About this quote

How you label an event changes how it affects you. Treating a mistake as proof you're stuck will keep you stuck; treating it as information points to the next step. Emotions follow the stories you tell yourself, and those stories decide how long you stay upset. Notice the first judgment and ask whether it helps you move forward or just keeps you stuck.

When to use it

• After the client tore apart my presentation, I told my team, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so." We pulled useful feedback and fixed the deck instead of sulking.
• When I failed my midterm, I muttered, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so," then made a study plan for the topics I actually missed.
• My marathon training stalled after an injury and I said to myself, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so," so I used the time to rehab and come back stronger.
• After a heated argument about money, I told my partner, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so," and we listed facts instead of trading blame.