If you are having a good and easy day today, please enjoy it as it is a blessing and probably well deserved.  But pray that tomorrow is more challenging and difficult or you will have two days in a row of no growth or improvement toward your goals.  “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.” Frederick Douglass

There is a huge difference between "Playing to Win" and "Playing not to lose".  One requires a positive and optimistic mindset that believes that winning is possible.   The other requires nothing but a hope that failure doesn't happen.  Traveling through life fearing failure and doing all that you can to avoid it will never provide the countless opportunities to succeed as much as you possibly can. “Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten.” Neil Gaiman

It is interesting how we seek things to be "normal", yet we have an unrealistic concept of "normal".  Life is unfair ... that is normal.  Life is painful ... that is normal.  Life is unpredictable and always changing .. that is normal.  Instead of spending so much dang time trying to be "normal", we should spend that time learning how to adapt to the complexity of life.  “There is no normal life that is free of pain. It’s the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for our growth.”  Fred Rogers

The most attractive option initially may not be the best option eventually. "I will love the light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness for it shows me the stars.”  Og Mandino

You can look at life in two ways.  Either only exceptional people do exceptional things OR ... YOU can be exceptional by doing exceptional things.  “There are no great people in this world, only great challenges which ordinary people rise to meet.”  William Frederick Halsey Jr.

Thanks.  Yes.  Please.  Awesome.  Sweet.  Beautiful.  Sorry.  Wonderful.  You.  Us.  Lets-go.  Love You (ok, that is two words).  It is amazing that when we simply use one word over another, it not only can change another persons day, it can change our attitude about our day.  When we place our focus on others, not only does it bring meaning to our lives, we may actually receive encouragement from others in return.  “One word of encouragement can be enough to spark someone’s motivation to continue with a difficult challenge.”  Roy T. Bennett

Pay attention to how many decisions you make today that are based on being as comfortable as possible.  Whether we get out of bed or hit the snooze, what we eat, whether we workout, what we do, who we do it with, conversations we have or don't have, plans for the future, what to avoid, etc  We tend to seek comfort more than discomfort.  Unfortunately, that choice often results in us limiting the opportunity to reach our full potential.  GET UNCOMFORTABLE TODAY.  “The world offers you comfort. But you were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” – Pope Benedict XVI

I spent the first half of my life living with the belief that humans are 100% rational beings that unfortunately allow emotions to interfere with logic and sound decision making, which then negatively impacts success.  I have spent the second half of my life living with the full understanding that humans are 100% emotional beings who occasionally think rationally.  Ignoring emotions or feeling shame or guilt for having them will not prevent them or allow us to leverage them for our benefit and the benefit of those around us. “Feelings are much like waves, we can’t stop them from coming but we can choose which ones to surf.” – Jonatan Martensson