Most of us would welcome a blueprint for success: a list of accomplishments to check off that would result in dream jobs and promotions.

But doing all the “right things” doesn’t necessarily give you an edge when it comes to achieving prosperity and happiness.

“People entering the business world today are a commodity; they’ve attended the same schools, read the same books, gone to the same movies, played the same video games, and watched the same TV shows,” says Fred Cook, CEO of GolinHarris, a public relations firm with 50 offices worldwide.

image: http://www.freedigitalphotos.net