The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It’s the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. The problem is not slipping up; the problem is… - James Clear

The first mistake is never the one that ruins you. It is the spiral of repeated mistakes that follows. Missing once is an accident. Missing twice is the start of a new habit.

Don't ruminate, activate.

I find it is difficult to think my way into a better mood. When I sit and stew, the problem usually grows larger in my mind.

But if I activate — even if it's unrelated to the problem at hand — my mood tends to improve. Action breaks the spell. Move your body, go outside, play an instrument, work in a different room, do something.

Movement changes your state. And when your state changes, your perspective changes. New solutions appear. You notice options that were invisible when your mind was stuck running the same loop.

Books for mindset.

Quiet time to think for strategy.

Conversations with successful peers for tactics.

One of the most valuable skills in life is being able to see another person's perspective.

If you're going to someone's house, think about how it might feel to be the host. If you're creating a product, spend as much time as possible thinking like the customer. If you're calling customer service, think about how it might feel to be on the other end of the conversation.

The more clearly you understand the viewpoint of your spouse or customer or coworker, the better positioned you are to find a solution.