French-German philosopher and theologian Albert Schweitzer once famously said, “Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Everyone wants to do well in life, but not everyone has the same definition of what exactly that means. For many people, getting ahead has nothing to do with wealth. Although everyone needs income to survive, how much you need depends on what your ultimate goals are and what it will take for you to reach them. Whether you are looking for money, for freedom, or for the chance to pursue your passion, having a clearly defined plan will help to get you there.

Success is Only for the Wealthy

Many people do not try to make their professional dreams come true for the simple reason that they believe you have to have money in order to make money, but this is not necessarily the case. Having a great idea, not being afraid to work hard, and possessing the long-term perspective necessary to fully realize a vision and to see it through are just as important if not more so than having a million dollars to invest. While having a lot of capital certainly doesn’t help, plenty of entrepreneurs have made a big impact with a smaller initial investment and the creativity to effectively use it to their advantage.

Advice from Billionaires

If you want to be successful, self-made billionaire Mark Cuban recommends, “Save your money. Save as much money as you possibly can. Every penny you can.” By not frivolously wasting your money, you will be able to reinvest it into your business or to devote more of it to endeavors that may pay off down the line. Let’s face it, we all love new shoes, fancy cars, and meals in trendy and expensive restaurants, but these things aren’t going to help you to get ahead. Listening to what highly successful individuals have to say about their own strategies can literally pay off big for your business.

Is Luck Smiling on You?

Talent, vision, perseverance, and hard work are all clearly elements you’ll need if you want to be successful, but for many people luck will also play a part in it as well. Some examples of this are actors who made it big in parts that were first offered to others, business owners whose products are promoted by a celebrity who uses them, and well-timed viral videos that create overnight media sensations. Sometimes it takes a lucky break to end up in the spotlight, and it doesn’t hurt to try to create your own good luck by being open to possibilities and by listening to your gut.

How Do You Define Success?

Ultimately, only you are able to decide if you have truly been successful. What it takes to feel like you have reached your goals will be different for everyone. Whether that means that you are making a comfortable living, you have broken into an industry that you thought was closed to you, you are a household name, or you have millions of dollars in the bank, the bottom line is that you made a plan, you stuck to it, and now you are reaping the rewards. When you are confident in your accomplishments, it’s hard to not feel like you are a success.

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