A few gifted people just seem to get things done. They aren’t distracted by fears or doubts. The vast majority of the rest of us are plagued by self-doubt, worry, and fear. We spend an enormous amount of time getting ready to take action and worrying about the fear of rejection and failure—and get very little done. It’s time to become single-mindedly focused on getting through the fears and getting more results!

Where did it all go? Everything we learned at school now seems a distant memory. We sit slack-jawed when our children ask us which planet comes after Jupiter, or what the capital of Bulgaria is, or what quid pro quo actually means. Have you ever found yourself making up your own version of the Pythagorean theorem in order to avoid the humiliating scorn of your offspring? Have you ever started blithely on a list of the thirteen original colonies only to find yourself stuck at eight? Have you ever succumbed to the temptation to use the embarrassing cop-out clause “Ask your father/mother”?