David BURNS

But all these theories about the causes of our bad moods have the tendency to make us victims—because we think the causes result from something beyond our control.

In contrast, you can learn to change the way you think about things, and you can also change your basic values and beliefs. And when you do, you will often experience profound and lasting changes in your mood, outlook, and productivity.

Your emotions follow your thoughts just as surely as baby ducks follow their mother. But the fact that the baby ducks follow faithfully along doesn’t prove that the mother knows where she is going!

So whenever my ego tries to tell me that I’m “over the hill” or not quite “good enough,” I try to remember what Robert said. That reminds me of what’s really important in my life and what gives me the deepest feelings of satisfaction and joy—it’s not being “special” but hanging out with other flawed people who share their failures and vulnerabilities, as well as their successes, so we can all learn and grow together. That’s my “high-level” solution!