- Make NEW friends but cherish the OLD ones too.
- Don’t carry a GRUDGE.
- Compliment three people every day.
- Watch a sunrise at least ONCE a year.
- Over tip waiters and waitresses for good service.
- Have a firm handshake.
- Look people in the eye.
- Say ‘thank you’ a lot.
- Say ‘please’ a lot.
- Own a great stereo/music system.
- Be the first to say ‘Hello’.
- Live beneath your means.
- Drive inexpensive cars, but own the best house you can afford.
- Buy great books even if you don’t read them.
- Be forgiving of yourself and others.
- Learn three clean jokes.
- Wear polished and high quality shoes.
- Ask for a raise when you feel you have earned it.
- If in a fight, hit first and hit hard.
- Return all things you borrow.
- Teach some kind of class.
- Be a student in some kind of class.
- Teach your talents to students on regular basis.
- Spread your knowledge widely.
- Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
- Keep secrets.
- Take lots of snapshots.
- Shoot a lot of videos with the loved ones and have back up in two different places.
- Don’t postpone joy.
- Write ‘thank you’ notes promptly.
- Never give up on anybody. Miracles happen every day.
- Show respect for teachers.
- Show respect for police officers and firefighters.
- Show respect for military personnel.
- Don’t waste time learning the ‘tricks of trade’. Instead, learn the trade.
- Keep a tight rein on your temper.
- Avoid over-exposure to sun.
- Don’t vote for politicians who talk big dreams.
- Don’t vote for either candidate if both are corrupted.
- Surprise loved ones with little unexpected gifts.
- Stop blaming others. Take responsibility of every area of your life.
- Never mention being on a diet.
- Make the best of bad situations.
- Always accept an outstretched hand.
- Live so that when your children think of fairness, caring and integrity, they think of you.
- Admit your mistakes.
- Use your partner to amuse, not abuse.
- Remember that all news is biased.
- Give way to people while driving.
- Demand excellence and be willing to pay for it.
- Be brave. Even if you are not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference.
- Hug children.
- Give to charity all the clothes and other stuff you haven’t used for two years.
- Never forget your anniversary.
- Choose a charity in your community and support it generously with your time and money.
- Don’t take good health for granted.
- When someone wants to hire you, even if it’s a job you have little interest in. talk to them. Never close the door on an opportunity until you’ve had a chance to hear the offer in person.
- Don’t mess with drugs, and don’t associate with those who do.
- Dance.
- Void sarcastic remarks.
- Steer clear of restaurants with strolling musicians.
- In business and in family relationships, remember that the most important thing is trust.
- Don’t smoke.
- Don’t drink alcohol.
- Even if you are financially well off, have you children earn and pay once in a while.
- Don’t let anyone ever see you tipsy.
- Never invest more in the stock market than you can afford to lose.
- Choose your life’s mate carefully. From this one decision will come 90 percent of your happiness or misery.
- Make a habit to do nice things for people who’ll never find out.
- Attend school reunions.
- Lend only those books you never care to see again.
- Always have something beautiful in sight.
- Think big thoughts, but relish small pleasures.
- Don’t do nothing because you feel you can only do a little. Do what you can.
- Learn how to read a financial report.
- Tell your kids how terrific they are and that you trust them.
- Don’t use credits cards.
- Don’t borrow money unless it’s a life and death situation.
- Take a brisk 30-minute walk every day.
- Exercise, run, swim at least three days a week.
- Never cheat.
- Smile a lot. It costs nothing and is beyond price.
- When dining with clients or business associates, never order big servings.
- Never use profanity.
- Keep fire extinguishers in your kitchen and car.
- Give yourself a year and read t least two good books on motivation.
- Consider writing a living will.
- Don’t buy expensive designer items. If you have too much money consider buying things for poor people on daily basis. The joy will be priceless.
- Learn mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.
- Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly.
- Respect your children’s privacy. Knock before entering their rooms.
- Wear audacious underwear under the most solemn business attire.
- Remember people’s names.
- When starting out, don’t worry about not having enough money. Limited funds are blessing, not a curse. Nothing encourages creative thinking in quite the same way.
- Leave the toilet seat in the down position.
- Never ask a barber or hairstylist if you need a haircut.
- Visit famous cities of the world.
- When someone is relating an important event that’s happened to them, don’t try to top them with the story of your own. Let them have the stage.
- Don’t buy cheap tools.
- Keep your watch five minutes fast.
