I took a trip to my local clinic this morning. Spoiler alert: I have the flu. Needless to say, my outfit today was mostly about comfort but still elevated. I was wearing a dark gray pair of moleskin-ish trousers by Cremieux (with a fair bit of stretch), an olive green deep-vee undershirt, an olive green corduroy button-up shirt (untucked) by UntuckIT, olive and burgundy over-the-calf merino wool socks, tan leather sneakers by Lems Shoes, a gray herringbone flat cap by American Hat Makers, a camel overcoat by Michael Kors, burgundy Nappa leather gloves by Fort Belvedere, along with a necklace and rings with olive, burgundy, and tan accents. As I was preparing to leave, paying my copay and getting a receipt, a very young but very attractive lady was checking me out. As she did so, she commented that she, "[Loved my] clothes! They're very cool and, like, old money." This wasn't the only compliment I received on my outfit - the bar for patients at a local clinic is understandably low - but it was my favorite. There was no one else really within earshot and no lead-in comment; it was just a simple compliment she decided to pay me in that moment. Sincere compliments are always nice, but they're extra nice when they come from someone you would have likely been enamored with a couple of decades ago - and they're doubly nice when you feel like crap and put very little thought into your outfit. Which brings me to my point about outfit habits and why they matter... It's tempting, and relatively easy, to throw on a pair of pajama pants or sweat pants and an old t-shirt and whatever coat or jacket is closest to the front door on your way out to visit the clinic. These pants aren't my favorite. They're not the best quality and the legs are a bit too skinny but they fit me well and are comfortable for normal wearing or if I just want to lie on the couch for a while. I knew there was a good chance I'd be pulling my pants down for a syringe or two, so I wanted to go untucked - and grabbed the olive green corduroy shirt. Of course, it's cold outside so I went with an olive undershirt to layer - but a deep-vee since undershirts shouldn't be seen. I could have gone with gray socks but the olive and burgundy pair were right there and I know I have accessories that complement them within my options for jewelry and gloves. I spent less than five minutes getting dressed this morning and really only made two decisions: the pants and shirt. Everything else in the outfit just came together out of reaction or instinct or, perhaps most accurately, out of habit. I could have gone with any of my three overcoats - they all would have worked with the rest of the outfit - but I went with the camel because it's the only one that has a dedicated pocket for gloves.

Believe it or not... Every single person you see living a life of true significance and greatness has fear. If you're afraid... Which you absolutely should be if you're in pursuit of anything worthwhile... You need to understand two things very clearly: 1. Fear is not unique to you. We're all scared. That includes all the people who claim not to be. 2. Fear is a powerful source of fuel if you can train yourself to utilize it correctly. Most people allow fear to lock them into a state of paralysis which is the exact reason why they never go out to build and become anything meaningful. I suggest you do the opposite. As soon as your fears begin to surface... Use them as a trigger to take immediate action. What would your life look like if every single time you felt afraid or uncertain... You made the decision to take action and double down on your efforts? You already know the answer. I have fears too. A lot of them. But of those fears... Building and becoming nothing is my biggest... Which has also been one of the single greatest catalysts for my success. Your fears will either be an asset or a liability. You choose which one they will be. ~ Andy Frisella