Part of this may well be true – clarity about our goals and persistence are important.

But I don’t believe that a great deal of effort is needed to get where we want to be. It’s more about the kind of effort we take.

First, let's be clear. Action is very important. It's possible that someone will knock on the door and hand you a cheque for ten million dollars. But it's very unlikely. The point we need to grasp is that any action you take needs to be the right kind of action – call it ‘inspired action.’ Such action doesn't feel like making an effort because it's natural. When you take inspired action, you're going with the grain, not against it; you're sailing with the wind, not into it. You're not fighting against something, not struggling.

When I was a kid, my father taught me how to saw wood – he showed me how to position the wood so that the grain was in just the right direction relative to the saw, and how to let the saw do the work – pushing too hard jammed up the saw and made a mess, but there was a kind of easy, fluid motion that got the job done easily and well. This is the kind of action we need to be taking – not just pushing through.

First, I think it is important to be clear about what you want or where you are going. Make your intentions clear and write them down. You don’t have to go through them every day – it is enough that they are there and that they are clear – but set aside some time every now and again to review and re-affirm them. Don’t worry about how you are going to achieve these gaols – there is a vast and wonderful intelligence which, if you are relaxed and alert, will guide you in the right direction and put the right opportunities in your path. The key is that your intentions must make you feel good, so have fun with this and be creative. Remember, this is a description of your destination, so it should, in a sense, be a bit outrageous and grandiose.

Perhaps you could write a description of your intentions: if you enjoy creative writing, make it into a story - put as much detail into the description as you can and, again, imagine yourself being in the story.

Over time, these intentions will settle into your subconscious mind, and the universe will respond in remarkable ways, bringing experiences into your life which you could not have arranged. You might meet someone, or read something, apparently by chance, or experience other things which will open doors of opportunity for you.

You need to be alert for these opportunities and take them when they arise. Act on hunches and intuition, learn to trust your feelings and the action you take will be natural and effortless, and will lead to the fulfilment of your intentions. Make your intentions clear, be alert for signs and opportunities, and take action on them.

Inspired action is one of the reasons miracles appear to occur. It is all about finding the right place and the right time to act. The world seems solid and unchangeable, but it is surprisingly malleable and open to influence - one little nudge in just the right thing can change everything.