Tomorrow gives us hope.

Yesterday gives us information we can use.

Today is the day we get to put yesterday and tomorrow to its best use.

No matter what you think of today’s billionaires shuttling into space, it’s notable that astronaut William Shatner is 90 years old.

How many 90-year-olds do you know who could take a flight into space?

I clip stories about people who do remarkable things as a reminder to never let anyone else’s limitations become mine.

• The 90+ year old who wins a marathon for his age group – over 5 miles and the last time I checked he was unhappy about his time and vowed to improve it next year – now that’s something to think about.
• 11-year old Laurent Simons who in 2021 became the second youngest college graduate in history obtaining a bachelor’s degree in physics, of all things – you see, dreams are not age restricted.
• Mark Zupan, a quadriplegic from a drunk driver and gold medal winning Paralympic medalist in wheelchair rugby, skydiver and main figure in the Oscar nominated movie Murderball let nothing stop him.

Focus on the possible and seemingly impossible to remind yourself how awesome you, too, can be.

Why waste time with can’t.

I don’t know about you but when I was in college, I never thought about whether a person I was dating was a Republican or Democrat.

We didn’t give each other a Rorschach test on climate change, foreign policy, government or the economy before going out.

We were just looking for the good in each other.

In a divided world, we seem to start with conflict at home, at work and with our families.

Looking for points of agreement – not differences — can help overcome areas of disagreement and that is a powerful tool in resolving conflict.

Look for the good in others and the differences will take their proper place.

Once you allow a negative thought to get into your head, it multiples.

• Worry that you won’t live up to your own expectations or those of others that somehow matter to you.
• That you’re not as good as people think you are.
• When the success of others is painful to you because it activates jealousy.

You’re good enough – probably better.

Your expectations (the real ones that matter to you personally) are all that count.

Jealousy is like a smoke alarm warning you to cool down and remember that another person’s success has nothing to do with yours.

Exposing secret fears helps alleviate them.

One of the biggest fears is pressure to attain milestones and feeling like a failure when you don’t achieve them.

If you value work the most and you feel like you are slipping behind, it is a source of great anxiety that infects all areas of life.

Look at life as several compartments – career can be one, personal relationships, and self-fulfillment are two other important ones.

Spread the risk from career to other important areas so what happens at work doesn’t disproportionately ruin your life.

Missing a milestone rarely ever matters to people who refuse to give up.

1. You think everyone else is better than you
2. Going negative before you begin
3. You expect to lose, surprised to win
4. It’s been a long time between pats on the back
5. You’re asking for help from those less qualified than you

People watch how you treat yourself and often treat you the same way.

If you clicked to open this one, you can join me in the everlasting fight against the fear of failure.

We’re human – we worry – sometimes too much.

If you’ve noticed some athletes even premier Olympic athletes cannot perform if they harbor even a minor doubt in their head.

And that doubt doesn’t necessarily have to be about their ability to compete at sports, it may be something lurking inside about another issue.

Proceed when you’re ready.

Pause when you need time.

Fear thought is an emotion caused by the belief that something or someone dangerous is likely to cause pain or a threat.

Forethought is when we consider future risks, accept them and proceed on our timetable.

Failing is not what we fear, it’s the fear itself and that’s where to redirect efforts to overcoming our anxieties.

Let’s be honest, the amount of time you spend with loved ones has nothing to do with the quality of your relationship together.

Couples can use that time to quarrel.

Children can use it to bargain for something else they want.

Dispel the idea that we need more time to improve our relationships.

What we need is living in the present without digital devices and focusing 100% on the other person.

A ten-minute walk when it’s just the two of you is better than a ten-hour trip where no one is focused on each other even though they have “spent a lot of time together”.

Taking the day off is unnecessary when putting your phone away and asking ten questions to your son or daughter is very effective.

Great relationships are a quilt work of thousands of magic moments.

To get better relationships in less time, ask questions, listen intently and hold your opinions.

Name everything you’ve done wrong this week and then everything you’ve done right.

If it was easier conjuring up the wrong, time to change things.

I have my students applaud each other heartily after they present their viewpoints

Positive reinforcement is the key to sustained confidence – congratulate yourself and others because building people up, not tearing them down, increases confidence.

Trying is more important than succeeding

A .250 percentage makes a baseball player lots of money – you don’t need to succeed 100% of the time.

Assume a virtue if you have it not (Shakespeare) 

If you assume your presentation will be effective, it likely will.  If you worry about whether it will, it likely won’t.

Another word for confidence is belief.

If someone you know wants to put you down, it’s their choice.

But don’t help them.

Use it as an opportunity to pat yourself on the back.

Don’t make their jealousies and criticism yours.

Here’s how.

Think of your head as having a memory chip in it.

When people put us down, they not only get direct access to that chip, we then help them put us down by hitting repeat over and over.

No one gets to say anything (not even compliments) directly into our head.

If it’s positive, it stays.

Only we are the ones who can hit repeat.

Those who seek to undermine us are locked out if we recognize the manipulation and refuse to let their comments seep in.