The first quarter of the school year is history. No efforts of yours can change the results. If you did well, you can take a moment to reflect on a job well done. If you’re like some of my students, you’ll come around to see me today and say, “What can I do for extra credit?” Sorry, that book is closed.

Here’s the good news—you have a second chance, second quarter. That’s a nice thing about life. You almost always have a second chance. Living your life as a student or as an adult is about trying things out, learning what works and what doesn’t and trying again.

The secret is to learn from your mistakes and your successes. If you fall short of your goal, don’t beat yourself up so badly that you’re afraid to make another mistake. Trying is the important part. If you show up for life every day and just put in some effort, you’ll succeed sometimes. If you don’t make it, you can try again. That’s what I intend to do.