Today I turn 33-years old and, in the spirit of giving, I thought I would share 33 things I’ve learned in 33 years.
- When you find something you’re passionate about, jump into it.
- Be inquisitive. Ask questions, read books, visit museums.
- More children means more messes, more noise, and more love.
- You’ll be surprised at what you can accomplish when you don’t know you have to ask permission to try something new.
- When crossing train tracks, keep your hands out of your pockets.
- Honesty in all things. Even the hard things. Especially the hard things.
- Admitting ignorance and asking questions is a great way to get answers.
- People who believe in something greater tend to be happier than those who focus on themselves.
- Confidence and a clipboard make you look successful.
- Play to your strengths. Don’t sweat your weaknesses.
- Failure is just another data point.
- Success means meeting your own expectations, not what others impose on you.
- Don’t take criticism personally, unless it comes from your wife or your mother. They’re usually correct.
- Always tell your mother and your wife that they are correct, even when they are not.
- Consequences come from making choices, but this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t make them.
- Love is an action, not an emotion.
- Admit mistakes, apologize when necessary, confesses regularly, and move on.
- Change is inevitable. If you’re the same person you were five years ago, something’s wrong.
- Some people resent the success of others. Minimize contact with these people.
- Pass on what you have to others.
- Don’t take your work too seriously, unless you’re the safety inspector at a nuclear power plant.
- Don’t take yourself too seriously, period.
- Prayer works, but not always in the way we expect.
- The bad times never look so bad in hindsight. Even high school.
- Trying even when the odds of success are slim breeds experience and success.
- Knowing how to cook is a surprisingly effective way to impress people.
- Everyone needs a mentor, a colleague, and an apprentice.
- The only people who can tell you “You should be doing this” are your parents, your spouse, your priest, and your immediate supervisor. Even then, you always have a choice.
- People are basically good.
- Never be afraid to try something else if what you’re doing isn’t working.
- Be flexible when dealing with others, but never at the expense of your convictions.
- Joy is an extremely rare character trait. Cultivate it.
- When all else fails, bake a cheesecake.
That’s what I’ve learned; what have you learned in X number of years on this planet?