INCIRLIK AIR BASE, Turkey -- First, congratulations to our newly promoted senior master sergeants. I am sure some of you are probably still celebrating your achievement. Unfortunately, some will have to hit the books again next year.

I read the article "Secrets of Leading a Fulfilling Life" by Sir John Templeton, a successful author. In it he stated, "Success is not a set of circumstances--it is a set of attitudes." In my view, success may come in small or large packages. We face challenges and opportunities in life every day, but with a great deal of energy and enthusiasm, we will overcome those circumstances.

Be grateful for what you have. We often take for granted the things we already have because we're so obsessed with trying to achieve what we don't yet possess. We should be thankful for our health, family, and having a stable job. It is important to work hard to reach your goal, but if this is the only thing you think about, it will cause you problems in the long run. I've seen successful people who have received the right jobs and promotions but were not healthy enough to enjoy their accomplishments. For those folks who are not on the promotion list, engage in self-reflection, think about what you already have and be thankful for it. There are many things in life you should be thankful and grateful for.

Perseverance is the difference between success and defeat. You probably heard the saying "If at first you don't succeed, try and try again." Reaching your goal might take several attempts. Some things happen for a reason and in the end may result in personal redirection or the achievement of a greater good other than what you had initially planned. In order to succeed, you have to remain constant to a purpose, idea or a task, no matter what challenges and obstacles you encounter along the way. You must have positive thoughts, and avoid negative and fearful emotions.

Realize success is a journey, not a destination. Successful people do not stop working hard once they attain their goals. In fact, they set new and greater personal or professional goals. You have to keep on going. As in the law of inertia--it easier for an object to stay in motion once it is moving and to remain still once it has stopped. Do not take your eyes off the goal or you may stay fixed on what happened in the past. You need to work a little harder; that extra effort will produce high quality results and fuel your morale.

Learn as much as possible from those people around you. I celebrate my 28 years in the Air Force this month. I have worked with a lot of people and also worked for quite a few supervisors in my career. I have learned a great deal from the good people with whom I have worked. The reason I made it to where I am today is because of the people I had as mentors. Those people possessed honesty, integrity and compassion; the basic ingredients of a truly successful person.