What are some ways I can avoid financial failure?
Financial failure is the result of exceeding ones ability to service debts, and ones liabilities exceed their assets.  In general, you should live beneath your means, and decrease debts to a serviceable level.  To ensure financial success, it is recommended to save and invest to the point where you can comfortably live on 25x your yearly expenses at the typical yearly draw down of 4% to the point of the typical life expectancy of 30 years past retirement.