Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results

by Shane Parrish

That little voice in your head may whisper its doubts, but it should also remind you of the many hardships and challenges you’ve overcome in the past and the fact that you persevered. No matter who you are, you’ve given that little voice many positive moments to speak of. You learned to walk, despite falling down thousands of times. Maybe you failed a test at first, but then figured out what went wrong, and nailed it the next time. Perhaps you were fired, but moved on and ended up in a better position as a result. Maybe your relationship ended or your business failed or you were scared the first time you put on skis—whatever it was, you overcame it, moved past it, and you’re stronger as a result. It’s important to talk to yourself about the adversity you’ve faced, because past hardship is where you get the confidence to face future hardship.