I commute to New York City.

Turnpike.  Congested city traffic.  1010 WINS.  Waze. Hidden police radar.

I don’t like traffic delays and irritations so I think of my students who will bring their fresh faces and tons of optimism to class as my reward.

The destination is worth much more than what it takes to get there.

Obsessing over impediments ruins everything.

Seeing the reward in your mind’s eye helps deal with the irritations of getting there.

Anticipating the reward in life makes the journey more bearable.

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If I look bad or worry about being embarrassed, I will think about how great it will feel to overcome that, too.

I fear the unknown but the unknown can also be my friend. 

I don’t want to let anyone down but I can promise them 100% effort trying.

I’ll feel worse if I let fear thoughts into my head when I am trying to succeed.

It’s temporary.

I have lots of company – everyone fails, but winners deal with it and move on.

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The 88-year old Buffett calls it the “newspaper test”.

How would you feel about any decision if you knew it was going to be written up in the local newspaper the next day?

Buffett adds it would be “written by a smart but pretty unfriendly reporter” and everyone in your life — family, friends, everyone – would read it.

“If [the decision] passes that test, it’s okay. If anything is too close to the lines, it’s out.”

Buffett credits his father for making him aware of his “inner scorecard”.

But people often live by their “outer scorecard”.

In other words, reputation is everything and the ultimate guide to doing what’s right when making tough decisions.

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Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis couldn’t buy a hit for weeks at the start of this year’s baseball season.

He finally ended his 0-for-54 slump at Boston’s Fenway Park to opposition fan applause.

Davis not only singled, but hit two doubles, drove in four runs and got the albatross off his back.

Davis said: “That’s a long time without getting a hit … I don’t know what I’m going to do with it, but obviously something special.”

As bad as it was for Davis who, by the way, is in the fourth season of a seven-year $161 million contract, it’s not the longest hitless streak in baseball (Bob Buhl went 0-for-85 in 1962-63).

“You have to embrace it at some point” – that’s what this two-time major league homerun champion said.

Adversity introduces a person to him or herself and to those around them.

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Intense but loose.

That’s what Joe LaCava told Tiger Woods ahead of his improbable comeback from surgery, an addiction to painkillers, personal adversity and a ten-year championship drought.

“Don’t carry the weight of the world”

Woods wanted to win so badly and return to victory that he was getting in his own way.

When we want something so badly we can taste it, that desire may be so great that it interferes with the path to success.

Intensity can only be sustained so long before it becomes anxiety.

Remaining loose is how we unlock our talent on the way to victory.

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Saying “I’m stressed” will only make it worse.

But saying “stretched” connotes a temporary condition.

A rubber band is stretched and it always returns to normal.

You are stressed but it is temporary unless you don’t release it.

The more times the word “stressed” is used, the more ominous it feels.

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Have you ever seen anyone open a fortune cookie, read it aloud proudly and find a way to make it wishfully apply to them?

Think about what would happen if we would do exactly that with our confidence.

Believe in yourself without question and apply that belief to your goal, dream or problem.

We believe a fortune cookie more than we believe in ourselves.

To change it, assume a happy ending, a great outcome and never stop believing in your ability to make it happen.

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One key doesn’t unlock your car, your house and your luggage.

One thing doesn’t motivate everyone.

Find the special key that unlocks the potential of an employee and a different one to let you into your child’s life.

One size doesn’t fit all.

One key doesn’t open every door.

One way to relate to everyone in your life will not work.

Those skilled in human relations know to keep searching for the right thing that will motivate any one person.

One size doesn’t fit all.

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Sometimes it appears people care more when they want something or want to influence an outcome.

Caring is a gift we give – it costs nothing, just time and the reward is evident as we recognize that we can make a difference.

Not controlling is a bigger gift – it means I care and want nothing in return from you.

My time costs nothing but it is worth a lot to the recipient.

Controlling people is the fastest way to drive people away.

Caring and not controlling is real power for good and draws others close to you.

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In our world, it’s not just our stress that’s getting to us, it’s that of others conveyed to you.

You could live the perfect stress-free life but you still have to live in an imperfect stressful world.

What to do?

Recognize if it’s your stress or theirs – own yours, deflect theirs.

You’re better at dealing with stress than you probably think so put a hold on it when you don’t like the way it makes you feel.

You don’t have to solve the problem to relieve the stress – just recognize it and put it in its place.

When others infect you with their stress, remember that you are paying a price with your health and happiness the longer you keep absorbing negative emotions like a sponge.

When all else fails, think about something or someone for which you are grateful – stress cannot exist at the same time that you are actively experiencing gratitude.

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