Years ago, after my first book came out and I had made a few television appearances, I was nearly accosted on the street by a very animated woman who kept pointing at me and then exclaimed "I know who you are... you are the... Money Lady!" I've adopted that as a nickname of sorts. I am indeed the lady whose passion is to help people make the most of their money.
The thing is, when I am most successful helping people, money is so beside the point. Oh sure, I have plenty of advice on Roth IRAs, revocable trusts and term life insurance, but when I sit down to help someone with their financial life, what we always end up focusing on is their interior life. There are no money problems. There are people problems. Success is not how many zeroes your bank account has. It's about making the most of the life you have.
And that comes down to embracing the eight qualities that allow you to take control of your destiny.
The Eight Qualities of Success
- Harmony is when there is complete agreement between what you think, say and do.
Balance is the reward of harmony; it is when you are most calm and content because there is no disconnect between your thoughts, words and actions. Courage. Is the ability to make choices that bring harmony and balance. Courage is not always about action. It takes courage to do nothing, rather than do something that you do not believe in or understand. Generosity. True generosity is an offering; given freely and out of pure love. No strings attached. No expectations. Time and love are the most valuable possession you can share. Happiness: bubbles up when the first four qualities are in abundance. Happiness is not a luxury. It is a necessity. When we are happy we are in the best possible place to be good to ourselves and those we love. Wisdom: is the ability to make the right decisions at the right time. Wisdom alerts you when you are out of balance or having trouble summoning courage. It is your inner voice guiding you through and past the noise. Cleanliness: When there is clarity and organization in your thoughts and your physical space you can more easily access the inner wisdom and courage that makes harmony and balance achievable. Beauty is what you possess when you incorporate the seven preceding qualities into your life.When people come to me for help there is always one -- and often more than one -- quality that is broken, or not at all present. Identifying the missing qualities and talking through ways to bring all eight to the forefront is the heart of my work. Does it immediately solve a financial problem? Of course not. But it becomes the foundation that propels people who feltoverwhelmed or defeated to feel empowered and in control of their future. It's the very catalyst for lasting success.
This post is part of a series produced by The Huffington Post in conjunction with our women's conference, "The Third Metric: Redefining Success Beyond Money & Power" which will take place in New York on June 6, 2013. To read all of the posts in the series and learn more about the conference, click here.
This story appears in the Issue 51 of our weekly iPad magazine, Huffington, in the iTunes App store, available Friday, May 31.
Related