1. Sense of purpose. Knowing why you get out of bed in the morning is perhaps the number one key to living a happy and rewarding life. Research conducted by Scrully Blotnik followed 1500 people for 20 years. 83% of the sample (group A) had embarked on a career for the reason of making money now in order to do what they wanted later. The balance (group B) chose their career based on what they wanted to do now and would worry about the money later. At the end of 20 years, 101 had become millionaires. Of all the millionaires, all but one were from group B, the group that had chosen to pursue what they loved! What’s your passion and purpose?

2. Clarity of vision. At the crossroads in Alice in Wonderland, Alice asks the Cheshire Puss which way she ought to go. "That depends a good deal on where you want to get to," said the cat. ‘I don’t much care where – " said Alice. ‘Then it doesn’t matter which way you go," replied the cat. If you don’t know where you are going, then it is impossible to work out how to get there. In 1961, President John F. Kennedy enrolled the American people into a vision of ‘sending a man to the moon and back’ by the end of the decade. The question is ‘did America know how to do that in 1961?’ The answer is no, however because the vision was so clear and compelling, the ‘how to’ was found. When you get clear as to where you are going, the ‘how to’ will almost take care of itself. Most people abandon their dreams because the ‘how to’ is not instantly apparent.

3. Ability to enroll others. "Great leaders create a vision; articulate that vision; passionately own that vision; and relentlessly drive it to completion." So says Jack Welch, the soon to retire CEO of General Electric. People will follow you because they want what you’ve got. In the absence of their own clarity of future, they will latch on to your purpose and direction. People deep down all want direction in their lives. Great leaders help give them that direction. If you want to know how good a leader you are, take a moment to look over your shoulder and see how many are following.

4. Goal directed. Can you imagine going to a professional basketball match and the confusion that would arise if someone forgot to put the goals up? What would the teams have to shoot at? Further imagine the disappointment that would occur if at the end of the game, someone had forgotten to keep score. Successful people through the ages have all known one thing, the importance of having clear goals in all twelve areas of their life. Clear goals happen by choice. What have you chosen to aim for in life?

5. Focused. Confucius say, "man who chase two rabbits, catch none." Every four years at the Olympic games we see the very best athletes competing in a variety of events. How many of those athletes compete in more than one event? Practically zero. The only ones who do, compete in events like the 100 and 200 metres, events that are very similar. What we don’t see is an athlete competing in swimming one day, javelin the next followed by horse riding on day three. Yet how often do we see individuals endeavouring to be involved in a range of varied and diverse activities? Take the lead form Olympic athletes and get focused. In this rapidly changing world, you may have to be a ‘jack of all trades’ but you can only afford to be a ‘master of ONE!’

6. Organised. The old saying ‘plan your work and work your plan’ is as relevant today as it ever was. In fact, as the world continues to become asset rich and time poor, getting organised is perhaps the quickest way to extract more out of every day. Planning however takes time. It is important to schedule a time, either at the beginning of the day, or last thing the night before, to sit down and prepare a ‘do list’. With out some order in your day, you will bounce from one task to another ending up tired and dissatisfied with your results.

7. Disciplined. Whilst most people associate discipline with some form of punishment, let me share a definition of discipline which may help to dissipate present beliefs. Discipline is quite simply "doing what needs to be done at the time that it needs to be done." That’s it! Not painful at all. Some years ago, a seminar participant shared with the group how her life had changed the day that she determined that ‘never again, under any circumstances, would she ever go to bed without doing the dishes.’ As she said, sometimes at 3am on a Sunday morning after a raging dinner party and three bottles of ‘red’, doing the dishes is not one’s greatest desire in life, however she stuck with it and has found many spin off benefits through having more discipline in her life.

8. Keeping good records. If Wal-Mart, the world’s largest employer with over 1 million employees and turnover in excess of $150 billion per annum can do a full set of financials every hour, then what’s your excuse. The demise of many a great business has been caused by poor record keeping. When lost in the bush, but equipped with map and compass, what else to you need to get ‘unlost’? You need to know where you are on the map. Otherwise the map is useless. As it is with personal and business ‘maps’. If you don’t know where you are, the best plans in the world are of little use. Keeping up to date and accurate records is the easiest way of constantly knowing where you are.

