"Neil's book contains so many ideas to success in life and business that once I started I couldn't stop reading."

he path to success is full of challenges, all of which test our characters; almost asking the quiet question: "Do you have what it takes to succeed in life?" Do you have the right character needed to be a true success?

Neil Jenman believes that all of us, no matter who we are, can greatly improve our lives. Unlike many self-help books, however, Neil doesn't believe that "you can achieve anything". He believes that many people waste too much time trying to be something they can never be. Life is too short to be in the wrong job or with the wrong people in your life. Sometimes you have to give up something and move on!

You should strive to be the best you can be. As renowned psychologist, Abraham Maslow, said: "If you deliberately plan to be less than you are capable of being, then I warn you that you will be unhappy the rest of your life."

If you are a young person starting out on your journey in life, you need this book. It will show you how to do your best. It will help you avoid mistakes that people make as they strive to succeed. If you are already 'on your path to success', this book can help you to be even more successful. And, if you think you are already a success, this book can make you think about how you can achieve even more. You can never stop improving.

In life, there are two 'types' of success. First there is your personal success and, second, there is your career success. Neither should be sacrificed for the sake of the other. You can – indeed, you should – aim to succeed in both areas of your life. For that, however, you need the right character. As the title of this book says, 'Success Takes Character.' It will help you to enjoy more success in your life.

SUCCESS
TAKES
CHARACTER

hoever we are; wherever we live or whatever we do, we all want to be successful and happy. Many of us think we know the formula for happiness. Just get successful first. Success = happiness. [e.g. If I win a lottery, I’ll be happy].

But, as you’ll see in this book, many people have got the formula the wrong way around. Success rarely comes before happiness. For most successful people, happiness comes first. Success then follows. Indeed, happiness is one of the major elements that create success.

It’s not a cliché to say that “success means different things to different people.” One of the first steps to achieving success, therefore, is to define what success means for you.

Success, in any form, demands that you be a person of fine character. The type of success and the level of success you achieve is dependent upon your character. A poor character leads to a poor level of success – failure. A great character leads to great success.

Life is like a game. To win the big game of big success, you have to win many small games on the path to success. You have to find the right path. You have to become a success pathfinder. It may sound harsh, but in this game of life there are both winners and losers. And one of the best ways to win is to follow winners and avoid losers.

To achieve meaningful and genuine success in your life, you have to study the characteristics of successful people – those who have achieved the success you seek. You’ll soon discover that… Success Takes Character.

INTRODUCTION

uccess. What does it mean? What does it mean to you? Many people have different definitions. An athlete who wins an Olympic medal is a success. A mother who keeps a home together and helps fine children become fine adults is a success. What about a businessman who makes a lot of money? Is he a success? If success is measured in money then, sure, he’s a success. Although I don’t believe it should be, success is often measured in money.

The Macquarie Dictionary defines ‘success’ as ‘the gaining of wealth, position, or the like’. So, yes, success is about money. Especially in the early twenty-first century when so much focus is placed upon a person’s financial success. In his 2008 book, The Ascent of Money, author Niall Ferguson quotes the German poet Heinrich Heine as saying that ‘Money is the God of our time’. I don’t feel comfortable with such sentiments.

I hope this book will help you to become more financially successful. But, while success does involve money, it doesn’t stop with money. Money alone does not make a person successful, no matter how much they have. There are plenty of losers on the Rich Lists.

Perhaps the word that could be associated with success is the word ‘happy’. My favourite definition is this: ‘The success of man is measured in two ways – the happiness of his wife and what his children say about him when he’s not there.’ This definition doesn’t mention ‘money’. It only applies to a person’s personal life. So, what about their working life? If you’ve just come out of the Bankruptcy Court and your spouse and children still love you, you might have success in your personal life ... read more

CONTENTS

Author’s Note	ix
Introduction	xi
Chapter One
Thank Your Lucky Stars	1
Chapter Two
Who Do You Think You Are?	16
Chapter Three
The Nicest People I Have Ever Met	42
Chapter Four
	79
‘If You’re So Smart, How Come You’re Not Rich?’
Chapter Five
Someone To Watch Over You	103
Chapter Six
‘The Foremost of Virtues’	122
Chapter Seven
Struggling to Make Sense of the Cents in our Lives	137
Chapter Eight
‘The Trouble With You Is …’	174
Chapter Nine
Why Should We Fall In Love With You?	211
Chapter Ten
The Summing Up	244
Acknowledgements	251
Suggested Reading List	254
Index	256

eil Jenman has been involved in the real estate industry since 1973 where he has been a strong campaigner for ethics and the rights of consumers. He has an ethics accreditation program for estate agents – known as 'Jenman Approved'. He also assists Real Estate Monitors & Referrals, a company that offers free help and support to real estate consumers, especially when they are selling their properties. Success Takes Character is Neil's fourth book. His other books are about property and investing. Neil is married and has six children. He spends most of his time with his family at their Sydney home or at their family cattle property in Central Queensland.

Contact Neil via editor@SuccessTakesCharacter.com

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