108 years later, the Chicago Cubs finally ended their long drought and won the 2016 World Series.

Theo Epstein, the team’s architect, dealt with another drought when the Boston Red Sox broke their curse 12 years earlier, but since 2011 Epstein has been putting the right pieces in place for what happened last week.

When negative things get into the head, they have the effect of being predictive.

The foul ball incident in a playoff series a number of years ago.

The feeling that the Cubs were actually cursed and would never get it off their backs.

People like “cursed” baseball teams also allow their success narratives to be stolen.  In fact, by believing even for a minute that something bad will happen again, guarantees it.

The Cubs had the best record in baseball this year, but they had to go down to the last inning of game seven to win.

They could have lost the big game if they wanted to continue buying into the folly of a curse.

But when they were down in game seven, an 17-minute rain delay forced the team off the field and into the locker room where we have learned Cubs’ leaders became vocal about playing to overcome the odds.

People who feel bad things are going to happen to them could benefit from a similar strategy.

Take a time out.

Adjust the thinking to be all positive with no regard for what may have happened before or fears that persist in the present.

Curses are excuses that are institutionalized in the minds of people who are inclined to let doubts influence their chances of success.

There is no such thing as a curse.

Only people who allow negative thoughts to become more important than talent, chance, preparation, motivation and singularity of purpose are cursed.

For everyone else, a curse is called inspiration.

Subscribe to these Day Starters for free here.

Share them with friends and family by forwarding this email or posting to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social media with my permission.

Don’t want to get these emails anymore?  Unsubscribe below.