The program contains success tips which can be applied to many activities. The amateurs learned their own success lessons from the competition.

Louisa Lytton said: "Being on 'Strictly Come Dancing' has made me realize that I can overcome anything if I put my mind to it - even my worst nerves - and I've found a new determination in me that I never knew I had."

Many people live and die without discovering what they are capable of. Peter Schmeichel commented:

'Strictly Come Dancing' makes you realize you can do something you've never done before. It's a new world that opened up for me."

Matt Dawson, the rugby player, was criticised for not showing emotion. He later learned to smile as he danced. This raised his marks. Arlene, one of the judges, commented: "From boring to brilliant in six weeks!"

A grumpy looking person is unlikely to be successful in communicating with others. Communication is a huge part of success and if you can communicate well with one person, you can usually communicate well with a group and even a large audience.

Vincent Simone, a brilliant Italian professional dancer, made no secret of his emotions: "I love myself."

Claudia Winkelmann, an interviewer with a wry outlook, said: "We love you more if that is possible!"

Brian Tracy, the self-help expert, suggests that we should all look in the mirror daily and say: "I love myself, I love myself, I love myself." We can only bring the best out of ourselves when we love ourselves. We also need to believe in our own abilities.

Vincent certainly believed in his own ability: "I am numero uno!"

Mariann Keys, an Irish fan who felt that she 'might have been Lilia Kopylova if life had been kinder to her', asked him: "Were you always the most fabulous man alive or did it come gradually?"

Vincent replied: "It was since I was born when they held me in their arms."

Louisa Lytton, his partner, loved Vincent and admired his talent but did not take him too seriously:

"I think it is funny when Vincent goes around being the president of his own fan club."

Vincent, also, did not take himself too seriously and showed a cheeky sense of humour in his comments about the other dancers:

"Brendan will never get the passion because he was born in New Zealand and what do they do in New Zealand? Grow up 'sheeps'? I'm sorry Brendan. Italians do it better!"

Brendan Cole was well able to respond in kind and he, too, believed in himself:

"It is nice that Vincent believes in himself that much because to win this show you need to believe in yourself. I can't wait till he comes up to my standard!"

Brendan had, in fact, won the first in the series of 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

Success is unlikely unless you, at least, believe in your own abilities.

After 16 weeks, only two couples were left and both had the determination needed to win. Bruno Tonioli, a judge, summed it up:

"Tonight it is a clash of Titans - sporting Titans". One 'Titan' was Matt Dawson, a great rugby scrum half, and the other Mark Ramprakash, a great batsman.

It was also a clash of dancing divas: Lilia Kopylova, described as a 'Russian minx' by an admirer and Karen Hardy who seemed the most determined to win. Karen said:

"I love being top because in our business anything under first and you're a loser. I'm gunning for that final. Mark has no say in it whatever. He's just going to be hanging on for dear life."

Mark, too, was determined to win for the sake of Karen, his family and his supporters.

Craig, another judge, gave some advice about how Mark could win:

"Dance better and be good at ball room as well as Latin stuff. He needs to be good at everything. He needs to concentrate more and maybe work an extra couple of hours. To get over lack of confidence, you just have to get into the studio and work on those little things."

Rickie Tomlinson, a comedy actor, gave different advice:

"Get a few whiskies down you and then you couldn't care less. It works all the time!"

Mark and Karen's rivals were no pushovers. Matt Dawson had improved more than anyone else in the show and Lilia Kopylova, the brilliant dancer from Moscow, had won the competition in 2005.

Matt, at one point, described himself: "I'm a dogged, determined person. I can do it. I can do it! Come on work, work!"

Lilia had the same attitude: "We have to say: 'Let's do it, let's do it!' "

Matt and Lilia began well in the final. They scored 38 out of 40 for their first dance. Mark and Karen Hardy scored 34. Matt and Lilia then danced the samba. Their score was only 31.

Mark and Karen did the salsa because it is Mark's favourite dance. Karen and Mark threw everything into it and both looked stunning. The audience were shouting in appreciation and stood up at the end.

Craig commented: "Totally brilliant! I loved it."

Len Goodman, another judge, said: "There is a saying you could dance for joy and watching your salsa tonight has given me so much joy."

Mark commented: "Every time we dance we hope that people enjoy it and they want to dance too." They achieved a maximum score of 40. Karen was ecstatic.

If you work very hard at something, preferably with a skilled mentor, you will achieve the kind of excellence which brings joy with it and which can inspire others to achieve high standards too.

You will experience joy yourself and pass it on to others. Experiencing and giving this kind of joy is a key ingredient in any recipe for success. Joy is also a great motivator for both the performer and the audience.

Eventually the dancers reached the final show dance when they could put in as many lifts as they liked and could choose their own steps.

Matt and Lilia pulled out a great performance. Lilia praised her partner: "Matt has proved everybody wrong. He has become a dancer."

Len Goodman described their dance as containing: "A great balance of lifts and dance. I thought you did a really great job."

Arlene commented: "The lifts were absolutely amazing. What I saw there, Matt, was a cheeky performance which I have never seen before."

Karen was very quiet before her turn at the show dance: "Show dance is really hard and really dangerous."

However, she and Mark had the kind of relationship which combined trust and friendship. This was the kind of ground in which a magic performance could grow.

Mark described his relationship with Karen: "Not only is she a brilliant dancer. She's a great friend. I am massively privileged to have had Karen Hardy as my partner. I've just had the time of my life."

Earlier in the series he had said: "What I love about Karen is her enthusiasm."

Karen felt much the same: "I don't feel it is teacher and student anymore."

Karen and Mark danced with tremendous enthusiasm and enjoyment. At one point, Mark had Karen across his shoulders and bench pressed her up into the air. The next moment they were slapping palms like school kids in the play ground.

Bruno described their dance as: "The crowning glory on a spectacular night. That's entertainment! You were the king out there!"

Craig showed similar enthusiasm: "That has to be the winning dance! Passage is so difficult. Lifting dead weight is so difficult."

Karen gave Craig's comments a mixed reception!

Arlene said: "I think I have to say I was right. The boy can dance and most dancers couldn't do those lifts in 16 years let alone 16 weeks. He was amazing!"

Len Goodman, too, was in raptures: "Like the song said 'You just make me want to shout!'"

Mark said: "I'm a cricketer. I might have dropped her! The lifts were challenging to say the least."

Karen commented: "I wouldn't have trusted any one else to do that lift work with and I've never done lift work before."

Both couples were amazing and did some great lifts but Mark and Karen seemed to be having more fun and were more entertaining. One reason for this was that they had picked a more lively song: 'You make me want to shout!'

Over 12 million people voted in the final. Mark and Karen were the winners.

What success lessons can we learn?

You can achieve anything if you put your mind to it in a much shorter time than you thought possible.

You can do things you have never done before and have far more inner power than you realize.

Simply smiling as you work can change you 'from boring to brilliant'.

Loving yourself and believing in your own abilities will bring out the best in you.

Achieving excellence will bring joy and magic to yourself and others. You will make everyone, including yourself, want to shout with delight.

Enthusiasm, determination and all out effort will turn you into a winner and possibly a champion. You will become the kind of person who experiences joy on a regular basis.

A great partner can help to make you a champion.