I enjoyed this bad boy. Honestly, this is all shit (shit is such a versatile word) you and I know already but like most things in life we need a kick in the shins, as the PN put it (or quoted it).

Ultimately, this note is about the following (for me):

1) Stop worrying. Worrying hurts you. It eats you like an ulcer. A big ulcer.

2) Live in day tight compartments. Its OK to keep the end in mind, but focus on what you need to do today.

3) Its reality. Accept it. Only then will you stop worrying and move forward into growth.

4) Get off the fence of indecision. You balls hurt on top of that fence. Get clear and make a decision.

5). Dont worry about the past. Whats done is done. You cant change the past, but you can think about what actions you can take to make the future better.

6) Rest before you get tired. Get some funking sleep. Really successful dudes used to take naps like preschoolers midday.

7)"Self, How tired am I?" Do something about it if self responds "funking tired!"

8) Stop caring about what other people think of you because they are probably just worried about what you are thinking of them. When two people worry about what one another thinks of themselves, its like the GhostBusters crossing their steams.....try to imagine all life as you know it stopping instantaneously and every molecule in your body exploding at the speed of light. Total protonic reversal. So help the world and stop worrying about what somebody else thinks of you.

9) Get busy. Just do it like Nike. Bo Jackson, one of the best athletes of all time. Ran over that dude from the Seahawks. Bo knows.

My sticking points from this note are:

1. Be Proactive. Very simple, but easy to forget and retreat to your comfort zone.

"Have you ever seen a dreamer lock his dreams up?
Sabotage himself like his thoughts don't mean enough?
Well I ain't tryna be that, you got me cleaned up
Can't mix the yellow with the blue and get the green stuff
Ain't no time to be scared and sad
What I got's much rarer than that, I do care but in fact
I don't care what you think, though I've been there before
I now know more, I more know me
I'm living to my full capacity
Tryna spill a little game and soak a splash of three
Focused past the obvious, ask of me
More than your average, half a G
Cause I can hear the birds chirping and feel the words working
Where the curb's serving, a smoking herb's surfing
Today you'll catch a wave
Let your guard down and be free or that's a slave
And this is true ... It's all true "

-The Grouch from a song called "Here I Am"

2. Begin with the End in Mind

Visualize yourself doing it. Visualize, visualize, visualize. I have been taught this in all levels of football and it definitely applies to all other professions as well. Visualize the end, but also visualize yourself taking each of the baby steps required to achieve your goal. Visualize the big picture, and the baby steps, but keep your end goal in mind. Spend some time seeing yourself where you want to be in life. The funeral example hits home as well.

3. Seek First to Understand, then to be Understood.

It is easy to try to communicate your view without understanding where the listener is coming from. Very important to hear the person you speaking to out so you can understand them and what they want to hear. We hear so many people talk about themselves without any interest in the other person.

1. Always be Impeccable
The distinction that stands out to me are a) dont complain, gossip or criticize. This is good for nothing negative energy and really exposes the negative energy you have within yourself. A person following the philosophy of Marcus Aurelieus (sp?) would write you off

"Why would I care what someone thinks of me when they dont even have a good opinion of themselves?" - MA

2) Dont Take Anything Personal
This is closely tied to point number 1 - Be Impeccable. Basically, this is saying that you should put little, if any weight, into people who are NOT impeccable. In other words, dont take anything personal from the criticizers, complainers and gossipers. To quote Aurelius (sp?) one more time, "Why would I care what someone thinks of me when they dont even have a good opinion of themselves?"

3. Dont Make Assumptions

Self explanatory.

4. Do Your Best
-I found the most profound thought in this section to be that your best isnt always going to be excellent. I think of Tiger Woods when I heard that your best isnt always going to be excellent. Tiger is somebody I constantly hear saying "I didnt bring my A game" when he loses. He never says "I didnt play my best." There is an important distinction there. Perhaps his best on that particular day was a "B" game. That was his best for that day. That said, I think it is important to always strive for your A game, but understand that your best for a particular day may be what you would rate your B game. Condition yourself to play at "A Game" level consistently, but dont come down on yourself when you perform at a "B" level.