On other hand, don't ever put yourself down; challenge and test yourself before deciding whether you can do something or not. I was once in a position to apply for an internal promotion however I didn't do it. I got it into my head that I wouldn't be able to handle financial aspects of this new management position. When one of my colleagues, an accountant, asked me why I hadn't applied, I explained about financial bit. She didn't pull her punches - "You should have applied you idiot, you would've been able to do financial bit it's not that difficult and I would have helped you anyway."

You can imagine how I felt after that, I had allowed some program in my brain to influence me and missed an opportunity for promotion. It's important to listen to that voice in your head which is driven by your programs, but challenge it. When I now hear that voice in my head saying "You couldn't do that" I reply with "Well I'm going to give it a try before I decide."

Successful people have confidence in themselves, they accept their weaknesses but they don't see it as a failure. They speak out when they don't know something and they ask for help when they need it.

Have you ever asked a question at a meeting possibly feeling a bit stupid and thinking everyone else knows answer? At coffee break someone then says, "I'm glad you asked that question because I didn't know either but I didn't like to ask."

Successful people have courage to challenge what they hear in their own mind and also what they hear from other people.

It's vital to run your own mind and think before you speak or take action, however, it's also important not to think too much. Sometimes you need to trust your instincts and your gut feelings. If you're interviewing someone and your gut feeling is that this person isn't right for job, then don't hire them. Too often, business people suppress their gut feeling - they think, "I must be stupid, I'm probably wrong, they'll be okay once they've started working with me." - No they won't!

Using internet to source spectacles he found he could supply direct at about 20% of cost on high street stores. His new venture was spawned when he founded Glasses Direct. With support of student friends he set up a web site and supplied his customers from a spare room in his parents' house. He still lives at home.

The business now has more than 8,000 customers and sells more than 300 pairs a day. The venture has had it's problems from established industry but if it continues to grow at present rate this young man will become even more wealthy as someone buys him out.

Another great venture is housewife who wanted to buy her husband a present. He is a model train enthusiast. She found some difficulty in getting advice and sourcing present. So she spotted a niche and set up a web based business. It now employs twelve people and she has a supply for her husband who works in his job while she runs her new venture.

This article entitled ‘venture nothing - gain nothing' came very much on spur of moment, I guess my thinking is ‘lets get on with it'. If we keep doing what we did we will get what we got. The opportunities are out there even in most unlikely places.

Tip I try to use tips as a prompt to our thinking and applicable to this weeks' bulletin is ‘if you never begin you will never win'. All of true cases mentioned won because they started. Some in adversity went on to win.

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