Optimism inspires, energizes, and brings out our best. It points the mind toward possibilities and helps us think creatively past problems.

If you must doubt something, doubt your limits.

Narrow life down to what's precious and necessary. In a world of complexity the best weapon is simplicity.

No sense being pessimistic. Wouldn't work anyway.

But when we get enough people who don't care, and who don't accept personal responsibility for high ethical standards, our organization gets the "M" disease. Mediocrity. Anybody in the place can be a carrier. By the same token, every individual can carry the cure: the ethics of excellence.

Give people, including yourself, clear permission to make mistakes . . . and to fix the problems. Since nobody's perfect, mistakes should be allowed. Cover-ups shouldn't. Cover-ups create twice the trouble.

How can we be trusted with big things if we're not trustworthy with things that are small? Don't allow your finer instincts to become a casualty of the little everyday crimes of ethical compromise.