I think the idea that you know who your inner self is on a daily basis because... you know. What's good for you 25 years ago may not be good for you now. So to keep in touch with that I think that's the first ingredient for success. Because if you're a successful human being everything else is gravy I think.
Difficult times have helped me to understand better than before how infinitely rich and beautiful life is in every way and that so many things that one goes worrying about are of no importance whatsoever.