Over 50 Life Lessons learned…so far.

1. Tithe your time:  Give the first minutes of your day to God for giving you another 24 hours. 
2. Do your business:  (for aspiring entrepreneurs) make something happen!  Going to find a job is too easy.  No greatness can occur when you’re making someone else rich.  Have faith in your own success(es).
3. Always work, regardless! :  Don’t trust solely on the words of other people.  Even when the going seems good, don’t rest, add to it.  Success is guaranteed from the sweat of your brow, not promises.
4. Faith only works with ACTION:  Praying for help and assistance are a cluster of empty words unless you’re still pressing forward despite the situation.
5. Do ALL you can do, then have FAITH:  go until you can’t do anymore, then rely on Faith, but while you’re waiting…find another means to obtain your goal.  Add to it, always work.
6. Set goals, and don’t stop working till you achieve them:  Any and everybody can start then stop something, so start and finish your tasks.  Hell, over-achieve if you can!
7. There’s a lesson to learn in every hard time:  So the faster you learn it, the sooner you’ll recover and/or advance.
8. Work for everything you have:  therefore no one can take it away or claim that you wouldn’t be where you are without them.
9. No Porn:  the Silent Killer.  Temptation and pleasure decrease productivity…sometimes for minutes, sometimes for hours.  (It’s ok to LOVE sex!  Who doesn’t?  But draw the line…as fine as the line is, know the limit.)
10. Do NOT consider, think about, or even joke about anything that could jeopardise your company, goals, and/or position now or in the future:  This process is too powerful to overlook…thoughts become words, words become actions and every action has a consequence.  (Becomes more powerful over time.)
11. Don’t tell every plan or move you make to people:  Keep some things to yourself and let the results tell themselves:  Remember, not everyone is for your success.  Good AND evil survive in this world, and there are as many successful “bad guys” as there are “good guys”.  This includes your closest friend(s) or kin.  The easiest way for a wolf to be welcomed by sheep is when they look and seem like a sheep themselves.
12. If it doesn’t make money, it doesn’t make sense:  Why go to a club and spend $200 when you can use that time productively and make $200?  You’re tired of the same scene, same music, same people anyway…
13. Pursue your goals and dreams despite entering a new or breaking off an existing relationship:  Should it end, now or later, what do you have to show for it?  If you spent that much time or energy towards your goal, where would you be/have been?
14. Don’t be with someone who doesn’t SEEM or ACT supportive despite what they say:  People can SAY anything, their ACTIONS show everything.
15. Hence, trust ACTIONS, not WORDS:  When people SHOW you who they are, believe them, and decide.  They may catch it and not show you “the truth” again until it’s too late.
16. “If you LIE to me, you’ll STEAL from me, and if you’ll STEAL from me, you have the capability to KILL me, providing the proper situation.”   – Just old Grandmother wisdom.
17. Research it for yourself:  How many times has someone said something couldn’t be done then it was?  “There’s no way to get that phone for $100!”  Then after speaking to another rep, you get it for $75.  Research it yourself.
18. Don’t blame it on race:  The only color that truly matters is GREEN or GOLD!  Yes, race can make a situation easy or difficult, but come up with the right price or deal, and business will get done (it just might be under the table or a back room).
19. Life happens:  And it will continue whether you can deal with it or not.  This may seem grim, but bear with me…Life is depressing, hard, and difficult, that’s why nothing comes easy.  Life is like this so you apprecieate Joy and Happiness or the pursuit of both.  You wouldn’t know Joy if there were no Pain.  If Life was never hard, you wouldn’t work as hard to make it easy (retirement, vacations, etc).  This Life is making you, or has made you strong.
20. Love hurts:  And like everything else, takes work…sometimes more work than anything else.
21. Don’t be depressed too long over a break-up:  You’ll find someone more atttreactive and sexier right down the street.
22. If you talk to God, talk to Him like the closest friend you have the upmost respect for:  Not every conversation or statement you have with Him requires you to be in a tuxedo and speaking in tongues.  But on the same note when addressing Him…He is God!
23. Your past is your past:  It happened, you did it, for whatever reason…nothing is going to change that.  If you’re not happy about your past, thank goodness it’s over and move on.  Other people only stay stuck on what happened in your past as long as you keep mixing it with the present (verbally, mentally, doing similar things, or things that make you and others remember it).  If you’re fine with your past, or get over it, go make more happy memeories, life’s too short.
