The true warrior wants you to have and enjoy the greatest gift of all: optimism! Optimism is the gift of hope. Optimism is a key element in the winning mind of the true warrior. Gentle self-deception is also a helpful tool that helps you make progress and grow. This is a key tool in overcoming adversity; it is how the true warrior develops mental toughness. You are as great as you set out to be. You are a self-fulfilling prophecy. You are in charge (well mostly) of your outcomes. What you do at every moment matters in huge ways!

Want to be rich? Have a get-rich plan that involves saving ten per cent of every bit of cash you bring in, every day—every day with no exceptions!

Want to be fit? Have a fitness plan that involves a varied cycle of fitness activity that you religiously practice every day.

Want to be an expert in your field? Have a plan and invest 10,000 hours acquiring the needed skills.

What you do, every moment, matters tomorrow—not so much today and (usually) not at all right now. In fact, go sit in the corner, pull a blanket over your head, and don’t come out until tomorrow. The price you pay today is not much at all, as far as you can tell. Tomorrow, the loss is priceless and beyond comprehension. A customer not acquired today can never be recaptured. Interest not compounded today can never be regained … well, actually, if you forgot yesterday, you could over-contribute today with the shortfall and the present value of the funds expected to be earned … but wait too long and you just won’t have the cash to fix it.

Warning – Warning – Warning! This is where optimism can potentially be your undoing. Self-deception in this regard is damaging. Lying to yourself that you will change tomorrow, act differently tomorrow, make it up tomorrow, or be different tomorrow is the path of sloth and the lazy man. Selfjustification is not a salve; it is the little red devil sitting on your shoulder distracting you. True warriors do not listen, do not give in, and do not accept less than full victory. Bronze and silver may be acceptable for you, but only the gold medal is winning. Win your life!

Think about it. What would it be like without optimism? You are born and learn to crawl, walk, talk, listen, and think. Then you find out you are going to die! We are all going to die. There is no alternative. Our life (and time) is finite. Wow, that’s depressing! But wait, the good news is that you are not likely to die today! See? We grab ahold of that thought and forget about dying, forget about finite life, forget about the value of the time of our lives, and forget that what you do at every moment matters!

You are warriors. What you do matters today, in this moment and every moment, as you are the masters of your life. You are here to win. You will succeed. You will create a magnificent life. You will practice sanity and embrace adversity. So it has been written.