My pursuit for financial success still eluded me; I have tried nearly everything to be rich. I have tried most of them and still going through process. It did not occur to me until recently that efforts I put in raising my children had produced its rewards. My kids are well adjusted, they are healthy. Justin is going to be a dad at age of 25, when he was born when I was 20. Jasmin, eldest daughter is a school teacher. Ashley, my number two son has just settle into an apprenticeship as a panel beater. Sharee, who had just turned eighteen, is a free spirit. She has a job but no ambition, nothing seems to faze her and I worry about her a bit. The other three children, Alysha, sixteen, Crystal, fourteen and Jordan who is our baby boy will turn twelve in September.

I now look at success with different eyes, I might not be rich when it comes to money but I am very rich and very successful and I am going to be a granddad. Hoo! Hoo! Life is wonderful.

Personal influence radiates from real person; whereas an unreal persona exercises personal manipulation. Personality- disguises are inauthentic, disingenuous, and self-defeating. Even best orator will be unconvincing if he does not believe his own message. Yet an unskilled speaker can have audience hanging on his every word - as long as meaning carries weight. Authenticity makes difference.

The mechanistic perfectionist may be admired at beginning; but it's sound of authentic soul that will please listener's ear longest. Words that come straight from your heart speak straight to hearts of others. So it's useless to preach unless YOU are sermon. Your words will ring hollow unless you are seen and felt to live their meaning.

The Biblical Pharisee is one who lays down law enthusiastically, but practices none of spirit. The modern Pharisee fails to "walk talk."

If we want to have positive influence in world, we have to be good people on behalf of world. And since every individual is part of world, we must be good to every individual we meet - otherwise our influence will not spread in ways that we wish.

======================================= Rev Dr John L. Clements is an international writer, speaker, life coach and author of "Excellence Becomes You: proven principles to raise your life from mediocrity to excellence" http://www.bookshaker.com/product_info.php?products_id=54 =======================================