9. Ambitious, desire to achieve. At the end of the day, you have to want to do something in order to do it well. If your heart is not in something, it will always be a struggle. What’s you ambition? What will your tombstone read? "Here lies John or Mary, they died sailing around the world single handed in a ten foot boat at the age of 95." Or "Here lies John or Mary, they worked as a clerk for the same company for forty-five years." The choice is yours.

10. Competitive. Competition does not have to be a zero sum game. Winning does not have to be at the expense of something or someone else. The Japanese have primarily been successful by competing against themselves. Their principle of Kaizen is about ‘constant and never ending improvement’ Their competitive attitude is, that just because something is perfect today, it doesn’t mean that it can’t be better tomorrow. Competition is about striving to be your best. To make your product or service the best there is the market.

11. Enthusiastic. Greek in origin, the root of the word means ‘the god within’. Enthusiasm is about being intensely interested in something. Enlivening your spirit is the easiest way to be enthusiastic. Again, if your heart or spirit is not in what you are doing, it’s impossible to be enthusiastic. Tap into your passion and your enthusiasm will flow.

12. Optimistic. "Always look on the bright side of life…’ goes the song and what great advice it is. I’m sure you’ve seen the old ‘glass half full’ of water exercise. What do you see? The pessimist sees a glass that is half-empty, whilst an optimist sees a glass that is half full. On closer examination, we see that the pessimist is focussing on what is not there, what has gone, what has been used. They focus on the past. Whereas the optimist is focussing on what is present, what is left, what remains to be used. In other words they focus on the future and what they have to work with to make that future the brightest it can be. By the way, a realist doesn’t see either. They just see a glass that’s twice as big as it needs to be.

13. Persistent. The land where the mighty Colorado River flows was once flat, yet now it is home to the Grand Canyon, one of the deepest valleys on earth. It’s hard to realise that this canyon was caused by water wearing away rock, yet that is what happened. The rock gave way to the persistence of the water. So it is with most things in life. Great salespeople will tell you that persistence more than anything else is what separates them from the ‘also-rans’. Tiger Woods will tell you that what makes him a great golfer is that every day, he hits more golfballs than anyone else does. Like mighty rivers, successful people just keep on keeping on.

14. Consistent. One of the reasons why McDonalds is so successful is because no matter where you go in the world, the quality of their food is so consistent. A Big Mac in New York tastes the same in Moscow, Hong Kong or Sydney. As such, customers know in advance what to expect. As a leader of people, it is important that your attitude and leadership style be consistent from day to day. It is hard for people to relate to a Jeckle and Hyde personality. People don’t like surprises. Being a tyrant one day and a pushover the next only creates confusion and chaos. What ever you choose to be, at least be consistent. The same applies to your product or service.

15. Clear values and ethics. "If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything." The precursor to being a great decision-maker is to have very clear personal values and ethics. Your values and ethics underpin all your behaviour. They are the principles of how you live your life. For some people, if I offered them a hundred dollars to rip the wings off a live monarch butterfly, they would not hesitate. For others, not even a million dollars would entice them to violate the sanctity of life and cause pain and suffering to another living creature.

16. Decisive. "Procrastination is my sin, it causes me such sorrow. I really must amend my ways, in fact I’ll start tomorrow." In my opinion, indecision is the number one cause of stress in modern times. Because people now have so many choices before them, deciding what to be, what to do, and what to have is not the simple exercise it once was. Henry Ford knew the difficulty people have in making decisions, which is why he said you could have any colour of Ford Automobile you want, so long as it was black. Having made a decision, you can nearly always change it.

17. Honest. Honesty is exactly the same as pregnancy. It’s impossible to be a little bit pregnant. You either are or you aren’t. You’re either honest or you’re not. Sometimes people delude themselves by giving themselves permission to tell ‘white lies’. Business managers who tell receptionists "if so and so calls, tell them I am not in", are creating a culture where telling lies is okay. The most important aspect of honesty is self-honesty. It may be possible to deceive others and con the world, but at the end of the day you cannot fool yourself.

