My Rules for Living

As the new year approaches, I find it is helpful to write down one's rules for living. I have done this for the last few years and find it is help. Published below are some of my (non-personal) rules.   I would also be very interested in hearing your rules -- feel free to email them to me.


- don't waste your talents. If you are blessed, help others.

- if you are reading this, chances are that your life is better than at least 90% of the people on earth. Always remember that. Use your talents and wealth to make the world better for the other 90%.

- always be adamant about learning. Time is not on your side. Listen to books on tape. Read the paper every day. Incorporate learning into your daily routine

- force yourself to read at least 10 pages of a book every day. A real book (with at least 150 pages) -- not a periodical.

- go out of your way to help people. Always be the first to proactively volunteer to drive a friend to the airport or help her move. Always try to connect people to one another if they can mutually benefit.

- don't complain … ever. Don't sweat the little things …

- don't hang out with people that complain

- fire people that complain

- never, ever be unethical. Follow the ten commandments to a tee. In the rare case that you tell a lie, make sure you force yourself to feel bad about it.

- always be on time and respect other people's time

- always have something to read

- fix little problems right away

- always carry a pen

- "the perfect is the enemy of the good". There are things that need to be done right and there are things you need to do right now.

- "one does not discover new lands without consenting to lose sight of the shore for a very long time" - Andre Gide

- "the worst thing you can do for those you love is the things they could do and should do for themselves." - Abraham Lincoln

- "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" - Wayne Gretzky