Pain is not a punishment. And pleasure is not a reward. You could argue that failure is not punishment and Success is not reward. They're just failure and success. You can choose how you respond.

Mastery is in constantly wanting to close the gap between where you are and where you want to be.

I wanted a business that I didn't have to give my life to - something simple, beautiful and branded. The kind of endeavor where I could meet people but still blow people's minds with a very inspiring point of view. So, a shoe store.

Coming close to what you thought you wanted can help you attain what you never dreamed you could.

Shoes are money well spent and a good metaphor for life: everything else in life may be awful but a shoe will cheer me up, lift my body and take an outfit up five levels. Plus, shoes are easy to carry and fun to collect.

Completion is a goal, but we hope it is never the end.

Grit is not just simple elbow-grease term for rugged persistence. It is an often invisible display of endurance that lets you stay in an uncomfortable place, work hard to improve upon a given interest, and do it again and again.