24 life lessons for my children (and perhaps for you)

  1. A small amount of your paycheck should go directly to a savings account every month.
  2. You can determine the size of a person’s intellect by the size of things that bother him.
  3. Find your passion and figure out how to get paid for it.
  4. Giving up or selling out on your passion equates to surrendering your happiness.
  5. Be happy for the good fortune of others.
  6. You can judge the quality of a person’s character by the way they treat their pets. 
  7. The first one to get angry loses.
  8. Love as much as possible before settling on a spouse or life partner.
  9. Become an expert on forgiveness. This is often done best by becoming less selfish and dramatic about your own life and thinking about others. 
  10. Learn to play chess, poker, and setback.
  11. You have no business criticizing people who are utilizing public assistance if your parents have filled that same role for you with bailouts, loans, college tuition, employment, and/or cash subsidies for vacations, automobiles, and mortgage downpayments. Your public assistance is merely familial and you did nothing to earn it.
  12. Always be reading a book, regardless of how slowly you may be reading it.      
  13. Do not expect anyone to be impressed by the university you attended or the degree earned. Real achievement is determined by what you do after you leave school. 
  14. Everyone finds confidence sexy, so be confident. If you’re not confident, fake it until you become confident.
  15. Talking about your dreams without taking any action is uninspiring and sad. Even microscopic steps in the right direction are impressive. Just be moving forward.  
  16. Do what needs to be done without complaining.
  17. Salary is the last thing to consider when accepting a promotion or changing jobs. Available time for family, friends, and hobbies and your day-to-day happiness while on the job should always be considered first and foremost. Exchanging money for happiness is always stupid.
  18. Tell the stories of your most embarrassing moments and greatest failures. Allow others to speak about your greatest achievements. 
  19. Know the Peter principle and understand well how it may apply to you. 
  20. Be known as someone who can keep a secret and be trusted with confidential information.
  21. When you find a pair of underwear that you like, purchase it in bulk. Discard all other subpar underwear. Comfort on an undergarment-level should not be underestimated.
  22. Be familiar with at least three Shakespearean plays. 
  23. Drink as little alcohol as possible. This does not mean that you can’t drink a lot in certain circumstances, but drink as little of a lot as possible in these circumstances. 
  24. Do whatever you want to do in the life, but try to be the very best at it.