It's the principle of modeling, where when you want to become successful doing what you love, the quickest and easiest way is to study what someone doing it successfully did to reach the top, and to do what that person did yourself.

That's why I wanted to get to know John Chamness, who made the decision when he had no money in the bank that he was a successful person - because all decisions we make about our lives, when we support them through our thoughts, feelings - and actions, determine the things that happen for us.

John today is a personal growth master and very successful online business owner, yet before he learned the key insights to become a "Million Dollar Person" he was broke and under the power of that major limitation holding a majority of people back: Fear, Doubt and Worry.

At one point he so afraid of failing that he didn't tell his wife and friends he had begun a new business venture, because then if he failed, no one would be the wiser - and no one would criticize him or say "I told you so".

However that was long before he learned many valuable lessons, including these:

1. Success is a learnable skill.

By the simple fact he had seen others overcome their fears and become successful, John knew he could, as well, just by studying what they did, and doing it himself.

In fact, he says that when he really focused and became clear on what he wanted - and committed to doing what it takes to reach his goal - he was amazed that it actually worked. It was one of those life-changing moments we all experience when we've broken through our limiting beliefs and experienced firsthand that we can in fact do what we previously thought was impossible for us.

Most of John's success came only after he shifted his mindset, by raising his "Consciousness Of Wealth".

"Success is not by chance, and it is attainable by anyone," he said. "When most people run into an obstacle, they think 'it's too hard' or it's not meant to be. When I started, it was hard! I started overcoming obstacles because my desire was so huge... (and thought to myself afterward) 'I actually overcame an obstacle and didn't quit!'"

2. Our limitations can be unlearned.

Children are masters at getting what they want and all self-doubt and thoughts of limitations are just false notions and habits people pick up from others as they grow older.

"I am the one who sets my limitations," John says, pointing out that all of us came into the world knowing how to do only a few things. Virtually everything we know and believe we have learned, and we can unlearn things like self-doubt and the belief we can't have the things we want most, like money, success and happiness.

When you instead study personal growth materials and inspire yourself with positive messages every day, and apply what you learn, the result is equally inevitable... you're very successful!

3. Your desire is as strong as you decide to make it.

John talks extensively about how people can increase the strength of their desire and also how to re-think the way they look at obstacles. For example each obstacle becomes an opportunity for you to become a bigger person - and by you facing the challenge, staying on course rather than quitting, and persevering... each time you become more confident, and successful, and the next challenge becomes that much easier, and less threatening.

"I learned it the hard way. I had a goal to make $10,000 a month (several years ago when he was just starting out) - within three months I made $10,000 in a month," John said.

4. Becoming a "Million Dollar Person" begins with a Million Dollar "Consciousness Of Wealth".

"My philosophy is that if you want to have a million dollars, you must work on becoming a million dollar person. It's one thing to learn how to make a million dollars, it's quite another to become a million dollar person," he says.

Part of becoming a Million Dollar Person is accepting responsibility for the things that happen in your life, and another step is making the commitment to be a life-long learner. Because that gives you better tools to find creative solutions to any of those obstacles, which become much smaller as you learn and grow and become a better person.

An important distinction John shares is that all wealth is created first in your mind, long before it shows up in your bank account. For example, he talks about when he first became a wealthy person, he had no money. And yet by following the principles he shares, he became a Million Dollar Person, and before long the money followed.