Negative Reciprocity – Don't get involved

“Positive reciprocity, the exchange of good deeds, never escalates out of control; negative reciprocity easily does.” – Adam Smith

Who are you going insult for insult, and blow for blow with right now? 

It’s too primal and there won’t be a winner.

Better just let it go before it gets out of control.

We're all in an echo chamber

Don’t forget – the YouTube and Facebook is an echo chamber.  When you look something up or watch something, the algorithm thinks that’s what you like and will keep feeding you more like that.  

This does not make the world more and more like that.  Only what you see.  It’s validation of what you think you know.

Just remember that.

Search for something different.  Watch something different. 

Don’t stay in the echo chamber.

Constantly on your phone?

For most, that is an addiction.  People are looking for the next hit of dopamine.

Yes, a phone is a useful tool and communication device.

When you have something you are engaged in….when you are making something happen in the real world…you are on your phone a lot less than people who are bored.

You are boring to the degree that you can’t evoke interest from other people.  Evoking interest is about what you can do for them, or what you are doing that is interesting to them.

Be more of a leader or participant in life, and less of a spectator to what others are doing.

In the end, people regret the things they didn’t do.

Pretend your critics are right

If you’re trying to get better and do better, people will see that and give you all sorts of advice.

While other people can’t understand your motivations and intentions exactly, they see what you are projecting.  When they comment or try to give advice, there’s something to it – especially if more than one person says the same thing.

Failures see advice as criticism.  

Successes see criticism as advice.

Pay attention.

To be extraordinary is a choice

“The extraordinary is not the birthright of a chosen and privileged few, but of ALL people, even the humblest. That is my one certainty: we are all the manifestation of the divinity of God.” – Paulo Coehlo, The Pilgrim

 To be extraordinary is a choice. 

Is it one you have made in at least one or more areas of your life?

Be right by you.

Be good to yourself.  Take care of your health and fitness.  Do things that make you proud of yourself.

Stretch yourself and use more and more of the limitless potential inside you.  Be ambitious and self-disciplined.

Believe in yourself.  Bet on yourself.

“I can’t be right for someone else if I’m not right for me.” – Sammy Davis Jr., “I’ve Gotta Be Me”, 1968

If you want to live a good life – do this.

If you want to live a good life focus on the things that are WITHIN your control and let go of everything else.

Are you doing that?

Do you believe in you?

Who knows you better than anyone? 

You do.

Everyone intuitively knows that each of us has been our own witness our entire lives.

Those who believe in themselves go on to achieve great things.

Those that don’t, don’t.

If you don’t believe in yourself, why should I or anyone else believe in you?

Tough times make better people

“I don’t like people who have never fallen or stumbled.  Their virtue is lifeless and isn’t of much value.  Life hasn’t revealed its beauty to them. – Boris Pasternak

“In the dark time, the eye begins to see.”-Theodore Roethke

Resilience, endurance, strength, wisdom, ability, self-confidence, courage – all forged from adversity.

Be grateful for what happens.  

It is not happening to you, but for you.

You want to be here – don't you?

Good bad or somewhere in between, where you are now is where you are comfortable.  Otherwise, you would change it.

Sometimes, it’s time to get uncomfortable.