There is an overemphasis on celebrity and recognition in our culture, and it will eventually be the death of us. Cultivating a love of the process is the key to making a lasting contribution.

Knowing our actions are being recorded causes us to go outside our comfort zone and do what we know to be right rather than what feels right in the moment. It forces us to act rather than defer action.

Fear of harm. We make seemingly wise, but subversive pacts with ourselves to provide ourselves with what feels like safety, but in doing so we miss the whole point of life. The safety we seek is most often an illusion anyway, because true safety is rarely a viable option. Are you gravitating toward the safest option at the expense of growth?

we need to spend more time processing our experiences to mine them for potentially useful insights.

Because almost everything—all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure—these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason

The rest of us need you to act, because if you don’t, you’re robbing yourself, your peers, your family, your organization, and the world of a contribution that only you can make. The cost of inaction is vast. Don’t go to your grave with your best work inside you. Choose to die empty.

However, an overinflated ego can create blind spots that prevent us from seeing obvious areas of vulnerability. When we start to believe that we can do no wrong, we lose the edge that keeps us alert and open to new opportunities for growth.

Are there areas in your life where you are intentionally withholding in order to gain a sense of control of the situation? Instead, aggressively pursue resolution with the offending party. If you cannot achieve a satisfactory understanding, then at least you have the information you need to decide your next move. Otherwise, you’re in danger of

instead of “courageous,” think “willing to stand against the masses.” Instead of “creative,” think “willing to ask counterintuitive questions.” These are actionable qualities rather than vague personality traits.