"Could you do it for $ 1 million?" That's what I ask myself when things get hard or when I feel stressed, overwhelmed, and challenged. I try to give myself a "jolt" to help see the situation differently. A mental perspective shift requires firm, reassuring, and nurturing self-talk. Here are a few things I say to myself to retrieve my optimism, build perseverance, and tap into my underlying determination to keep going! 

1. It's simple but not easy. I use this as a mantra to remind...