101. Learn a foreign language.
102. Never deprive someone of hope; it might be all they have.
103. Introduce yourself to the manager where you bank. It’s important that he knows you personally.
104. Give yourself an hour to cool off before responding to someone who has provoked you. If it involves something really important, give yourself 24 hours.
105. Pay your bills on time.
106. Take someone bowling.
107. Keep a torch and extra batteries under your bed and in the glove compartment of your car.
108. When playing games with children, let them win.
109. Learn to handle a pistol and riffle safely.
110. Skip one meal a week and give what you would have to a homeless person.
111. Get acquainted with a good lawyer, accountant and a plumber.
112. When walking through a room, do one thing to make it more organized and beautiful.
113. Make a will and tell your next-of-kin where it is.
114. Strive for excellence, not perfection.
115. Pray not for things, but for wisdom and courage.
116. Be tough-minded but tenderhearted.
117. Have regular medical and dental checkups.
118. Keep your desk and work area neat.
119. Be punctual and insist on it in others.
120. Don’t waste time responding to your critics.
121. Avoid negative people.
122. Resist telling people how something should be done. Instead, tell them what needs to be done. They will often surprise you with creative solutions.
123. Be original.
124. Be neat.
125. Never give up on what you really want to do. The person with big dreams is more powerful that one with all the facts.
126. Don’t waste time GRIEVING over PAST mistakes. Learn from them and then move on.
127. Be suspicious of all politicians.
128. Be kinder than necessary.
129. EVERYONE has flaws. Don’t kick them off.
130. Seek out he good in people.
131. Encourage your children to have a part-time job after the age of sixteen.
132. Give people a second chance, but not a third.
133. Practice EMPATHY. Try to see things from other people’s points of view.
134. Read carefully anything that requires a signature. Remember the big print giveth, the small print taketh away.
135. Never take action when you are angry.
136. Learn to recognize the inconsequential, then ignore it.
137. Be your spouse’s best friend.
138. Do battle against prejudice and discrimination wherever you find it.
139. Wear out, don’t rust out.
140. Be romantic.
141. Let people know what you stand for and what you won’t stand for.
142. Don’t quit a job until you have lined up another.
143. Be insatiably curious. Ask ‘why’ a lot.
144. Measure people by the size of their heart, not the size of their bank accounts, houses, cars or mobile phones.
145. Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
146. Have a good posture. Enter a room with purpose and confidence.
147. Don’t worry that you can’t give your children the best of everything. Give then YOUR very best.
148. Don’t quit eating to lose weight. Drink low fat milk, use less salt and no sugar, eat vegetables and fruits.
149. Determine the quality of neighbourhood by the manners of people living there, not by their houses, cars and clothes.
150. Don’t forget a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated.
151. Feed a stranger’s expired parking meter.
152. Park at the back of car park at shopping centres. The walk is a good exercise.
153. Don’t watch violent television shows, and don’t buy the products that sponsor them.
154. Show respect for ALL living things.
155. Give your best to your employer. It’s one of the best investments you can make.
156. Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life-and-death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems.
157. Choose work that is in harmony with your values.
158. Don’t eat just before giving a speech.
159. Remember that 80 percent of the success is based on your ability to deal with children.
160. Commit yourself to constant self-improvement.
161. Don’t allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It’s there for your convenience, not the caller’s.
162. When complimented, a sincere ‘thank you’ is the only response required.
163. Be a good loser.
164. Be a good winner.
165. Don’t discuss business in lifts. You never know who many overhear you.
166. Never go food shopping when you are hungry. You will buy too much.
167. Spend LESS time worrying who’s right, and MORE time deciding what’s right.
168. Don’t major in minor things.
169. Think twice before burdening a friend with a secret.
170. Praise in public.
171. Criticize in private.
172. Never tell anyone they look tired or depressed.
173. When someone hugs you, let them be the first to let go.
174. Resist giving advice concerning marriage, finance or hair styles.
175. Have impeccable manners.
176. Never pay for work before it is completed.
177. Keep good company.
178. Keep your promises.
179. Teach your children the value of money and the importance of saving.
180. Be willing to lose a battle in order to win a war.
181. Don’t be deceived by first impressions.
182. Don’t encourage rude or inattentive service by tipping the standard amount.
183. Respect tradition.
184. Lend money to the one in need.
185. Never waste an opportunity to tell good employees how much they mean to the company.
186. NEVER cut what can be untied.
187. Wave at children on school buses.
188. Record your parents’ memories of how they met and their first years of marriage.
189. Show respect for other’s time call whenever you are going to be more than ten minutes late for an appointment.
190. Hire people smarter than you.
191. Learn to show cheerfulness, even when you don’t feel like it.
192. Learn to show enthusiasm, even when you don’t feel like it.
193. Take good care of those you care and love.
194. Be modest. A lot was accomplished before you were born.
195. Keep it SIMPLE.
196. Don’t jaywalk.
197. NEVER ask a lawyer or an accountant for a business advice. They are trained to find problems, not solutions.
198. When meeting someone for the first time, resist asking what they do for living. Enjoy their company without attaching any labels.
