So I had a coaching session recently w a gal who, on her intake form, wrote that she'd read my 2011 book, How to Choose a Husband—which, as a side note, is being re-released this year under a new title with a new intro—and that when she came across the passage that said 'Put marriage and motherhood, not career, at the center of your life, and fit everything else in around that,' she thought to herself, "OMG, is it really okay to want that?"

Not only is it okay to want that, it's crucial that that's what marriage-minded women do do if they want to be successful in life and in love.

You have to think outside the cultural box, and you must to think long term. If you fly by the seat of your pants or live your life on auto pilot, it will be much harder down the line to get what you want out of life. Instead, live purposefully and mindfully.

The choices we make early on have a domino effect and will land you in a place you either want to be or don't want to be.

Here are 3 hugely unpopular life decisions that lead to huge success:

1. Choose a career based on your future family plans.

2. Marry younger.

3. Don't make financial decisions based on two incomes.

IN THIS EPISODE:

4:25  To be successful in life, men and women need to think differently and be comfortable with thinking differently

6:30  Suzanne tells the story of her mother

8:00  Think outside of the box and plan ahead. This is the key to making smart decisions for life and love

10:00  Choose a career based on your future family plans.

10:40  Suzanne talks about her decisions regarding wanting a family and how she mapped out her life

12:00  “Ambition” doesn’t always have to do with money

12:40  Your family is only as strong as your marriage

16:30  Suzanne talks about why her first marriage failed

18:15  Why marrying younger is better

21:00  You can never really totally “balance” work and family. You need to know how you’re going to deal with this!

22:45  Men also need to choose a path that works for them regarding career and family

24:30  The culture doesn't pay attention to the tough choices men have to make

25:00  Don't make financial decisions based on two incomes