It's been a long time since the all the mass media was talking doom and gloom. If you believed them we are at the edge of disaster with a group of rugby front rowers ready to give us a shove.

I think it really is just a matter of perspective. I have just visited Mumbai, India's commercial capital, a teaming metropolis of 18 million people, and that really gives you a different prospective of what constitutes success or failure. India everything I expected and more... more poverty than I can comprehend and more wealth than seems reasonable, living in close proximity.

Back home in Perth, I needed to walk around the city to regain my sense of what is normal. And when I was doing that I contemplated what would be considered SUCCESS. So, I have been reading about things that matter. I came across a great book by Hal Urban called: Life's Greatest Lessons: 20 Things That Matter

Here is what Hal Urban says about success:

The great philosopher Thomas Carlyle once wrote,

"Let each become all that he was created capable of being."

Isn't that a great definition of success. Life challenges us every day to develop our capabilities to the fullest.

"Success means doing the best with what we have." Wynn Davis

Life doesn't require us to always come out on top. It asks only that we do our best at each level of experience. This is what successful people do in some of the most important areas of life:

Successful people accept life as it is, with all its difficulties and challenges. They adapt to it rather than complain about it. They accept responsibility for their own lives instead of blaming or making excuses. They say YES to life in spite of negative elements and make the most out of it, no matter what the circumstances.

Successful people develop and maintain a positive attitude toward life. They look for good in others and in the world, and usually seem to find it. They see life as a series of opportunities and possibilities, and always explore them.

Successful people build good relationships. They're sensitive to the needs and feelings of others. They're considerate and respectful. They have a way of bringing out the best in other people.

Successful people have a sense of direction and purpose - they know where they're going. They set goals, accomplish most of them, and then set new goals. They accept and enjoy a challenge.

Successful people have a strong desire to learn: about life, the world, and themselves. They see learning as a joy, not a duty. They continually enrich their lives by learning new things and improving themselves. They are always discovering, always growing.

Successful people are action-oriented. They get things done because they're not afraid of hard work, and they don't waste time. They use it in constructive ways. They don't get into ruts or become bored because they're too busy looking for new experiences.

Successful people maintain high standards in their personal conduct. They know that honesty is one of the main ingredients in the character of a good person. They are consistently truthful in both their private and public lives.

Successful people understand the difference between existing and living, and always choose the latter. They get the most out of life because they put the most into it. They reap what they sow. And they enjoy life to the fullest.

So, regardless of your circumstances, you can choose to be a success. I challenge you to make that choice. By doing nothing, you have chosen a life that is less than you deserve.