Growth – Everyday is an Interview

Preparation #8: Preparation Meets Opportunity – How Readiness Creates “Luck”

People often say, “You were lucky to be in the right place at the right time.” But real luck isn’t random—it’s readiness meeting opportunity.

The truth is, opportunity rarely announces itself. It shows up quietly, disguised as extra work, a sudden challenge, or an unexpected ask. Those who have front-loaded their effort—who have prepared before the moment arrives—are the ones who can say yes without hesitation.

Preparation gives you confidence. It transforms uncertainty into momentum. Whether it’s a career opening, a competition, or a chance to lead, your preparation determines whether you’re ready to step forward or forced to step aside.

Front-loading your work—your skills, mindset, and systems—means you’re already positioned for the opportunity before it appears. When that moment comes, you don’t need to get ready… because you are ready.

Tags: #Preparation #Opportunity #EverydayIsAnInterview #WWKDD #IOwnTheMorning #JustBeBetter #StayStrongStayHealthy #Discipline #Mindset #BeReady #SuccessHabits #Motivation #Growth

Foundations of Discipline #11: Pain is the Price of Progress

If you want real progress, you need to accept that pain comes with it. Growth does not happen in comfort—it happens when you lean into the challenge, when you push past the point where most people stop. Whether it’s in the gym, at work, or in life, the path to something greater will test you. The soreness in your muscles, the frustration of learning something new, the setbacks that make you question yourself—all of it is part of the process.

Discipline is knowing that the discomfort is temporary, but the progress is lasting. When the goal matters more than the pain, you keep moving forward. You learn to reframe pain, not as punishment, but as proof you are building something stronger—physically, mentally, emotionally.

Don’t run from the pain. Respect it. Endure it. Use it as a marker that you’re on the right track. Pain is the price of progress—and it’s worth every step.

LinkedIn Quote Line: “Discipline is choosing the pain of progress over the comfort of staying the same.”

Tags: #FoundationsOfDiscipline #EverydayIsAnInterview #Discipline #Mindset #Growth #JustBeBetter #WWKDD #IOwnTheMorning #StayStrongStayHealth

One Thing at a Time

I once had a friend tell me that tackling one thing at a time until completion doesn’t necessarily make you more time-efficient. He was referring to grading one question on a test for every student before moving on to the next question.

I took him at his word and tried it his way. While I wasn’t any slower, I was far less accurate and, ultimately, much less effective. That lesson has stuck with me ever since.

Focusing on one thing at a time isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about excellence. Recently, I caught myself juggling multiple projects: developing online training, writing a book, and composing music for an album. Thankfully, I didn’t have a Taekwondo test to prepare for on top of it all.

If you want to be successful, commit to finishing one thing before jumping to the next. Watch what happens when you truly focus—your progress compounds, your results improve, and you build something meaningful over time.

One thing at a time. One step closer to success.

#JustBeBetter
#StayHealthyStayStrong
#IOwnTheMorning
#WWKDD
#OneThingAtATime

Be Prepared: The Expert

When someone asks me a question about my area of concentration, I expect to be able to give them a great answer. I pride myself on being the expert on my topics. When I cannot provide a great answer, it is because I am unprepared. I strive to be the expert in the room on my topic, and I work on this daily.

Preparation is the key to success. The more you prepare, the more you develop your expertise. Keep working so that others can rely on you as their expert on your topic.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Anticipating and Preparing for Negative Conversations: A Key to Stay Calm and Focused

I hate negative conversations. When I am unprepared and in a negative conversation, I get emotional. I am neither rational nor productive when this happens, and the outcomes are always frustrating. However, instead of avoiding negative conversations, I work hard to anticipate and prepare for them.

Anticipating negative conversations takes time to learn. I do not want to waste my time thinking that every conversation will be negative. I use my past experience to predict which ones will be negative and prepare for them.

Preparing for a negative conversation allows you to stay calm(er) and more focused during the presentation. A negative conversation aims to correct things to force the future you want by realigning the present course of action with your vision. This cannot happen if you are unprepared and emotional.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

#Be Prepared

Be Prepared #3

Do not waste other’s productivity (or allow them to waste yours!).

It goes without saying that you should always be punctual. If you will be late, you must communicate it as soon as you realize it. Be prepared. Prepare your schedule and stick to it. Prepare by knowing who to contact if you are running late. Do not make it a habit. Do not waste other people’s time or productivity.

In meetings, stay on point. I have been in too many meetings where someone feels extra special and decides to take a tangent because they are feeling “smart” for the moment. They are wasting everyone else’s productivity. They are not smart; they are selfish. Don’t be that person, and don’t accept that person’s distraction. Be prepared for what to say and how to say it so the meeting gets back on track. Otherwise, you allow them to have power over your productivity (and future). Do not allow anyone to have power over either, ever.

#Be Prepared

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

Be Prepared #2

What do you do, and how do you act during an emergency? Are you prepared to handle it? The more prepared you are, the calmer you will be.

In an emergency,

Do you know what to do?
Who to call?
Have you practiced?
Have you planned?

No matter the scenario, the more you prepare, the better you deal with the situation.

Case in point: Who would you call if there was an emergency at work? I am not just talking about first responders. I am talking about communicating with those in your work community who can help you. Do you have any first responders you work with? Anyone with medical training? Who can direct the first responders to the emergency? Who can take charge? Who can follow? Know who these people are so you do not have to figure it out when push comes to shove.

Your mind must focus on one challenge if you want to maximize success. To better accomplish this, be prepared by thinking through the situations and formulating solutions.

#Just Be Better

#Stay Healthy, Stay Strong

#Be Prepared

Force the Future #5 – Have Difficult Conversations

Sometimes, to get the future you want, you have to tell others what they do not want to hear. These discussions can be uncomfortable and unpleasant, but the temporary discomfort is far less than the long-term regret that comes from not getting the future you want. Do not walk away from the difficult conversation. Prepare for them and remain clear on what you wish to communicate, even when the other person reacts emotionally to the information they receive.

# Force the Future

# Just Be Better

# Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Force the Future #3

The best route to success is forged with your preparation. Preparing has significantly influenced my accomplishments, and not preparing is one of the biggest reasons for my failures. I believe in “Force the Future” because it encourages us to prepare for the future we want by working today to develop the habits we need to be successful. No matter what you desire for your future, the better your preparation, the better your chances for success. If you want it in the de, force it by preparing for it today.

#Just Be Better

# Stay Strong, Stay Healthy

Force the Future #2

People continually tell us to learn from the past. I agree with this but to a point. So often, I see people spend so much time learning from the past that they forget to focus on the future, much less the present. Sometimes, you must put aside learning from the past to force the future.

In working with an individual who was unhappy with last quarter’s results, we mapped out strategies to help him reach his goals in the next term. At the end of the meeting, he told me how much the previous results had affected him. I informed him this was an excellent opportunity to learn from the past and develop the skills and strategies to succeed moving forward. However, we were not going to dwell on the past and address what had happened in the previous quarter until we saw the results of the following two terms. You could see the relief on his face, knowing he could put the past behind him and focus on forcing the future.

When you have negative results, learn from them, but not at the expense of forcing the future.

#Just Be Better

# Stay Strong, Stay Healthy