Aspire Magazine: Inspiration for a Woman's Soul.(TM) June/July 2020 Aspire Magazine FULL Issue | Page 19

If you look in the dictionary for the definition of success, you’ll always find some variation on “the attainment of money, material possessions, fame, or power.” You and I both know that in the world we live in today, that definition of success is as outdated as your prom dress. Our society has begun to redefine success and for most, it no longer has to do with money or fame or outer achievement. Arianna Huffington said in her 2016 book Thrive, that after interviewing hundreds of the most successful people in the world, she determined that success to most is defined by what she calls The Third Metric, a measurement that goes beyond money and power and instead measures success by a deep sense of well-being, wisdom, true happiness, wonder, and of course, giving. Debra Poneman began transforming lives in the 1970’s when she spent years studying at the feet of the greatest living spiritual masters of the east, often in deep meditation for 10 to 12 hours a day and complete silence for weeks at a time – and then taught meditation to thousands. In the1980’s Debra immersed herself in the knowledge of the Masters of western metaphysical thought and founded Yes to Success Seminars bringing what were then considered radical ideas like “your thoughts create your reality” into the mainstream and sharing how to create outer success on a foundation of unshakeable inner fulfillment. Decades before the internet made international communication instantaneous, Debra’s seminars exploded around the world and were taught on 6 continents and dozens of U.S. cities. Her graduates went on to become mega-successful entrepreneurs, NY Times bestselling authors, millionaires, billionaires— and some of the most recog-nized names in the world of transformational leadership. WISDOM & SELF-GROWTH The great poet laureate, Maya Angelou who recently passed away at the age of 86 said this about success: “Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” John Wooden, one of my personal heroes and the winningest coach in college basketball history said, “Success is peace of mind, which is a direct result of the selfsatisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming.” I love each of these definitions and I agree that they all express essential components of living a successful life, but I personally have a few criteria for success that are Many call Debra the mentor to the mentors. Debra was also an in-house trainer with companies such as McDonnell Douglas, Mattel Toys, and the Xerox Management Group—at a time when it was practically unheard of for a woman to be a corporate trainer. Debra has appeared in print throughout the country and on TV networks including ABC, NBC, FOX and shows including Good Morning New England, Chicago Today and Mid- Morning LA. She’s now shared her Yes to Success System with tens of thousands and helped people create lives of not only success and abundance, but profound happiness, empowerment, deep self-love, and, most importantly, lasting inner fulfillment. Learn more at www.DebraPoneman.com. 19