“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.”

– Albert Einstein

Tomorrow, our daughter Jane begins the Leaving Cert exam.

In Ireland, it marks the end of secondary school—a rite of passage, pressure cooker, and milestone all rolled into one.

Someone said to me recently, “Your daughter isn’t doing the Leaving Cert. Your entire home is.”

And it’s true.

While Jane is the one sitting the exam, we’re all around her, supporting, adjusting, encouraging—doing it with her, in our own way.

I was speaking recently with someone in their 70s who told me they still have the occasional nightmare about doing the Leaving Cert. Decades later.

It just shows how deeply these moments can embed in us.

In the moment, they feel enormous. Final. Life-defining.

But when I reflect on my own journey—and that of the people I work with—the pattern is clear:

Very few moments define your life.

But your mindset in those moments often does.

No matter what happens, life keeps presenting new doors, new choices, and new chances to grow or shift direction. It’s easy to forget this when you’re in the thick of stress or striving. But it’s true.

And central to navigating that truth is a mindset:

Opportunities are everywhere.

This week, a reflection:

Where in your life are you putting pressure on one moment to determine everything? And what might shift if you remembered that there’s always another path?

Best,

Shane

P.S. Jane, if you happen to read this… just know how proud we already are of you — not because of what happens in an exam hall, but because of who you are every day.
And to every home walking a similar path this week: deep breaths, gentle encouragement, and maybe an extra chocolate bar or treat in the kitchen. You’ve got this.

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