Here is an excerpt from one of the crazier – and more entertaining – books I’ve ever picked up, Pimp – The Story of My Life by Iceberg Slim. Below is from a conversation between Iceberg Slim and a mentor he met in jail, who Iceberg Slim claims to be the driving force to becoming the most successful pimp of his time. If it makes you more comfortable, replace “pimp” with “entrepreneur”. Anyway, this powerful quote has stuck with me.

He would say, “Always remember whether you be a sucker or hustler in the world out there, you’ve got that vital edge if you iron-clad your feelings. I picture the human mind as a movie screen. If you’re a dopey sucker, you’ll just sit and watch all kinds of mind-wrecking, damn fool movies on that screen.”

He said, “Son, there is no reason except a stupid one for anybody to project on that screen anything that will worry him or dull that vital edge. After all, we are the absolute bosses of that whole theatre and show in our minds. We even write the script. So always write positive, dynamic scripts and show only the best movies for you on that screen whether you are a pimp or priest.”