“The Talent of success is nothing more than doing what you can do well, without a thought of fame” – Henry W. Longfellow Before you can set the wheels in motion to save money, pay down your debt, plan for a hassle-free early retirement, you must delve into the very basis of what makes you tick, what makes you unique. You must understand what you ultimately have to do to be successful – in finance, business and personal life.  You must comprehend that people are not born into failure. The majority of individuals are endowed with all the tools needed to achieve success. It matters not if one is born into mansion or log cabin. The ability to achieve personal success in all endeavours, including financial independence and self worth, is locked into one’s psyche at birth. What is needed are keys to unlock potential and opportunity.  People must learn to recognize the keys. Steadily and conscientiously you can change your life from one of existing from pay-to-pay, one of worrying relentlessly,  to one of financial security and well-being.  You must understand that everyone has emotional baggage that hampers their progress. You begin to collect this baggage at birth and the load gets heavier as the years roll by.  That baggage causes you to falter, to show insecurity, to hesitate. You can shed your baggage, leave it on some obscure platform with no return address or you can carry it on your back forever.  “I was born unlucky”  –  “I was born not to succeed” is not a valid excuse as the world embraces the 21^st century. Opportunity asks little of you but recognition, imagination and hard work.  Everyone is born the child of opportunity. Opportunity recognizes neither poverty nor wealth. It lives quietly, waiting for the chance to knock.  It expects you to answer the door and to know what to do when it presents itself. The path to financial security, personal freedom and well-being is steeper today than ever before. Although this path presents a challenge, it is not impossible to climb. Certainly, there are boulders and blind spots that you must conquer. But, there are also well defined steps and rare opportunities that give extra leverage – keys –  to those who know how to recognize and use them. To succeed you must secure ground, hold fast and push hard. You must begin with small steps through rough ground and over high hurdles.  Some people refuse to expand their horizons and potential through opportunity. They never climb that path, or answer the door. They wait furtively for their money train to arrive, praying that it will pull into their station with the next lottery ticket purchased.  They are convinced that financial security will be found at the end of a rainbow, with the scratch of a ticket, at the bottom of a money pit. They don’t realize that there are very few quick routes to finding wealth and well-being.  Before you begin your journey, remember that wealth does not bring automatic happiness. Both are companions to success. When talking about success Lady Mary Wortley Montague said. “Be alive. Be patient, Work Hard. Watch opportunities. Be rigidly honest. Hope for the best.  You don’t know what you are capable of achieving until you really try. Financial security and happiness are within your grasp. Success does not automatically mean being placed at the top of the heap. Success is, as Longfellow states, doing something well, without a thought to fame. When something is done well, self-respect and self-worth follow. Self-respect and self-worth lead to security in all things. It is easy to blame others for your failure to achieve. It is hard for some to take control, to take the first steps. No matter how long the road, map your own destiny my friends. Miles fall away as confidence in oneself comes to the fore. Give yourself the respect of saying “I tried and I succeeded.”  Control circumstances by steering them in positive and fruitful directions. Gird yourself with ten weapons for success. They are easily memorized. You must recognize that possessing is not a sign of security; that the acquisition of things does not result in a satisfactory end result; that you can live with less. Possessions do not make the man You must be willing to give up a little to achieve a lot. You must be comfortable in your skin. You are an individual with your own set of circumstances, strengths and weaknesses. Your opportunities will be unique unto yourself. You must be conscientious and honest about saving money, even if it begins with nickels and dimes. You must believe in your ability to succeed, not matter the circumstances under which you presently live. You must always be focused on the future you have mapped for yourself. Never expect a pot of gold at the end of the path. Always keep your eye on the next hill, the next challenge. You must be willing to roll with the punches, to make the best of often disguised opportunities. You must be alert to recognizing opportunities and potential in seemingly benign situations. You must persuade all those around you that they too can achieve financial security, success, well being, happiness and security by following your lead.