Never underestimate the power of small, consistent actions. In the fast-paced and instant gratification mode that we've become used to makes this advice very unsexy.
Just ten minutes a day adds up to 30 hours in six months. That time could bring you close to fluency in a new language, make you healthier, or help you break a stubborn habit.
Six months from now, you can be transformed. Or you could simply be six months older. The choice is yours.
Yes, you're a realist to notice that the glass of water is both half empty and half full. The functional difference between optimism and pessimism is nothing more than the story we tell ourselves.
If we're convinced that failure is inevitable, it's only rational to give up. I've always considered myself delusionally optimistic. Apparently delusion has its merits.
Science now confirms what we've probably guessed all along: the story we tell ourselves matters. If we tell ourselves optimistic stories, some form of success is almost unavoidable.
When I was a young professional living in Japan, I admired Dr. Ernie Gundling—not only for his brilliance but also for his kindness. I wanted to follow in his footsteps as a consultant.
I’ll never forget his advice:
“Companies hire you because they need a human to help solve business problems. But humans can sometimes put their own interests ahead of others.”
He warned me about consultants who left clients dependent on them, holding the “key” only they could provide. It was profitable but self-serving.
Then he looked me in the eye and said words I’ve carried with me ever since:
“Your goal is to make sure that every client feels blessed you were there, not wounded when you’re gone.”
That principle has guided every engagement since.
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© 2025 by Steve Acho
