Responding to Distress

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Remember the following:

The worst case scenario is a fine option. 

• If all things fail, you will live a great life. 
• There are a thousand ways to make money.
• There are a thousand ways to help people and have purpose. 
• You will have to be creative but you will make it work. 
• Fearlessly plowing through adversity is the ultimate goal in life. 

Know your Priorities in Life

My #1 priority is: Happiness. 

• Happiness is multi-factorial.
• Happiness is self-derived by prioritizing health, family, friends, and fun with real life experiences. 
• Happiness does not come from a job, a person, or a salary. 
• Happiness is when you jam out to music in the car instead of letting the music become the background to your thoughts. 

You love your work and are invested in it wholeheartedly but you know that your work is not you. 

• You are a happy, fun, awesome person who likes to do random new things. 
• You are appreciative and considerate. 
• You make mistakes and are constantly working to better yourself. 
• You also have goals.
• If your goals fail you will still be a happy, fun, awesome, appreciative and considerate person AKA you. 

Jerks are People Too

• Those jerks at work?
• Boy am I happy that I'm not one of them! They must be having it rough! 

• That guy cutting you off and blowing his horn? 
• That guy must be having a rough day.  "May the force be with you, my friend! God speed!" and then keep jamming to your favorite tunes. 

Brush it off and Carry on Laughing.

From the book The War of Art:

"A Professional distances herself from her instrument...she does not identify with this instrument...she assesses it coolly, impersonally, objectively."

• "Madonna does not identify with 'Madonna.' Madonna employs 'Madonna'."
• "A professional does not take failure (or success) personally"
• Fear of rejection can unman us. "...paralyze us and and prevent us, if not from doing our work, then from exposing it to public evaluation."
• Blow critics off. Don't even hear them.
• Reinvent yourself and continue on.

From the book Top Performance: How to Develop Excellence in Yourself and Others:

"When we choose to be thoughtful and considerate, we've chosen to be treated in a thoughtful and considerate manner."

• "We must teach our employees that they are responsible for their attitudes and their conduct and that in life, every choice we make...has consequences!"
• "The way you see your future determines your thinking today."
• "Nobody can make you act mad unless there is already some mad in you."
• "Your response--or reaction--to the negative reveals what's inside of your....and shows the kind of person you really are."
• "The lights are always on and the camera is always rolling."