I remember having a conversation with a psychologist friend about an issue I was having with not feeling motivated enough to complete a project. I was completely astounded when she said that it sounded like I didn’t have enough stress to get it done. Not enough stress?, I scoffed. Well that’s a first. I’d heard over and over about how important it is to reduce stress, but never until that point had I been advised to go get some more of it!

She proceeded to explain that there is such a thing as “good stress”; a level of stress that stimulates you enough to get you focused, engaged, and motivated. So at this point, mind=blown, right? I mean, wow. It’s not just stress we need to be aware of, but good stress vs. bad stress. Good stress provides the stimulation you need to...