Success is a feeling, not a possession.

• Position: Your Life - Brief Article

In The Fearless Executive, author Alan Downs examines the nature of personal and professional success. Among his advice is a warning to avoid the "Six Lies that Will Ruin Your Career." They are:

1. Money will satisfy you. Think of the people in your life who are the most fulfilled. Are they the wealthiest people you know? Probably not. Some of the most content may not have much wealth at all Your life's objective should be to follow your passion, not to amass the biggest bank account. Remember, success is a feeling, not a possession.

2. Hard work makes you successful. In many ways, hard work is like a drug. It tires you out so that you do not have the energy to think about what lies within your heart. It deadens you to the disappointment that your life isn't what you want it to be.

3. You should never get carried away. Of course, the term "carried away" is really a misnomer. Just because you give credence to your feelings doesn't mean that you are wildly out of control. It simply indicates that you have found a dynamic source of power within yourself and that you have allowed that power to invigorate your life.

4. An idle mind is the devil's...