"Success" is a very subjective term: Each person has his or her own definition of what it means to be successful depending on their morals, life goals and circumstances. Through my education and work experience, I have observed a set of qualities, which I believe most successful individuals possess:

1. Planning

"A goal without a plan is just a wish" -- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry

In life, there are two types of goals we must set for ourselves: Short-term goals and long-term goals. The short-term goals are things we hope to accomplish in the near future whether that is within the week, the month, or the year. The long-term goals are things we want to achieve within the next few years or decade, such as graduating from college, starting a career and saving for retirement. Both of these goals require strategic planning.

2. Organization

"The way to find a needle in a haystack is to sit down" -- Beryl Markham

For many people, staying organized is not an innate quality, but rather a habit or a ritual that we must form and maintain. It requires planning, execution, and perseverance. Like many, I have found that "to-do lists" are a very helpful tool in staying organized. Every night I make a list of goals that I plan to accomplish the following day. When I wake up, usually in a sleepy-eyed daze, my day is already set. Making a plan and executing it is the easy part however, it is getting into the habit of doing this every night, which I have found most difficult. The conventional time it takes for a habit to form is 21 days however research conducted at the University College London suggests that, on average, it takes 66 days to formulate a habit. This is when perseverance comes into play.

3. Ambition

"Ambition beats genius 99% of the time" -- Jay Leno

Desire is a very powerful emotion, which drives people to do incredible things. At birth, we are all dealt a set of cards, which we must learn to play to our strengths, but the luck of the draw can only get us so far. I believe we are all gifted with unique talents and abilities, but it is our ambition that helps determine where and how far we will go in life.

4. Determination

"Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is to try just one more time" -- Thomas Edison

I see "ambition" as the desire to do something, while "determination" is the perseverance to see it through to the end. Determination means setting your mind to succeed even when you have failed. It is the willpower that allows you to overcome defeat.