The E+R=O Mindset: Event + Response = Outcome "I am the only one in control of my Response. I can be influenced, pressured, commanded, or constrained, but not controlled. No one thinks for me. No one feels for me. No one chooses for me. No one acts for me. No matter what Event I'm experiencing or what Outcome I'm pursuing, my Response is always 100% my responsibility."

Character is a choice. And it’s one decision away. One courageous act and you are suddenly a courageous person. One dishonest act and you are suddenly a dishonest person. Every choice is a character choice.

Help early teens master self-control and responsibility! E+R=O was the best gift my dad gave me because he taught me early. My mindset changed. My learning accelerated. My personal skills exploded. Not instantly. Not magically. But massively and meaningfully. Here are 5 E+R=O lessons for teenagers: 1. The quality of your life comes from the quality of your responses,not the quality of your events. Good events don't give you a good life. Bad events don't give you a bad life. How you respond to anything determines the quality of your life. 2. Not every disciplined response will succeed. Not every undisciplined response will fail. Exceptions happen. Don't let them distract you or plant seeds of doubt that discipline doesn't work or that you can get away with undisciplined responses. Everyone who falls too far into this pattern fails. Everyone. 3. Your response creates events for other people. Pay attention to what events you create for others through your attitude, action, and words. Do your best to create events that help people, even when that means challenging going them. 4. Everything meaningful thing in life requires courage. Courage is a muscle. You don't have the option to eliminate fear or escape feelings of doubt. You have the chance now to strengthen the courage in your response. When you face events that scare you or doubt your ability to earn an outcome, you'll need your courage to be stronger than your fear and doubt. 5. People don’t always tell you the truth, but E+R=O always will. No matter what. It will explain why you succeed, why you fail, or why you have yet to reach that point. When you want clarity and understanding about why things are happening the way they are, E+R=O will reliably give you caring and unfiltered honesty. All you have to do is use it.

I've taught discipline to coaches & athletes for 20 years and the truth is: The gap between the disciplined and the undisciplined is constantly widening. People who need discipline the most are unlikely to ever work on it. People who are already strong in discipline are the ones who work hardest to make it even stronger. All things being equal, that's how it goes. But a disciplined leader can change this pattern dramatically.

Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut. Discipline *is* the shortcut.

It’s not fun to be no good: incapable, incompetent, unprepared, unskilled, or uncompetitive. The fun is in being capable, competent, prepared, skilled, and competitive. Sure, everyone likes to win but it’s deeper than that. Everyone wants to feel like they’re good at something.