Last Monday night, I was at a charity event and sat next to Karen "Duff" Duffy – you remember, the famous MTV VJ who is now the host of the upcoming series "Pack Your Toothbrush" on FLN.

Duff has heroically and humorously overcome her battle with sarcoidosis, as recounted in her best-selling book, Model Patient: My Life As an Incurable Wise-Ass.

Now, your faithful writer here is a bit of a "One–Note Johnny" – I can't help but talk about career stuff. All the time. So I asked Duff if she had any advice for our three million readers. Here's what she said:

The biggest mistake you can make is to do nothing when you can do a little. If you can do just a little something today, do it.

Duff was hitting it big when her illness hit her. She was at the Emmys with George Clooney, she'd just signed a contract with Revlon, and she had been named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People."

And by keeping her spirits up and expectations down, she did just a little bit that day. And a little bit more the next. And a little bit more the next.

And she re-built her life, her work, her career. She never lost her good spirits or wicked sense of humor, and has the most charming outlook on love, life and just about everything.

To laugh in the face of our enemies – even mysterious incapacitating illnesses; to thrive – not despite our problems, but because of them; to overcome, to conquer, to challenge; to take the worst that life can inflict upon us – and respond with the best that is within us.

That is the mark of my heroes.

Folks, whatever you're facing today (and I know it is tough out there), but is it as bad as a life-altering illness?

And if it's not (or if it is), can you do just one little something today?

Just one thing today for yourself, for your career, for your life.

The biggest mistake you can make is to do nothing when you can do a little.

Warmest regards,

Marc Cenedella
Founder & CEO
TheLadders.com, Inc.