Lesson: Failure simply means TRY AGAIN. It does not mean anything about you, that you are not worthy or not special or not meant to have what you want. You just have to keep trying.

Third, she learns from her mistakes. I notice she's refined her request time to times when she considers me most vulnerable. She gets me when I'm tired or otherwise occupied, or when there is someone else around and I'm not as likely to stand firm.

Lesson: Learn from your failures. You'll eventually be able to cut them down if you learn what NOT to do.

Fourth, she's flexible. At times when she sees I'm steadfast in my refusal to provide her drug of choice (ice cream, before you go off to summon proper authorities), she starts to negotiate for an alternative. Lollipop? Gum? Chocolate? Raisin? She usually gets me with raisin.

Lesson: Be flexible! Maybe you can't get EXACTLY what you want, but you can get an approximation. Ask for raisins!

Fifth, she eats like a pro. She eats broccoli, seafood, any crazy healthfood I decide to feed her. It makes me more likely to give her ice cream when I see she's "paid her dues" and eaten all good stuff I want her to.

Lesson: Pay your dues. Life rewards hardworking and diligent. Eat your broccoli and you're more likely to get ice cream.

Lastly, she loses with a big smile. Sometimes it turns into a joke and we laugh. So even when I "win" (and I don't really suspect I ever truly do), we stay friends and go on to negotiate another day.

Lesson: Take life's bumps with a smile. You never know when life is just two requests away from giving you a great big ice cream cone.

Well, there you have, toddler's philosophy to perseverance. Before you laugh and dismiss this as ramblings of a proud mom (guilty as charged!), take a moment to reflect on how much more successful we would all be if we faced life's challenges with aplomb of little children. Sure, they drop on floor and wail when they don't get their way (and just imagine how cathartic THAT would be if you could do that at your next meeting!) but they get right back up and try again, unafraid and unstoppable. A pretty good way to approach life, wouldn't you say?

Your own creativity and thought's will narrow down details. Simply taking those first awkward steps can literally set in motion a whole string of events that end up propelling you forward.

Things begin with an idea, but your action, no matter how small it may appear at first -- gives fuel to fire and eventually determines how successful your outcome. Remember, biggest of fires starts with smallest of embers.

While it may be true that you have no control over your beginnings. With enough courage to undertake and learn new sills we can indeed take control of our outcomes. We have no choice as to whether we're born into poverty or wealth, but at least to some extent we can determine if we'll stay there.

This doesn't mean that it won't be one heck of a fight to leave such humble beginnings if that's what we want. However, one need only look at countless examples of those who started from much humbler beginnings then you and I, yet achieved far greater things then life would have believed possible.

Look at such examples not in awe, but rather from a point of view that you are as capable of greatness as your fellow man or woman. Set out on your path today with knowing that greatness is within you. The objective is for you to figure out how to best bring it out... To your success, Josh Hinds