The keys to success, three in number, are not scarce, they are simply rusty through misuse and neglect.  A first key is to discover what God wants you to accomplish in life, realizing that nothing is impossible to him who has faith and works hard.

A second key or guideline to success, revealed in Scripture, is to discipline your life toward reaching your goal.  Success often eludes people too undisciplined to stay with something.  They find it hard to get started, are easily discouraged and hop from one thing to another.  Significant here are Paul's words:  "This one thing I do" (Phil. 3:13, KJV), not a half-dozen things or even two.

Paul stressed the need of discipline when he compared the Christian life to a race:  "But I buffet my body, and make it my slave, lest possibly after I have preached to others, I myself should be disqualified" (1 Cor. 9:27).

A third key or guideline in striving toward success is the ability to profit from failures.  For even in failure, you can hear the voice of God saying, "Listen, you have strayed from the right path, and I let this happen to you so that you will move back into the center of My will."

The successful man or woman learns from his or her failures.  As someone said, "He climbs the ladder of success wrong by wrong."  Failure and setbacks offer the opportunity to discover God's redirection.  Actually, opportunity may come slipping in by the back door disguised in the form of misfortune or temporary defeat, which explains why so many never recognize it.

Thomas Edison, inventor of the incandescent globe, did not give up, despite the failure of more than 10,000 experiments.  When friends urged him to quit, Edison retorted, "I've found out 10,000 ways it cannot be done.  Now I will find out how it can be done." And he did! 

When failure knocks, ask God to give new direction and purpose.  Then keep on doing the will of God from your heart with resolute determination to let nothing stop you.