My dad got his start in business sweeping up at nights for a remote office of a big company. He had struggled in college, yet over the course of 20 years he worked his way up to be the president of another company. He also went back to college while raising two young kids. When I graduated from college, my dad typed up a list of a hundred random thoughts that he wish his father told him - I still have the entire list and hope to add to and pass it on to my sons when they hit the same milestone. Here are 20 of the best tips, ranging from motivational to practical to funny.
20. Be on time for work. Show up a little early and stay a little late.
19. Listen to your spouse. It’s one thing to just hear her, it’s another thing to really listen.
18. Always have a needle and thread in your travel kit.
17. Be careful who you confide in.
16. Get to know your wines.
15. Never accept “I’m sorry, we can’t do that” from any retailer.
14. Don’t be afraid to fight for something if you believe in it and know you’re right.
13. You can make friends and enemies simply by leaving someone off a “cc” list.
12. Always keep building your network.
11. Remember your parents get smarter as you get older.
10. Success is 20% knowledge, 40% ability and 40% motivation.
9. Use your parents as sounding boards.
8. Never go food shopping when you’re hungry.
7. Get involved in a charity you believe in.
6. Stay out of the office gossip line. Don’t spread rumors. If you hear that somebody spread a rumor about you call them on it. They’ll never open their mouth again.
5. Call your parents once in awhile.
4. You can always steam out the wrinkles in a suit leaving it in the bathroom of your hotel room with the shower on hot.
3. When invited to somebody’s house for dinner take them a bottle of wine.
2. Never put anything in writing that you wouldn’t be willing to have the whole world read.
1. Never be satisfied with a goal you set yesterday.
What do you wish your dad told you?
Photo credit: ginable via Flickr
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My dad shared similar things with me that he’d had shared with him; one of the pieces I found most helpful was him passing along books by UCLA coach John Wooden; a lot of great life lessons there! -B
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My dad shared similar things with me that he’d had shared with him; one of the pieces I found most helpful was him passing along books by UCLA coach John Wooden; a lot of great life lessons there! -B
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Very sweet post, Adam. Perhaps it’s time to start a list for my kids now, while the first of them is around 1 year old, and refine it over the next 75 or so years.
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Very sweet post, Adam. Perhaps it’s time to start a list for my kids now, while the first of them is around 1 year old, and refine it over the next 75 or so years.
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Know your limitations.
Know when to give someone a second chance.
Having facial hair does not make you look like a bum.
You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.
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Know your limitations.
Know when to give someone a second chance.
Having facial hair does not make you look like a bum.
You can bring a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.
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Funny I just wrote on my blog about my dad’s memories of growing up! Dad told me lots, but most poignant is “Do it right now, while you are thinking about it. You may not have a chance later.”
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Funny I just wrote on my blog about my dad’s memories of growing up! Dad told me lots, but most poignant is “Do it right now, while you are thinking about it. You may not have a chance later.”
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One piece of advice (not from my father as it happens) that could replace or extend number 3: Never arrive at someone’s house with your hands hanging.
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One piece of advice (not from my father as it happens) that could replace or extend number 3: Never arrive at someone’s house with your hands hanging.
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The one thing my dad always said was “There’s a time and a place for everything.”
That’s always seemed to sum up so many other relevant points at various times in life.
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The one thing my dad always said was “There’s a time and a place for everything.”
That’s always seemed to sum up so many other relevant points at various times in life.