Stephen Hawking once said, “Showing up is half the battle.” This quote always stuck with me. It’s so simple that sometimes we forget the importance of the statement. You can’t be considered for the job if you don’t submit your resume. You can’t win the race if you are not entered. You can’t win the lottery if you don’t buy the ticket. There are a million metaphors here, but you get my point.

As a modern-day teenager, you have so many things that can distract you away from success. Cell phones, youtube videos, social media, video games… These things occupy your time and keep you from actually showing up to life. And, a well-lived life is one that engages with all of the possibilities of the day. Today can be filled with fun, joy, excitement or laughter. Today might be filled with sadness, grief, rejection or pain. No matter the outcome, today offers possibilities, and it is essential to engage the day. For today just might hold one of those lasting memories that makes life worth living. This has always been my outlook on life. I hope it is yours too.

So, when I saw this little Facebook post on the Three Simple Rules in Life, it once again reminded me of the importance of showing up, engaging and giving life a try. Everyone is uncomfortable, almost everyone is nervous and most are afraid. Of what? The unknown. The response. Rejection. The trick is to overcome these frailties of life, and do it anyway. Go for it. Give it a try. Have the courage to be bad at something. Because who knows, you just might be great at something. You just might get the job. You just might create something beautiful out of the day. Every day is a new chapter and you are the author.

Your Turn: How can you apply these 3 simple rules to your life?