3. Write them down! Have courage to put your intentions on paper, in your own words. Be specific and describe your goals in detail. When will you achieve them? What will success look like? Write down details and read your goals every day, even take a moment to briefly summarize them every morning. Stay focused.

4. Take ACTION! To run a marathon, you must jog every day. Building a business requires that you make sales, every day. A loving marriage or happy kids require your time, your attention and your love, every day. Your daily actions need not be profound or heroic, but they must be consistent and persistent. Every day!

Success does not "just happen". It is built like a work of art. First, it is imagined, then skills, tools and materials are gathered, and artist sets about creating a thing of beauty. It takes time. It requires skill, determination, persistence and faith. Just as an artist will make preliminary sketches and work out details in her mind, so your success requires written goals, careful choices, clear commitments and daily persistence. You can do this. Make something magnificent of your life!

6. Develop a network of people to help you achieve your goals (and you can help them achieve their goals at same time). First, you must be aware of them. It's a "win-win" situation. Be enthusiastic at all times, because enthusiasm is catching.

7. Take ACTION, that first step...then next will follow naturally ...and far more easily. Nothing can stop you now. "Roll up sleeves" and get down to work. I believe first prerequisite for success is loving what you do. I love writing, although it's very lonely (and probably world's most solitary occupation). Always remember, life is not a 100 metres sprint - it's a marathon. So rest when you feel you need to and don't feel guilty about it (something I have to learn!). Have fun along journey. Perservere and persist in your quest.

Take responsibility for your own abundance and your learning throughout 'game of life'. Appreciate your abundance daily and give thanks to Universe for what you do have.

Have faith in yourself - believe deeply in yourself, but even more deeply in a Power far Greater than yourself... who loves you and wants what's best for you. The spiritual journey may take far longer than you thought, so be patient.

NB:

Always remember,

The measure of success is not money, but learning and growth.

Measure success in learning and growth - nothing else is important. Work is a place each of us creates in order to grow. It is laboratory for experimenting with our potential

10. When working for yourself, this is a time of unprecedented change in your life. Work allows you to put into place skills and knowledge acquired through education. It is a time to experiment with our potential and various demands made upon us. Initially we learn to work in teams, working towards a common objective. Then gradually in our working careers we learn to take on more and more responsibility.

Believe you deserve to be abundant - though not more than others. It's a matter of finding a balance between your ambitions and your responsibilities. Be accountable and socially responsible.

You can't force people to change. Listen to your intuition, truth and love. That is "voice" of Higher Power, God speaking to you.

Wherever you are, what better time to start than NOW!

Craig Lock

* Craig Lock is author of numerous books and articles on money management and life assurance, as well as how to make most of your life. He lives in beautiful and tranquil New Zealand), where he has thetime, space and peace of mind to think about life and write.