Success on any level begins when you accept responsibility for creating life what you want. You are the only person who can truly make it happen. Not your boss, your business partner, your financial planner, your spouse of life-partner. Just you.

There are plenty of ways to get ahead. The first is so basic I'm almost embarrassed to say it: spend less than you earn.

For many people a job is more than an income - it's an important part of who we are.

Personally, I tend to worry about what I save, not what I spend.

Be prepared for disappointment and frustration. Be persistent and bounce back even more determined to succeed.

When investing, I'm not against risk. If you take no risk you must expect a low return. Just don't let anyone fool you into thinking you can get a high return with low risk.

Before you start trying to work out which direction the property market is headed, you should be aware that there are markets within markets.