199. Avoid like a plague any lawsuit.
200. Every day, show your family how much you love them with your words, with your touch, and with your thoughtfulness.
201. Take family holidays whether you can afford them or not. The memories will be priceless.
202. DON’T gossip.
203. DON’T discuss salaries.
204. DON’T nag.
205. DON’T gamble.
206. Beware of the person who has nothing to lose.
207. Lie on your back and look up at stars.
208. Don’t whine.
209. Remember that overnight success usually takes about fifteen years.
210. Leave everything a little better than you found it.
211. Patronize local shops even if it costs a bit more.
212. Fill your fuel tank when it falls below one-quarter full.
213. Don’t expect money to bring you happiness.
214. Never snap your fingers to get someone’s attention. It’s rude.
215. No matter how dire the situation, KEEP COOL.
216. Find a good tailor.
217. Don’t use a toothpick in public.
218. Never underestimate your power to change yourself.
219. Never overestimate your power to change others.
220. Promise big. Deliver big.
221. Discipline yourself to save money. It’s essential to success.
222. Get and stay in SHAPE.
223. Find some other way of proving your manhood than by shooting defenseless animals and birds.
224. Remember the deal’s not done UNTIL the cheque has cleared.
225. Don’t burn bridges. You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river.
226. JUDGE YOUR SUCCESS BY THE DEGREE THAT YOU’RE ENJOYING PEACE, HEALTH AND LOVE, not by accumulated wealth.
227. Avoid taking your friend’s side if he is wrong.
228. Rekindle OLD friendships.
229. Never underestimate the power of words to heal and reconcile relationships.
230. Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
231. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Learn to say NO politely and quickly.
232. Keep overheads low.
233. Keep expectations high.
234. Accept pains and disappointments as part of life.
235. Remember that successful marriage depends on two things: 1. finding the right person and 2. Being the right person.
236. See problems as opportunities for growth and self-mastery.
237. Don’t believe people when they ask you to be honest with them.
238. Don’t expect life to be fair.
239. Become an expert in time management.
240. Take a nap on Sunday afternoon.
241. Take Sunday off and away from internet, computer and phone.
242. Make the bed when you are an overnight visitor in someone’s home.
243. Contribute five percent of your income to charity.
244. When tempted to criticize you parents, spouse or children, bite your tongue.
245. Never underestimate the power of love.
246. Never underestimate the power of FORGIVENESS.
247. Don’t bore people with your problems. When someone asks you how you feel, say ‘Terrific.’ When they ask, ‘How’s business?’ Reply, ‘Excellent!’
248. Learn to disagree without being disagreeable.
249. Be tactful. Never alienate anyone on purpose.
250. Hear both sides before judging.
251. Refrain from envy. It’s the source of much unhappiness.
252. Be courteous to everyone.
253. Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have the same numbers of hours per day as Helen Keller, Pasteur, Michelangelo, Mother Theresa, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson and Albert Einstein.
254. When there is no time full workout, do pushups.
255. Don’t delay acting on a good idea. Chances are someone has just thought of it too. Success comes to the one who acts first.
256. Be wary of people who tell you how honest they are.
257. Remember that winners do what losers don’t want to do.
258. Seek opportunity, not security. A boat in a harbor is safe, but in time its bottom will rot out.
259. When travelling, put a card in your wallet with your name, home phone number, the number of a friend or close relative, important medical information, plus the phone number of the hotel where your are staying.
260. Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.
261. Instead of using the words ‘if only’, try substituting the words ‘next time’.
262. Instead of using the word ‘problem’, try substituting the word ‘opportunity’.
263. Every so often, push your luck.
264. Reread your favourite book.
265. Live your life so your epitaph could read, ‘No regrets’.
266. Never walk out on a quarrel with your partner.
267. Don’t think a higher price always means a higher quality.
268. Don’t be fooled. If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
269. When renting a car for a couple of days, splash out on a posh one.
270. Be bold and courageous. When you look back on life, you’ll regret the things you didn’t do more than the ones you did.
