I get enough feedback to know that not everyone agrees with what I have to say each day. But … negative criticism doesn't affect me much.

That being said, I have a "Daily 3" today—bits of advice that I've received over the years that I've found useful.

1. As much as possible, isolate yourself and the people you care about from chronic whiners, complainers, and troublemakers.

First: There is much more possible in life than what you think.

You're likely limiting yourself by your thoughts and your actions. If you are not taking massive action to remove yourself from toxic people and situations, you are not doing what is possible.

If you want to be a success in life and currently don't believe that you're living up to that potential, you owe it to yourself and your family to get away from the negativity that surrounds you.

It is possible. It is necessary.

2. Solve problems before others know they exist.

While the key to entrepreneurship is to solve the problems of others, a sort of superpower is to know what those problems are and solve them for people before they arise.

A colleague told me a few months ago, "I had a business where people didn't really know they needed to hire me. Well they knew it after it was too late and then they'd say, 'I wish I knew about you then.'"

He took action and pivoted in his main business, where he still does the majority of the things he did before, but now has a new outlook and a few more crucial strategies he employs.

The three keys to a good business are: high demand, low competition, and recurring revenue. Previously, this fellow had a line of business where he was not in particularly high demand and had no way of obtaining recurring revenue. He told me, "I had a bad business. But now I have a good business."

Today is now solving problems for others—his clients—before they know they have problems. And he has more time to work on his golf game.

3. Failure is the best opportunity to learn. Never waste a "good" mistake.

Here's how I describe my life: “I’ve never really failed, but I sure have had a lot of opportunities for personal growth.”

Sure there have been missteps along the way. Mistakes, for sure. But I have never seen myself or my life as a failure in any regard.

It's mindset more than anything. It's the consistent pursuit of perfection—something that is, in truth, impossible. However, the words of Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi are worth considering.

Lombardi told his Green Bay Packers, “Gentlemen, we will chase perfection, and we will chase it relentlessly, knowing all the while we can never attain it. But along the way, we shall catch excellence.”

As always,

Brian

P.S. – Coach Lombardi coached on the gridiron for decades and his Packers won the first two Super Bowls. Yet, many of Lombardi's former players praise the attitude that he instilled more than all the winning they did.

Lessons that last way longer than winning a game, even the biggest game of a season.

Each day, we take lessons from sports and business and translate them into "real life." For more: