There is a great article in this month’s Men’s Health on reaching our goals of success. Whether it’s “happiness, freedom, or a bank account full of f-you money,” success is something we are all striving for. They identified five virtues that they considered the pillars of success: ambition, intuition, focus, courage, and leadership.

These qualities can help you reach your goal, whether you’re trying to build a hundred-million-dollar software firm or open an old-school diner out on the four-lane.

The men we’ve selected to guide your pursuit don’t just appear successful, they feel successful. As you’ll see, there’s a huge difference. Artist, architect, army general, whatever you want to be, this story is your blueprint.

This article led me to some thought on what I felt was success. Further, it made me think of why I work, why I pursue the things I do. I think to a certain point, we need to feel like we are working towards something, otherwise, we’re just running around in circles. Taking this and comparing it to the pillars of success, I saw that if all five pillars are present, then it is unlikely that you will be aimlessly striving. Without a goal, it would be hard to have ambition to accomplish, there wouldn’t be something to focus on, and so on. These five pillars will help me categorize my actions and prioritize what I should do. Hopefully building these pillars will help everyone get a strong start towards their goals.

The Pillars of Success from Men’s Health