I chose the best in sports, business, and personal life – the things that get me up to defy the odds on days when I need a boost.

Business:  Apple was near bankruptcy when Steve Jobs returned as CEO in 1997. He streamlined products, launched the iMac, iPod, and later the iPhone, transforming Apple into the most valuable company in the world from $1 billion in losses to $3 trillion in valuation.

Personal:  JK Rowling rejected by 12 publishers to go on and become one of the most successful authors with Harry Potter.

Space:  After an oxygen tank exploded aboard Apollo 13 mid-mission, NASA engineers and astronauts improvised fixes under extreme pressure to bring the crew safely home. A “successful failure” that redefined crisis management.

Sports:  Soccer or more accurately the Union of European Football Associations. In the UEFA Champions League Final, Liverpool trailed AC Milan 3-0 at halftime. Against all odds, they scored 3 goals in 6 minutes during the second half, then won on penalties. It’s considered one of the greatest comebacks in sports history.

The “biggest” comeback is about defying odds, refusing to quit, and doing the seemingly impossible – a reminder that resilience is humanity’s superpower.

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Saturday my wife and I happened upon a tasty bakery in Haddonfield, NJ.  I’ve been thinking about this since while nibbling the past few days.

When you open the door (and this is weird), the first thing you must do is climb down about ten stairs and then climb over a four-year old who was sitting on the bottom step playing games on his iPhone.  His parents wisely were ogling the cakes and treats – I went right for the cookies, yet this boy never looked up.

I got to talking with another delightful mom who was tasting “cake bomb” samples for the surprise birthday party she was planning for her 30-year old daughter.  But she had a pastry fatal accident – dropped the “cake bomb” sample on the floor which the proprietor happily replaced.  Such fun.

When this little one grows up, he’s not going to lament missing out on playing a video game, but he will not have the fond memory of bargaining for a treat at the bakery.  My kids would have at the least thrown a temper tantrum to get a goodie.

The past is history.

The future is a plan.

The present is life, the only meaningful currency we ever have – something not to waste.

National Hockey League coach Scotty Bowman won 9 Stanley Cups with three separate teams.

He has never been fired — every coaching job he left was either by his own decision or due to a transition into another role.

Not true of the typical NHL coach where 6-8 coaches are fired every year with the shortest tenure of all sports – about two-and-a-half to four years on average.

This is for my many friends in the radio industry who increasingly don’t have the luxury of job security.

They devoted their careers to entertaining and caring about audiences – tens of thousands of them have been fired since hedge funds took advantage of relaxation of radio station ownership rules.

But every one of the major consolidators has been through bankruptcy even following their predictable plan to fire people to cut costs and/or increase profits.

Industry after industry, being fired has more often been about the employer’s inability to understand how to run a company than the employees’ ability to help them.

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Shyness and confidence are related, but they’re not the same thing.

A shy person can still be confident in their abilities or self-worth, but they might feel uncomfortable in social situations. An outgoing person might seem confident because they’re more comfortable engaging with others, but that doesn’t always mean they’re more self-assured.

Confidence is about how you feel about yourself, while being outgoing is more about how you interact with others. So, a shy person can be just as confident, if not more so, than someone who’s outgoing.

Actress Emma Watson is often described as introverted and shy, especially in public settings.  She has confidence in her values, such as advocating for gender equality and her work as a UN Women Goodwill Ambassador showing how shyness doesn’t have to undermine self-assurance.

Comedian Robin Williams was known for being charismatic, quick-witted, and outgoing in his performances and public appearances. Despite this, he struggled with deep internal battles including depression and self-doubt. His ability to make people laugh didn’t necessarily reflect his inner sense of confidence showing that outward charm doesn’t always equal inner confidence.

True confidence comes from embracing who you are and trusting your abilities, not from how others perceive you.

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Neuroscientists tell us that we waste too much time and energy on imagined problems – things that concern or even scare us but have no way of actually happening.  Obviously, they add to our anxiety quota anyway.

Out of 100 things that we worry about, 96 will never happen or turn out better than we expected leaving only 4 worries that will actually affect us (although not usually the way we fear).

