A healthy mind needs BOTH positive and negative thinking - but in the right balance.

Two extremes to avoid:

• Purely negative = constant danger scanning, creativity shuts down
• Purely positive = not alert enough for real problems

The sweet spot - the Stockdale Principle:

Be positive about the long-term future while being realistic about short-term challenges.

Good worry vs. Bad worry:

• Good worry = preparing for things you can control
• Bad worry = stressing about things you have no power over

Common mistake: Telling yourself something will be hard but secretly hoping it'll be easy. When it IS hard, frustration hits and people quit.

The best decision-makers prepare for difficult scenarios - even unlikely ones - because when things go wrong, fast reactions matter.

Feeling overwhelmed? Try this reset: breathe in for 10 seconds, hold for 10, breathe out. Refocus.