What is this principle? Ten percent of life is made up of what happens to you. Ninety percent of life is decided by how you react. What does this mean? We really have no control over 10% of what happens to us.  We cannot stop the car from breaking down.  The plane be late arriving, which throws our whole schedule off.  A driver may cut us off in traffic. We have no control over this 10%.

The other  is different. You determine the other 90%. How? By your reaction.  You cannot control a red light, but you can control your reaction.  Don't let people fool you; YOU can control how you react.

Let's use an example.  You are eating breakfast with your family.  Your daughter knocks over a cup of coffee onto your business shirt.  You have no control over what just what happened. What happens when the next will be determined by how you react. You curse. You harshly scold your daughter for knocking the cup over. She breaks down in tears.  After scolding her, you turn to your spouse and criticize them for  placing the cup too close to the edge of the table.

A short verbal battle follows. You storm upstairs and change your shirt.  Back downstairs, you find your daughter has been too busy crying to finish breakfast and get ready for school. She misses the bus. Your spouse must leave immediately for work.  You rush to the car and drive your daughter to school.  Because you are late, you drive 40 miles an hour in a 30 mph speed limit.  

After a 15-minute delay and throwing $60 (traffic line) away, you arrive at school. Your daughter runs into the building without saying goodbye. After arriving at the office 20 minutes late, you find you forgot your briefcase. Your day has started terrible.  As  it continues, it seems to get worse and worse.  You look forward to coming home.  When you arrive home, you find small wedge in your  relationship with your spouse and daughter. Why? Because of you reaction in the morning.  
Why did you have a bad day?

        
A) Did the coffee cause it?
B) Did your daughter cause it?
C) Did the policeman cause it?
D) Did you cause it?
        
        The answer is D.  

 You had no control over what happened with the coffee. How you reactedin those 5 seconds is what caused your bad day.

Here is what could have and should have happened. Coffee splashes over you. Your daughter is about to cry. You gently  say, "It's ok honey, you just need to be more careful next time".   Grabbing a towel you rush upstairs. After grabbing a new shirt and your briefcase, you come back down in time to look through the window and see your child getting on the bus. She turns and waves. You and  your spouse kiss before you go to work. You arrive 5 minutes early and  cheerfully greet the staff. Your boss comments on how good the day you are having.