In fact, a great response to just about any situation is to do something positive and valuable. Exactly what that may be is not always obvious, yet it is most certainly there, and with commitment and effort you can find it.

When you've made a mistake, find an empowering way to move forward from it. When you've experienced a setback, respond with a burst of positive, productive energy and it will carry you far.

When everything is going your way, that's a great time to really get creative. Look for how you can build lasting value and meaning out of the good things that are coming into your life, and then take the steps necessary to do it.

Whether the situation is filled with fear, disappointment, joy, excitement, incompetence, effectiveness or boredom, the best way forward is always the same. The best way forward is to be positively useful and to create real value out of whatever has come your way.

In good times or bad, in circumstances that are easy or challenging, what matters most is what you do next. And you can always make that something great.