When we went to school, we were told that if we worked hard and got excellent qualifications we could get a good job and be successful.

But, what exactly is meant by success? If it means being in a job you don’t really like and hoping your pension will give you some freedom and comfort in your retirement, then perhaps the schools were right.

There are some people who are very happy in their jobs or careers, and that is perfect. That’s success. But I believe the vast majority are not.

Some people define success by the amount of money they make, or hope to make. That’s fine, as long as they are happy and fulfilled at the same time or even while they are pursuing the money. But we all know, or at least have heard, that money doesn’t automatically bring happiness, so how can we define success in terms of money, if we are still not happy?

Whether you earn a lot of money in a job is neither here nor there. If you don’t have the time to spend it and really enjoy it, what is it really worth?

Personally, the above definitions do not work for me, and I do not think I am alone. That does not mean that I do not want a lot of money, because I certainly do! But money alone does not equal success for me.

Perhaps we all have our own definitions of success, but for me, successful living is about fulfilment, freedom and happiness RIGHT NOW.

It is possible to be successful all the time, even if you have not yet reached your goals or fulfilled your dreams. It is possible to enjoy the journey, while you are building your dreams. For me, success is about who you are being and how you are feeling while you are building your dreams.

Unfortunately, success and wealth are not taught in our traditional educational system. We are taught English, maths, languages, science, art, history etc, etc, but we are not taught how to be successful in life, and when it comes to achieving our goals, I certainly don’t remember any lessons on self esteem, communication, leadership or how to build wealth. I could have done with a few of those when I was a teenager.

If we are not taught these things at school, where can we learn them?

Luckily there are many self-help books, courses, seminars and online systems such as Success University that can, thankfully, help us to gain wealth, happiness and success right now.

Unfortunately, because we are very often not taught self-belief, goal-setting and positive thinking at an early age, we often only come across these resources after we have also learned cynicism, lack of trust, low self-esteem and negative thinking. That is why many people sadly refuse even to look at these resources.

We can overcome these attitudes if we can open our minds and change our belief systems. Learning how to be successful in life and generate wealth is an opportunity available for everyone.

Perhaps one day these things will be taught when and where they are most needed: in school. Until then, we must use the resources and opportunities that are all around us if we just look beyond our self-limiting beliefs.