We have all been in each of these areas at one point of our lives or another.

We've been wanderers, asking others what we should do, what would be good for us, looking for hints into what choices we need to make to bring us happiest of all possible lives.

We've been couch potatoes sitting back "thinking" about things waiting for just right moment "I'll begin doing what I want once kids are grown up or once car is paid off, or when planets are aligned. Boy, will I start living then."

And we've been searchers. At points in our lives, we've had ideas as to what we needed to do. But we saw different things we along way. "I need that new computer," or "I need to buy that book so I could do a better job," or we find more projects to get into. "One of these has to be what makes difference."

Of these different ways of living that seem to lead us no where except around in circles, they have one other thing in common: A lack of a "chosen direction."

Without a destination, we wander. We may get to see a lot of things, but nothing that will keep us going. Without a destination, we wait. We think it is for best, but we pass up so much more this way. And without a destination, we search. We look around for signs pointing us somewhere better, but they're are more like detours keeping us further from anything we would have been.

So, time has come once again to plan what we will do next year. It's time for each of us to pick a destination and get started on a dream journey.

After all, if you don't know where you're going, you'll probably end up... somewhere else.

And no one should end up there by accident.

To finally reap rewards of success, obviously talent has to be there on long slow road to success - and at time of success...but has it always been there? Chess geniuses, athletes, tennis players, architects, athletes, scientists, dress designers and advertising creative directors. These "creative types"! There can be talent deep within; but there has to be hard work and training before talent bears fruition - so that it can succeed against (all) others...and this often takes a great deal of time to bear fruit.

I believe in life it's firstly a matter of finding your "niche", then unlocking your unique talents...and finding it is most difficult part. You may not even be aware you have any special gifts. That is "key" to success. As I mentioned, I found whatever little ones I had through a process of serendipity... and it's probably my one and only talent! My writing, I mean. Once uncovered, it's then a question of building on it and maximising it. Maria Callas, opera singer with "a voice like an angel" put a great deal of effort into maximising her talent. Sometimes a phenemenol talent, like a Juan Manuel Fangio*, Jim Clark or Ayrton Senna soars above all others; but in most cases it's effort and total dedication put in to make most of one's natural talents, that puts an individual into realm of a superstar - someone who is on a different level, a cut above best of rest. * Fangio won World Driver's Championship five times.

One can sometimes substitute hard work, training, experience and strategy for flair. Nice word that 'flair'. Could be a girl's name. Some detectives are like "Mr Plod", while a few sleuths have natural insight of a Sherlock Holmes. Most others have to get results through hard detailed work in uncovering cases. I don't yet know whether I'm a "natural" writer or a methodical plodder, a "gatherer and passer-onner of useless" information through a great deal of effort. Perhaps only time will tell!

I might have mentioned before (once, twice or ten times) that this manuscript has been written for anyone: from most lowly amateur to real 'pros' in sporting world. o no matter how lowly your abilities, make most of them. As I mentioned already, a positive attitude to life is all- important. A positive attitude says that your natural talent can be maximised. It also says that without further effort, natural talent will be wasted. I do like repeating myself: for emphasis primarily and as a sign of oncroaching senility too.

Sometimes persistent effort alone won't succeed in getting you to top - only sheer talent will do that... together with consistent effort to keep you at "the top of tree". Never mind - JUST TRY TO IMPROVE yourself and simply DO YOUR BEST at all times.