I love bold directives that force russian-roulette like emotional intensity to own the decision in the moment. So many of us sit on fences, pretending we can put decisions off, and ignore the massive drain this has on our lives. If you find yourself in exactly the same place you are a year from now, is that a good thing or bad thing in your eyes?

There's a near 100 percent chance that whoever you are, you're not living the exact life you'd like. And I'd like to tell you, that's not only okay, but it's precisely where you need to be to figure out what you want to do with the next stage of your life. Heralded as one of the greatest rappers of this generation, you'd think J Cole would have a sense of comfort and contentment. Yet J Cole feels like he's constantly in a state of flux. The chase to remain relevant in an industry ripe with archaic rules of engagement is a good ol' game of cat and mouse that I'm sure you can relate to.

Do you have a set of specific and empowering ways to make yourself feel good at a moment's notice? Can you accomplish this without the use of devouring a cheeseburger, downing some booze, getting high, hacking cigarettes or other addictive vices within an arm’s reach of any of us? I sure as hell didn't.

What if striving to be great is what's holding you back. Brad Stulberg dropped this truth bomb in a piece featured in Outside magazine. He went on to say, "We’re told that striving to be great and never being satisfied are necessary to meet the ever increasing pressures and pace of today’s world. It’s the only route to success. But what is it all for? What does success even mean?" I latched onto his thinking like a fly trapped in a spiderweb. I found myself entangled without a way to escape the grasp of what I had believed up until this point.

Where are you headed? Avoid the temptation to ignore such a simplistic question. It's one of the most valuable questions you can ask yourself. When you aren't sure what you want to do with your life or business, start here. Why? If you start with the wrong questions, then even the right answers will steer you wrong... eventually.

Yesterday I went to bed staring at the ceiling because I was afraid if I closed my eyes I'd have the spins. In my younger years, it was spurred on by one too many rum and cokes. Now, it's from taking on too many projects or setting ridiculous expectations for when I'll get it all done. I'm all for audacious goals, but it's almost like your ego forgets to check in with your life. Is it so much to ask for a little common courtesy to see if you and your ego are on the same page?

The ego is a typical self-centred nut driven by a need to prove themselves to the world. I'm sure a politician or two pops to mind that embodies this wholeheartedly. The ego is a well-crafted smoke and mirrors show. New York Times bestseller Michael Pollan likens an overactive ego to a tyrant over your life. It blinds us to the reality of the pain we often find ourselves battling with.