3-2-1: On being in the right room, confidence, and taking action

The painter Vincent van Gogh on taking action:

“I tell you, if one wants to be active, one mustn’t be afraid to do something wrong sometimes, not afraid to lapse into some mistakes. To be good — many people think that they’ll achieve it by doing no harm — and that’s a lie, and you said yourself in the past that it was a lie. That leads to stagnation... See more

Poet Lucille Clifton on confidence:

“What they call you is one thing. What you answer to is something else.”

“Instead of working toward retirement, work toward your ideal lifestyle. There is usually a path to get there in a few years instead of a few decades.”

“It’s usually more important to be in the right room than to be the smartest person in the room.

A person with great judgment and average intelligence will usually beat someone with great intelligence and average judgment.

Judgment is knowing what room to be in.”

“Improvement is a battle that must be fought anew each day.

Your next workout doesn't care how strong your last one was.

Your next essay doesn't care how popular your last one was.

Your next investment doesn't care how smart your last one was.

Your best effort, again.”