“Ready. Fire. Aim.”  Those three words are some of the best advice my dad ever gave me.  Typically, that phrase was uttered at some point in a Little League baseball game after I struck out.  My dad was big on reminding me that many times in a game, things are not going to go as we have planned.  In the aftermath of striking out, my dad would encourage me not to become frustrated by what just happened but rather, to see what I could learn from what just happened.  Was I slow in shifting my weight?  Was I too far up or too far back in the batter’s box?  What can I learn that will impact my next attempt at bat?  Ready.  Fire.  Aim.

I have found that piece of advice to be helpful not only in sporting events, but to be helpful in life in general.  When something does not go as planned, we can allow ourselves to be frustrated or educated by what just happened.  And when we choose to learn, when we choose to positively reflect on what has just happened, we are in a better position to influence what happens next.