18. Trustworthy. Trust is a value that is rather hard to define; however we all know when it exists and we know when it is missing. Trust is that intangible ‘knowing’ if someone can be relied upon. Can they be trusted to do what they said they will do? In any relationship, can all parties be trusted to abide by the rules agreed to and commitments made? Trust is something that can take years to create, yet can be destroyed in an instant.

19. Punctuality. Being on time is a contract that you make between others and yourself. Not honouring that contract shows disrespect for other people and ‘steals’ their time. Being on time is one of the simplest ways of showing others that you care. People who are always late, are always late. Sounds like a statement of the obvious, but they are late in everything they do. They pay their bills late, servicing their car is always overdue, and their bank accounts are never reconciled etc.etc. They also miss the boat when presented with new opportunities. They are buying shares when others are selling. They get a hot tip and act on it when the opportunity has passed. As Buddha said, "how you do one thing is how you do everything."

20. High personal standards. Leaders know that when you boil leadership down to its most basic components, words are meaningless. Leaders know that people will follow based on what they see, not on what they hear. Having high personal standards across all aspects of your life is fundamental to achieving a happy and rewarding life.

21. High self esteem. The best definition I have ever heard for self-esteem is ‘I matter’. This is not some egotistical or conceited point of view that puts you ahead of others, but rather it emphasises that what ever is going on in your life, you are an important part of the equation. When airlines go through their emergency procedures at the beginning of every flight, they say, "if rapid pressurisation of the cabin should occur, oxygen masks will drop from the bulkhead above. For those of you travelling with small children, please attend to yourself first." This is an obvious example of needing to put yourself in a position of strength in order to be of service to others.

22. Strong work ethic. You’ve probably heard the saying before, but it’s worth repeating. ‘The only time success comes before work, is in the dictionary.’ Just turning up and punching the time clock from 9 ‘til 5 will not work. Never has, never will. The universe works on a law of reciprocity. You get out what you put in. Eastern religions call it karma. The quickest way to receive a smile, is smile. The quickest way to get a smack in the mouth is to smack someone in the mouth. Work hard and the results will follow. Guaranteed!

23. Perpetual learner. The amount of information available to us all is doubling about every six months. Keeping up with that deluge of information is paramount to our success. It is said that more changes will occur in the first decade of this century that in the last fifty years. If you are not engaged in some form of ongoing education, then you are being left behind. It is important to realise that the responsibility for maintaining the currency of your knowledge is yours alone. It is not the responsibility of your employer. Setting a goal to read at least one new book a week is a great place to start.

24. Knowledge. There are three main areas in which one needs to keep current. The first is product or service knowledge. It is important to be as up to date as possible in all aspects of the product or service that you, your business or profession is involved in. This includes knowledge of all competitor products and services. The second area is market knowledge. What’s happening in your market? What are the current trends influencing your market? And the third area is industry knowledge. What are your competitors up to? Who are the movers and the shakers? What innovative practices are your competitors implementing? It is incumbent upon you to keep abreast of all developments in all three areas.

25. Selling and negotiating skills. Nothing happens in this world unless somebody sells something. If you are not convinced, take a look around the room in which you are reading this article and try and find something that is not there as the result of a sale having been made. Some people point to themselves or others. I respectfully suggest that you are the result of a very successful sale having been made. Sales do not always involve money. Enrolling people into your vision is not about money; it’s about you selling and people buying your ideas. Having excellent selling and negotiating skills is paramount to surviving and thriving in an ever-increasing competitive world.

26. Convincing and persuasive. If you have leadership responsibilities, getting people to follow your lead may require more than just demonstrating the behaviour you desire in others. It is likely that you will be required to convince others of your point of view. The key to doing this is to apply the old sales adage of WIIFM, ‘what’s in it for me’. One of life’s great truths is that the overwhelming majority of people are motivated out of self-interest. Sad, but true. Therefore linking benefits to emotions is fundamental to your success in convincing others.

27. Good memory. Having a great memory starts with positive self-talk. I wouldn’t mind a dollar for every time I have heard someone say, "I can’t remember people’s names, I can’t remember jokes etc.etc." Life is mostly a self-fulfilling prophecy, so be careful what you convince your self of. There are numerous memory seminars, workshops, books and tapes that provide excellent strategies to develop a good memory. As such there is no excuse not to have a good memory.

