On preparation............

Scott at the Live Your Legend blog offers 32 lessons learned
from 2011.  I suspect some of these lessons have taken me more
than one year to learn, and some haven't quite been internalized
yet.  Still, its a good list worth keeping handy.  A sampling:

27.  FOCUS is the most powerful skill in the world. Stop
distracting yourself. Know the top 1-3 most important things
to you and put everything else on a list for later.

28.  Preparation trumps everything. There is no excuse to
show up and not be ready for something. That’s in your
control and it’s often the easiest way to beat an opponent.
We used to run stairs for hours on end in the weeks leading
up to Jiu-Jitsu tournaments. Then we’d get on the mat and
often be able to beat our opponent on endurance alone. It
takes massive discipline to be truly prepared.

29.  Preparation creates confidence! That is priceless.