1. Begin to trust yourself. You are smart, gifted and talented. God has placed you in this time and location for God’s purpose. You are gifted for this purpose. Trust that God can and will reveal to you – each day – the “what’s next”.

2. Everyone is born with a vocation: a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career or occupation. But you get to choose how you do the job that you do within that vocation. Dedicate your tasks each day to God.

3. Trust that you are not alone in living successfully in your vocation. Leading is often a lonely action. Remember that God’s Spirit is upon you and has been since your baptism. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses that pray and groan for us. “As for us, we have this large crowd of witnesses around us. So then, let us rid ourselves of everything that gets in the way, and of the sin which holds on to us so tightly, and let us run with determination the race that lies before us.” – Hebrews 12:1

4. As you are able, surround yourself with allies that will support your work. People who root for you – and support you and the God-given vision for your work.

5. Pray for a mentor or two to come into your life and to be the wise ear and the open, sharp mind you need for truth-telling and advice. Learn how to be mentored. The brightest and most successful of us know we cannot go it alone. You need a faithful tribe of people around you. Ask God to bring them to you. Pray that your heart will be opened to them.

6. Surround yourself with people who will pray for you! Not just say they will, but those who will bless you with the requested prayers. You can tell this is happening and is key to all of your tasks. Prayer is the most powerful way to use our wills toward manifesting God’s good in our lives.

7. Trust yourself, even in failure. We learn and grow from our mistakes. After failing enough, we begin to see the patterns in the road and avoid making similar errors. Failure can empower us to recognize wrong turns before we make them the next time we face a comparable situation.

8. Believe that each day you are made for success – each day has the capacity for so much good! Even what feels like the poopiest of days can be used by God to make the fertilizer for the needed nutrients for growth. Once the day is over – it’s done. Keep your eyes focused on what God is doing.

9. Become a student of God’s word. Mine the truth – absorb it. Allow God to bring you teachers that feed your soul.