You don’t know how many years you have on this earth, but you know for sure that they are limited. You’ll either put them to good use or look back on them with bitter regret. It’s such an old, hackneyed phrase, but you really do have to Go For It! Find your Core Desires. Flip the switch on your Conquering Force. Go over, around, under or through every obstacle, including Invisible Barriers. Make your time count.

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors. It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving. It was Christmas Eve 1881. I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn’t been enough money to buy me the rifle that I’d wanted for Christmas. We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

Alan Axler, Vice President of Springfield Smoked Fish, had a problem. His Springfield, Mass company had been providing New Englanders lox, gefilte fish and other traditional kosher fish products since 1934. But in recent years, the company has barely been staying afloat. Axler attempted to boost sales in 2007 by investing thousands of dollars into his new product: Brekfish, a smoked salmon – healthier — substitute for bacon. It was well-received by samplers, but to Axler’s discouragement, supermarkets didn’t put it on their shelves. In 2008, sales were a full 20% down from where they’d been in 2000.

This is where I had to disagree with Brandy. It’s true that there are people in the world who are truly living hand to mouth – living under a corrugated tin roof and counting on strangers to bring them bowls of rice to fill their bellies. There’s an old saying, “Of whom much is given, much is expected.” Brandy, believe it or not, is one of those people. As you are. As I am.

Marian married young. She took pride in managing her home and caring for her family as well as contributing to her household income with a part time job in a day care. When she was nearly forty, her marriage ended abruptly, leaving her with three children, a mortgage, and her pride. Her pride was an asset, forcing her to shake off her depression and rise to the occasion. She had a family to care for, and she didn’t intend to have to lean on family and friends to get through.

Imagine you live in an oppressed nation. Your oppressor overtaxes you, reaps the benefits of your hard work, and periodically brings you and your fellow citizens in line with outbreaks of violence. Must you fight for your freedom? Are you thinking, “I don’t really have a choice, do I?”

Do you understand the concept of leverage. A lever is a rigid object that is used with a fulcrum or pivot point to multiply the mechanical force that can be applied to another object. Did you get that? No? Well, maybe, if you’re a physics professor. But in case you’re not, I’ll put it in friendlier terms. When you leverage, you use a little (effort, money, time) to get a lot (results or wealth).

I promise – it’s as simple as that – I promise that if you learn the DNA of Success, you will find the success you dream of. Skeptical? If you’re just starting out on the path to your real future, you might very well be. You might be saying, “Sure, Jack, easy for you to say. You got breaks I can only dream of.” (You’re not saying that if you read my biography). You might be saying, “Jack, you’re talking about leveraging time and money and multiple streams of income. Newsflash, buddy. I’m just trying to keep the light bill paid.”

Blueprint for Success: With All The Advice Out There, How Do You Find the Facts About Finding Success?

An aspiring writer I know became friends with the creator of a complicated role-playing game. The creator asked him if he could write a novel featuring characters in the imagined world of the game. “It’ll promote the game,” he said to the writer. “And it will give you a book in print. Maybe we’ll make it a series.”