Success

10. Letting your gut-instincts keep you safe. T I believe that gut instinct is not just some strange source but 1- the spiritual essence of us and our connection with the source of life, but also 2- it is a lifetime of observation and learning from experience.

9. A lifetime of self-examination - I cannot stress this enough. We are a work in progress. You will make mistakes, your attitude will change and you will grow. But if you don't take the time to examine yourself and your attitudes along the way, you run the risk of becoming stagnant and brittle. 

8. Open mindedness to new ways of thinking. How many times have we seen people, throughout history, hold on to what they believe is the ONLY way to think, to find the world moving on without them? It doesn't mean you have to change your way of thinking or embrace it, just examine it, educate yourself about it and recognize that it may be here to stay.

7. Open mindedness to new technology--This relates to number 8 but in a business capacity, it is even more important.  Read! You can learn so much about anything by reading. And if you were tech savvy you would know the internet is the greatest addition to the library in regard to learning about everything!

6. Being streetwise and book-smart - There is nothing more important than having a reasonable balance of both. Naivety can cost you and not being educated to the level you need to function well in your chosen environment can cost you as well. .

5. Education and constant re-education -- I am not talking about college degrees here. Though they are a great start, you must continue to educate yourself. read everything, surf the net. Even when you think you've got it, press on.

4. A willingness to give back - First, take care of yourself. Put yourself in a position to give back. I've had the privilege to hear so many people speak about their ideas for new businesses. The first thing they say is that they want to help people and that they want to give away what they've got.If you feel like you got where you are on your own, look carefully I say, because you did NOT get to where you are without help. And much of it was given unselfishly and without restraint. Give generously and from the heart and don't look back! (CAUTION: DON'T ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE DRAINED DRY BY THOSE WHO LIKE TO PLAY UPON THIS NOTION EITHER)

3. Love and caring for yourself -  This is especially important because if you don't take care of your need first, you will not be able to help others and that includes your children, your spouse or anyone else. Do a great job, first for you. Excel for you. Then assist others, speak up for others, do for others.

2. How you treat people -- I believe in this. I don't think you really have to right to abuse people. Some people think that certain groups of people are okay to abuse. I am not speaking from a standpoint of race here either. 

1. Commitment to the journey - Are you committed? 

Commitment to the journey. It is the key to success. Because you will always see things that make you want to run. But you have to put your faith on the table. You really have to stand against all odds. It takes courage. And when you do this, you will succeed. As Goethe put it:

Whatever you can do or dream, you can begin it.

Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.

Begin it now.

- Goethe (1749-1832), German poet and dramatist