The life of a winner requires more than success in business. A true life of fulfillment will only result from living on your own terms. Whether you have your epiphany at the age of 15 or 75, understand the blessing in seeing clearly.

At the end of the day, whether you choose to go with it, flow with it, resist it, change it, or hide from it, life goes on. If what you did today did not turn out as you hoped, tomorrow is a new opportunity to do it differently, or to do nothing at all. What is important is to realize that you have a choice.

Here are 12 choices winners make every day:

Relentless belief - If J.K. Rowling stopped after being turned down by multiple publishers for years, there would be no Harry Potter. If Howard Schultz gave up after being turned down by banks 200+ times, there would be no Starbucks. If Walt Disney quit too soon after his theme park concept was trashed by 300+ investors, there would be no Disney. One thing is for sure: If you give up on your dreams too soon, you will miss out on seeing them become a reality.

Surrounded by the right people every day. – A day spent with the right people is always a day well spent. Sometimes the most ordinary ideas and projects can be made extraordinary simply by collaborating with the right people.

Looking forward – Remember, you cannot reach what is in front of you until you let go of what is behind you. Today is a new day. Do not let your history interfere with your destiny. It does not matter what you did or where you were; it matters where you are and what you are doing now. Never give up on yourself, and never abandon your values and dreams. As long as you feel pain, you are still alive. As long as you make mistakes, you are still human. And as long as you keep trying, there is still hope.

Always the optimist – Only you can change your life. Happiness always comes from within, you can uncover it by making peace with the past and looking forward to the future. Each morning when you open your eyes, think only three things first: Thank you, thank you, and thank you. Then set out to make the best use of the gift of this day that you can.

High pain threshold – Maybe there is something you’re afraid to say, someone you are afraid to love, or somewhere you are afraid to go. Maybe you fear that it is going to hurt. But maybe it has to hurt because it matters, and because it expands your horizons. Remember, pain is not always a bad thing; sometimes it is just another step toward personal growth.

Ignore the haters – Unless someone has walked in your shoes on the same path that you have traveled, and lived through all of your ups and downs alongside you, they have no right to judge you. Unless they can look into the core of your heart and see the degree of your passion, or look into the depths of your soul and see the extent of your will, then they have no business telling you who you are or what you can or cannot achieve. Everyone has a story. Everyone has unique gifts. Unless that someone is YOU, an individual’s opinion of you holds no value.

Learn to love – Every human thought, word, or deed is based on fear or love. Fear is the energy which contracts, closes down, draws in, hides, hoards, and harms. Love is the energy which expands, opens up, sends out, reveals, shares, and heals. The only question is: What choice will you make today?

Full responsibility for your successes and failures – The next five years can be the best five years of your life, or just another five years. The decision is yours. The best part of your life will start on the day you decide your life is your own – no one to lean on, rely on, or blame. It takes courage and strength, but you need to say it: “The gift of life is mine, it is an amazing journey, and I alone am responsible for the quality of it.”

Consistent action and forward progress – Many great things can be done in a day if you do not always make that day tomorrow. Take positive action and plant the right seeds in your life right now. Nature herself does not distinguish between what seeds she receives. She grows whatever seeds are planted; this is the way life works. Be mindful of the seeds you plant today, as they will become the crop you harvest in the future.

Holding on to yourself – There are two things you should not waste your time on: things that do not matter and people who do not think you matter. Remember, sometimes in the midst of all the commotion and negativity swirling around, life will force you to make a choice between losing yourself and losing someone or something else. Regardless of the situation, do not lose yourself. Stay true to your path and keep moving forward.

A true sense of appreciation – Sometimes people throw away something good for something better, only to find out later that what they possessed was unparalleled in worth. Stop long enough to appreciate things. When you appreciate what you have, what you have appreciates in value. When you truly appreciate your life, you will find that you have more of it to live.

Changing the people around them for the better – Let a person’s character be their currency and you will sadly find that a lot of wealthy people are actually bankrupt. Being the wealthiest man or woman in the cemetery does not matter; going to bed every night knowing that you’re making a positive deference in the world is what matters.

Elite.