24. Insanity = doing the same thing but expecting different results.
25. Don’t get wrapped up if people are bad-mouthing you about things that aren’t true:  if it’s not affecting your money, family, or the payment of your bills, who cares?  People are going to talk…can’t help it.  Once you show its not affecting you, they’ll move on to someone else.
26. Don’t let someone pressure you into something that bothers your soul:  Being nervous about something new is one thing.  Doing something that goes against your beliefs is something different.
27. Stand for something or you’ll fall for anything:  Don’t be afraid…not everyone will agree with you.  You won’t ever have 100% support from the world.  So now that you know this, stand for something that you agree with.
28. People will disappoint you:  They’re human.  It happens (loved ones and friends alike).  However, you determine how deep, how many times, and for how long.
29. Is it better to be Loved or Feared?:  Love gives a “deeper” reward, but can give more pain.  Fear lasts longer but has severe consequences.  You decide…
30. Don’t forget those who helped you get where you are:  Appreciate them, tell them “Thank You” while they and you are still alive.  Once they’re gone it’s too late.
31. In order to GET help, you have to GIVE help:  In order to keep friends, you have to be a friend.
32. When doing something for someone, don’t expect anything back:  If you don’t get anything back, you won’t be disappointed and if you do, count it as a blessing.
33. Give your time and/or attention to attaining your goals and to those who deserve it:  Therefore, you won’t ever, waste valuable time.
34. Sometimes its not the fear of failing that discourages our advancements, but rather not knowing what Success will bring.
35. Don’t discount everything you hear:  If someone has a certain reputation, remember a reputation is created over time.  There may be some truth to that “story”.  Believe and trust with caution.
36. Don’t ever stop learning:  There is always someone out there who wants to put you out of business, or take what you ‘ve worked for.  Stay on top of your game.
37. Excercise:  If you can’t take care of yourself, how can you take care of anything or anyone else?
38. The good guy doesn’t always win, the bad guy doesn’t always lose, therfore focus on being smart.
39. The greatest revenge:  Treat your significant other better than anyone ever has or ever will and let them be the reason for the break-up.
40. There are two sides to EVERYONE:  The side they show you and who they really are.
41. Seldom sacrifice the bird in hand for the bird in the bush:  Lol..ok, but this from an “extreme radical’s” point of view…one who is without risk is without reward.  But from a conservative’s point of view, only risk what you can afford to lose.  For both mentalities, I wash my hands of this point with the following statement….before “sacrificing” the bird in hand, DO YOUR RESEARCH!  Then use your best judgement when making a decision.
42. You cannot help someone who has no desire to better themselves:  Whether it’s a close friend or family member, I’m sorry…this is life, nothing changes it except evolution and you’ll be long dead before you see it come around…IF it ever does.
43. Money isn’t everything, but it sure helps:  Making money is extremely important!  Money doesn’t bring happiness but imagine the misery that comes without it.  Need proof?  Watch “Pursuit of Happyness” with Will Smith.  After watching it, you’ll see the point of this statement.
44. Lead by example:  You’re only human, you’ll make mistakes but the effort is worth its weight in gold.  How can you expect someone to follow you or your words if you’re not willing to do it yourself?
45. Determine what happiness is to you:  No one will be able to do this for you.  That’s why no one else can truly make you happy if you don’t know what happiness is to you.  Figure this out FIRST, then add somone to your life.  If you’ve read this too late…set aside some time to just relax and think of what the perfect life is for you.  Hint:  It shouldn’t be to have mass amounts of money….but that on top of the real answer counts!   =)
46. Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.
47. Looks and hygiene have everything to do with your success:  You can have the greatest personality and be the most honest person in the world. But what client/person wants to talk to someone who looks homeless and has breath that kills butterflies?
48. Don’t stay mad:  Life’s too short.  You’re human, though.  Get upset.  Things are going to bother you but don’t harp on it.  Now I’m not saying not to correct the person/situation if they’re wrong; not saying to be a push-over or let people take advantage of you; and definitely not saying act like it never happen.  Just remember what was previously said about the importance and value of your time; being productive; thoughts and words materializing; and about life being short.
49. If something/someone doesn’t ADD to your life, SUBTRACT it/them!  Period.
50. Do not offer what you aren’t willing to give up.
51. Don’t chase money, chase situations that create opportunities.
52. Advice is helpful, but it’s not until you understatnd its importance, that it will ever be of benefit to you.