Approximately a 3-minute read

Hello!

In this week’s newsletter, I’m sharing three simple lessons that can help you think more clearly and respond more effectively under pressure. Today's message includes what to do when negative thoughts show up, how to separate what truly matters from what only feels urgent, and how to learn from mistakes without turning on yourself. My hope is that each one gives you a practical way to move through your week with more clarity, confidence, and intention!

negative thoughts.

An athlete asked me a question last week that I hear all the time: “How do I control my negative thoughts?”

I asked him something in return: “Have you ever been driving when it suddenly starts pouring rain? Do you try to control the weather?”

Of course not, you turn on your windshield wipers.

And the harder it rains, the faster you turn on the wipers.

Your mind works the same way.

Doubt, fear, and negative thoughts are like weather patterns. It's not a character flaw, nor do these thoughts mean you’re weak. Unwanted unproductive thoughts are not a bug in the system—they’re a feature of being human.

Like the rain, the goal isn’t to stop the onslaught of uncontrollable thoughts; it's to strengthen your windshield wipers.

Your wipers might come in the form of positive self-talk, a deep breath, logic, gratitude, or focusing on what you can control.

They might be your systems, routines, and processes.

And just like real wipers, the process is continuous. They swipe, the rain returns, and they swipe again.

And when the downpour gets so heavy that the windshield wipers can't move fast enough to clear the windshield, we slow down. Sometimes you even pull over and let the weather pass.

​
​try it:

The next time doubt or negative thoughts show up, don’t fight them—treat them like rain.

Pause and ask yourself: What are my windshield wipers right now?

Choose one simple action to clear your mind for the moment:

• Take a slow breath.

• Shift your focus to one thing you can control.

• Infuse your mind with positive self-talk.

• Return to your routine or process.

Remember: you’re not trying to stop the rain. You’re simply training your wipers to keep clearing the glass—one swipe at a time.
​​​

​​signal vs. noise

There’s a powerful distinction between signal and noise.

Signal is what truly moves the needle.

Noise is everything that feels important but really isn’t.

The tricky part is that in our minds, they can feel identical. That’s when we fall into paralysis by analysis—overthinking, debating, refining details that don’t actually matter.

There’s a concept called bike shedding, introduced by historian C. Northcote Parkinson. He noticed that organizations will spend endless time debating trivial issues—like what color to paint a bike shed—because everyone feels qualified to weigh in.

Meanwhile, complex, high-stakes decisions get far less attention.

We do the same thing. We tweak small details while avoiding the hard conversations and decisions that actually matter.

Noise is easy, signal is uncomfortable.

try it:

Look at your to-do list today and ask yourself: What here is signal, and what is noise? Identify the one task, conversation, or decision that will truly move the needle—even if it feels uncomfortable. Then take the smallest meaningful step toward it. Don’t replace what's important with what's easy.

​
improvement.

It’s easy to beat yourself up after a mistake.

But here’s a different frame: mistakes are normal. Smart people make them. Experienced people make them. Even the best in the world make them.

Great leaders understand this. When the same mistakes keep happening, they don’t just blame the person. They look at their system and wonder what's causing this mistake to occur consistently.

They improve training. Clarify roles. Create backup plans. They design systems that catch errors before they become disasters.

The goal isn’t zero mistakes; it's smaller mistakes, fewer repeated mistakes, and avoiding the big ones that cause real damage.

try it:

The next time you make a mistake, resist the urge to blame yourself. Instead, pause and ask: What in my system allowed this to happen? Look at your preparation, routines, communication, or process and identify one adjustment you can make. Improve the system, and you’ll naturally reduce the mistakes over time.

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​​Hope you have a great week!

Justin Su'a

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