Life You Can Do That? Great. Go Ahead.

When I shared the story of a man who tightroped across Niagara Falls, someone said, “That’s easy! He had a safety harness.”

Every day I hear from someone who thinks my quest to visit every country in the world is invalid because of some technical reason.

When I talk about people who leave their jobs to make their own way through self-employment, I hear about the advantages these people have and how it must be so simple for them.

It reminds me of an old musician’s joke, told and retold in various forms.

Question: “How many guitar players does it take to change a light bulb?”

Answer: One to do it, and a dozen others to say “I could do that.”

Two things about countering this way of thinking:

Embrace the WOW. When someone does something interesting, appreciate it for what it is. Stop judging or discounting their achievements. The world is full of people doing fun and incredible things. Keep your eyes wide and your mind open.

Focus on your own achievements. Set your own goals and spend your energy on something you build, create, or pursue. Can you walk on a tightrope across Niagara Falls? Great. Go ahead and do it.

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When I became an optimist after years of seeing the glass half-empty, it was mostly a practical choice. I just realized I was tired (literally) of putting my energy toward negative thoughts. It was draining and decapacitating. I vowed to put my energy toward positive thoughts, and ignore anything else as much as possible.

Here’s how this two-part play works in practice.

Dear Reader,

WOW. What you’re doing over there is amazing.

It’s so good that I need to get back to my own work.

Thanks for being around.

So … what are you working on?

Feel free to share.

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Image: Roo