Last week, a colleague forwarded me an email from her sister. It was her sister’s 31st birthday and she had decided to perform a life assessment by listing 31 important lessons she has learned so far. My colleague thought it was a good exercise for everyone and I agree. Especially because my birthday and the New Year tend to coincide. (I like to get them both out of the way at the same time.)
So, never one to shy away from a good challenge, here’s my list. It’s in no particular order. Some of the items I learned from family, friends and coworkers; others I picked up along the way from books, movies, songs and ads. A few I made up my own self (or at least I think I did). I have tried to ascribe proper credit wherever applicable.
I see this list as a working document; it’s definitely subject to change at any time. (Sort of a metaphor for life.) And, of course, with any luck I’ll be adding to it in subsequent years.
By the way, if you want to find out how old I am, just count the bullet points.
- When all else fails, go to lunch.
- “Keep on keeping on.” – Bob Dylan
- “You get what you get and you don’t get upse” – Preschool wisdom
- “Never miss a genuine opportunity.” – MGD ad
- “Be true to your teeth or they will be false to you.” – Soupy Sales
- “Waiting is the hardest par” – Tom Petty
- Always get a second opinion.
- “Keep repeating, ‘it’s only a movie.’” – Tagline from “Last House on the Left”
- Niceness counts.
- “Keep your chin up.” – My Dad (and countless others)
- “Fish is brain food.” – My Mom (and countless others”)
- “Be quick but don’t hurry.” – John Wooden
- When in doubt, make a decision.
- “Think off-center” – George Carlin
- “Losing hurts worse than winning feels good.” – Vin Scully
- “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.” – Arthur C. Clarke
- Nothing trickles down.
- “It’s easy when you know your business.” – Al Philips the Cleaner commercial
- “Always plan three meals ahead.” – Bob Burris (friend)
- Never piss off your server.
- “Sometimes nothing is a real cool hand.” – Cool Hand Luke
- “A turbulent economy is a dealmaker’s dream.” – Anonymous
- We’re all just guessing.
- “If the game is designed for you to lose, play a different game.” – Seth Godin
- Give blood. It’s a good excuse to eat a big unhealthy breakfas
- “Never get involved in a land war in Asia.” – The Princess Bride
- “You can’t please everyone, so you’ve got to please yourself.” – Rick Nelson
- Pack ligh
- “Erleichda.” – Tom Robbins (you could look it up)
- “Never memorize something that you can look up.” – Albert Einstein
- “Lava sus manos.” – Sign in millions of public restrooms
- Bounce back.
- “It’s only weird if it doesn’t work.” – Bud Light commercial
- Deeds, not words (unless you’re a writer)
- “Old age and treachery will overcome youth and enthusiasm.” – Sign on ex-boss’s desk
- “Whatever gets you through the nigh” – John Lennon
- “Keep your friends close but your enemies closer.” – The Godfather
- “Follow the money.” – Deep Throat
- Relationships are like cell calls. If they start out bad, they’re not getting better.
- “Buy the good shoes.” – Tammy Rouff (my better half)
- “Grammar is for sissies.” – Alex Raffi (business partner)
- Meditate.
- “It’s not about you. It’s about them.” – Rango
- Sit with your back to the wall
- “Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.” – Muhammad Ali
- “It ain’t bragging if you can do ” – Dizzy Dean
- It’s good to be next
- “Everybody funny. Now you funny too.” – George Thorogood
- “When in doubt, leave it ou” – Max Berkowitz (high school journalism teacher)
- “If you do things for the right reasons, nothing can stop you.” – We Bought A Zoo
- “Don’t think it won’t happen just because it hasn’t happened ye” – Jackson Browne
- Adopt a child, a dog and/or a cat
- “Go the distance.” – Field of Dreams
- The problem with karma is that it doesn’t work fast enough.
- “Things change.” – Our grandson Aaron (when he was five)
- “You can have anything you wan But you can’t have everything you want.” – Zig Ziglar
- Soylent Green is people.
And one to grow on:
- “And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.” – The Beatles