24 life lessons for my children (and perhaps for you)
- A small amount of your paycheck should go directly to a savings account every month.
- You can determine the size of a person’s intellect by the size of things that bother him.
- Find your passion and figure out how to get paid for it.
- Giving up or selling out on your passion equates to surrendering your happiness.
- Be happy for the good fortune of others.
- You can judge the quality of a person’s character by the way they treat their pets.
- The first one to get angry loses.
- Love as much as possible before settling on a spouse or life partner.
- Become an expert on forgiveness. This is often done best by becoming less selfish and dramatic about your own life and thinking about others.
- Learn to play chess, poker, and setback.
- 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.
- Always be reading a book, regardless of how slowly you may be reading it.
- 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.
- Everyone finds confidence sexy, so be confident. If you’re not confident, fake it until you become confident.
- 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.
- Do what needs to be done without complaining.
- 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.
- Tell the stories of your most embarrassing moments and greatest failures. Allow others to speak about your greatest achievements.
- Know the Peter principle and understand well how it may apply to you.
- Be known as someone who can keep a secret and be trusted with confidential information.
- 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.
- Be familiar with at least three Shakespearean plays.
- 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.
- Do whatever you want to do in the life, but try to be the very best at it.
