Decades ago, in Ted Nicholas’ newsletter, I read an article that outlined the 4 conditions required to enjoy a happy and successful life.

I have since read versions of these rules many times from numerous authors, and through this and my own limited experiences, believe them to be true.

So without further ado, here are the 4 things you need for a happy and successful life (note: the list below gives you WHAT you need, but not HOW to get them; that will be covered in upcoming blog posts):

1?Money.

A greater-than-average income and net worth free you from money worries, increase your self-esteem, and give you greater security and peace of mind than 97% of the rest of the world enjoys.

2?Work.

The second key to happiness is to find a career that you not only enjoy but are actually passionate about.

As the late Les Paul said, if you do your hobby for a living, you?ll never work a day in your life.

3?Relationships.

Your life will not be complete without friends, family, and others you care deeply about and who care deeply about you.

4?Health.

In a way, health is the most important of the 4 criteria, for without good health, it is exceedingly difficult to attain the other 3 ? or enjoy them if you already have them.

Are there any items here that you do not agree with? Any missing that you would add?

In his post on this blog, John Thomas asks, ?What counter-intuitive ?secrets? would you say there are to becoming a successful direct response copywriter, since that would be a particular business you are familiar with??

I assume he means ?freelance? direct response copywriters, since most of the top DM copywriters are in fact self-employed.

The answer, John, is the same for freelance copywriters as it is for dentists, optometrists, financial planners, attorneys, CPAs, and anyone else offering professional services on a freelance or independent basis:

Assuming you are reasonably skilled in the service you provide, the differentiating factor between those practitioners with the highest incomes and the others in the same field is the ability to marketing and sell their professional services to clients.

In other words, success at self-promotion is the biggest (but not the only) factor separating the $50,000 a year copywriter from the $500,000 a year copywriter ? or the financial planner writing $1 million in premium (and earning $65,000 a year) from the one writing $10 million in premium (and earning $650,000 a year).

Do you agree? Are those who make the most money in any profession the best salespeople and marketers ? or the best craftspeople and technicians?

My colleague CM, one of the world?s most successful DM copywriters, shocked me when I asked him about his success.

?Forget all that advice about ?do what you?re passionate about,?? CM told me. ?Work is about making money — as much money as you can.

?For instance, if you love horses, don?t study to be a veterinarian. Instead, go into a business where you make a lot of money. That way, you can own as many horses as you want.?

I?ve always taken a different tact: follow your passion. Do what you love to do, then find a market or application where you can make good money doing it.

Most successful people I know worked hard to get where they are. And you won?t put in long hours unless you truly love what you do.

Whose approach do you like: CM’s or mine? And why?