Smart Women Are Lucky

We all want an abundant source of constant cash flow in our lives. We all want to be healthy and fit. We all want to live in favored neighborhoods and send our children to the best schools. We want quality vacations and to dine in restaurants that serve refreshing drinks and delicious food. Here's the Big Question: What steps have you taken to secure all of your "wants" in life?

I ran an anonymous survey recently in my business. There were questions about how you were going to accomplish your Big Idea, dreams, and goals. Some of the answers were: "Win the Lottery", "Get married again", or "I have no idea." Honest, but troubling answers. These answers tell me that many of us are not taking ownership for our future. We are waiting for someone or something to make it happen. From my own experience, I can tell you this is a huge mistake. It's like the old expression, "If it's to be, it's up to me!" You will need to take the required steps in order to create positive change in your life.

Have any of you who have achieved a certain degree of success been told by friends, family or colleagues, "We knew you could achieve that goal. You have always been lucky." Sound familiar to anyone? I know I've heard that a few times in my life. I was fortunate to have a mentor who became quite successful. He created a lot of abundance in his life. He grew up in real poverty. He once shared with me his definition of LUCK: "Laboring Under Correct Knowledge." Well said and I've never forgotten it. Two words stand out for me: Labor, which means work and Knowledge, which means taking classes and gaining the specialized knowledge that you need, including asking for help, in order to achieve your desired goals.

How about you? What are you willing to do in order to make your Big Ideas, Dreams, and Goals happen in 2009? What steps are necessary for you to create abundance in all areas of your life?

One of the exercises that the Women in my Success Circles do at the end of the year is to take a "Personal Inventory." It helps to illuminate what went well and also where they might need some support moving forward into the next year. Grab a pen and some paper. Find a quiet spot and jot down the answers to the following questions:

n1. What Goals were important to me in 2008? 2. Have I been persistent in following my plan to meet those goals? 3. Have I permitted procrastination to creep in? 4. Did I have enough support to accomplish my goals? 5. Did I use my time wisely?

These are just a few of the questions from the Personal Inventory exercise. I invite you to think about your answers. Be honest with yourself. If any of the questions were painful for you to answer because you are not where you want to be, I have good news for you! You are about to step into a New Year. You can create a new way of being. You can take positive action to make your dreams and goals come true. It all comes down to two things: Choice and Decision.

I'm going to leave you with one of the most powerful quotes of our time. You may have heard it before. It seems perfect as we get ready to step into 2009:

n "Our Deepest Fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? " Marianne Williamson

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.

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