28. Computer literate. Basic computer skills are a must in today’s technological environment. I know of very few businesses or households that are devoid of computers. Knowledge of word-processing packages such as Microsoft Word and spreadsheet programmes like Excel are essential for survival in today’s employment marketplace. Mastering these programmes and keeping up with technological advancements is now a personal responsibility along side basic language and numerical skills. I strongly recommend, if you haven’t already done so, to enroll in a ‘touch typing’ course. It will save you hours of frustration every week. No more two finger typing.

29. Articulate and well spoken. All the education in the world will go down the drain if you are inarticulate and unable to be understood. Speaking out loud, just like any other skill, takes practice. One of the simplest and most effective ways of improving your speaking skills is to read a book out loud to yourself for fifteen minutes every day. What further helps, is to read a variety of works including the classics and poetry. You will probably feel a little awkward to begin with, but persist because the benefits are well worth it.

30. Love people. Not having an affinity for people is a sure way to make life a struggle. Whilst people’s behaviour may not always be to your liking, the ability to separate the individual from their behaviour is a great skill to develop. I believe that even the most obnoxious people have a good side to them. It is often by striving to find the good in others that we can be pleasantly surprised. Love and respect people and you’ll be amazed how they shine. Treat them with disdain and they will respond accordingly.

31. Friendly. Having a warm and friendly disposition is another one of the keys to living an enjoyable life. Getting on with people greatly reduces the stress of modern living. As does being surrounded by good friends. If you want greater friendship in your life, then simply be a better friend to those around you and those you come in contact with.

32. Good people skills. Good managers of people are always in great demand. The basis for good people skills is the ability to understand, communicate and relate to people on their level. The ability to understand where it is they are coming from and knowing what motivates them.

33. Good communication skills. As with all other skills, they are learnt and can only be developed with practice. Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is a science worth learning. It enables you to appreciate the differences in the way that people communicate. Understanding the various learning and communication styles enables you to determine the difference between what some one is saying as opposed to what it is they may mean. A skill that delivers many benefits. Dale Carnegie’s classic "How to win friends and influence people" is also a must read for anyone that manages or interacts with people.

34. Build rapport easily. In the development of any relationship between people, there is always an initial period where each person spends time, albeit mostly subconsciously, working out who, what, and where the other person is coming from. It’s a trust building exercise. Is this person really who they say they are? Do I like them? Can I work with them? The degree to which you can establish rapport with people makes a huge difference in the subsequent quality of the relationship. Studying NLP assists with techniques such as ‘mirroring’ to speed up the rapport building process.

35. Active listener. Nature is always a great teacher. At birth, we were given communication equipment that includes two ears, two eyes, one mouth and one heart. A pretty good indication as to the ratio in which they should be used. Active listening involves engaging all four listening devices. Research reveals that when we communicate with others face to face, the breakdown of how we communicate shows that the words we use count for 7%, how we use our voice 38%, and our physiology or body language a massive 55%. Just listening to the words means we miss 93% of the message. The other key to active listening is to suspend all judgment about what the other person is saying until after they have finished.

36. Sincere. How often has someone greeted or thanked you and you felt that their words were completely hollow. Or, vice versa, the words of your communication to another were completely devoid of any sincerity. So often we get so busy that when we speak to others, the words roll out because we know we should use them, yet there is no meaning behind the words we use. If you say "thank you", mean thank you. If you say "you’re welcome", mean it. If you don’t mean what you say, then save the oxygen and don’t say it.

37. Empathetic. The Lakota Indians have a wonderful saying that "to truly understand another, walk a mile in their moccasins." This is the only way that we can hope to see their point of view. To understand where they are coming from. We may not agree with their point of view, but at least we can see it from their perspective. Developing empathy with people enables you to communicate without judgment, allowing the other person to hold a different opinion without you making them wrong. Being able to agree to disagree is highly empowering.

