The Rules

Back in 1994, I met an amazing fellow who went on to become a good friend of mine. He was a learned man who read a lot, thought even more and sometimes committed these thoughts to paper. He sent me a hand written piece once that I thought was pretty inspiring so I set it to type and hung it on my office wall.
Later, I framed it and hung it on various offices, cubes, or walls of businesses that I owned. I called it "The Rules" and the rules were simple. If you ever wanted to know what made me tick; read. It was all there in black and white, everything I believed in.

The Rules

Develop a philosophical and ethical structure. Then live with it. Success without self-reflection is delusion.

Forty hours a week in a competitive environment will result in failure. Fifty hours, survival. Sixty hours, success. Additionally, strive to spend twenty hours in pursuit of interests in the arts and sciences. Leisure will eventually be regarded as laziness. Relaxation, while necessary, should only be indulged in infrequently and can be regarded as addictive.

If you are unwilling to pay the price of success, admit it to yourself. Envy of those who strive does not buttress what you are already not aspiring to.

Focus every moment of every day on process and process improvement. Small, incremental gains can add up enormously over a lifetime.

Make a list of reactive activities and reflect on them. Otherwise, how will you know if you're successful.

Do the same for proactive activities. Otherwise, how will you know if you're happy?

There is no holy grail. Learn to enjoy the quest.

If you are successful and your people are not, perhaps you have the wrong people.

Always give 100%, then give ten percent more. Your limits will keep expanding.

Money is also the root of all good.

The roads to gratification are many and often pleasant. The roads to success are hard and steep. But they do lead somewhere. Remember that the path of least resistance leads downhill.

If you are not willing to give the customer what they want, when they want it, you will fail.

If you are not selling on price, you'd better have something pretty special to offer.

The other most important relationship beyond the one with the customer is the one with the supplier. That means a fair price, prompt payment and regard for their business.

In life, you will get knocked on your ass. If you get up one more time than you get knocked down, you win.

Failing all else, try again. Try thinking ahead this time.

There are more ways than one to skin any old cat (every problem has a solution.)

The world is a sufficiently harsh place. Strive to be kind and gentle with people. But carefully cultivate the ability to stand your ground.

No matter how foul your mood, strive to project an appearance of good humor. You will not doubt still manage to piss someone off.

Above all else, resist the temptation to commit thoughts such as these to record. You will not doubt subject yourself to charges of foolishness and pedantry.

Thanks Bob. Bunny on.