No matter what you do for a living, no matter how old you are, and regardless of where you grew up, we all share something in common—a desire to be successful. True success should be defined by you, specific to you and your goals. What success means to one, can be very different for another. Success to some may mean fancy cars and homes. Success to others may mean being a good parent, spouse, or friend. For others, it may be simply to be happy. Or it can be all of the above.

I believe true success begins with this core principle:

Your success, happiness—anything you truly want for your life—has to begin with unwavering, non-negotiable desire, commitment, and persistence. Without it, you cannot withstand and overcome the tests that will be put in your way, to not only see how badly you really want it, but to help you appreciate what you have once you get it. Because it is through the tests, that you discover yourself and your purpose, which is what you were really looking for to begin with.

Through my journey, and as I continue to write my own “story of success,” I have faced many obstacles and made many mistakes. The gift from those obstacles and mistakes are these principles, which I use as my guidelines—or should I say my way of life—to keep building my foundation stronger, and reaching higher to live to my fullest potential.

The only thing in life you have control over is your perspective. No matter what happens, YOU control what the meaning is, and what to do with the meaning you give to the circumstance. Have more fear of regret than failure. Failure is only part of the journey to success. There is not one success story out there that hasn’t experienced failure. The reason you are hearing about it as a success story is because those people saw failure as a tool to get it right. It’s not about what you want to do for a living, it’s about you who want to be. What is your purpose and legacy? I believe the age-old question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” is wrong. We need to be asking, “Who do you want to be? What footprint do you want to leave in this world?” From there, you will have your answer as to what you should “do.” Stay focused on your race within. When you are too busy looking behind and around you, people are passing you by. True leadership comes from good energy. Worry more about what your energy is like than the firmness your handshake. Life will give you the same challenges/problems over and over again until you learn your lesson. Until you jump over your inner roadblocks, your outer ones will stay firmly in place. We spend so much time focused on all the exterior obstacles around us, letting them be our excuses. But the more clear and aware we are of our internal roadblocks, and dissolve them, the external roadblocks will begin to disappear, too. The most successful people are the ones that work on themselves first. Do not judge—be inspired. If you are too busy judging everyone and everything around you, you are not remaining open to find inspiration in everyone and everything around you. You are not allowed to complain about something unless you are going to do something about it. Surround yourself with people you want to be like. Learn to become comfortable with being uncomfortable. The more fears you face, the more you will grow. Always ask, “What if?” and, “Why Not?” Instead of thinking, “What if I fail?” ask, “What if I succeed?” Creativity is your unlimited capital. Understand and harness its power. “I only have good days.” If you start off everyday with this mindset, even when challenges emerge, your positive mindset will help you overcome them more readily. Create your own footprint. You do not need to do what others have done before you. Hit the “mental reset button.” When you are thinking negative thoughts, envision hitting the “delete” button in your mind and begin to rewrite a better story. Abundance is everywhere. You must choose to see it and believe it in order to fully experience it. There is a lesson in everything that happens to us—wisdom to be gained and gratitude to be given. Begin with gratitude and everything else will reveal itself.

The beauty of success is that it can have many layers. Success doesn’t need to be limited to one aspect of life—but as many aspects as we desire to succeed in. The critical part of being successful is to be aware of what you want. Define it, write it down, and reflect, every day, on which steps are necessary to write your own story of success.

For more info on Jen visit her website jengroover.com

Top media mogul and business expert, Jen Groover, has been tagged by Success Magazine as a “One-Woman Brand,” and “Creativity and Innovation Guru,” a leading “Serial Entrepreneur” by Entrepreneur Magazine. She has gone from guest-hosting spots on QVC to linking deals with some of the industry’s biggest heavyweights. Jen is a top business and lifestyle contributor and content creator for major networks such as ABC, CBS, CNBC, NBC, Fox News, Fox Business News, and The CW.