38. Genuine and authentic. Because others place so many expectations on us, it’s hard sometimes to work out whose life we are actually living. But at the end of the day, life can only be fully rewarding when you are living your life. This requires not only knowing what you want, but who you are. ‘Be yourself" sounds easy, but will remain difficult until such time as you decide that pleasing others is not your number priority. Being anyone other than your self is the worst form of fraud there is.

39. Confident. Parents, teachers, church leaders and the school yard bully have all done their part in undermining the confidence of most children by the time they reach puberty. Yet it is important to realise that there is not one human being on planet earth who is superior than any other. Nor is there anyone who is inferior. We were all created equal. We need to see ourselves as equals. That our place on earth and what we have to contribute is no greater or less than any one else. Realising this will help give you the confidence to stand up and be counted. To be yourself. To confidently live your life to the max.

40. Well groomed and presented. As the saying goes, "you only get one chance at a first impression." There is another saying that says, "you can’t tell a book by its cover". Now whilst that may be true, 95% of people choose a book based on what the cover looks like. Publishers spend more time and money getting the cover right than anything else. Employment agencies place a great deal of importance on how someone presents themselves at a job interview. Some people say, "I dress this way because that’s who I am." In my experience the number one reason why some people dress slovenly is laziness.

41. Courteous and well mannered. This is simply about applying all the things we learnt at kindergarten. Saying please and thank you, putting things back where you found them, not taking another person’s property without first asking their permission, allowing others to go before you, etc.etc. Whilst your investment in being well mannered costs you nothing, the return is priceless.

42. Service oriented and helpful. In business, it is important to realise that our customers don’t buy our service or product, they buy the product of our service or product. People don’t buy insurance, they buy peace of mind; they don’t buy a car, they buy transportation or status; they don’t buy cosmetics, they buy hope. Most businesses are now in the service industry. That means that your customers are coming to you for help and assistance. Developing an attitude of service will make all the difference in the world to both you and your customers.

43. Solution focused. Whilst it is important to identify a problem in order to solve it, nothing will happen until the focus is shifted to finding the solution. So often, people are so busy trying to fix the blame that they never get around to fixing the problem. As such they remain part of the problem itself. The Koran says, "if you are not part of the solution, then you are part of the problem." The only way to solve any problem is to focus on finding the solution.

44. Intuitive. Learning to trust your ‘gut feelings’ is a skill that’s highly valuable. We can all do it; it’s simply a question of getting to know ourselves better and learning to trust. The reason why most people don’t run with their gut feelings is most often due to their ‘busyness’. They are so caught up in their day to day affairs that they never stop to listen to what their ‘gut’ is telling them. Ever wonder why some people always seem to be in the right place at the right time? It’s because they take the time to stop and listen. So next time you are faced with a decision to make, do yourself a real big favour and stop and listen to what you ‘feel’ about it.

45. Creative and innovative. The future demands that we find different answers. Different answers can only be found by having the courage to start asking different questions. Tomorrow’s problems will not be solved with today’s answers. We need to take time out to brainstorm new and creative ways to keep progressing. I highly recommend that all businesses take a day off each quarter to brainstorm the future. And when new ideas are put forward, have the courage to test them because you will never know if they will work unless you try.

46. Adaptable, Flexible, Versatile. Next time you are taking a flight somewhere, take a look out the window and watch what happens to the wing of the aircraft as you experience some clear air turbulence. Depending on the severity of the turbulence, the ends of the wings will ‘flap’ up and down. Whilst this may be a little unnerving to some, it is satisfying to know that if they didn’t flap or bend, they would snap off. No one can predict what turbulence you will experience tomorrow, so just like the airplane wing, your systems, procedures and people need to be highly flexible to meet the changes that will inevitable occur.

47. Ability to embrace change. Bill Gates in his book ‘Business at the Speed of thought’, suggests that more change will occur in the next decade than the last 50 years combined. So if you feel that the pace of change is already moving too fast, strap on your seatbelts for you are in for one hell of a bumpy ride. Hanging on to the past is a sure way to guarantee that you will be left behind. Whilst technology may be somewhat daunting to many, failing to embrace it will not serve you. Change is the only constant in universe, so it is fruitless to try and avoid it.