271. Regarding furniture and clothes: if you think you will be using them for five years or longer, buy the best you can afford.
272. Own a good dictionary.
273. Own a good thesaurus.
274. Remember the three most important things when buying a home: location, location, location.
275. Get organized. Know where you are needed. But if something wonderful and unexpected comes along, be flexible enough to follow it.
276. Go through old photographs. Select ten and paste them to your kitchen cabinet. Change them every month.
277. To explain a romantic break-up, simply say, ‘It was all my fault.’
278. Evaluate yourself by your own standards, not someone else’s.
279. Be there when people need you.
280. Be decisive even if it means you’ll sometimes be wrong.
281. Don’t let anyone talk you out of pursuing what you know to be a great idea.
282. Be prepared to lose once in a while.
283. Know when to keep silent.
284. Know when to speak up.
285. Every day look for some small way to improve your marriage.
286. Every day look for some small way to improve the way you do your job.
287. Acquire things the old-fashioned way: save for them and pay cash.
288. Remember the ABC’s of success: ability, breaks, courage.
289. Do business with those who do business with you.
290. Work hard to create in your children a good self-image. It’s the most important thing you can do to insure their success.
291. Give clients your enthusiastic best.
292. Let your children overhear you saying complimentary things about them to other adults.
293. Just to see how it feels, for next 24 hours refrain from criticizing anybody or anything.
294. Take charge of your attitude. Don’t let someone else choose for you.
295. Save an evening a week for just you and your spouse.
296. Pay attention to details.
297. Be a self-starter.
298. Be loyal.
299. Understand that happiness is not based on possessions, power, or prestige, but on relationships with people you love and respect.
300. Never give a loved one a gift that suggests they need improvement. For example a perfume.
301. Turn off the tap each time you brush your teeth.
302. Wear expensive shoes, belts and ties, but buy them in a SALE.
303. When faced with a serious health problem, get at least three medical opinions.
304. Remain open, flexible, and curious.
305. Start meetings on time regardless of who’s missing.
306. FOCUS on making thing BETTER, not BIGGER.
307. Begin each day with some of your favourite music.
308. Don’t be intimidated by doctors and nurses. When you are in a hospital, it’s still your body.
309. Visit friends and relatives when they are in hospital; you need only stay a few minutes.
310. Once in a while, take a scenic route.
311. Don’t let your possessions possess you.
312. When you and your partner have a disagreement, regardless of who’s wrong, APOLOGISE. Say ‘I m sorry I upset you. Would you forgive me?’ These are healing magic words.
313. Don’t flaunt your success, but don’t apologize for it either.
314. After experiencing inferior service, food or products, bring it to the attention of the person in charge. Good managers will appreciate knowing.
315. Be enthusiastic about the success of others.
316. Read to your children.
317. Listen to your children.
318. Get your priorities straight. No one ever said on his death bed, ‘If I’d only spent more time at the office.’
319. Take care of your reputation. It’s your most valuable asset.
320. Don’t drive on someone’s tail.
321. Don’t allow self-pity. The moment this emotion strikes, do something nice for someone less fortunate than you.
322. Don’t procrastinate. Do what needs doing when it needs to be done.
323. Do more than is expected.
324. When you know you need help, don delay in asking for it.
325. Select a doctor your age so that you can grow old together.
326. Improve your performance by improving your attitude.
327. Be especially courteous and patient with older people.
328. Follow ETHICS more than religion. God’s message is same for all.
329. Answer the phone with enthusiasm and energy in our voice.
330. Record your parents’ laughter.
331. When meeting someone you don’t know well, extend your hand and give them your name. Never assume they remember you even if you have met them before.
332. Do it right the first time.
333. Laugh a lot. A good sense of humour cures almost all of life’s ill.
334. Never underestimate the power of kind word or deed.
335. Don’t undertip the waiter just because the food is bad; he didn’t cook it.
336. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I don’t know.’
337. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I made a mistake.’
338. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I need help.’
339. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘I am sorry.’
340. Never compromise your integrity.
341. Keep a note pad and a pen on your bedside table. Million-dollar ideas sometimes strike at 3 a.m.
342. Show respect for everyone who works for living, regardless of how trivial their job is.
343. When you find a job that’s ideal, take it regardless of the pay. If you’ve got what it takes, your salary will soon reflect your value to the company.
344. Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved.
345. Look for opportunities to make people feel important.
346. Be open to new ideas.
347. Don’t miss the magic of the moment by focusing on what’s to come.
348. When talking to the press, remember that always have the last word.
349. Set short-term and long-term goals.
350. When planning a trip abroad, read about the places you’ll visit before you go or, better still, rent a travel video.
351. Don’t steal other people’s thunder.
352. Stand up when greeting a visitor to your office.
353. Don’t interrupt.
354. Be more concerned with LIVING WIDE than LIVING LONG.
355. Don’t be rushed into making an important decision. People will understand if you need more time.
356. Be prepared. You never get a second chance to make first impression.
357. Don’t expect others to listen to your advice and ignore your example.
358. Give thanks before every meal.
359. Don’t insist on running someone else’s life.
360. Watch for big problems. They disguise big opportunities.
361. Never admit at work that you are bored, tired or angry.
362. Give people the benefit of the doubt.
363. Decide to get half an hour earlier in the morning. Do this for a year, and you will add seven and a half day to your waking world.
364. Don’t make the same mistake twice.
365. Make someone’s day by paying the toll for the person in the car behind you.
366. Save 10 percent of what you earn.
367. Never discuss money with people who have much more or much less than you.
368. Never buy something you don’t need just because it’s in a sale.
369. Cherish your children for what they are, not for what you would like them to be.
370. When negotiating your salary, think of what you want; then ask for 10 percent more.
371. After you have worked hard to get what you want, take the time to enjoy it.
372. Be the leader. Remember the one in the front is the only one with a decent forward view.
373. Commit yourself to quality.
374. Your mind can only hold one thought at a time. Make it a positive and constructive one.
375. Become someone’s hero.
376. Marry only for LOVE.
377. Count your blessings.
378. Call your mother.
I have changed many of these instructions into mine according to personal experience, and have added several of my own pieces of advice. Hope you all like them.
Matt, this is the first time that I wrote something from a book. I read this book when I was really young and sadly didn't follow much of it. Now I do like a ritual. I focused on only those instructions that sounded more functional for almost everyone.
I needed people to know the power of such little instructions.
I've got that book. It was written by H. Jackson Brown Jr. and he wrote it for his son, Adam, when he went off to college. He actually wrote three volumes to include over 1,500 instructions of fatherly advice [1560 to be exact]]. I got all three in a 'complete edition' for free when my old neighbours were giving away a lot of their old crap. Here are the first 25 instructions of Volume Two:
512: Believe in love at first sight
513: Never laugh at anyone's dreams
514: Overpay good babysitters
515: Never refuse jury duty. It is your civic responsibility, and you'll learn a lot.
516: Love deeply and passionately. You may gt hurt, but it's the only way to live life completely.
517: Carry Handi-Wipes in your glove compartment.
518: Never apologize for being early to an appointment.
519: Open the car door for your wife and always help her with her coat.
520: When reconvening after a conference break, choose a chair in a different part of the room.
521: Read the ten books nominated each year for the ABBY Award.
522: Rake a big pile of leaves every fall and jump in with someone you love
523: Create a little signal only your wife knows so that you can show her you love her across a crowded room.
524: Accept a breath mint if someone offers you one.
525: When you feel terrific, notify your face.
526: Discipline with a gentle hand.
527: Volunteer. Sometimes the jobs no one wants conceal big opportunities.
528: Never drive while holding a cup of hot coffee between your knees.
529: Use a travel agent. It costs no more and saves time and effort.
530: Never be the first to break a family tradition.
531: Have a professional photo of yourself made. Update it every three years.
532: Never miss an opportunity to ride a roller coaster.
533: Never miss an opportunity to have someone rub your back.
534: Never miss an opportunity to sleep in a screened-in porch.
535: Remember the advice of our friend Ken Beck: When you see a box turtle crossing the road, stop and put it safely on the other side.
536: Sign all warranty cards and mail them promptly.
537: Drive as you wish your kids would. Never speed or drive recklessly with children in the car.
really good instructions. it's strange how we often forget them. good job!
"When someone wants to hire you, even if it’s a job you have little interest in. talk to them. Never close the door on an opportunity until you’ve had a chance to hear the offer in person."
Sometime when we are facing with this situation we always think about 'will we be able to do it well?' We think about it for times and finally say no for we afraid will mess everything up.