“Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.”
― Cicero

You will make mistakes. How you respond is a critical choice.

You can choose to avoid responsibility and blame others, circumstances, or things outside your control.

You can take ownership, honestly assess what happened, and figure out what you could do different next time.

Your response to failure is what determines how much you learn, how much you grow, and how far you go.

“All leadership starts with self-leadership.”
― Nick Wagner

Self-leadership is the foundation of good leadership. It requires commitment to continuous improvement. It requires ongoing personal growth and development. It requires taking ownership, and accepting responsibility for outcomes.

A good leader always looks in the mirror first, and sets the standard with his own actions. He doesn’t let his ego get in the way of growth, and he accepts feedback no matter the source. He doesn’t complain, and he learns from his failures.

Anyone who would lead others must first lead himself.

“The time your game is most vulnerable is when you’re ahead. Never let up.”
― Rod Laver, Adidas

When I was a kid, I played basketball with a boy who was taller than every other kid in the league. I’ll call him Aaron. With his obvious advantage, he dominated on the court. Well, at least that’s how the season started.

As the season progressed, the story changed. Other kids improved their game, but Aaron seemed to stagnate. He was being out rebounded by kids much shorter than him. His shots were being blocked by boys who only came up to his chin.

It was easy to see what was happening. Aaron hadn’t been challenged at the beginning of the season. He didn’t need to work hard to win. But over time, the other kids worked hard and developed their skills up to and beyond his level. Aaron was still the tallest guy out there, but that advantage on its own wasn’t enough.

To stay competitive, Aaron needed to work on his skill set and put in a lot more effort. Relying solely on his height was insufficient.

Aaron’s story is a fitting analogy for life. If we play down to lesser competition, we’ll stagnate just like Aaron did on the basketball court. It’s not about our advantages or disadvantages. It’s about putting in the effort necessary for continuous improvement.

We have to challenge ourselves and surround ourselves with people who push us to be better. We need to learn, adapt, and constantly expand our skillset. Upgrade your competition, and you’ll upgrade yourself.

“Sometimes we receive the power to say yes to life. Then peace enters us and makes us whole.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson

You’re overwhelmed. You’re stressed. You have too much on your plate. There aren’t enough hours in the day.

Obviously, you’re bad at saying no. You take on too much and don’t know how to get it under control. If you could learn to say no, everything would improve.

But what if you started saying yes?

What if you figured out how to say yes to all the good things?

Yes to the projects that genuinely excite you, yes to quality time with family and friends, yes to self-care and relaxation, yes to personal growth and learning. As you become comfortable saying yes to these, you’ll naturally start saying no to the things that don’t serve your best interests, be it an overbearing workload, unnecessary commitments, or simply a lack of time. In the process, you’ll learn to prioritize yourself and your needs.

Shift your mindset, and say “Yes” to all the good things in your life.

“Get to the point where you get allergic to average! You don’t think average!”
― Eric Thomas

You’ll never make it to the next level with an average mindset. Average is for everyone else. Average is the path of fear.

So conquer your fear. Convince yourself that your goals are bigger than fear.

Choose to end your fear.

• Don’t fear new paths.
• Don’t fear work.
• Don’t fear being different.
• Don’t fear criticism.
• Don’t fear judgment.
• Don’t fear taking risks.
• Don’t fear stepping out of your comfort zone.
• Don’t fear the unknown.
• Don’t fear rejection.
• Don’t fear change.
• Don’t fear success.
• Don’t fear being alone.
• Don’t fear standing up for yourself.
• Don’t fear starting over.
• Don’t fear being vulnerable.
• Don’t fear being misunderstood.
• Don’t fear making mistakes.
• Don’t fear asking for help.
• Don’t fear being imperfect.
• Don’t fear being yourself.
• Don’t fear the journey.

Push yourself. Believe in your abilities. Strive for greatness.

Don’t be average.

“First law of Bad Management: If something isn’t working, do more of it.”
― Tom DeMarco

I’m a programmer. I build software. One thing ingrained in me after all these years of software engineering is this: test your work.

Testing can’t just be an afterthought. It’s a crucial step in the process. That’s why good developers embrace concepts like test-driven development or TDD.

And testing isn’t limited to software development. You can apply many of the same concepts throughout your life. Often, all you need to do is specify your expected results and verify them as you go.

Of course, this readily applies to things like diet (step on the scale each week) and exercise (measure strength increases). It applies to less obvious endeavors too. For example:

• Cooking — Do a trial run of your new recipe with a small group of friends before the big party.
• Hobbies — Run an experiment and borrow equipment to see if you like that intriguing activity before you “invest” all your money.
• Raising kids — Ask your older kids for “user feedback” about chores and family activities. They may surprise you with their insight.
• Public speaking — A/B test opening jokes or witty anecdotes and adjust your speech accordingly.
• Power outages — Flip off the master breaker and do some edge case testing for minor disaster prep. Just make sure you remember where you put the flashlight.

There are lots more too. Sure, it sounds a bit nerdy, but it’s an integral part of continuous improvement.

If it’s important, test it.

“If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it.”
― Peter Drucker

Meetings can be beneficial, but often they disguise a form of micromanaging. Instead of more meetings for progress reports and marching orders, focus on metrics that matter for your business goals. Good metrics showcase what’s working and what isn’t.

When you focus on metrics, you ensure every team member knows what’s expected. There are no grey areas — just clear, quantifiable targets. And using metrics to drive performance lets each team member see how their personal results drive success for the whole team.

Clear metrics also enable your people to track their own performance and make necessary changes independently. This reduces the need for constant supervision and gives your team the freedom to learn, adapt, and excel.

Make your meetings matter, and let the numbers do the talking.

“You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation.”
― Plato

Eight things you can do to improve your life this week:

1. Say “no” to something that doesn’t bring you value.

2. Outsource or delegate a non-critical task.

3. Automate a repetitive task.

4. Define your goals clearly.

5. Take some time to think.

6. Go for a walk in nature.

7. Cook a delicious meal.

8. Read a book.

“Be positive. Your mind is more powerful than you think. What is down in the well comes up in the bucket. Fill yourself with positive things.”
― Tony Dungy

The power of a positive attitude is undeniable. No matter who you are, cultivating an attitude of positivity will make a difference in your professional and personal life.

A positive attitude is like a tool in a toolbox. It equips you with enough resilience to handle the ups and downs, pushes you towards problem-solving, and encourages creative thinking.

Here are some effective ways to cultivate a daily positive attitude:

• Foster gratitude: Start each day with gratitude. Thank God for the gifts he gave you. This practice sends an immediate positive charge to your brain, setting the tone for your day.

• Transform negative thoughts: When confronted with negativity, flip the script. Look for a silver lining, a lesson, or an opportunity in the situation. How we interpret what happens in our life is just as important as what happens in our life.

• Affirm yourself: Tell yourself you can handle whatever life throws at you. Tell yourself you’ll be the person you want to be — at least for today. The tone you set at the beginning of the day controls your thoughts throughout the day.

Adopting a positive attitude doesn’t mean ignoring life’s struggles or problems. It’s about approaching these hurdles with a hopeful, proactive mindset. The result? A more satisfying, fulfilled, and productive life.

“They say that money can’t solve problems, but I’m pretty sure it would solve my money problem.”
― Unknown

What if you just threw money at the problem?

Would that make it go away? Would that solve it instantly and save you the headache?

How quickly do you need it done? What else could you be accomplishing right now?

How much time and frustration would that save? What’s your time worth? What’s your sanity worth?

You won’t solve all your problems by throwing money at them, but sometimes, you can trade money for time, productivity, and sanity.