48. Value time. Every week, each of us has 168 hours deposited into our time bank. It is up to us what we do with it. The bad news however is that it is 100% perishable. Unlike other commodities, it can’t be stored, kept in the freezer to be used some time in the future. When an hour passes, it passes forever. Time therefore must truly be our most precious resource. The problem however, is that because it comes free, we tend not to place any great value on it. Value time as though your life depends on it, because it does. When you run out of time, life is over.

49. Sense of urgency. Because there is not an unlimited supply of tomorrows, it is important to maximise the use of every moment of time. Stop putting your dreams on hold for another day. Don’t delay in phoning that friend that you haven’t spoken to for six months. Doing those things today, instead of putting them off until tomorrow, creates an empty tomorrow to fill up with lots of unexplored opportunities. As Helen Keller said, "life is either an exciting adventure, or nothing."

50. Live in the moment. Wherever you are BE THERE! If you are in the back yard playing ball with your kids, then be there 100%. If you are physically present, yet your mind is still back at the office, do you and your kids a favour and go back to the office and deal with whatever is occupying you. Whatever you are doing, put your total focus into the task at hand. The only moment in time that you have control over is NOW!

51. Ability to see the future. Whilst living in the moment is paramount, so is keeping an eye on the future. The Lakota again have a great saying; ‘keep one eye on the trail and one eye on the horizon.’ Today is the tomorrow our dreams and actions determined yesterday. What you are doing now will determine where you will be tomorrow. So the question to ask is, how will today’s actions impact on tomorrow’s results? Is what I am doing today helping to build the future that I desire for myself and my family? If not, why are you doing it?

52. Enjoy life, have fun. Why be miserable, you’re not going to get out of life alive anyway, so you might as well enjoy yourself whilst you are here. I truly believe that this is the holiday planet and that the number one responsibility in being here is to enjoy yourself. If you are not enjoying what you are doing, then why, pray tell, are you doing it. If you don’t love your job and look forward to it every day, quit. If your relationship isn’t working and you have honestly done everything in your power to correct the situation, leave. You weren’t born to be miserable.

53. Sense of humour. How often to we look back and laugh about something that seemed oh so disastrous at the time. I am reminded of the comments made by Michael Collins who was the astronaut who stayed onboard the Apollo spacecraft whilst Neil Armstrong walked upon the moon. In the loneliness of space, he looked back to earth and had a revelation that all the problems of everyone on planet earth were wrapped up in this speck in the distance. So if you intend to laugh about your problems some time in the future, why not bring the future forward and laugh about them now. As Norman Cousins said in his classic book ‘laughter truly is the best medicine.’

54. Laugh at oneself. Why do birds fly? Because they take themselves lightly. Have you ever noticed how miserable people take themselves so seriously? Lighten up, put a smile on your face, a spring in your step and have a good laugh at yourself. How attached are you to your point of view and your possessions. How important is it for you to be ‘right’. My observation of life is that the more attached you are, the less likely you are to be able to laugh at yourself. As Buddha said, "all misery is due to attachment." If you suspect that you might be taking life too seriously, go to your bathroom, take off all your clothes, place a brown paper bag over your head and through the two eye holes have a close look at who you really are. If you don’t burst out laughing, there is little hope of you enjoying life.

55. Fit and healthy. It is important to remember that health and fitness are not the same thing. We have all heard of athletes who, having finished their event, have had a heart attack and died. We also know of people who eat healthy meals, yet puff and pant when climbing a flight of stairs. Health is a function of nutrition. Fitness is a function of exercise. Combining the two is the key to being fit and healthy. Eating natural unprocessed foods and a least two litres of water a day, is the quickest way to nutritional health. Exercising for 30 minutes at least three times a week is the minimum amount of exercise to attain a modicum of fitness. And for all you smokers, the best time to quit is NOW!

56. Interdependent teamplayers. Successful leaders know that they can’t do everything on their own. However it is important to note that there is a major difference between independence, interdependence and dependence. Independent is about doing it on your own. If this is your preferred operating style, good luck. You’ll need it. Interdependence is about collaborating with others to achieving a mutually rewarding outcome. Dependence is about co-dependence, the having to rely one’s attachment to others to fulfill your desires. Co-dependence is a sickness that sadly pervades the lives of many.

