I am always very reflective on my birthday, but this one even more so (for obvious reasons). I've been thinking quite a lot about my own development and so I thought I might compile a list of proverbs, concepts, maxims, and ideas that have become valuable to me on my journey. I thought to spend this entire week leading up to today reminding myself and sharing with others these wonderful truths that I have gained so much from. Thus I spent the entire week tweeting and facebooking (is that a word???) about them. Many of you have responded and expressed thanks and even requested the entire list. Well, here it is. I must add that this is by no means an exhaustive list. There are so many wonderful lessons I've been given over the years and I have listed here a mere sampling. I struggled to determine which ideas I might include and which should be set aside for another time (like say...40 at 40). Nevertheless, feel free to take them, share them, and make them your own. More importantly, use them in you growth journey, As I have in mine. Even as I wrote them and I review them I am reminded of how far I still have to travel. He's still working on me. So then let's grow together. Here's 30 lessons from 30 years.
- Mentors are like living cheat sheets. Use them often.
- Academic preparation is like sharpening a knife. You don’t have to do it, but it’s so much easier if you do.
- The Bible is the most entertaining, intellectually stimulating, and spiritually invigorating book you will ever read. Read it often.
- Everyone who follows you, accepts your friend request, works with you, talks to you and smiles at you, is not your friend.
- You don’t have to be an expert at everything, but you should be in expert in something and then know a lot of other experts.
- Be Nice! People will do anything for you if they like you.
- Concerning love, be patient. In time you will either grow closer together or further apart.
- Sex is not for kids (people who don’t pay their own bills). Unmarried Adults have more resources to deal with the consequences. Kids don’t.
- The people who are cool in real adult life are usually not the people who were cool in high school.
- We have 2 eyes and 2 ears and 1 mouth so that we can watch, listen, and learn twice as much as we speak up b/c we already know the answer.
- If you make this decision now, think how will it affect your life 5 mins, 5 days, 5 mos., and 5 yrs from now.
- Readers are leaders. Writers are fighters.
- You're a sucker if you don't save. Debt is slavery. Stop begging banks for money.
- In marriage, appreciation goes a long way. Say thank you.
- A lot of what we think is love is actually lust, or at least infatuation.
- Setting goals is a lot like writing history before it happens.
- Plan your work and work your plan because those who fail to plan, plan to fail.
- School & work are investments into your own future. Your work seals your wealth.
- Devotion is like breakfast. You can eat it anytime, but it's best in the morning.
- God is never in a rush for anything. Jesus never ran anywhere. Be patient.
- Complaining is contagious. Don’t contaminate the air.
- The best sex is actually a really deep private conversation (between married people) that turned into body language.
- Do your best to say the right thing, the right way, at the right time.
- Do your best to be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing, for the right reason.
- Family first. If you die your employer will just replace you; your spouse and kids can’t live without you.
- Children need answers to two major questions (1) am I loved? and (2) can I do whatever I want?
- Children are little mirrors. They’re also our little teachers (it just stinks when they think they know more than adults).
- Straight A’s come from diligence, not genius. Anybody can earn them.
- Know it alls are sometimes impressive, usually ignorant, but always annoying. Don’t be one.
- Fear no-body and no-thing. God is in control.
No comments:
Post a Comment