In the face of struggle, Massimino's colleagues shared with him key pieces of NASA wisdom, rules and sayings. Whether up in orbit or down on Earth, Massimino uses these three key pieces of NASA wisdom to make sure that his problem-solving process runs smoothly. Give yourself 30 seconds to feel badIt is normal to feel guilty when you make a mistake at work. When he makes a particularly frustrating mistake, Massimino tells CNBC Make It he employs the 30-second rule, a piece of NASA wisdom that he attributes to pilot Rick "CJ" Sturckow. But when the 30 seconds are up, he stops wallowing and concentrates on what's ahead.

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Persons: Mike Massimino, Nat Geo, Gary Gershoff, George Clooney, Massimino's, Massimino, Rick, CJ, Sturckow, Robert, Hoot, Gibson, You've, you've Organizations: NEW, Nat, NASA, CNBC Locations: New York City, Columbia