57. Supportive of others. Zig Ziglar perhaps sums it up best when he says ‘the way to get everything you want is help enough people get what they want." A true win/win outcome. Great leaders are always very supportive of others. They realise that the best systems, procedures, ideas and equipment all amount to naught if you don’t have the best people. Ensuring you have the best people only comes through supporting people to be their very best. Numerous research studies all reveal that the number one motivator of people is ‘appreciation’. Support and appreciate your people and you’ll be amazed at what happens.

58. Self-reliant. The opposite of co-dependency is self-reliance. Yes, it’s great to be able work in harmony with others, but we all must realise that the buck stops with us. How reliant can you be on you? It is sad to observe how quickly some people fall to pieces when their world is upset in some way. The loss of a life partner is of course shattering. But what’s more devastating is the one left unable to cook a meal or iron a shirt, change a tyre or mow a lawn, balance a chequebook or pay the bills. It’s time to realise that you are the President of your life.

59. Reliable. Similar to trust, can you be relied upon? Do your actions match your words? In times of crisis will you ‘be there’ for others? When push comes to shove, can you be counted on? Great teams happen when all players on the team know that everyone else on the team puts the team ahead of the individual.

60. Responsible. One of the hardest life principles to convince people of is that they are responsible for what happens in their lives. They may not always be responsible for events such as economic downturns and natural disasters, but they are certainly responsible for how they react to those events. The Chinese have a symbol for crisis that is exactly the same as their symbol for opportunity. Whether it is one or the other depends solely on your point of view. As the viewer, it is your choice as to what you choose to see. It is not what happens to you that’s important, it’s what you do about.

61. Generous. Great leaders are generous to a fault. They fully understand the previously mentioned Law of Reciprocity. That whatever you give out is returned many times over. The strategy is really quite simple. If you want more of something in your life, give that what you want away. Wealthy people have always known that ‘tithing’, giving away ten per cent of what they earn, is a sure fire way of ensuring that money is always flowing into their lives. Love is the same. The most loved people are the ones who love others the most.

62. Sense of community. At the end of the day, we are all members of the one human race living together on one planet sharing one future. As such everything that we do is either adding or subtracting something from our community. A piece of rubbish on the footpath is not somebody else’s rubbish, it is our rubbish. If we don’t stop and pick it up and place it in the bin, then who will. What ever is happening in your community right now, either good or bad, you are in some way responsible. If you wish things to be different, what are you going to do about it? As Margaret Mead said, "never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world – indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has."

63. Humble. The humility of great leaders never ceases to amaze me. Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandella, Mother Theresa, to name but a few, epitomise the essence of selfless ‘egolessness’ working for the good of all. Whereas the ‘tyrant’ leaders throughout history have all been selfish ‘egomaniacs’ hell bent on exploiting the masses to fulfill their own personal desires.

64. Assertive. Not to be confused with being aggressive, it is important to stand up for what you believe in. To assert you authority in situations where you run the risk of others trampling all over you. Assertiveness does not have to be displayed in an aggressive manner. Often, the most assertive people appear quite meek and mild, yet when challenged; they rise up and demonstrate the power of their convictions. Assertiveness starts and ends with a strong belief in self.

65. Courageous. The root of the word courage is ‘coeur’; the French word for heart. Courage cannot exist in the absence of fear. There are times in life when you will be challenged or choose to take on new challenges that put the fear of God into you. It’s times like these that you need to feel the fear and do it anyway. It’s about tapping into your own ‘heart power’.

66. Happy. Happiness is a choice. Each morning when you rise, you have the choice to be miserable or to be happy. Why some people choose the former is one of life’s great mysteries. Happiness is also contagious. Why not go out and see how many people you can infect today. Make someone’s day by offering a sincere compliment. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Just as a journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step, creating a happy planet can start with a single smile. It might just be your smile that starts a happiness revolution.

Graham Harvey is a Professional Speaker, Vision Coach and Marketing Futurist based in Perth, Western Australia. He is the author of the book "Seducing the Vigilante Customer - winning strategies to guarantee the return of happy customers and healthy profits. Full details of his areas of service and testimonials from delighted clients are available at www.grahamharvey.com.au