Shift your mindset to lead and live with positivity. It’s a simple 1–2 system that rewires your brain for better leadership, resilience, and growth.
By James Dowd
It hit me one morning while planning a photoshoot. My producer and I both checked the weather. He said, “Partly cloudy.” I said, “Partly sunny.” He called me an optimist, and I stopped. Really stopped. Am I inherently positive? Do I see the bright side, the glass half full? Is that who I am, my brand?
It wasn’t until I hit a clear moment of pessimism that I realized it wasn’t who I am; it was the decision I made that day, in that moment. I chose to be positive.
It’s all a damn choice, and no one told me!
You One or Two?
Here’s the system I run my life on: one or two. That’s it.
1: Happy. Content. Calm. Energized. Excited. Enthused.
2: Sad. Stressed. Frustrated. Angry. Anxious. Overwhelmed.
Every morning, every day, every moment, I ask myself: “Will I be a 1, or a 2?” And every moment after that: Will I win this moment (1), or will I let it beat me (2)?
It’s simple, binary, unambiguous. Life is messy, but this is clean. One or two. Pick. Own it. Move forward.
If I’m having a 2 morning, I just look at my dogs, think about how amazing they are, and how lucky I am, and shit, then I realize how nice the morning is, and how I like being out on a walk, and I’m suddenly a 1 again. Simple.
Now, you might not be buying it. It can’t be that easy, right? Everyone calls bullshit when I try to 1 them over. I tell them they’re being a real 2 right now, or hold up a single finger to remind them to be a 1, and they scoff. But, it’s goddamn science, people!
Not Kidding. It’s Actual Science.
When you practice noticing the positive, celebrating wins, seeing the sun through the clouds, you create a feedback loop of sweet, sweet brain drugs – dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, endorphins. You literally reward your positivity with more good feelings.
Dopamine reinforces reward. Every time you acknowledge a win or savor a moment of joy, your brain says, “Do that again.”
Serotonin stabilizes mood, helping you feel grounded.
Oxytocin strengthens social bonds, deepening connection.
Endorphins reduce stress and make movement feel good, keeping you going.
The more you intentionally feed the 1s, the more your brain starts to expect them. You’re training it, conditioning it. It’s neuroplasticity in action! You’re literally rewiring your response to the world, turning positivity into a habit and routine. But routine takes repetition. Checking in, choosing, and acting, not giving in to the 2s. If you consistently choose 1, you become 1.
The Two Wolves
There’s a story I keep in my mind when the world tries to drag me down: the two wolves.
The legend goes that there are two wolves fighting inside us. One is evil. It’s anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, lies, false pride, superiority, ego. The other is good. It’s joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion.
Which wolf wins? The one you feed.
1 vs. 2.
You feed the one that wins.
Every thought, every reaction, every micro-decision feeds a wolf. Your day, your mood, your work, your team, your relationships, your life — all of it — are influenced by which wolf you choose to feed.
The Bottom Line
Envision seeing and being a 1 as seeing yourself and your experiences as piles of gold coins — moments of joy stacked and saved. The stress, tension, and anxiety that inevitably hit? They can’t compete with the value and weight of all I’ve collected. My “gold” is always heavier, always brighter, always more valuable. I’m not ignoring struggles. I’m simply choosing to let the good outweigh it.
But remember that the 1-2 system isn’t about forcing happiness. It’s about awareness. It’s about choice. One question, one pause, one action:
Am I a 1 or a 2?
Then act. Feed the wolf. Collect your gold. Elevate yourself. Reflect. Repeat.
You’re not a passenger in your own life. You’re the driver. The author. The collector. The chooser. The leader. The fighter. And every day is another chance to stack the coins higher, feed the good wolf stronger, and own your story.
Have a 1-derful day!