Our brains are naturally wired for negativity, but most of the fears we obsess over are unfounded which means if we can recycle this thought in our mind, we will tend to disarm our potential for adding to anxiety today.

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While it’s important to surround yourself with supportive people, there will be times when others may not believe in you simply because they don’t see your vision, don’t understand your potential or have their own limitations.

That doesn’t mean they’re always wrong or that you should dismiss them entirely.

True self-belief comes from within, not from external validation. Some of the most successful people have been doubted by others but proved them wrong by staying focused and persistent.

J.K. Rowling comes to mind as her Harry Potter work was rejected numerous times by publishers, a single mother, living on welfare and running out of hope. But she kept pushing forward becoming the first author to earn billions of dollars from writing.

Who knew?  She did.

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Practicing self-compassion is treating yourself with the same kindness and understanding you would offer a friend. Being hard on yourself during anxious times can make things worse, but being patient and gentle with yourself can help with reducing anxiety.

When we’re feeling anxious or overwhelmed, it’s easy to get caught up in negative self-talk, telling yourself that you’re not strong enough or capable enough to handle the stress.

It’s okay not to have everything figured out.

University of Houston professor Brené Brown is known for her work on vulnerability and shame emphasizing the importance of treating ourselves with kindness, especially when facing challenges.

She openly shares her own struggles with perfectionism and self-criticism, encouraging others to embrace their imperfections and practice self-compassion as a way to build emotional resilience and authenticity.

Brown says, “Talk to yourself like you would to someone you love.”

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You can’t turn back time, but you can choose how you move through it.

Youthfulness isn’t about age—it’s about energy, curiosity, and the way you engage with life. It’s in the willingness to try something new, to laugh easily, to stay open rather than rigid.

While youth fades, youthfulness is a mindset—one that keeps you adaptable, excited, and in motion.

The secret isn’t holding on to the past—it’s staying present enough to keep growing.

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The first hour of waking up can trigger anxiety especially because the mind is transitioning from sleep to active thinking.

Your brain starts processing everything you need to do and it can feel overwhelming.

To manage this, try to ground yourself before diving into the mental to-do list. Take 2-3 minutes to breathe deeply and focus on the sensation of your body in bed.

Think of someone who you care about or cares about you and stop the mind racing in its tracks by focusing on gratitude.

Sometimes we’re thrown into a racing mind that a few minutes of gratitude can fix – feel free to try and share.

Popular recording artist Billie Eilish has become a beacon to music lovers today for struggling with mental health issues.

“My message has always been to accept yourself no matter what, to love yourself, to embrace your flaws. And the more you talk about anxiety and depression, the less power it has over you.”

It’s the power of self-acceptance and open conversation when dealing with anxiety and depression.  The more you talk about your struggles — instead of hiding them — the less control they have over you.

Being ashamed of what you’re going through is useless. Talk about it. Own it. And in doing so, you’ll weaken its grip on you.

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Author Amit Sood puts it like this:  “Do not postpone joy waiting for a day when life will be perfect and all your stressors will be gone”.

Our minds tend to push away joy and keep you logged off from life.

“I have never had a day when my boat was fully secure in the harbor, the water was a deep blue, the winds were quiet, and the sun was bright and shining in the sky.  Waiting for such a day would be a very long wait.  So, I need to admit the reality and find fulfillment in the present moment accepting all its imperfections”.

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Life will test you — with setbacks, unexpected detours, and moments that feel like dead ends. But roadblocks aren’t the end of your journey only a pause, a chance to regroup and come back stronger.

When adversity hits feel the frustration, then shift your focus to what you can control. Every setback carries a lesson — find it, own it, and use it.

Break big challenges into small steps, celebrate progress, and keep moving forward.

Resilience isn’t about avoiding obstacles — it’s about rising every time you fall. Trust that every roadblock is shaping you for something greater.

“You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.” — Maya Angelou

I needed that reminder, if you know someone who does, pass it along.

Unexpected disappointments hit hard because they catch us off guard.

