Nothing important is for everyone

When we encounter a thoughtful critic, we need to quickly understand who is speaking to us. If the work we made was intended for someone just like this, and they don’t like it, we need to do a better job next time. The criticism will help us understand how to improve. However, if the work we created wasn’t for someone with the hopes, needs, and expectations of the person we’re hearing from, we can forgive ourselves (and them) by acknowledging who it’s for and why.

A mindset that can handle uncertainty

The ultimate form of preparation is not planning for a specific scenario, but a mindset that can handle uncertainty. A dead thing can go with the stream, but only a living thing can go against it.

The goal is to live your life

Somewhere, at this very moment, someone appears to be doing better than you. Their progress is faster. But comparison is a poor use of energy. You were not meant to inhabit someone else's story. You have your own work to do. The goal is not to beat their life; the goal is to live your life. Keep your eyes on your own paper. Stay on the path and continue forward, even when progress feels slow.

Thoughts can be consumed or dismissed

When you drink water from a cup, it becomes part of you. When water falls on you like rain, it evaporates a few minutes later. You'll always feel the rain, but you don't have to drink the rain. You can let the thought pass, and in a few moments the sun will return. You don't have to claim everything you feel.

The only thing you can control is the next action

You can't make time go faster or success come sooner. The only thing you can control is the next action. There are two ways to grow: by adding or by shedding. Do you need to add something, or do you need to shed something?

Read something new every day

It may seem like reading is a waste of time. We have Google and ChatGPT. Why bother? The more you read, the more snippets of information stick in the mind and contribute to a vast tapestry of creative connections that fuel your creative genius. It’s accumulative.

Do nothing when you are angry

Don’t fuss; don’t fight; don’t react; don’t argue, and for God’s sake, do not hit send on that comment. You invite unnecessary drama into your life - and this can quickly derail you.