Life operates in "hard mode" by default, but we often expect "easy mode" which leads to disappointment when challenges arise.

Three skills for peak performance:

1. Managing energy to show up fully engaged
2. Technical skills for better decisions and momentum
3. Managing psychology

The courage reps practice:

• Maintain a list of difficult tasks (business and personal)
• Tackle them early in the day to build momentum
• Ask yourself: "What problem do I wish someone else would solve for me?"

Key insights:

• Situations you build up as confrontational often turn out better than expected
• Negative predictions rarely materialize as imagined
• Taking action increases your sense of agency and control

Daily ritual: Practice something requiring courage every morning to set the right tone and work against default avoidance behaviors. This shifts you from reactive to proactive mode.