Life Lessons - 30 Things My Dad Taught Me

Following yesterday’s update about my dad's unexpected death (and don’t worry not EVERY post hereafter will be about my father), I wanted to share this list of thirty things #MyDadTaughtMe.

The list originated on Twitter in 2011 in response to a hashtag floating around at the time. You will find business wisdom, life lessons, and spaß from Bernie Brown on this list.

You get to decide which is which!

Life Lessons My Dad Taught Me . . .

1. The song, "Nobody loves me. Everybody hates me. I think I'll go eat worms."
2. Don't invest time and effort in something that won't yield results for somebody.
3. Even if somebody's screwed up a bunch of times, they might not next time.
4. Always grab a quick nap if you can. (Although I didn't ever do it until I met my wife, who loves naps.)
5. The "Power of Positive Thinking" works. He lived it out throughout his life.
6. What can it hurt you to try something new, as long as it's low risk?
7. When you go to a restaurant where celebs go, ask the maître d, "Who else famous other than me is here tonight?" (Though I never have!)
8. You can't pick up a cigarette he dropped, snap it in two and hand it back to him without getting popped in the face. (Only time he ever did though.)
9. Humor is tremendously important in life. Take time to have fun and laugh.
10. Sales is a numbers game. If you're not making enough calls, you're not going to get enough sales.
11. If you want to make a profit, you have to learn to manage costs really well.
12. You shouldn't make other peoples' decisions for them. Who are you to decide someone will say "no" to your request?
13. Don't wind up in a career where getting paid depends solely on you having to be there each day.
14. Don't ever tell someone how much you make.
15. Try your hand at being an amateur artist, even if you don't seem to be very good.
16. Don't throw that "whatever it is" away. You may be able to use it later.
17. DIY is a good thing in lots of parts of life & business. (He's lots better at DIY than me though.)
18. Share what you've learned with other people if it can help them.
19. It's better to be pissed off than to be pissed on.
20. Don't take more than your fair share. And make sure others get their fair shares first.
21. Don't ever brag about yourself (unless it's about your son).
22. Nobody's irreplaceable. They were looking for someone else when they found you.
23. Taking money from someone gives them the right to tell you what they think you should do.
24. Roughing it is having to walk from your hotel room to the hotel restaurant.
25. How to be really sneaky at paying a restaurant check before anybody else at the table knew what had happened.
26. You're going to have to work long and hard to get ahead.
27. If you expect to get, you have to give first. And that's not just about money. It's everything.
28. If practicing isn't making your Little League team better, try not practicing and see if that works.
29. Some things you simply have to put up with. Put up with them stoically.
30. Live within your means. But never skimp on toilet paper or run out of it.

Bernie Brown via Mike Brown

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