But disappointment is proof we care — And that’s not a weakness.

It’s a sign that we’re engaged, invested, and striving for something better.

Your story doesn’t end with one setback. Disappointment isn’t defeat—it’s just a detour. Keep going.

Feel free to pass this along to someone who might like this reassurance.

Dr. Amit Sood, a physician and neuroscientist, often talks about how the brain is wired for survival, not happiness. My NYU college students always seem very relieved to hear this.

Our brain’s default mode is to scan for threats, anticipate problems, and dwell on the negative because, from an evolutionary perspective, this kept us alive.

Happiness, on the other hand, is not automatic.

It requires intentional effort to train our brains to focus on joy, gratitude, and meaning rather than just threats and worries.

It’s not us!  We’re not born this way — we’re born THAT way. Our default isn’t unhappiness.  But we can train the brain for it.

Go ahead and pass it along if you wish.

A great way to get out of bed feeling motivated in the digital age is to reframe your mindset from “I have to get up” to “I get to get up.”

Maybe focusing on one thing that you are legitimately looking forward to doing this day or how to take a small step toward your goal.

These are tough times and we’re more connected than ever so it’s easy to think that getting out of bed to start the day could seem like a drag.

“I get to get up” is how most of us feel anyway so the trick is to start with that thought and change the way we look at our day.

These are “day starters” so starting the day is a big deal, pass it along if you’d like.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the constant pressure to succeed, stay ahead, and keep up with the noise around us.

Anxiety often feels like an invisible weight, pressing down on us as we try to juggle everything life throws our way. But remember this: you don’t have to have it all figured out right now.

Life is a journey, not a race. Embrace the moments of stillness, no matter how small, and allow yourself the space to breathe, reflect, and recalibrate. Every step forward, no matter how slow, is progress.

You have the power to quiet the noise and reclaim your peace. By focusing on what’s within your control—your thoughts, your actions, your response to life—you can break free from the cycle of anxiety.

I hope you liked this – if you did, pass it on, no problem.

Every day is an opportunity to take another step toward the life you want. It’s never too late to build new skills, embrace change, and pursue what truly matters to you.

Big projects, large goals – these are not necessary to advance your life.  Smaller goals feel just as good and train the brain to create positive thinking.

Your next chapter can start today!

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Katharine Whitehorn said it best – “the best careers advice to give to the young is ‘Find out what you like doing best and get someone to pay you for doing it’”.

In the meantime, author Meg Jay who writes about The Defining Decade (your 20’s) says your first job isn’t just about earning a paycheck—it’s a chance to develop skills, build professional relationships, and create a reputation that can carry you forward.

It almost seems once you start working, it’s easy to get caught up to keep working, pay the bills, support the family so if you missed the chance to do that one thing you really wanted to do before you got into life’s treadmill, think about a way to fit it in now.

Maybe someone you know might appreciate this message so feel free to pass it along.

The comedian George Carlin said, “I put a dollar in one of those change machines.  Nothing changed”.

•  As Viktor Frankl put it: “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves”.
• Don’t solve problems immediately, just try to deal with them.
• Use your personal gifts to battle adversity every day.
• Be grateful for that which you have.
• Some problems can be handled right away.  Others take longer – sometimes considerably  And some can never be resolved requiring us to accept them and move on.
• Line up the adversity that befalls you and deal with it sustained by the knowledge that what makes it tolerable is to focus on gratitude.

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One of artificial intelligence’s goals is to replace people with machines.

Covid put a damper on young people socializing and now we get this:

Teens spend a quarter of their days in school on their smartphones based on

A Seattle Children’s Research Institute study.  They spent an average of an hour and a half  on their phones during an approximate 6-hour school day.  And what were they doing instead of learning:   messaging, Instagram, video streaming, audio, and email.

But my experience with college students is that they love to do things in person.  In our classes, we devote time at the start of class to getting to know others they may not have met.  It gets loud and happy and one graduate reminded me that he met his “best friend in college” in class.

Phones are good for some things.  Face-to-face engagement still rules.

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