In many cases, you'll find the only thing preventing you from learning is your ego. No one enjoys feeling foolish, but attempting something new requires that you climb down from your perch and struggle as a beginner. You must ask questions that reveal your ignorance or attempt skills that make you look uncoordinated. Learning demands the willingness to live in a brief state of discomfort. You must believe that looking like a fool for an hour will not ruin your reputation for life.

Writing is the superpower of humankind. It is our truest form of magic. Writing allows you to conjure up something of value where nothing previously existed. It costs little for you to write down the lessons of your life and yet those few minutes spent writing can be life-altering for the right reader. As I once saw it put: "there is someone out there with a wound in the exact shape of your words." Furthermore, writing is the foundation of nearly every technology and innovation because we have to record what we know before we can build upon it. And these innovations are passed down from generation to generation, allowing our children to inherit a richer intellectual fortune than what we were born into. The world is richer because we write and nobody is made poorer in the process.

A Monday morning question for you: The greatest quests are worthwhile not just because of the rewards they bring, but also because of who we must become along the way. Are you playing a game worth losing? Will it have been worth the attempt even if it doesn’t work out?

What is a beautiful quote or passage about the natural world? Descriptions of the seasons, the formation of the stars, the feeling of a sunrise or sunset, the power of rivers, the intelligence of animals, the moon, etc. Share the best ones you've found and we can all enjoy.

Use what you already know. People are so busy searching for a shortcut — or hoping an easier path will reveal itself — they let numerous moments slip by when they could get results simply by doing what is right in front of them.

You can be authentic and hardworking and still struggle to find your footing if you’re in the wrong environment. -A fun person trapped in the wrong city. -A loving partner in a relationship that won’t reciprocate. -A great entrepreneur stuck in the wrong business. Think about your placement as much as your performance. Plant yourself where you can thrive.

A Monday morning question for you: Improvement often starts with awareness. Which part of your day currently feels most aligned with where you want to go? Which part of your day currently feels least aligned?

Your best performances will come when you are working in a way that is a full expression of you. The work becomes a natural display of your personality. This is when you not only get better results, but also love the activity — because in doing the craft, you feel alive.

A Monday morning question for you: Life is always progressing to the next stage. As you enter a new season, habits that previously served you well may need to be refreshed or adjusted. Which one of your current habits have you outgrown and is in need of a change?

The loser has more in common with the winner than with the person sitting on the sidelines. The winner and the loser each had the courage to try. Both risked embarrassment. Both were willing to face uncertainty. Both were stubborn enough to continue. Success is endurance in disguise. It belongs to the person who can absorb the losses without absorbing the identity of "loser." It's the courage to start — and to stick with it — that is the real separator. Results tend to find the person who stays in the game. The sidelines are safe, but sterile. Nothing grows there.