Mawlana Qamar uz Zaman Allahabadi (Allah preserve him) said,

'To achieve real prosperity (sa'adet) three things are required,

1. To protect one's heart from involvement in things that result in wasting time and corruption of the heart itself.

2. Following Sunna meticulously in all matters.

3. To acquire the 'nur' of 'following the Sunna'.

--The initial two are achievable by effort (ikhteyari), whereas the last one can not be achieved by effort alone (ghair ikhteyari). It is a gift bestowed by Allah.'

[Al-Ifadat al-Ahsaniya, page 254]

http://www.ashrafiya.com/2012/04/11/achieving-real-properity/