Sometimes many of us feel like we've made deposits into society, yet we are unable to make withdrawals. Whenever I have felt that way in the past, I read essays like Ralph Waldo Emerson's essay Compensation, which I made into a free downloadable copy and distributed last week in the special success issue of my ezine.

The other day a good friend of mine told me that I deserve to be more successful because I help so many other people, and so often without seeing a direct reciprocation. Just this morning, it was implied in another conversation that the internet community "owes" me something, in return for all the free site promotion and marketing information I give away.

But the truth is, I don't wonder about what the world owes me any longer. That's because I know better, through a long road of mental, physical, emotional and financial struggle, I've come to understand that the world really doesn't owe me anything.

I've already been paid, and so have you.

We get our gifts at birth. We're here. We're alive. We're given a set of circumstances, some to overcome, some to elevate us. And yes, sometimes it seems that the way the world works is unfair. But from a long-range view, is that truly the reality?

What's really the difference between you and the next guy? Is the next person smarter than you, faster to pick things up? Maybe, maybe not. But even in that capacity, the main differences between someone who is successful and someone who is just barely keeping their head above water has nothing to do with that.

It h as to do with determination, and taking advantage of the opportunities presented to you, more than anything else. The paths to the belief in yourself that yield that determination are many, but the end of that path is the same: success.

Know-how, you can buy or develop through trial and error. If your situation forces you to take the long road, there are endless venues for study on and offline.

So who cares if the next person is smarter than you?

Between two people on an otherwise even keel, with the same chance for success, the tie-breaker trait is the willingness to do what it takes to get where they want to go. And that person is more likely to keep their eyes open for that chance to shine.

Nothing you ever learn from me or anyone else is magic- if I had a magic wand that would *poof* bring everyone success and instill the principles it takes to maintain it. I'd do it. (At least then someone else could go to the movies with me on Wednesday mornings!)

I'm not done with my journey to success yet. But looking at where I started and where I am now, every pain I had to go through to get here, every moment I had of feeling that I couldn't possibly go on, every tear that was shed, was worth it. It all shaped me into who I am, and makes me grateful every day for every single bit of accomplishment I have made, no matter how small.

Instead of worrying about what the world owes me, I focus on what the world has paid me.

In return for hard work, I received the dividend of results. For my optimism, I got the ability to change my own universe through the power of thought and positive, well-timed action. In exchange for obeying the laws of attraction, I have more blessings in my life than I could have ever imagined.

We are not so much owed by the world, as we are indebted to its gifts, such as the ability to give. From the tiny seeds of intention we plant, we are paid continuously. Not only does the planted tree spout, it bears fruit and flowers that we can enjoy over and over - so long as we keep our roots strong, remaining grateful for both the rain and the sunshine.

Copyright 2005 Tinu AbayomiPaul