEFINITE PLANS.

If you are one of those who believe that hard work and honesty alone will bring riches, perish the thought! It is not true! Riches, when they come in huge quantities, are never the result of HARD work! Riches come, if they come at all, in response to definite demands, based upon the application of definite principles, and not by chance or luck.