It’s okay to be weak. It’s not okay to stay weak. 

So if you want more self-security, get strong—the best antidote to weakness. Strong bodies breed strong minds that think strong thoughts. 

Thoughts like whatever’s happening or hurting today will always seem like a much bigger deal than it will in the future.

In fact, eventually, it’ll be completely forgotten.

And thoughts like rejection and shame can be a bummer, but it can also be a motivator. Sometimes, nothing quite warms the cockles like chewing up those rusty nails and spitting out molten shrapnel at naysayers and cynics.

And thoughts like choosing not to blame others or bemoan our circumstances when we fail, but to assume that we should’ve and could’ve done better—that there’s a lesson to be learned that’ll increase our chances of winning next time.

Because so often, the difference between habitual success and failure simply comes down to the attitude we adopt toward setbacks, disappointments, and black eyes. 

Fearing letdowns creates the conditions for more letdowns. Stewing over failures leads to more failures. But understanding and appreciating the lessons of losing transforms the adversity of stumbling blocks into the advantage of stepping stones.

Remember: if you’re growing, you’re likely failing, and if you’re not failing, you’re likely not growing.