Are there any list-lovers out there?
Whether you’re like me (who loves to not only read lists but write them as well) or not chances are you’ve seen lists on the best movies, the nicest hotels, the most expensive cars, the funnest places to visit, the hottest men and women, and so on. It seems we just can’t get enough of lists.
Lists are powerful because they serve two useful purposes; they are simple and they are informative.
Let’s face it, in today’s world for most people time is a commodity.
The Internet may have been the greatest gift of our lifetime but it has made free time a thing of the past.
It’s hard to stay out of touch these days. The boss can track you down on the phone, via email of maybe even on FB. And if the boss doesn’t get you, someone will. Maybe it’s your customers. Your children. Your wife. Or even well meaning friends. The point is it’s hard to find time to yourself.
And when you do, you’ve got so many options today.
Should we download a movie via Apple TV, watch our favorite dance performances on YouTube, read an ebook on our Kindles, play a game on our iPads, get a massage, go for a jog…it’s simply mind-boggling how many choices we have today.
So, if you’re anything like me, lists fulfill our need for speed.
They give us quick little tidbits which we can then explore further if they pique our interest.
I love them because there’s no fluff, just short and sweet.
It’s like using Cliff Notes (which for those of you who might not know is a company that produces condensed versions of books and study tips for students and a high schooler’s best weapon for time management).
Just the other day I came across one such list that made me think so I decided to come up with my own to share with you.
As this site’s all about success I wanted to share with you my condensed version of secrets to the good life.
The total comes to a little over a hundred but since most people don’t want to read that many I thought I’d break them down and share them little by little with you over the next few weeks and maybe comment on one or two of them afterwards.
So here goes:
Adrian Shepherd’s 100 Life Lessons (Part 1)
- Balance is everything
- Appreciate what you have
- Continually strive to achieve your dreams (you can always do it part-time)
- Keep your word
- Listen (even an old dog can learn new tricks)
- Never forget to say “please,” (it is the magic word after all) “thank you” and “I’m sorry”
- When you say I’m sorry, mean it.
- Life is not fair (get over it)
- What goes around, comes around
- Bad things do happen to good people
- Take action
- Take chances (but don’t risk the whole kit and kaboodle)
- Understand your limits (but push yourself to them)
- Health is a key component to both enjoyment and success
- Passing a test doesn’t necessary make you smart
- Opportunity is everywhere
- Treat your friends well
- Life is all about making mistakes
- Always go for a win-win situation
- Don’t believe everything you hear
- Your choices are yours to make, no one else’s
- Face facts (hiding from the truth can be hazardous)
- Look for people who are not afraid to give it to you straight
- The fear of an event is often worse than the actual event
- Ask (it’s amazing how many people don’t)
And there you have it, part 1 of 4. Of all these, from experience I can say that many people have trouble with numbers 1, 4, 5, 14, 21, and 25.
Personally, I’m still working on number 5 but I’m getting better at it with each passing day and that’s all one can really hope for.
If any of these are an issue for you, I believe in starting small.
Too many people like to jump in headfirst and run into all sorts of problems. I know people that have tried to go cold turkey when it came to alcohol, run a full marathon in a week (despite not having exercised for years), or change their financial life overnight and in each case it didn’t work out that well for them.
Baby steps.
Till tomorrow,
Adrian Shepherd