How To Get What You Want - 1. SOMETHING TOUCHED HIM - Orison Swett Marden (1917) - HQ Full Book.

Chapter 1. "Something Touched Him" from How To Get What You Want by Orison Swett Marden (1917) In the opening chapter of How To Get What You Want, Orison Swett Marden sets the tone for the entire book with a poignant story and a powerful moral: that success begins with a moment of awakening — an internal stirring, often small, that ultimately drives transformation. Titled "Something Touched Him", this chapter weaves together allegory, anecdote, and motivational philosophy to illustrate the catalytic power of inspiration and desire.  

Marden opens with a seemingly simple narrative: a young man, down on his luck, aimless, discouraged, and worn down by life, finds himself wandering the streets of a city without direction or purpose. He is neither hopeful nor particularly ambitious. In fact, he’s emblematic of the defeated — someone whose dreams have faded into the background, dulled by rejection and fatigue. Yet, something happens. In a moment that could easily be missed, he feels “something touch him” — an invisible hand, a voice within, a sudden conviction. It's not an external event, but an inner shift. That brief, inexplicable feeling sets the course for everything that follows.  

This "touch" is what Marden identifies as the birth of aspiration. It is the instant when a person begins to believe again, to imagine possibility, and to recognize the value of one’s own potential. The story itself is deliberately open-ended. The “something” that touches the protagonist is never defined in concrete terms. It could be intuition, divine inspiration, or simply a flicker of hope — and this ambiguity is intentional. Marden wants us to recognize that these moments of awakening look different for everyone, but they all carry the same transformative weight.  

Marden’s message here is rooted in the New Thought movement and the broader ethos of self-help popular in the early 20th century. He believes that success is not primarily about circumstances, education, or luck — it is about inner vision, self-belief, and the ability to act upon the faintest stirrings of desire. This belief runs counter to the deterministic views of the time, where one’s background or social class often determined one’s future. Marden, instead, insists on the power of the individual spirit to rise above external limitations. The young man in the story, after being “touched,” begins to change. He lifts his head. He starts to think about his life in new terms. He begins to entertain the idea that maybe — just maybe — he could become something more. He walks with a little more purpose. He’s no longer just drifting. The mere presence of desire, that “something,” becomes his compass.  

Throughout the chapter, Marden drives home the idea that everyone has this moment available to them. He tells us that no one is truly lost unless they stop believing in the possibility of change. And change, he emphasizes, does not require a dramatic upheaval or a grand epiphany. It can begin with something as subtle as a whisper in the heart — a reminder of an old dream, a word of encouragement, a chance encounter, or even a sudden, quiet realization that “I was meant for more than this.”   This story serves as an allegory for the turning point in countless success journeys. The “touch” is symbolic of the internal ignition that precedes all outward action. It is that quiet but undeniable push that moves someone from lethargy into motion. Marden calls on readers to honor this spark when it arrives — to treat it not as a fleeting emotion but as a directive, a sign that they are being called to rise.  

Another notable aspect of this chapter is the emphasis on immediacy. Marden suggests that once this inner stirring occurs, one must act. The danger, he warns, is in ignoring or dismissing it. Many people, he writes, have felt the touch but allowed fear, procrastination, or doubt to smother it. In doing so, they’ve walked away from the very door that was opening for them. Thus, the chapter serves not only as a meditation on the genesis of ambition but also as a call to courage — the courage to follow that whisper wherever it may lead.  

From a stylistic standpoint, Marden’s writing is earnest, rich in metaphor, and deeply humanistic. He speaks directly to the reader, assuming both empathy and authority. He believes in the reader’s potential, and that belief is palpable in every sentence. His tone is motivational but not preachy, uplifting without being naive. His confidence in the power of individual transformation is contagious. 

In contemporary terms, “Something Touched Him” would be described as the spark that begins a personal development journey. It's that moment when the fog lifts, when someone decides that mediocrity or despair are no longer acceptable, when a person begins — not just to want more — but to believe that they are capable of achieving more. Marden identifies this moment as sacred and profound. He believes it is the birthright of every person, and he implores his readers to recognize it when it comes.  

Marden closes the chapter by reinforcing the idea that this spark is not a fluke or a rare blessing. It is available to anyone, anywhere, at any time. The only prerequisite is a readiness to respond. Whether that touch comes through inspiration, hardship, beauty, or pain, it’s not what caused it that matters — it’s what we do with it. In the end, "Something Touched Him" is not just a story. It’s a mirror held up to the reader, a quiet but powerful reminder that each person holds the key to their future. The key doesn’t lie outside — in money, luck, or social standing — but within, waiting to be turned by the hand of awakened desire.   For those looking to get what they truly want in life, Marden's first and perhaps most important lesson is this: pay attention to the moment something touches you. It could change everything.  

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