"The Irrefutable Law of Success - It is about giving and not necessarily receiving."

First and foremost, happy new year and wishing you a prosperous 2007. It is that time of the year when people start to bring out their pens and pads and jot down their new year resolutions. Planning to cut out those bad habits which may have kept you back from achieving your goals, this could be anything, failing to apply for that dream job because fear of rejection, or holding back in asking your boss for a much needed pay raise or promotion in your job.

Do i believe in new year resolutions? Well, no, as experience has taught me otherwise. I have however discovered what works best is focusing on developing good habits and eliminating bad ones and then maintaining those good habits over a long period of time. Good habits are difficult to form and easy to let go, conversely bad habits are easy to form and harder to let go. If you are a smoker, you may relate to this or anyone who has tried developing a good habit. It is a subtle mind shift so instead of merely writing statements which by and large never get completely fulfilled it is best to focus on developing good habits and that way you will see your plans coming to fruition.

So how does success relate to giving or indeed your career, you ask? Well, massively, your success in life, business or career is directly related to what you give out, they are inextricably linked. Trying to defy this theory is like working against nature. You cannot get what you are not prepared to give.

You will find most successful people have increased their wealth and happiness from giving out either to charity or some other venture. Remember, success is not all about money, it helps a great deal, but by focusing on giving you can truly leave a legacy and be highly regarded among your peers.

Warren Buffet is the 2nd richest man on the planet, the man behind Berkshire Hathaway, the most expensive share on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). He is reputed to be worth $40 billion dollars, and recently donated $30 billion dollars to the Bill and Melinda Gates Charity Foundation, is that success or what? You bet it is, success is linked to what you are prepared to give away, and some have said, it is about what you are willing to keep behind. A pensioner prepared to give £100.00 is a great deal, £1000.00 on the otherhand to a millionaire is nothing.

So when you are next in an interview situation and asked whether you consider yourself successful, don't focus on what you have personally gained moneywise, rather put the spotlight on what you have given in terms of your contribution to the success of your company. Remember, service comes first and, remuneration second. Also, don't forget, you are the product and the client is the customer, so you have to show that you have their best interest at heart.

I shall leave you with some very wise words from one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century - Sir Winston Churchill - "Success is never final, failure is never fatal, it is courage that counts." A timeless piece of advice.

See you next time.

Femi