Elephants at a three-ring circus used to follow each other around blindly for “The Greatest Show on Earth”.

People who don’t lead are like elephants in the circus.

They keep going ‘round and ‘round in a circle behind someone ahead of them thinking that they are leading when they are really following.

To lead, step aside and walk alone in a different direction.

Let the others think they are leading when they are really following.

But for you, simply stepping aside and heading somewhere else is an act of leadership.

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We know too many people.

Have too many friends that aren’t really “friends”.

We try to do too much when less makes us just as happy.

We try to make too many people like and respect us when it is better to be exactly who you want to be and value fewer people who like us the way we are.

Instead of running from people who give us anxiety, we somehow embrace them and carry around more.

We think more is better but more doesn’t feel as good as one thing or one person that really matters.

We doubt ourselves when we should be our biggest proponent.

We can’t love everyone until we love ourselves enough to get out of the numbers game and build solid individual relationships instead of collecting friends who mean nothing to us.

Downsize stress by focusing on that one remarkable, unique person who spends all their time living in a smaller universe surrounded by the people who like us for being ourselves.

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Running scared feels like if you stop, something bad will happen.

Perpetual fear of failure.

Stop working that hard and you will lose your job or not get the promotion. Or don’t stop long enough to find the next challenge.

It can also mean running the risk of being left out.

Or not finding someone special to spend a life with or to start over again.

It can be 24-hour anxiety and depression.

The alternative to running scared is running hot.

Motivated.

Focused.  

Resilient.

Fearless.

Ready to turn on what it takes at a high level of intensity but without the gnawing fear of failure.

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So, what would happen if the next time you hear “no”, you don’t accept it and try one more time?

Achievers don’t take no for an answer.  It’s not in their vocabulary.

They are allergic to no and try repeatedly until they get closer to what they want.

How willing are you to pay the price for the reward?

Persistence is making your own good luck.

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Always forgive others because you need to forgive them more than they need to hear it.  Do it for yourself.  Let the anger go.

But forgiving does not mean forgetting.

At the same time remember the good people in your life who helped you become you.

Forgive offenders for your sake.

This is the key to forgiveness.

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People who criticize are not teaching, they are exercising their power over you.

There is no such thing as constructive criticism. That just gives license to have at you, again, to exercise power and control.

If a teacher taught his/her students by criticizing them when they were wrong, they would stop learning.

Criticism is never acceptable either to give or receive, but we’re in a world where it is easy to do and to do it impulsively.

People respond to help, information, encouragement.

Criticism does not have one advantage.

Let no person criticize you and if it’s your boss or someone you can’t repel, label it as criticism in your own mind if you have to hear it.

Then erase it from your mind and get to a better place.

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Why would anyone use this word if they really wanted to succeed?

And yet we use it constantly – many times a day on the average.

Sometimes we mean it as “I don’t want to” instead of “I can’t handle it” but saying this word as much as most people do simply programs our brains to cause anxiety.

Drop the “t”.

Can’t is limiting.

Can creates possibilities.

But here’s the thing.  By being aware of one word, you can be less negative and more positive.

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The Phillies spent $330 million in the off season to sign slugger free agent Bryce Harper.

Harper’s season got off to a slow start and the fans (I know, Philly fans) came down hard on him.  This loss of faith is repeated everywhere from other cities, sports and companies.

What’s strange is how people give up on other people when they are in a slump or down on their luck.

But Harper didn’t.  He’s known for coming alive late in the season in a meaningful way.

Life isn’t all batting 1.000.

No one gets to super-perform every day.

For every streak, there is a rough patch.

The key is when others give up on you, double down on your confidence knowing that it’s only a matter of time to win again if you believe in yourself.

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People don’t want to go first.

At a wedding, no one wants to be the first on the dance floor.  After someone else gets up, the other dancers follow.

At dinner, if the room is quiet, it tends to stay quiet unless and until a number of conversations raise the decibel level.

In the classroom, the majority of students wait for someone else to raise their hand first.

The thing is going first is good for you.  Following others trains us to wait, overthink, create needless fear.

Next time, seize the opportunity.  It’s a way to practice building confidence for when you really need it.

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No one really wants advice.  What they really want is someone to listen to them, hear them out with judging.

But we call it advice because we want to get the other person’s attention and no one can resist giving advice.

If we can allow the other person to express their feelings, we are becoming an active listener and that’s a person who is valued even more than the one that has all the answers.

Repeating.  Restating. Waiting for the other person’s response.

The best gift you can give is listening to what that person has to say.

No judging.  No problem solving.

They want your ear and they want you to hear.

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