How do our daily choices affect our long-term goals?
We are the sum of our choices, and little things like being late to work or watching too much TV can have a ripple effect. It's about having an intentional mindset with everything that you do because a choice you make yesterday is going to affect what you do today and tomorrow. Ultimately, we need to focus on what we can control to be successful.

What's the difference in mindset between an employee and a business owner?
When you're an employee, no matter what stress you experience, at the end of the day you're still going to get your paycheck. But when it's your business, at the end of the day, it might not be. You have to eat it. As a business owner, you're always carrying around a base level of stress and tension because everything ultimately falls on you.

How can we mitigate stress when we can't control everything?
The advice we give is to focus on what you can control because it tends to reduce the level of stress. Once you're able to focus on what you can control, then start to think about the stuff you cannot and figure out how you can at least mitigate those things. This is also where faith can come into play. Sometimes the best action you can take when you're stressed is to go to sleep and leave it alone.

How should we approach building our professional network?
We have to ask ourselves, were they really your friends, or were they just friends because you were younger and went to the bar? It's important to build a genuine relationship with people. Focus on having meaningful conversations and think about how you can add value to their lives. When you are going through something, people who have seen your character will want to help you.

Watch the full episode at https://youtu.be/Pt3LyoTwk2o
and read more in THE ASCENT | 001