1. Control What Can Be Controlled

Ignore the rest. We worry about things that we have no control over. But worrying never fixed anything. 

The stoics are saying that if you focus your energy on what you can change, you’re going to be a lot more productive and effective. 

Despite using affirmations and visualizations daily, my crippling self-doubt returned in tsunami waves whenever I faced a setback.

This was because I was deriving my self-worth from things I couldn’t control.

In general, you cannot control:

• The past
• Other people

One study found that participants who focused on consistent exercise for two months ate less junk food and more healthy foods; they watched less television; they studied more; they saved more money; they procrastinated less.

Instead of considering how much exercise you need for re...