Everyone knows what a rough day looks like. Whether things went south on a particular job or you blew the meeting because you were asked a question and it made you looked unprepared or personal tragedy struck and you find yourself wondering how are you going to move forward with your day let alone for the rest of your life.

Well, I’m here to tell you: I don’t know what the #&££ to do. Here is what I do know. The sun is always shining behind the rain clouds or another way of saying it is: this too, shall pass. I can say this many different ways – but here’s the deal. Just get through it. Bite your lip, buckle down and plow through. Not like a bull. But with grace, with integrity and with pride. Why? Because that’s the right thing to do. Because when things go bad that is when you learn about yourself. That’s when you grow and evolve. And of course swallow your pride. But that’s okay. Tomorrow is a new day. And everything can be different.

When things aren’t going right for me, I do my best to always continue to be on the right side of history. To do the right thing. For many reasons, but here are a few: Because it’s easier to just give up, to say who cares. It’s much more difficult to hang in there and ask yourself what your responsibility is in this situation and what can I learn from this. No excuses. Everyone has excuses. Don’t be that person. Rise up take responsibility and then demand from yourself that you’re going to be better next time. Always do the right thing/Be on the right side of history: for me that means don’t ever give anyone an excuse to accuse you of not caring or being indifferent or worse a hack. Go above and beyond when no one is looking and rise to the occasion. Be the better man or woman. Because you can. Because that’s what a person with integrity would do.

I had a rough one today and that’s okay. I learned. I was humbled. I took responsibility and I (hopefully) grew. And tomorrow I’m going to wake up and give it my best shot. Anyone can take the path well traveled and roll along while everything is going well. What about when it gets a little complicated. Who would you be if you chose the one less traveled? I’m willing to bet, you would be a heckuva lot more interesting.