By working only when you are most effective, life is both more productive and more enjoyable. It's the perfect example of having your cake and eating it, too.

Are you better off than you were one year ago, one month ago, or one week ago? If not, things will not improve by themselves.

It is predicated on the assumption that you dislike what you are doing during the most physically capable years of your life. This is a nonstarter—nothing can justify that sacrifice.

Reality is negotiable.

To make a bestseller, there are more customers than just your customers: Selling to the end-user is just one piece of the puzzle. In my case, I needed to first sell myself to the publisher to get marketing support and national retail distribution.

Being able to quit things that don't work is integral to being a winner

I'll repeat something you might consider tattooing on your forehead: What we fear doing most is usually what we most need to do.