The other night, my son saw clouds racing through the sky at what seemed to be a fast pace. He asked me how that was so. I told him that the earth makes a full rotation every 24 hours, but that was mostly the wind moving the clouds. He said he didn’t realize the earth rotated daily. I won’t share my response. 😃 Every 24 hour rotation is a brand new day for us humans. It is a gift! Here are 3 quick principles on how to paint masterpieces every day.

I. Make A Good Day

I have not had a bad day in 20 years. I have had bad hours, mornings or evenings, but never a full day. This is not boasting it is attitude. I refuse to have an entire consecutive 24 hours of bad thoughts, emotions, behavior or perspective. This is the big difference between “having” and “making” a good day. Having is passive and implies that it will be brought to you. Making is active and implies that you will put in the mental, emotional and physical work to make a good day. Ralph Emerson said it this way, “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.”

II. Practice Gratitude

Gratitude helps us shift our mind from what is missing to what is present. 150,000 people die every day around the world. Statistically, spiritually and practically every day is a gift. Spend the first fruits of your day writing out, praying out and singing out about the things and people that you are grateful for.

III. Eat Frogs for Breakfast

For entrepreneurs and business leaders, tackling the hardest tasks first, often referred to as "eating the frog," is a powerful strategy for success and productivity. Mark Twain famously said, "Eat a live frog first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day." This metaphorical "frog" represents your most challenging task, the one you are most likely to procrastinate on. I hate running on the treadmill. When I go to the gym I always do the treadmill first, then the last 30 minutes of the workout always seems easy. Doing the hard things first is not just about managing tasks; it’s about mastering self-discipline and courage.