From Chad

Zoom out to gain perspective and remember you’ll survive difficult times, then zoom back in to take action and grow. The story of a sequoia tree surviving a forest fire illustrates this principle.

Patience is power, not weakness. The story of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812 illustrates this, as Mikhail Kutuzov’s strategic retreat and patience, ultimately led to Napoleon’s downfall.

Rika Matsuda was reminded of a kindness from a stranger when she was seven through a writing assignment. After a bike crash, a man helped her and gave her an origami crane. She never saw the man again, but 10 years later realized he left her something more than the paper crane.

Curiosity, a powerful motivator, keeps us moving and learning. While children naturally embrace curiosity and experimentation, adults often lose this eagerness, feeling obligated rather than excited. The key is to shift our mindset from “have to“ to “get to,”embracing life‘s experiments with enthusiasm.

Pals Sudden Service, a drive-through burger chain in Tennessee, prioritizes training over blaming employees for mistakes. Employees receive 120 hours of training before working a station and a regularly tested for confidence. The company’s leaders believe that if it someone isn’t performing correctly, it’s a training issue, not a character flaw.

Skills can be taught, but attitude must be brought. Pal’s Sudden Service, a successful burger chain out of Tennessee, prioritizes hiring for attitude, and provides extensive training for skills. The key takeaway is that attitude is the biggest life decision and can be changed instantly, while skills take time to develop.

Matt Starke, a Navy SEAL diagnosed with brain cancer, lived 24 years behind his initial prognosis. His family, particularly his son Gharet, carried him everywhere once he was incapacitated, demonstrating that love is not just an emotion but an action. The strength of one’s love is the capacity to carry another, not just words or feelings.

Krystal Niu exemplifies the idea that winners lose more because they show up more. Despite numerous falls and injuries, she consistently returns to her act, inspiring audiences with her resilience. Embrace failure as part of the journey and get back up after every setback.

Leonardo da Vinci‘s curiosity, not just his talent, drove his groundbreaking work. Curiosity, a trait shared by da Vinci, Einstein, Herb Kelleher, and all the greats, is a powerful tool that can lead to success and fulfillment. Embrace curiosity, as it can take you farther than talent alone.

Truitt Cathy, founder of Chick-fil-A, prioritized getting better over getting bigger, leading to the companies success. Focus on improving your work, and bigger opportunities will follow.

A Brazilian photographer, Sabastião Salgado, returned to his family‘s farm devastated after photographing the Rwandan genocide. He and his wife planted a forest, transforming the land and his spirit over 20 years. The story emphasizes the importance of patience and consistent effort, encouraging listeners to “plant today” and envision the “forest” that will grow over time.

What is the meaning of life? Viktor Frankl turned the question around. Life is the one asking. Your roles are how it asks. Stop asking life what it means and start answering what it’s asking of you.

Upgraded thinking recognizes that nothing exists alone; success comes from interdependence, not independence. Ask yourself what your team needs from you, not what you need from them, and play your part.

Felix Dennis built a publishing empire and became one of the richest men in England. But he had to persist through dire poverty and economic recession. As Winston Churchill said, “Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

Preparation is the key to success, as demonstrated by Backpack the bear, who won Fat Bear Week 2026 by preparing diligently during the summer. Your “winter” is determined by the work you do in your “summer”.

Terry Fox, an 18 year-old cancer survivor, attempted to run across Canada to raise money for cancer research. Despite not finishing due to cancer, returning, his legacy lives on through the annual Terry Fox Run, which is raised over $1 billion. The message encourages people to start small and do what they can, as something is always better than nothing.

Ozzie Smith, the Hall of Fame shortstop, did a signature back flip when he took the field at the start of baseball games. This act symbolized his appreciation for the privilege of playing baseball. You don’t have to do a backflip every day, but you can flip your attitude and recognize the gift in each day.

Todd Graves, founder of Raising Cane‘s, viewed his temporary jobs as scaffolding to build his dream business. He worked various jobs, including as a boilermaker, and salmon fisherman, to fund his chicken finger restaurant. His story emphasizes that current jobs are steppingstones, not permanent identities, and highlights the importance of relationships formed along the way.

There are two types of people: adders and subtractors. Adders believe that sharing ideas, energy, and credit increases them, while subtractors hoard them. Share an idea, give credit, or bring energy to others today, and you’ll receive more in return.