If there was ever a secret to ultimate success and happiness, it would be to first appreciate what you already have.

We know that sounds sentimental, but think about it.

Imagine you have everything you could ever want. The houses, the cars, the financial freedom, the body and partner of your dreams. There are some people out there living exactly that. But imagine that you don’t take the time to appreciate what you already have. What do you think would happen?

You would just keep hustling for more, and more, and more…

You would never be satisfied.

We often don’t realize what we have until its gone. Most people take what they have for granted. We live a life with opportunities that many around the world would wish for, but instead our eyes are to the stars, looking for more.

To be clear: this isn’t a bad thing. It’s natural to want to improve our lives and look for more. But being content with what you have, where you are, and what you do has the power to lead you to the very kind of success you are aiming for. Complaining about how things are not going the way you want them to won’t get you any closer to your goal.

Therefore, one of the biggest secrets to success is to start appreciating the good things that are already happening in your life. Be grateful for the fact that you are alive and you have a chance to create the change you want to see.

Being grateful for what you already have can make the path forward clearer.

Gratitude can take you from where you are to where you long to be. It can help you realize how fortunate you are to have what you have. And best of all, it will create happiness along the way.

Trust That You Will Eventually Find Your Success

Having unconditional trust that you will find success in is important if you are going to succeed. Not getting what you want immediately can sometimes be a good thing. It can work out for the best, for it strengthens your character during times where you have to be patient and determined.

This can be illustrated by the cravings that every child has: candy!

Imagine yourself as a parent (for many of you, this won’t be very hard). Imagine that you have a 4-year-old who demands candy as many times as he can. It’s his favourite thing in the world.

What would happen if you were to give in to every candy request your 4-year-old throws at you?

Great parents know what’s best for their children. Being the loving parent that you are, you know the consequences of giving candy to your child with every demand. You know that candy won’t do them good, causing them to be unhealthy. And you know that developing patience will be beneficial for their character.

That is why you turn down the request even if it means your 4-year-old would start kicking and screaming.

You stick with your decision because you know the outcome. A few years down the line, when your child is mature enough, they will thank you for keeping them healthy.

It’s the same with your life’s desires. You may not get everything that you require right now, but that does not mean you will not get it in the future. By keeping faith that things will work out, you will develop patience and determination to keep going. Eventually you will find that it was for the better.

Take a few minutes to reflect on some of your goals and wishes you’ve had in the past. Reflect on some of the things you thought you wanted and couldn’t possibly live without but never received.

How have you been living since? What positive or negative impact has the absence of your much-needed desires had? Has it not all worked out for the best?

If not, then someday it will. This is where the trust comes into play.

True Success Relies on Your Determination

The only way you can achieve true success is by being stubborn and refusing to quit.

In other words, you have to be determined to stick through the good and the bad alike.

Success requires your relentless efforts to keep moving regardless of what happens. It means having faith that the first step will make the following steps visible. It means “taking the first step when you do not see the whole staircase”, as the late Dr. Martin Luther King said.

Your success also depends on trusting you will receive what you are hoping for even if it means changing your methods. You may have to change the way you approach things from time to time.

Changing your approach does not mean you will never get to your destiny. It doesn’t mean you will never obtain what you are reaching for. It simply means you have learned from your previous experiences and are applying them more wisely than before.

Altering your course can seem like starting again, but it is immeasurably valuable for finding the best path towards success. If you are adequately determined, you will be able to steer true through the change in course.

Contentment Means Comparing Yourself to Your Own Standards

While there is value in comparing yourself to others, such as using a mentor to see what you aren’t practicing or how your mindset might need developing, comparing your life to somebody else’s on a frequent basis will cause you to focus more on your weaknesses and not your strengths.

If you’re not careful, it will cause envy, and then jealousy. It’s a human emotion that many of us experience from time to time, but know that jealousy will only get you nowhere. If anything, it will bring the kind of mentality and emotions that will hold you back from the experiences you’re envious of.

Admiring what other people have already accomplished is a necessary thing on your road to success. It can give you the motivation you need to keep aiming high. The difference between this and jealousy is that you are able to be happy for someone else’s success without feeling inadequate about your own life.

Therefore, focus on how someone else’s achievements inspire you to reach for more, or how you admire their courage and determination. Allow them to fill you with positive emotions, rather than those that limit you.

By focusing on how you can be content, rather than unsatisfied and always looking for more to fill a void within your life, you will find yourself not only happy, but mentally healthy and determined to create more for yourself.

Contentment is the secret to success, so start looking for it wherever you can find it.