Today’s message, dedicated to Bella Smith, reflects on how problems can be transformed into positives, using the analogy of an oyster creating a pearl. Just as an oyster coats irritants with nacre to form a pearl, we can view life‘s irritants as prompts for positive habits. This mindset shift can help us navigate life‘s challenges with greater ease and resilience.

Chad suggests imagining starting fresh, like on the first day of a new job, to enhance creativity and problem-solving. This mindset, inspired by Jeff Bezos’s “day one“ philosophy, can help overcome assumptions and foster a beginners mind.

Satchel Paige, the oldest MLB rookie, approached his career with a beginners mindset, ignoring his age and past limitations. A professor used a teacup metaphor to illustrate how preconceived notions can hinder learning, emphasizing the importance of a beginners mindset for wisdom.

The Japanese concept of “kaizen”, or small changes, leads to big results. Jeff Olson, author of The Slight Edge, says this mindset is the difference between the successful and unsuccessful.

A young Toyota worker, Hiroshi, halted production by pulling the Andon cord after noticing misaligned door hinges. This small action prevented potential car recalls and customer complaints, highlighting the importance of addressing issues promptly.

My daughter was hit with goose poop, prompting advice from Martin Luther about controlling negative thoughts. Luther compared unwanted thoughts to birds flying overhead, suggesting we can’t prevent them from flying, but can prevent them from nesting in our minds.

Ants, despite their small size, serve as a powerful example of motivation through their intrinsic drive, planning, and persistence. They prepare for winter during summer and harvest, inviting the importance of being proactive, prepared, and persistent in life.

Mosquitoes, despite their small size, cause over 700,000 deaths annually due to disease transmission, surpassing the impact of larger creatures like elephants and blue whales. This highlights the significance of small things, both positive and negative, in shaping our lives in the world around us.

Ultimately beast mode isn’t about beating your competition, but bringing the best out of others. That is a real mark of a beast.

A poor immigrant, family, unaware of the ships, all inclusive dining, ration to their own food, while others dying above. The story serves as a reminder to question what we may be missing out on due to misunderstandings.